Dear @fleschler : Rhythm and anynother characteristic is a consequence of the quality level of those transient response/time decay ( that's part of that TR ) / dynamic power.
Rhythm is a controversial characteristic , obviously is critic in MUSIC as hrmony and other important characteristics and per sé depends of the overall score individual players. It's not easy to explain it but we know that " rhythm " when we are listening:
" The quality of rhythm is the quality of life; however vitally composers conceive their music, they must depend upon performers to recreate it rhythmically. "
"" After all, metres like the spondee, ♩♩, and the dispondee, ♩♩♩♩, need an accent on the first beat to keep their identity. Notwithstanding the opposite tendencies of metrical organization and stress accent, however, some metre is obviously subject to stress, so that metre and time measure become very closely linked, as in the scherzo of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, where a measure has a strong first beat and at the same time follows a metre. ""
Where MUSIC start other that the composition it self, well start at that or those first beat or beats by the different players in a group or orchestra the rhythm is " formed " by those transients/decay time and each dynamic power. In MUSIC all is important and not easy to define with presicion which is the more important characteristic and that's why could be so controversial.
Transients and dynamic power always exist but not always with that " rhythm " that each one of us are accustom to and I can tell you that my perceived rhythm in a specific score could be different for you or even me or you can say: no rhythm here.A good rhythm is when our body is just " dancing " it's when we really are enjoying MUSIC and not only lisnet it but as I said is a " consequence ".
Is so delicated that issue that in a home system a not so good room treatment could make a poor rhythm when the same score in other same system well room treatment the rhythm could shines.
R.
