8 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[nvi.h. 45 



Many songs which contain a Kmited number of tones, too Hmited 

 to constitute an organized key, still show definite tonality, either 

 major or minor. 



Structure 



The sequence of tones in Cliippewa songs shows that certain songs 

 are harmonic and others melodic in structure. The following basis 

 of classification has been adopted: Songs are classified as harmonic 

 if their accented tones follow the intervals of diatonic chords, and 

 as melodic if their contiguous accented tones have no apparent cliord 

 relationsliip. In the latter class are included many songs in which 

 the relations of the tones to a keynote is not strongly in evidence. 



In many instances the interpretation of the words of these songs 

 has been difficult, the Mide' songs requiring special skill in transla- 

 tion." 



Tabulated Analysis of 180 Songs 



The classifications presented are broad in their outUnes. Further investigation 

 may make it possible to analyze more closely and to classify more definitely many 

 of these songs. 



Melodic Analysis 



TONALITY b 



a The writer gratefully acknowledges her indebtedness to Mrs. Charles Meo, Mrs. Mary Warren English, 

 Rev. C. n. Beaulieu, and Mr. G. IL Beaulien for their assistance as interpreters; also to the Rev. J. A. 

 Gilflllan, who for twenty-five years lived on the White Earth reservation, speaking the Chippewa 

 language with a fhicncy and understanding rarely attained by a member of the white race. 



6 Tonality is defined as "the quality and peculiarity of a tonal system;" key Is defined as a "system of 

 tones the members of which bear certain definite relations to each other." 



Certain of the songs under analysis show a sequence of tones similar to a major or minor key; in other 

 instances the tone material which comprises a key or scale is present and the songs are clearly major or 

 minor in tonality, yet the arrangement of the tones with reference to a keynote is not apparent. Thus 

 from actual observation we discern the distinction between these two terms. 



Since we are consickTing music of a period in which what we now designate scales and keys were not for- 

 mulated, the ti>rms "major tonality" and "minor tonality" arc used in preference to the common tenns 

 "major key" and "minor key." 



