Verse:Tricin/Musical traditions archaeology: Difference between revisions

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'''Traditional Æ music''' is comprised of various styles.
==Undisputed==
== Modes ==
===Proto-Wiebian music===
Traditional Æ music is entirely based on the following nine seven-note modes found in harmonics 8-16 (the complete list of 7-note subsets that are CS and have a 3/2 on the tonic):
===Proto-Etatalman music===
# ''vọj Bæ̀v'': 8:9:10:11:12:13:14:16
==Disputed==
#* This ''vọj'' is used in a meditative mood as it is also the simplest to describe mathematically.
===Proto-Trician music===
# ''vọj Hủd'': 8:9:10:11:12:13:15:16
#* This is canonically called the happiest ''vọj'' because of its "leading tone" and is frequently used in dance pieces. Due to its association with lighthearted dance, it is not usually included in longer works.
# ''vọj Rů̃'':  8:9:10:11:12:14:15:16
#* This mode only exists in theory.
# ''vọj Var Njị'': 10:11:12:13:15:16:18:20
#* This ''vọj'' symbolizes sadness, fear, or distress, like the similar Maqam Saba.
# ''vọj Kyn'': 10:11:12:14:15:16:18:20
#* This ''vọj'' symbolizes a melancholy but uplifting mood at the same time.
# ''vọj Gjám'': 10:11:13:14:15:16:18:20
#* This ''vọj'' expresses anger, and due to the sociopolitical context of Æ folk music, said anger is often directed at the upper classes.
# ''vọj Jav Læ{{cdb}}q'': 12:13:14:16:18:20:22:24
#* This ''vọj'' is said to symbolise fullness or serenity.
# ''vọj Hír Må̉r'': 12:13:15:16:18:20:22:24
#* This ''vọj'' is also termed happy like ''vọj Hủd'', but it is a more selfless happiness.
# ''vọj Mèd'': 12:14:15:16:18:20:22:24
#* This mode only exists in theory.
 
These were formalized by theorist Rå̃v Ngúm Sæ̊m in [what calendar?] year 3657, and the nine modes are referred to as ''vọj-vọj Rå̃v'' (note: Æ people are referred to by their given names).
 
Unlike other cultures in Timeline 1's Theasphere, the Æ do not have speech-tone music.
 
The fundamental pitch, ''dó'' (commonly called pitch class 8, see the section on notation), is usually taken to have a value of 2<sup>22</sup> vibrations per day (approximately 48.55 Hz) in scientific communities, though traditional Æ ensembles usually have a movable ''dó''. There is usually only one traditional tonic for each mode:
* for the first group, ''Bæ̀v, Hủd'' and ''Rů̃'' the tonic is pitch class 8
* for the second group, ''Var Njị, Kyn'' and ''Gjám'' the tonic is pitch class 10
* for the third group, ''Jav Læ{{cdb}}q, Hír Må̉r'' and ''Mèd'' the tonic is pitch class 12
The octave in Æ music plays a central role as the interval of equivalence, so this document will use the English term "octave" for lack of a Æ term that is universally agreed upon by Æ musicians. This means that there are only eight pitch classes in traditional Æ music.
 
Sometimes pieces modulate from any mode from the first group to the third group, and vice versa.
 
== Instruments ==
* ''æ̉m'': the vertical flute
** The lowest pitch of this instrument's traditional size is 8<sup>3</sup> and it is an eight-holed instrument, one for each of the eight pitches, with the top note of the lowest register being identical to the lowest note in the next highest register.
* ''vód'': the natural horn
** The fundamental pitch is usually 8<sup>0</sup>, though there have been smaller models of horn that are straight and have a fundamental pitch an octave higher, and some models of modern ''vód'', most notably the ''Bládq'' company model have a pitch one octave lower than the traditional ''vód'', used for lower melodies.
* ''bæ{{ring}}{{cdb}}m'': the bass drum
** This bass drum is usually square and single-headed. The skin is not fastened to the body of the bass drum, instead they are usually tied with rope. In modern pieces it is tuned to the tonic of the mode.
* ''ỏr'': the monochord
** This is usually tuned to 8<sup>0</sup>, with the two main methods of playing the instrument being plucking while pressing the strings or lightly touching them to produce harmonics.
* ''slů{{grave}}'': the erhu
** This is usually tuned to 8<sup>2</sup> 12<sup>2</sup>. It is played vertically, and it has a small circular body and a long neck.
* ''hjø{{acute}}r sã'': the crychord
** This instrument is descended from the musical bow. The range it has is 8<sup>0</sup> to about 10<sup>2</sup>. Despite its narrow range it works well as a bass all-purpose instrument, and unlike Partch's crychord, it is hammered.
* ''lum jáq'': the guitar
** This is usually tuned to 8<sup>1</sup> 12<sup>1</sup> 8<sup>2</sup> 12<sup>2</sup>. This is played in the exact same manner as the Chinese ''ruan'' but it has a rectangular body. When the ''væ{{tilde}}'' and ''bæ{{ring}}{{cdb}}m'' are absent this instrument plays a harmonic and rhythmic foundation.
* ''væ{{tilde}}'': shruti box
** This replaced an organ-like instrument, also formerly called the ''væ{{tilde}}'', which was used to provide drones. It has one reed for each of the eight pitch classes in two octaves, giving 16 reeds.
 
