polifonia

Polifonia, or polifonía in Spanish and Italian usage, is a musical texture characterized by two or more independent melodic lines performed simultaneously. Each line has its own contour and rhythm, and together they form harmony through interweaving melodies rather than a single melody with accompaniment.

Unlike monophony, which presents a single melody, and heterophony, where voices loosely ornament the same line, polyphony emphasizes independent lines that interact through counterpoint. Techniques such as imitation, canon, and fugue are common means of constructing polyphonic textures.

Historically, polyphony emerged in medieval Europe with organum and the Notre Dame school, and it expanded greatly during the Renaissance with composers like Josquin des Prez and Palestrina, who developed imitative writing and cantus firmus methods. The Baroque era preserved polyphonic writing in dense fugues and canons, notably in the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, even as tonal harmony became dominant in many other genres.

In modern usage, polyphony remains central to choral and instrumental concert repertoire. It also influences some jazz and contemporary classical practices, as composers and performers explore multiple independent lines within a coordinated structure. Polyphony thus spans a broad historical range and continues to inform both traditional and experimental approaches to music.