The Rhythm of Chants
The Rhythm of Chants is a form of music used for entertainment originally devised by the goblin Tode Spreadcruel. The form guides musicians during improvised performances. A chanter recites nonsensical words and sounds while the music is played on a anga, two zong and a odot. The musical voices join in melody and counterpoint, harmony and rhythm. The melody has long phrases, while the counterpoint has phrases of varied length throughout the form. It is performed using the usnusp scale. Throughout, when possible, performers are to alternate tension and repose.
- The chanter always should evoke tears and plays legato.
- The anga always should be spirited.
- Each zong always should evoke tears and plays legato.
- The odot always should perform with feeling.
- The Rhythm of Chants has a well-defined multi-passage structure: an introduction, three to five lengthy unrelated passages, a bridge-passage and a finale.
- The introduction is voiced by the melody of the chanter reciting nonsensical words and sounds and the counterpoint of the anga. The passage is slow, and it is to become softer and softer. The chanter's voice stays in the high register. Only one pitch is ever played at a time in this passage. The passage is performed in free rhythm.
- Each of the simple passages is voiced by the melody of the anga, the rhythm of the zong and the rhythm of the odot. Each passage is consistently slowing, and it is to be in whispered undertones. This passage typically has some sparse chords. Each passage is performed in the ozse rhythm.
- The bridge-passage is voiced by the melody of the chanter reciting nonsensical words and sounds, the counterpoint of the anga, the counterpoint of the zong and the rhythm of the odot. The passage slows and broadens, and it is to be very loud. The chanter's voice ranges from the low register to the middle register. Chords are packed close together in dense clusters in this passage. The passage is performed in the ok rhythm.
- The finale is voiced by the melody of the zong, the counterpoint of the chanter reciting any composition of The Quiescent Amethyst, the harmony of the anga and the rhythm of the odot. The passage is moderately fast, and it is to be very loud. The chanter's voice stays in the low register. Chords are packed close together in dense clusters in this passage. The passage is performed in the nuklat rhythm.
- Scales are constructed from twenty-four notes spaced evenly throughout the octave. The tonic note is fixed only at the time of performance. After a scale is constructed, the root note of chords are named. The names are ekxox (spoken ek) and asmuk (as).
- The usnusp pentatonic scale is constructed by selection of degrees from the fundamental scale. The degrees selected are the 1st, the 5th, the 10th, the 16th and the 22nd.
- The ozse rhythm is a single line with eighteen beats divided into four bars in a 2-4-5-7 pattern. The beat is stressed as follows:
- | - x | - - x - | x x x X - | x ! x - - x x |
- where ! marks the primary accent, X marks an accented beat, x is a beat, - is silent and | indicates a bar.
- The ok rhythm is a single line with twenty-four beats divided into three bars in a 8-8-8 pattern. The beat is stressed as follows:
- | x - x - - x X - | x - - - X - x x | - x - x - - - - |
- where X marks an accented beat, x is a beat, - is silent and | indicates a bar.
- The nuklat rhythm is a single line with nineteen beats divided into three bars in a 6-6-7 pattern. The beat is stressed as follows:
- | x X x x - x | x x X - x x | x x x x ! - x |
- where ! marks the primary accent, X marks an accented beat, x is a beat, - is silent and | indicates a bar.
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