==Notation==
 
The numbers 8 to 15 are used on a line, indicating the harmonic scale 8:9:10:11:12:13:14:15, with superscript numbers to indicate how many octaves above ''dó'' the note is played. Here are the 40 notes in the traditional gamut of Æ music.
8<sup>0</sup> is the notation for the lowest ''dó''.
 
8<sup>0</sup> 9<sup>0</sup> 10<sup>0</sup> 11<sup>0</sup> 12<sup>0</sup> 13<sup>0</sup> 14<sup>0</sup> 15<sup>0</sup>
8<sup>1</sup> 9<sup>1</sup> 10<sup>1</sup> 11<sup>1</sup> 12<sup>1</sup> 13<sup>1</sup> 14<sup>1</sup> 15<sup>1</sup>
8<sup>2</sup> 9<sup>2</sup> 10<sup>2</sup> 11<sup>2</sup> 12<sup>2</sup> 13<sup>2</sup> 14<sup>2</sup> 15<sup>2</sup>
8<sup>3</sup> 9<sup>3</sup> 10<sup>3</sup> 11<sup>3</sup> 12<sup>3</sup> 13<sup>3</sup> 14<sup>3</sup> 15<sup>3</sup>
8<sup>4</sup> 9<sup>4</sup> 10<sup>4</sup> 11<sup>4</sup> 12<sup>4</sup> 13<sup>4</sup> 14<sup>4</sup> 15<sup>4</sup>
The unit of time is the beat and usually no music uses any units of time smaller than the beat. Lengthenings are written using dashes. Hence rhythm is highly additive.
 
The ''bæ{{ring}}{{cdb}}m'' does not get its own staff, instead the beats are marked with slashes over the other instrumental parts. Some modern composers, like Fryd Gla{{cdb}}nq Sæ{{ring}}, instead use the ''bæ{{ring}}{{cdb}}m'' as a pitched percussion instrument, using a set of three ''bæ{{ring}}{{cdb}}m'' tuned to 8<sup>0</sup>, 10<sup>0</sup>, and 12<sup>0</sup>.
 
== Ensembles ==
 
All ensembles (commonly called ''ke{{cdb}}dq'') must contain a ''væ{{tilde}}'', and a ''bæ{{ring}}{{cdb}}m'' as the tonal and rhythmic base respectively for the entire ensemble, with the exception of small ensembles in which case a ''lum jáq'' can be used for the tonal and rhythmic foundation at the same time.
 
A typical Æ traditional ensemble, the ''ke{{cdb}}dq slă{{grave}}n gro{{tilde}}d'' consists of ''væ{{tilde}}'', ''bæ{{ring}}{{cdb}}m'', ''vód'', ''ỏr'', ''æ̉m'', ''hjø{{acute}}r sã'', and ''slů{{grave}}''.
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Instrument !! Traditional function
|+ Functions of each of the instruments in the ''ke{{cdb}}dq slă{{grave}}n gro{{tilde}}d''
|-
| ''væ{{tilde}}'' || Tonal foundation, provides drones
|-
| ''bæ{{ring}}{{cdb}}m'' || Rhythmic foundation
|-
| ''vód'' || Provides unembellished melodies in the middle-to-high register
|-
| ''ỏr'' || Provides a more fluid tonal foundation, acts as a kind of low/middle-register melody instrument
|-
| ''æ̉m'' || Provides embellished melodies in the high register, sometimes doubles the ''vód''
|-
| ''hjø{{acute}}r sã''|| Doubles the ''ỏr'' and sometimes plays rhythms in conjunction with the ''bæ{{ring}}{{cdb}}m'' to provide a bassline.
|-
| ''slů{{grave}}'' || Provides embellished melodies in the middle-to-high register, doubles the ''vód'' heterophonically, and acts as a melody instrument if the ''vód'' is not playing
|}
 
==Styles==
 
The most common folk style is a monophonic melody over a drone on 1/1 and 3/2 of the tonic of the mode. It is mostly rhythmic but with complex changing meter. Usually this is played by the ''væ{{tilde}}'', ''bæ{{ring}}{{cdb}}m'', and a melody instrument, usually ''slů̀'', ''æ̉m'', or ''vód''.
 
