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Native American Songs With Sheet Music, Notation & Commentary

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	SNAKE SONG NO. 8	105
	COURSE OF TONE: SNAKE SONG NO. 8
	Argument. A downward tetrad (e—cd-c-A) of which the lower inter­val is expanded by lapping (to cd-A) is then augumented through the subsidence of the base (to GA), the lower interval again expanding (to a fourth) by lapping; and is later restored by the rise of the base (to A). This song is as relaxed and dreamy as the last but one (No. 4) is tense and expectant. The contrast involves vigor of delivery, here m. to pp., there f. and sf.; the distribution of the movement, here mainly confined to the lower part of the tract covered,there to the upper; and the amplitude of the intervals, here chiefly minor and major thirds, often deficient, there chiefly major thirds and fourths, often redundant. The opening approximate fourth (A1) is the single bold movement of the song, and the downward shift characteristic of the subsequent melody announces itself asa} tone in the descent from it. Thereupon the movement forms a tetrad out of a minor third and deficient semitone (B1) followed by a reiterated third, first simply attached (C1 excepting the last twro returns), then lapped across the semitone (C2). A second strophe expands the tetrad a semitone downward, reducing the move­ment of A from a fourth to a minor third between semitones, extend­ing B downward and lapping C4 over C3 as C2 had lapped the first part of C1. A third strophe just begun restores the tetrad to its original span by making A the final note of the song. There is a slight unsettlement of pitch in recommencing the reitera­tion of the third in each strophe, the base, A(GA), of the tetrad being otherwise almost perfectly constant. Apart from the initial substitution of a fourth for the subsequent minor third, the upper limit is constant