The Smile of Butterflies
The Smile of Butterflies is a form of music used during marches and military engagements originally devised by the elf Apasi Divedrubbed. The rules of the form are applied by composers to produce individual pieces of music which can be performed. A singer recites nonsensical words and sounds while the music is played on three feferi and a thawa. The musical voices join in melody and counterpoint, harmony and rhythm. The entire performance should be melancholic, and it is to start loud then be immediately soft. The melody and counterpoint both have short phrases throughout the form. The music repeats for as long as necessary. It is performed without preference for a scale and in free rhythm. Throughout, when possible, composers and performers are to play legato.
- The Smile of Butterflies has a well-defined multi-passage structure: a lengthy first theme, an exposition of the first theme, a bridge-passage, a lengthy second theme, an exposition of the second theme, a bridge-passage, a synthesis of previous passages and a finale.
- The first theme is voiced by the melody of the feferi and the rhythm of the singer reciting nonsensical words and sounds. The passage slows and broadens. Each of the feferi stays in the buzzy high register and the singer's voice ranges from the middle register to the high register. This passage features only melodic tones and intervals.
- The first exposition is voiced by the melody of the feferi, the counterpoint of the thawa and the harmony of the singer reciting nonsensical words and sounds. The passage is at a free tempo. Each of the feferi covers its entire range from the raucous low register to the buzzy high register, the thawa covers its entire range from the heavy low register to the raspy high register and the singer's voice covers its entire range. This passage typically has some sparse chords.
- The first bridge-passage is voiced by the melody of the thawa and the counterpoint of the feferi. The passage is at a free tempo. The thawa ranges from the watery middle register to the raspy high register and each of the feferi stays in the strident middle register. This passage features only melodic tones and intervals.
- The second theme is voiced by the melody of the thawa and the harmony of the singer reciting nonsensical words and sounds. The passage accelerates as it proceeds. The thawa stays in the raspy high register and the singer's voice ranges from the middle register to the high register. Only one pitch is ever played at a time in this passage.
- The second exposition is voiced by the melody of the singer reciting nonsensical words and sounds, the melody of the thawa and the counterpoint of the feferi. The passage is at a free tempo. The singer's voice stays in the middle register, the thawa ranges from the watery middle register to the raspy high register and each of the feferi stays in the raucous low register. This passage typically has some sparse chords.
- The second bridge-passage is voiced by the melody of the singer reciting nonsensical words and sounds, the harmony of the thawa and the rhythm of the feferi. The passage is moderately fast. The singer's voice ranges from the low register to the middle register, the thawa ranges from the watery middle register to the raspy high register and each of the feferi stays in the strident middle register. This passage typically has some sparse chords.
- The synthesis is voiced by the melody of the feferi and the harmony of the thawa. The passage is moderately paced. Each of the feferi stays in the strident middle register and the thawa covers its entire range from the heavy low register to the raspy high register. Only one pitch is ever played at a time in this passage.
- The finale is voiced by the melody of the thawa, the counterpoint of the feferi and the harmony of the singer reciting nonsensical words and sounds. The passage is consistently slowing. The thawa stays in the heavy low register, each of the feferi ranges from the raucous low register to the strident middle register and the singer's voice ranges from the low register to the middle register. Only one pitch is ever played at a time in this passage.
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