General Comments

Inégalité, or inequality, is an unnotated performance convention for music in the French style, where notes are notated equally, but performed in a long-short or, less often, a short-long way. The level of application for inequality is as follows:

  • for a beat on the half note, or dotted half note, inequality applies on the eighth-note level.
  • for a beat on the dotted quarter, quarter, or eighth, inequality applies on the sixteenth-note level.

The only exception is in cut-C, which might have inequality on the eighth- or the sixteenth-note level.

The application of inequality is indicated in the following situations:

  • step-wise notes on the appropriate rhythmic level for the meter
  • notes in pairs
  • groups of notes not interrupted by rests
  • slurs occurring over pairs of notes
  • pickup notes occurring against inequality in other parts

The amount of inequality can vary tremendously, from virtually dotted to a much more subtle difference in duration.

Back to Multimedia Menu