ABSTRACT
One of the many features distinguishing post-tonal music from that of the tonal era is its preoccupation with rhythm. In contrast, in many post-tonal compositions the focus is on rhythm at least as much as on pitch, and the surface rhythms are frequently varied and complex. Often the conflict between written and perceived rhythms arises out of consideration for the performer. The metrical equivalent of polytonality is polymeter, the simultaneous use of two or more aurally distinguishable meters. Polymeter with coinciding barlines is probably the least commonly used. Remember that the simultaneous use of 24 and 68, for instance, is not really polymeter but instead polydivision of a single meter. Music without barlines may be metric or not, depending on the composer's intention and the listener's interpretation. One aspect of rhythm in post-tonal music that must catch the attention of any performer is its difficulty.
