sewing-machine music

English

Etymology

Attributed to Arnold Bax.

Noun

sewing-machine music (uncountable)

1. (derogatory) Baroque classical music characterized by motoric rhythm and dense masses of notes.
   • 1977, Lewis Gordon, Choral Director's Complete Handbook, page 113:

     I once had difficulty with my choir's interpretation of a Bach cantata until I described the fugue they were performing as “sewing machine music” and asked them to “chatter” as they sang.

   • 2011, Pedro de Alcantara, Integrated Practice: Coordination, Rhythm, & Sound, page 80:

     Tempo and phrasing were utterly predictable in performance, and musicians dismissed even first-class Baroque compositions as “sewing-machine music.” Undesirable precision isn't limited to bad performances of Baroque music.

   • 2014, Michael Wenkart, The 50 most influential people in history, page 195:

     Bach's style is baroque, characterised by lots of notes, simple motoric rhythms, and steady shifts of underlying harmony — it was derided by some as 'sewing-machine music'.