Rhetoric in Music

 Throughout this course we have seen how rhetoric has shifted into various forms, such as speeches, sermons, letter-writing and even painting, but what about the different styles of rhetoric that we have not discussed? Dance, sports, games, and, of course, music have been underlying works of rhetorical art that have been rarely discussed. 

To really show how rhetoric is expressed in music, I will be comparing different rhetorical devices that may be used in writing that can transfer over into musical composition. Let's begin!

The first rhetorical device I would like to discuss is an anaphora. In rhetoric, an anaphora is the repetition of a word or expression at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses especially for rhetorical or poetic effect. An example of this would be saying "For the people, I shall exist. For the people, I shall die." The repetition of "For the people" is an anaphora. Comparing this to music, an anaphora is a repeated phrase in music that begins different phrases. As seen in Chopin's Scherzo, No.2, Op. 31, the beginning melodies are a repeat of each other. However, the repeated melodies are the start of different phrases, mirroring the finishing of a clause as if we were reading sentences. 

The next rhetorical device is an epiphora. Epiphora is the repetition of the same word or words at the end of successive phrases, clauses or sentences. The epiphora is actually the opposite of an anaphora in that the anaphora repeats at the beginning of the phrase while an epiphora repeats at the end of the phrase. In writing, an epiphora can look something like our courtroom oaths, stating "Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" The emphasis on "truth" at the end of each phrase creates an epiphora while also expressing how important the emphasized word is. Music uses epiphora in the same way. In Yohann Sebastian Bach's Violin Sonata No.1 in G minor, Bach uses an epiphora in a small part in the presto movement. If you cannot hear it, you may be able to see that in the middle row, there are four measures that have identical endings with the exact same three last notes. These notes create an epiphora since they are repeated at the end of each phrase, bringing a connection through the music. 

The third rhetorical device is anadiplosis, or the repetition of a word or words in successive clauses in such a way that the second clause starts with the same word which marks the end of the previous clause. An example from poetry would be Robert Burns' poem "A Red, Red Rose." Burns' writes "O my Luve is like a red, red rose..." The repetition of "red" creates a complete clause, for only saying "My Luve is like a red" creates an incomplete statement, so following the line with another "red" and using "rose" helps complete the clause while also emphasizing the color of the rose. In music, the emphasis of anadiplosis can build tension or create an emphasis on the mood of the piece. An example of andaplosis in music can be found in Mozart's final movement of his Symphony No. 41 in C Major. Although it may be hard to hear the lower voices playing it, you can see the eighth note runs in the top line connect to the lower voices in the bottom few lines later on. Once the upper voices play their eighth note run, the lower voices repeat the run and continue it in a different octave to finish the phrase. The sharing of one repeated rhythm express anadiplosis in the music since it is taking the same rhythm and finishing a phrase throughout different voices in the ensemble. 

Finally, the last rhetorical device that I will discuss is epizeuxis, which is the repetition of a word or phrase in immediate succession, typically within the same sentence, for vehemence or emphasis. This rehtorical device is often usedi n political debates to try and emphasize a person's values. An example can be seen in Winston Churchill's "Never Give In" speech. Churchill says "Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never -in nothing, great or small, larger or petty - never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense." The repetition of the phrase "never" creates emphasis on the word and builds emotion around it. The same empahsis in repition can be placed in music, as seen in Igor Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring." In this section of Stravinsky's piece, he uses a certain chord to strike the idea of oncoming thunder at the renewal of spring. The repeating thunderous chord is intimidating and disrupts the flow of the piece, but it also makes it clear to the audience on what is happening in the music. The chord would not have the same effect if it were not repeated in such a way. 

As you can see, music has many rhetorical values in it. Rhetoric helps the music create a story. With rhetoric, notes become words and chords become moods. Music can be just as persuasive as any other style of rhetorical art. Although I only discussed a few of the rhetorical devices that can be used in both writing and music, there are many more that can be found. Perhaps you can relate these rhetorical devices to other styles of rhetoric that we did not discover in this course. After all, this isn't music theory.