anacrusis
- noun
- /ˌænəˈkruːsɪs/
- Specialized
- In the poem, the anacrusis creates a gentle buildup before the main rhythm begins.
Examples
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My older pianists are encouraged to breathe through a phrase, inhaling on the anacrusis or rest and exhaling at the cadence.
Academic text (2009) -
The introductory portion, termed anacrusis among biblical scholars (Watson 150), appears as a single word, a phrase, a parallelism, or a small paragraph that propels the text into the chiasm that follows.
Academic text (2005) -
The elements of anacrusis, crusis, and metacrusis are vital to understanding the dynamic flow of energy in a phrase (Jaques-Dalcroze & Rothwell, 1930).
Academic text (2012) -
The composer added a subtle anacrusis to the melody, leading into the first strong beat.
-
During the rehearsal, the conductor emphasized the importance of the anacrusis in setting the mood of the piece.
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word anacrusis comes from Greek parts ana- meaning 'up' and -crusis meaning 'a push'. So, think of it as a little 'push' or pick-up that comes before the main beat or stressed part of a line.
