The Tenebrous Pantomime
The Tenebrous Pantomime is a form of music used to commemorate important events originally devised by the dwarf Ezum Tingilt. The form guides musicians during improvised performances. Three chanters recite nonsensical words and sounds while the music is played on a vagush, one to two eshon and two kadol. The musical voices bring melody, counterpoint and rhythm. The melody and counterpoint both have mid-length phrases throughout the form. Never more than an interval sounds at once. It is performed without preference for a scale and in free rhythm. Throughout, when possible, performers are to alternate tension and repose.
- Each chanter always does the counterpoint melody and should be spirited.
- The vagush always does the main melody and should be fiery.
- Each eshon always provides the rhythm and should be melancholic.
- Each kadol always provides the rhythm and should feel agitated.
- The Tenebrous Pantomime has a well-defined multi-passage structure: an introduction and one to two passages and another one to two passages.
- The introduction is very fast, and it is to be soft. The vagush stays in the wavering high register, each of the chanters' voices ranges from the low register to the middle register and each of the eshon stays in the fragile high register.
- Each of the first simple passages is very fast, and it is to be very soft. The vagush ranges from the liquid middle register to the wavering high register, each of the chanters' voices covers its entire range and each of the eshon stays in the raspy low register.
- Each of the second simple passages is fast, and it is to become softer and softer. The vagush stays in the liquid middle register, each of the chanters' voices stays in the middle register and each of the eshon covers its entire range from the raspy low register to the fragile high register.
Events