PART I.— MUSIC OF SONGS 



By Helen H. Roberts 



Explanation of signs used in the music. 



_ Lines through notes.— The oblique lines through the heads of the notes 

 indicate the degree of deviation from the pitch indicated by the staff degree 

 and chromatic. They are read left to right. Single lines slanting upward mean 

 a sharping of about a quarter step, while the direction downward shows a flatting. 

 Double lines mean less than a quarter step difference. 



3/8 metre is always used in place of IJ^ metre since it seems a little easier 

 to understand, and because it is not customary to use 1 part metre in any fashion. 

 The rule has not been strictly carried out for 2^4 metre however, as this is only 

 occasionally written 5/8, if the latter signature gives a clearer impression than 

 the former. 



Frequently three eighth-notes appear in a group but are given full value, 

 instead of forming a quarter note in their entirety. They are distinguished by 

 the sign ^ , while the usual ^J--, designates the three eighths which comprise a 

 quarter. 



Occasionally 4/4 metre is written 8/8 since the eight eighth notes which 

 constitute the measure do not divide into groups as would commonly be expected 

 of 4/4 metre. See IV. G. 1b, Song No. 125. 



Chromatic signs hold for the entire measure as in our music, unless can- 

 celled. Metre signatures hold as long as they are not changed. The lines 

 through the notes, on the contrary, hold only for the individual notes. 



Held notes were somewhat of a problem as there are several kinds. Where 

 notes are tied and are accompanied by repeated vowels it is understood that 

 although there is not a separation of notes there is a pulsation which can be 

 clearly felt. Occasionally a change of syllables takes place without a distinct 

 separation of notes, but rather by a very gradual shift. These notes are also tied. 



Single rests are often encountered. The reason for not including them in 

 the previous or succeeding measures is that they were felt to be forced rests, so 

 that the singer might take breath, and might not occur again in the same place. 

 While this theory cannot be proved with the present collection, it seemed better 

 to indicate such rests in this manner. 



Syllables have sometimes been omitted which were given in the texts. It is 

 hoped these instances have been covered by footnotes, but in any event, the 

 syllables so omitted are given in parentheses- and an apostrophe written after 

 the final syllable that can be heard. Syllables are sometimes elided if they end 

 and begin with the same vowel. These are connected by slurs. 



Uncertain parts of the music are included in parentheses. There were many 

 bad places on the records where it was impossible to obtain a correct rendering. 

 Sometimes it was possible, through repetition of parts frequently in the course 

 of the song, to reconstruct these places, but they have always been marked as 

 uncertain. Spoken words are so indicated, and where extra explanation is 

 necessary it is hoped that the footnotes will provide it. 



There is one exception to this rule. Eskimo singers apparently insert, 

 quite at random in their dance songs particularly, the syllables he he he or hu hu, 

 as many times as may be desired. These are meaningless in themselves, but 

 express delight in the movement of the song and psychologically are part of it 

 although actually they are not, since another time the song may be sung without 



88540—2 1' 



