The Songs of Pregnancy

The Songs of Pregnancy is a form of music used during marches and military engagements originally devised by the goblin Ngebzo Dreadslick. The form guides musicians during improvised performances. The music is played on a theni and a stasbo. The music is melody and rhythm without harmony. The melody has mid-length phrases throughout the form. Only one pitch is ever played at a time. It is performed without preference for a scale and in free rhythm.

• The theni always provides the rhythm.
• The stasbo always does the main melody and plays arpeggios.
• The Songs of Pregnancy has a well-defined multi-passage structure: a lengthy first theme, an exposition of the first theme, a bridge-passage, a second theme, an exposition of the second theme, a bridge-passage, a synthesis of previous passages and a finale.
• The first theme should be made expressively and is at a hurried pace, and it is to fade into silence. The stasbo covers its entire range from the raspy low register to the fragile high register.
• The first exposition should be jumpy and accelerates as it proceeds, and it is to be moderately loud. The stasbo stays in the fragile high register.
• The first bridge-passage should be melancholic and is consistently slowing, and it is to be very loud. The stasbo stays in the raspy low register.
• The second theme should be passionate and accelerates as it proceeds, and it is to be moderately loud. The stasbo covers its entire range from the raspy low register to the fragile high register.
• The second exposition should sparkle and accelerates as it proceeds, and it is to be loud. The stasbo stays in the fragile high register.
• The second bridge-passage should be forceful and accelerates as it proceeds, and it is to become louder and louder. The stasbo covers its entire range from the raspy low register to the fragile high register.
• The synthesis should be graceful and is very fast, and it is to be soft. The stasbo covers its entire range from the raspy low register to the fragile high register.
• The finale should be passionate and is slower than the last passage, and it is to be very loud. The stasbo stays in the raspy low register.

Events

• In midspring of 207, The Songs of Pregnancy was created by the goblin Ngebzo Dreadslick in Racedskirt after a nightmare