The 1957Encyclopédie Larousse[1] defines acell inmusic as a "smallrhythmic andmelodic design that can be isolated, or can make up one part of athematic context". The cell may be distinguished from thefigure ormotif:the 1958Encyclopédie Fasquelle[1] defines a cell as "the smallest indivisible unit", unlike the motif, which may be divisible into more than one cell. "A cell can bedeveloped, independent of its context, as a melodic fragment, it can be used as a developmental motif. It can be the source for the wholestructure of the work; in that case it is called agenerative cell."[2]
Arhythmic cell is a cell without melodic connotations. It may be entirely percussive or applied to different melodic segments.
The term "cell" (German:Keim) derives from organic music theorists of the nineteenth century.Arnold Schering adopted the term, along with "melodic kernels" (Melodiekerne) in his analysis of 14th-centurymadrigal, one of the first uses ofGestalt psychology in music theory.[5]