The Poetry of Drums

The Poetry of Drums is a form of music used to commemorate important events originally devised by the elf Vema Glimmerpines. The form guides musicians during improvised performances. A chanter recites any composition of The Cardinal Sweetness while the music is played on a amafe and a letha. The musical voices bring melody and counterpoint. The melody and counterpoint both have short phrases throughout the form. It is performed without preference for a scale. Throughout, when possible, performers are to play arpeggios.

• The chanter always does the counterpoint melody and plays staccato.
• The amafe always does the counterpoint melody.
• The letha always does the main melody.
• The Poetry of Drums has a well-defined multi-passage structure: an introduction, a first theme, a lengthy exposition of the first theme, a bridge-passage, a brief second theme, an exposition of the second theme, a synthesis of previous passages, a bridge-passage, a finale and a brief coda.
• The introduction should be melancholic and gradually slows as it comes to an end, and it is to be soft. The chanter's voice covers its entire range and the amafe stays in the raucous high register. Only one pitch is ever played at a time in this passage. The passage is performed in the amama rhythm. The passage should be performed using locally improvisation.
• The first theme should be made with feeling and is moderately fast, and it is to start loud then be immediately soft. The chanter's voice ranges from the low register to the middle register and the amafe covers its entire range from the buzzy low register to the raucous high register. Chords are packed close together in dense clusters in this passage. The passage is performed in free rhythm.
• The first exposition should be delicate and is fast, and it is to be soft. The chanter's voice stays in the high register and the amafe stays in the raucous high register. Chords are packed close together in dense clusters in this passage. The passage is performed in the upe rhythm.
• The first bridge-passage should be made sweetly and is moderately paced, and it is to start loud then be immediately soft. The chanter's voice covers its entire range and the amafe stays in the raucous high register. Only one pitch is ever played at a time in this passage. The passage is performed in the atho rhythm.
• The second theme should sparkle and is fast, and it is to be in whispered undertones. The chanter's voice stays in the low register and the amafe stays in the raucous high register. Chords are packed close together in dense clusters in this passage. The passage is performed in free rhythm. The passage should be performed using locally improvisation.
• The second exposition should be made with feeling and is very slow, and it is to start loud then be immediately soft. The chanter's voice covers its entire range and the amafe stays in the buzzy low register. This passage typically has some sparse chords. The passage is performed in the datome rhythm.
• The synthesis should be fiery and gradually slows as it comes to an end, and it is to fade into silence. The chanter's voice ranges from the low register to the middle register and the amafe stays in the buzzy low register. This passage features only melodic tones and intervals. The passage is performed in the ada rhythm.
• The second bridge-passage should feel mournful and is very fast, and it is to be moderately loud. The chanter's voice ranges from the middle register to the high register and the amafe covers its entire range from the buzzy low register to the raucous high register. This passage typically has some sparse chords. The passage is performed in the ile rhythm.
• The finale should feel calm and slows and broadens, and it is to be very soft. The chanter's voice stays in the middle register and the amafe covers its entire range from the buzzy low register to the raucous high register. This passage typically has some sparse chords. The passage is performed in the imeri rhythm. The passage should be performed using mordents.
• The coda should feel tender and slows and broadens, and it is to be moderately soft. The chanter's voice ranges from the low register to the middle register and the amafe covers its entire range from the buzzy low register to the raucous high register. Only one pitch is ever played at a time in this passage. The passage is performed in the bulifo rhythm.
• The amama rhythm is a single line with eight beats divided into four bars in a 2-2-2-2 pattern. The beats are named thafatha (spoken tha) and etini (et). The beat is stressed as follows:
• | x - | - x | x - | - x |
• where x is a beat, - is silent and | indicates a bar.
• The upe rhythm is a single line with two beats. The beat is stressed as follows:
• | - x |
• where x is a beat, - is silent and | indicates a bar.
• The atho rhythm is a single line with three beats. The beat is stressed as follows:
• | x x x |
• where x is a beat and | indicates a bar.
• The datome rhythm is a single line with two beats. The beats are named lari (spoken la) and aratha (ar). The beat is stressed as follows:
• | x - |
• where x is a beat, - is silent and | indicates a bar.
• The ada rhythm is made from two patterns: the imeri (considered the primary) and the amama. The patterns are to be played over the same period of time, concluding together regardless of beat number.
• The imeri rhythm is a single line with sixteen beats divided into eight bars in a 2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2 pattern. The beat is stressed as follows:
• | - x | - x | - x | - x | x - | - x | x - | x - |
• where x is a beat, - is silent and | indicates a bar.
• The ile rhythm is made from two patterns: the amama (considered the primary) and the atho. The patterns are to be played over the same period of time, concluding together regardless of beat number.
• The bulifo rhythm is made from two patterns: the upe (considered the primary) and the emu. The patterns are to be played in the same beat, allowing one to repeat before the other is concluded.
• The emu rhythm is a single line with thirty-two beats divided into eight bars in a 4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4 pattern. The beat is stressed as follows:
• | - x - x | x x x x | - x - - | - x - - | x - - - | - x x x | x x x x | x x - - |
• where x is a beat, - is silent and | indicates a bar.

Events

• In midwinter of 166, The Poetry of Drums was created by the elf Vema Glimmerpines in Tempttwilights