convergence point
English composer
Definition
In a Nancarrow tempo canon, the structural moment at which two or more voices moving at different tempos arrive simultaneously at the same point in their shared melodic material. This creates a momentary rhythmic unison before the voices diverge again, functioning as the canon's climax or structural resolution.
Interpretive Guidance
Track convergence points by counting the ratio: in a 3:4 canon, after the slower voice has played 3 units and the faster voice has played 4 units, they will have traversed equal melodic distance. Nancarrow often marks these points with a textural change, glissando, or sudden dynamic shift.