The Cardinal Mother

The Cardinal Mother is a form of music used for entertainment originally devised by the elf Sanera Markfells. The rules of the form are applied by composers to produce individual pieces of music which can be performed. The music is played on a osmlo and a odsnen. The music is melody and rhythm without harmony. The melody has long phrases throughout the form. It is performed in the uto rhythm.

• The osmlo always does the main melody and should be spirited.
• The odsnen always provides the rhythm, should stress the rhythm and plays staccato.
• The Cardinal Mother has a well-defined multi-passage structure: a theme, a lengthy bridge-passage and one to two lengthy series of variations on the theme possibly all repeated and a coda.
• The theme is moderately fast, and it is to be in whispered undertones. The osmlo covers its entire range. This passage features only melodic tones and intervals. The passage is performed using the xenmu scale.
• The bridge-passage is at a walking pace, and it is to be in whispered undertones. The osmlo stays in the dark low register. Only one pitch is ever played at a time in this passage. The passage is performed using the lubu scale.
• Each of the series of variations is at a free tempo, and it is to become softer and softer. The osmlo stays in the dark low register. This passage features only melodic tones and intervals. Each passage is performed using the usnusp scale.
• The coda is very slow, and it is to become softer and softer. The osmlo stays in the dark high register. Only one pitch is ever played at a time in this passage. The passage is performed without preference for a scale. The passage should be composed and performed using grace notes.
• Scales are constructed from eighteen notes dividing the octave. In quartertones, their spacing is roughly 1xxxx-xx-x-x-xxxxx-x-xxxO, where 1 is the tonic, O marks the octave and x marks other notes. The tonic note is a fixed tone passed from teacher to student. Preferred notes in the fundamental scale are named. The names are ekxox (spoken ek, 4th), asmuk (as, 5th), ok (ok, 11th) and slulasp (slu, 12th).
• The xenmu hexatonic scale is constructed by selection of degrees from the fundamental scale. The degrees selected are the 1st, the 4th, the 7th, the 11th, the 14th and the 15th.
• The lubu heptatonic scale is constructed by selection of degrees from the fundamental scale. The degrees selected are the 1st, the 4th, the 7th, the 8th, the 10th, the 11th and the 13th.
• The usnusp pentatonic scale is constructed by selection of degrees from the fundamental scale. The degrees selected are the 1st, the 5th, the 10th, the 13th and the 17th.
• The rhythm system is fundamentally polymetric. There are always multiple rhythm lines, and the beats are always played together, even if one rhythm line completes (and then repeats) before the other is finished. The rhythm lines are thought of as one, without a primary-subordinate relationship, though individual lines can be named.
• The uto rhythm is made from three patterns: the odu, the nuklat and the slusna. As stated above, they are to be played in polymeter.
• The odu rhythm is a single line with seven beats. The beat is stressed as follows:
• | - - x - x x x |
• where x is a beat, - is silent and | indicates a bar.
• The nuklat rhythm is a single line with eight beats. The beat is stressed as follows:
• | x - x x x x x x |
• where x is a beat, - is silent and | indicates a bar.
• The slusna rhythm is a single line with three beats. The beat is stressed as follows:
• | - - x |
• where x is a beat, - is silent and | indicates a bar.

Events

• In midspring of 163, The Cardinal Mother was created by the elf Sanera Markfells in Blossomedcreeds