What musical structure involves the simultaneous play of 3 quarter notes over 2 dotted quarter notes in 6/8 meter?

The musical structure that accurately describes the simultaneous play of 3 quarter notes over 2 dotted quarter notes in 6/8 meter is vertical hemiola. In this context, the concept of hemiola refers to the rhythmic relationship where two conflicting groupings of beats occur simultaneously.

In 6/8 meter, the basic pulse can be felt as either two dotted quarter notes (which group the beats in pairs) or as three quarter notes (which divide the measure into triplets). When these two rhythms are played together, it creates a layered effect that highlights a tension between the two different metric interpretations. This interplay is characteristic of a vertical hemiola, where you have a “3 over 2” rhythmic structure, showcasing the elegance of polyrhythms in a 6/8 context.

The other options do not pertain to this rhythmic relationship. For instance, binary and ternary forms refer to the larger structural organization of music, focusing on sections rather than rhythmic interplay. Rounded binary form combines elements of both binary and ternary, but it still does not capture the specific rhythmic concept of quarter notes over dotted quarters. Thus, vertical hemiola is the correct answer, as it directly relates to the specific interaction of rhythmic groupings in