This blog captures some of our research on canons in music from the middle ages to the present day. Canons have always been an indispensable part in compositional craft. They are heard regularly in works for keyboard or small combinations of instruments to massive choral or orchestral compositions. Canonic techniques involve using the same melody in voices that start at different times to each other. The astonishing result is that all voices are in perfect harmony with each other. Composers love going beyond these simple canons to all sorts of ingenious transformations of the melody by changes to rhythm or singing the melody backwards instead of forwards or upside down.

This blog will have posts about our activities and discoveries. You can also find out about our recent publications and various projects that are centred on canon. Much of our recent research on canons has been funded by two grants from the Australian Research Council. This blog will also be a portal to other resources for musical canons.