A number of Æ dances are listed below in the context of the ''slă{{grave}}n gro{{tilde}}d'' (dance cycle).
 
=== ''slă{{grave}}n gro{{tilde}}d'' (dance cycle) ===
The dance cycle form (''slă{{grave}}n gro{{tilde}}d'') is the longest of all Æ traditional musical forms. The traditional order of the sections is so:
* The main rhythm of each dance is played by the ''bæ{{ring}}{{cdb}}m''. Most of the time the rhythms are not specified by slashes over the score and the ''bæ{{ring}}{{cdb}}m'' player is expected to know them by heart.
* The beginning is in ''vọj Bæ̀v'' and is an arythmic improvisation, usually by the ''slů̀'' or ''æ̉m'', or both, in imitation.
* The next section is a medium-tempo (about 3 beats per second) dance in 16 called ''gro{{tilde}}d Njrå̉v'' in ''vọj Jav Læ{{cdb}}q''. Its main rhythm is:
\ . . \ . . \ . . \ . . \ . \ .
* The next section is a slower dance (about 2.5 beats per second) in 14 called ''gro{{tilde}}d Fo{{acute}}vq'' in ''vọj Kyn''. Its main rhythm is:
\ . . \ . . \ . . \ . . \ .
* The next section is a slow dance (about 2 beats per second) in 10 called ''gro{{tilde}}d Sle Fa{{cdb}}jq'' in ''vọj Gjám''. Its main rhythm is:
\ . \ . \ . \ . \ \
* The final section is a slow dance, played at the same tempo as the ''gro{{tilde}}d Sle Fa{{cdb}}jq'', in 16, called the ''gro{{tilde}}d Ů{{acute}}q'' in ''vọj Hír Må̉r''. Its main rhythm is:
\ . . . \ . . . \ . . \ \ . \ .
 
== Example folk pieces ==
=== ''Æ{{ring}}{{acute}}q Rin Jav'' ===
 
(Out-universe note: This is a paraphrased transcription of the Earth folk song "Eirik Jarl" into ''vọj Jav Læ{{cdb}}q''.)
 
This is in a fast dance, usually called ''gro{{tilde}}d Drŭv'', with a meter of 16 (same rhythm as the ''gro{{tilde}}d Ů{{acute}}q'' but faster), and it has a pace of 4 beats per second. It is written in ''vọj Jav Læ{{cdb}}q''. Some scholars and musicians deny this and say that the mode is ''vọj Hủd'' due to the repetition of the pitch class 8.
 
12<sup>2</sup> | 12<sup>2</sup>  8<sup>3</sup>  8<sup>3</sup>  9<sup>3</sup> 10<sup>3</sup> -  9<sup>3</sup>  8<sup>3</sup> 12<sup>2</sup>  8<sup>3</sup>  8<sup>3</sup> 15<sup>2</sup>  8<sup>3</sup> -  .  12<sup>2</sup>
    | 12<sup>2</sup>  8<sup>3</sup>  8<sup>3</sup>  9<sup>3</sup> 10<sup>3</sup> -  9<sup>3</sup>  8<sup>3</sup> 12<sup>2</sup>  8<sup>3</sup>  8<sup>3</sup> 15<sup>2</sup>  8<sup>3</sup> -  .  .
    | 12<sup>3</sup> 12<sup>3</sup> 12<sup>3</sup> 10<sup>3</sup> 11<sup>3</sup> -  11<sup>3</sup>  9<sup>3</sup> 10<sup>2</sup> 10<sup>3</sup> 10<sup>3</sup>  8<sup>3</sup> 13<sup>2</sup> -  .  .
    | 12<sup>2</sup>  8<sup>3</sup>  8<sup>3</sup>  9<sup>3</sup> 10<sup>3</sup> -  9<sup>3</sup>  8<sup>3</sup> 12<sup>2</sup>  8<sup>3</sup>  8<sup>3</sup> 15<sup>2</sup>  8<sup>3</sup> -  .  .
    | 12<sup>3</sup> 12<sup>3</sup> 12<sup>3</sup> 10<sup>3</sup> 11<sup>3</sup> -  11<sup>3</sup>  9<sup>3</sup> 10<sup>2</sup> 10<sup>3</sup> 10<sup>3</sup>  8<sup>3</sup> 13<sup>2</sup> -  .  13<sup>2</sup>
    | 12<sup>2</sup>  8<sup>3</sup>  8<sup>3</sup>  9<sup>3</sup> 10<sup>3</sup> -  9<sup>3</sup>  8<sup>3</sup> 12<sup>2</sup>  8<sup>3</sup>  8<sup>3</sup> 15<sup>2</sup>  8<sup>3</sup> -  .

Latest revision as of 01:21, 27 August 2025

Undisputed

Proto-Wiebian music

Proto-Etatalman music

Disputed

Proto-Trician music

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