Traditional Hopi Songs - online book

Native American Songs With Sheet Music, Notation & Commentary

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	SHIASHTASHA	139
	COURSE OF TONE: SHIASHTASHA
	Argument. A triad (d'-b-g : with other mediants) identifies with its ex­tremes the mediants of two major triads superposed (f'-d'-ab, ab-g-de), and becoming alternately major and minor upon a mediant (b) constant but for a simultaneous change of a quarter tone, raises and lowers them accordingly. The plasticity of fabric characteristic of this music presents itself in a new guise in this song. The performance of each singer consists of repetitions of a triple strophe exhibiting two well-marked types, a major and a minor version, differing in internal relations of pitch and, as in the last song, by a quarter tone variation in the intonation of an im­portant note. The first singer begins with the minor version, and, following it with the major, repeats the close with changes toward the minor version, which give this addendum the aspect of a connecting link. Such a link it becomes in fact in the performance of the second singer, who begins with the major version, repeats its close with like changes, and after a pause recommences with the minor version and proceeds with the major until cut short by the end of the cylinder.