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Polyphony vs Cacophony - What's the difference?

polyphony | cacophony |

As nouns the difference between polyphony and cacophony

is that polyphony is musical texture consisting of several independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice (monophony) or music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords (homophony) while cacophony is a mix of discordant sounds; dissonance.

polyphony

English

(wikipedia polyphony)

Noun

(-)
  • (music) Musical texture consisting of several independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice (monophony) or music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords (homophony).

    • Derived terms

    * polyphonic

    See also

    * organum * heterophony

    cacophony

    English

    Noun

    (cacophonies)
  • A mix of discordant sounds; dissonance.
  • * 1921-1922, ,
    • Not more unutterable could have been the chaos of hellish sound if the pit itself had opened to release the agony of the damned, for in one inconceivable cacophony was centered all the supernal terror and unnatural despair of animate nature.

    Antonyms

    * euphony * harmony

    Derived terms

    * cacophonic * cacophonous

    Related terms

    * cacophonous * dissonance * harmony