Phrase Expansion

Overview

The lengthening of a phrase, whether internally or externally, beyond its expected duration. "Expected duration" is defined contextually, and it may rely on such factors as: era, genre, and/or pre-established models. The expansion may occur either within a single group (stretching) or by stringing together (or appending) additional groups (adding). Stretching and Adding can also occur at the same time.

The most common way of identifying expansion is to compare it to a model from the same piece. For example, in a parallel period, if the first phrase is 4 measures but the second is 7 measures, there is likely to have been a phrase expansion because the first phrase established a model of length and the second phrase defied that expectation. This can happen when a phrase comes back later in a piece too, like a chorus that was 8 measures the first time but is now 10. The model for expectation can also come from the genre or style of music. If, for example, every verse you have experience with in bluegrass music was 8 measures, but a new piece in that genre has a 9-measure verse, it will likely feel like an expansion and then you can dive deeper in order to identify where an expansion might have occurred. Keep in mind that the repetition of an entire phrase is not typically considered an expansion technique. For example, if the first verse was 8 measures and the second verse was 16, if the 16-measure one was just the original 8 measures and its repetition, there is no expansion.

Also keep in mind that expansions are typically something you aurally experience first. Use the examples below to start developing a sense of what expansion sounds like.

Internal vs. External

Phrase expansion can happen within the bounds of a phrase or it can happen before the phrase starts and/or after the phrase ends. When it occurs outside of the phrase it's called an external expansion and it's the same thing as an external auxiliary section (prefix & suffix). This page only focuses on internal expansions.

Internal expansions come in many forms but they can generally be broken down into two major categories: (1) Adding and (2) Stretching.

Genre: Most dance music that I'm familiar with does not have internal expansion. It happens occasionally, but it is not common. European classical music employs it fairly regularly, but again, it is not common in dance music even in European classical styles. Many pieces simply don't have expansion.

Adding

An expansion created by the combination of repeated, additional, or unexpected groupings. There are three sub-categories of additive expansions:

• Internal Repetitions
  • An immediate repetition of a group that is unexpected and occurs before a phrase's closure. Can come in three forms: (1) literal, (2) transposed, and (3) sequential
• Cadential Repetitions
  • Repeating the moment of cadence and the music immediately preceding it. If the initial group reaches a cadence that is accepted, the result is a cadential echo. However, if the cadence is rejected, the repetition is the "One More Time" technique (Janet Schmalfeldt).
• Alternative paths
  When a phrase deviates from its expected course toward a goal via the addition of new material. Alternative paths are initiated by a diversion (a moment or span of time that the phrase's expected trajectory is pushed onto an alternative path). If the original path is resumed before the cadence then the alternative path is a detour and if it does not (that is, it cadences without returning to the original path) then it's a reroute.

Examples

• Cadential Repetition:
  • Cadential Echo type (cadence accepted ✔)
  • "One More Time" Technique (cadence rejected ❌)
• Alternative Paths:
  • Alternative Path - Detour
  • Alternative Path - Reroute
• Internal Repetition:
  • Literal Repetition

Stretching

Stretching occurs when a single grouping unit has been lengthened beyond its expected duration by increasing the length of one or more of its harmonies. This can happen in the following ways:

• A harmony is repeated or held for an extended amount of time but the melody and harmony have no substantial elaboration
• The harmony is held or repeated but the melody is elaborated
• the harmony is prolonged ("embellished") via intervening harmonies while the melody remains unchanged (based on it's length in some other presentation of this group)
• the harmonies are expanded but both the melody and harmony are embellished

Examples

• Stretching:
  • Beethoven, Op. 31, No. 2, i (mm. 1-22)