The Cyclopean Queen
The Cyclopean Queen is a devotional form of music originally devised by the goblin Amxu Stolenardent. The form guides musicians during improvised performances. A chanter recites any composition of The Quiescent Amethyst while the music is played on a spoku and a ustol. The musical voices bring melody, counterpoint and rhythm. The entire performance should bring a sense of motion and becomes calmer as the end is approached. The melody and counterpoint both have short phrases throughout the form. It is performed without preference for a scale and in free rhythm. Throughout, when possible, performers are to locally improvise.
- The chanter always does the counterpoint melody.
- The spoku always provides the rhythm.
- The ustol always does the main melody.
- The Cyclopean Queen has a well-defined multi-passage structure: a brief introduction, a theme, a lengthy bridge-passage and a brief series of variations on the theme possibly all repeated, a bridge-passage and a finale.
- In the introduction, the chanter's voice covers its entire range. Only one pitch is ever played at a time in this passage.
- In the theme, the chanter's voice ranges from the low register to the middle register. This passage typically has some sparse chords.
- In the first bridge-passage, the chanter's voice ranges from the low register to the middle register. This passage features only melodic tones and intervals.
- In the series of variations, the chanter's voice stays in the high register. Only one pitch is ever played at a time in this passage.
- In the second bridge-passage, the chanter's voice ranges from the middle register to the high register. Only one pitch is ever played at a time in this passage.
- In the finale, the chanter's voice ranges from the middle register to the high register. This passage features only melodic tones and intervals.
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