The Foggy Boat
The Foggy Boat is a devotional form of music directed toward the worship of Romimi Larkearthen originally devised by the elf Omo Shielddawn. The rules of the form are applied by composers to produce individual pieces of music which can be performed. A chanter recites nonsensical words and sounds while the music is played on a osefi and two niceyi. The musical voices join in melody and counterpoint, harmony and rhythm. The melody has mid-length phrases, while the counterpoint has phrases of varied length throughout the form. It is performed without preference for a scale and in free rhythm. Throughout, when possible, composers and performers are to use mordents, make trills and alternate tension and repose.
- The chanter always should be fiery.
- The osefi always should perform sweetly.
- Each niceyi always should be fiery.
- The Foggy Boat has a well-defined multi-passage structure: a first theme, an exposition of the first theme, a second theme, an exposition of the second theme, a lengthy synthesis of previous passages and a lengthy coda.
- The first theme is voiced by the melody of the osefi, the melody of the niceyi and the rhythm of the chanter reciting the words of Surely The Past Laughs. The passage is moderately fast, and it is to be in whispered undertones. The osefi covers its entire range from the buzzy low register to the ringing high register, each of the niceyi ranges from the muddy low register to the strident middle register and the chanter's voice stays in the high register. Chords are packed close together in dense clusters in this passage.
- The first exposition is voiced by the melody of the niceyi, the counterpoint of the chanter reciting any composition of The Wondrous Song and the rhythm of the osefi. The passage is very slow, and it is to fade into silence. Each of the niceyi ranges from the strident middle register to the rippling high register, the chanter's voice ranges from the low register to the middle register and the osefi stays in the ringing high register. This passage is richly layered with full chords making use of the available range.
- The second theme is voiced by the melody of the chanter reciting any composition of The Butterfly of Tundras and the melody of the niceyi. The passage is at a hurried pace, and it is to be soft. The chanter's voice ranges from the low register to the middle register and each of the niceyi ranges from the muddy low register to the rippling high register. This passage features only melodic tones and intervals.
- The second exposition is voiced by the melody of the chanter reciting nonsensical words and sounds, the rhythm of the osefi and the rhythm of the niceyi. The passage is consistently slowing, and it is to start loud then be immediately soft. The chanter's voice covers its entire range, the osefi covers its entire range from the buzzy low register to the ringing high register and each of the niceyi is confined to the strident middle register. Only one pitch is ever played at a time in this passage.
- The synthesis is voiced by the melody of the osefi, the harmony of the chanter reciting nonsensical words and sounds and the rhythm of the niceyi. The passage is half the tempo of the last passage, and it is to be soft. The osefi covers its entire range from the buzzy low register to the ringing high register, the chanter's voice stays in the middle register and each of the niceyi ranges from the strident middle register to the rippling high register. This passage typically has some sparse chords.
- The coda is voiced by the melody of the chanter reciting the words of Surely The Past Laughs. The passage is moderately paced, and it is to be moderately loud. The chanter's voice ranges from the low register to the middle register, the osefi stays in the buzzy low register and each of the niceyi ranges from the rippling high register to the shrill top register. Chords are packed close together in dense clusters in this passage. The passage should be composed and performed using glides.
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