The Mother of Skirts

The Mother of Skirts is a form of music used to commemorate important events originally devised by the dwarf Ilral Walledhails. The form guides musicians during improvised performances. Three chanters recite any composition of The Greatest Influences while the music is played on two sacat and a abal. The musical voices join in melody, counterpoint and harmony. The entire performance is to become softer and softer. The melody has phrases of varied length, while the counterpoint has mid-length phrases throughout the form. It is performed without preference for a scale and in free rhythm. Throughout, when possible, performers are to use grace notes and alternate tension and repose.

• The abal always plays staccato.
• The Mother of Skirts has a well-defined multi-passage structure: an introduction, three to five unrelated passages and a lengthy finale.
• The introduction is voiced by the melody of the chanters, the counterpoint of the sacat and the harmony of the abal. The passage is fast. Each of the chanters' voices stays in the high register. Only one pitch is ever played at a time in this passage.
• Each of the simple passages is voiced by the melody of the sacat, the melody of the abal and the counterpoint of the chanters. Each passage is at a free tempo. Each of the chanters' voices ranges from the middle register to the high register. This passage typically has some sparse chords.
• The finale is voiced by the melody of the sacat. The passage is slower than the last passage. This passage typically has some sparse chords.

Events

• In late winter of 138, The Mother of Skirts was created by the dwarf Ilral Walledhails in Standardblocks