minstrel: clarification of earlier (was Child ballads)

[yarrowp at mscd.edu]

>From: <AlexdeSet at aol.com>, on 9/24/98 3:58 PM:
>Greetings!
>When I saw all those documentation catagories, and realized I couldn't 
define
>several, much less actually use some in a sentence, I reflected that  I'm 
glad
>I don't "compete". 
(snip)
>Alexander

Oops!  Mea culpa.

Thanks for the reality check, Alexander.  Sometimes in the interest of 
brevity I err on the side of obscurity.  I also sometimes forget that not 
everyone has the benefit of six years of college studying these subjects (I 
have a BA in English plus 60 semester hours of coursework in music theory 
and music history).   

This is one of my soapboxes.  I've judged a lot of original works, and very 
few people document them beyond merely "original work" or sometimes giving 
the genre.  Show the judges what makes your work wonderful!  For example, 
they may not notice in the five minutes of the performance that you're 
using the same chord structure as the ap Huw manuscript, and might mark you 
off for it since ap Huw uses tonal structures such as V7 and viio chords, 
which you won't find in most period music.  And the chances are fairly slim 
that the judges have familiarity with that particular work.

A brief explanation of some terms may be useful:

>c)	any internal musical devices such as alliteration
	I should have used a different word than musical here.  What I'm 
referring to are the devices that give poetry a "music" of its own. 
alliteration - repetition of initial sounds.  "Round the rugged rock" 
stuff.  Initial vowels alliterate with each other.
rhyme - repetition of final sounds, including vowels.
assonance -a partial rhyme in which the vowel sounds correspond, but the 
consonants do not 
consonance -repetition of terminal consonants - here the vowels do not 
agree 
>d)	the poetic meter
This may be in terms of accent or in terms of syllable length.  Some 
culturals use one, some the other, some combine the two
>e)	the melodic mode
My reference chart may helpful - see http://clem.mscd.edu/~yarrowp if 
interested
>	i)	use of reciting tone if applicable
The reciting tone is a note used to express text, especially in chant.  I 
give the formula for finding it on my page, above.	
>	ii)	typical cadences
Cadence	= the way in which a phrase ends.  Does it come to rest on the 
tonic/final of the mode?  Tonic = keynote.  It will usually be the note on 
which a piece ends.  Many times an internal cadence will fall on the fifth, 
second or seventh tone of the mode; this is called a half cadence.
>	iii)	use of notes outside the mode if used 
Modes (in Western music) are mostly diatonic - think of using just the 
white keys on a piano.  Some have fewer than seven notes; these are 
referred to as "gapped" modes and include the hexatonic (six notes) and 
pentatonic (five notes) modes.  Are you using notes from outside that 
scale?  If so, how?
>		(a)	musica ficta
This is one of the period practices.  Accidentals (notes outside the mode) 
were not always indicated in a manuscript, but were expected to be added by 
the performer *under certain circumstances,* often providing a leading tone 
(approach to a note by a half step) effect.  I'd recommend reading up on 
this if you're trying to emulate this effect.	
>		(b)	chromaticism
Accidentals included deliberately and indicated on the manuscript.  You'll 
find considerable chromaticism in the late sixteenth century.  Look at some 
English airs, or at the works of Gesualdo.  (Of course, there are those who 
say Gesualdo was crazy . . .)
>f)	the rhythmic mode or appropriateness of given time signature
Rhythmic modes are another subject that would need some extensive research. 
 Let's say for the moment that it's like an early approach to time 
signature.  As to the appropriateness of your time signature, are you 
writing a piece that's meant to be danced to?  If so, there's usually a 
given time signature that's appropriate to a dance.  Is your piece a chant? 
 It probably won't have a time signature (non-mensural is the term for 
music without time signatures).  Are you using rhythmic devices such as 
hemiola (three against two)?
>g)	the texture
how many voices/melodic lines are employed
>	i)	monophonic
one voice or all voices together in unison, e.g., plainchant
>	ii)	polyphonic
two or more voices together with each voice having independence, e.g., a 
motet
>		a)	intervals used
are the voices moving a given distance, such as in parallel fifths (strict 
organum)?  Are you deliberately using intervals that are considered 
dissonant (the definition of what was dissonant varied over time)?  If so, 
how are you resolving the dissonance?
		b)	cadences
See above.  Are your voices coming together into unison at the cadence 
(typical device)?  Or are you ending with voices a fifth apart?  Are you 
including the third of the chord?  All of these are appropriate to 
different styles of "period" music.  Are you using "overrun" cadences, i.e.,
 does one line continue while the other is at rest?  Are you ending on the 
tonic?  If so, how are you approaching it?  By half step, by whole step, by 
a leap of a perfect fourth?  Does one voice approach from above and the 
other from below?
>		c)	position of melody line (is it in the tenor?  the 
soprano? 
>Is this consistent with the particular style you're emulating)
The modern convention is to place the melody in the soprano.  This wasn't 
always the case in earlier music - you'll find it in the tenor in most very 
early music, and some styles clung to that convention.
>	iii)	heterophonic
Multiple voices playing the same melody, but each may ornament it 
differently.  Think of an Irish ceilidh band playing a dance tune; the 
fiddle may throw in some grace notes while the flute plays the tune 
"straight," then they may trade.
>	iv)	homophonic (hardest to document to SCA period, but workable)
A melody line with chordal accompaniment.  The most common texture in 
modern music.
>		a)	chord structure
Are you using tonal chord progressions such as I -> IV -> V7 -> I?  These 
are *very* hard to document for period music; please give your judges an 
example from a period piece to refer to.	
>	b)	relationship of bass line to melody
Are you using contrary or parllel movement here?  Does the bass line 
progress linearly (in steps) or by leaps?
>h)	accompaniment style if used
If you're using a strummed guitar, most judges (of the authencity mavin 
variety) are going to mark you down.  Plucked lute?  Extra points, 
especially if your accompaniment is idiomatic for the instrument.  An 
instrument doubling the melody is a perfectly period accompaniment style, 
even if we find it a bit unusual these days.
>i)	ornamentation
Adding grace notes, trills, shakes, etc. in a manner appropriate to the 
style of the period you're emulating or idiomatic to the instrument played. 
 Harpers - be very cautious of glissandos, or of rolling chords upward.

Apologies for length of post.  Please feel free to contact me with 
questions, corrections, or commentary!

Vivien




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