Pattern

Pattern Perception

Why is a pattern perceived as a whole by the mind? The question of pattern perception has been discussed by a group of psychologists named the Gestalt School. Although the Gestalt School mainly studied visual patterns, its ideas influenced musical analysis of the early 20th century. According to this theory, the mind seeks to perceive the simplest group of elements, giving more importance to the whole than its components. The gestalt psychologists presented a series of laws explaining the holistic perception of patterns. The patterns, or gestalt, are formed according to the principles of “proximity” and “similarity” (close and alike elements tend to form a whole), of “simplicity” (groups of simple shape are preferred) and “symmetry” (symmetric and synchronized elements tend to be grouped). Although many authors have pointed out the limits of gestalt theory, its set of principles remains a reference for many of today's music theorists dealing with the understanding of patterns perception and the development of methodologies to identify musical patterns (such as computer modeling).

The pattern is two-sided: pattern as recurrent motif (e.g., a four notes motif repeated several times throughout a musical piece), and pattern as basic material for the construction of the music. The pattern as a recurrent motif exists in any length, but is usually quite short. It is repeated, identically or varied, in some parts or in the whole of a musical piece. Although the variation can affect any of its components (e.g., pitch or rhythm), the motif is easily recognizable by the listener, conserving its identity.

The leitmotif (German, meaning “leading motif”) is a kind of pattern, first associated with the operas of Richard Wagner. The leitmotif is a short musical motif repeated throughout an opera, symbolizing a character, object, feeling, or place in the plot. The recurrence of this specific pattern represents a musical, but especially a dramatic, contribution to the opera.

Another famous example of musical pattern is the four notes motif (three short and one long) of the Fifth Symphony of Ludwig van Beethoven. This well-known motif appears in the first part of the symphony, and is repeated in the third and fourth movements. The pattern gives unity to the musical piece, but also participates in the construction of the music because it serves as basic material for the first movement of the work. Although the pattern as recurrent motif can serve as a basic idea for a part of or for an entire musical work, it doesn't generate a work as the musical model does.

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