Songs of the Copper Eskimos 27 



Sub-Group 5. Irregular Types 



_ In No. 43 it was impossible to transcribe the prelude and in No. 44 the song 

 begins with the refrain. No. 45 was too short for analysis. 



An Example of Conflicting Rhythms 



The non-conforming types always fall at the end. No. 46 stands by itself, 

 not on account of its form, for in that respect it belongs with the first sub-group, 

 but because the contest for supremacy between the accents of the words and of 

 the music made it not only worthy of a special study but also impossible to 

 analyze from some standpoints. The special discussions of it will be found with 

 the song, in its place. 



More or Less Formless 



There are two examples of somewhat formless songs. The first, No. -47, 

 is composed of undivided verses, each different and each with a different re- 

 frain, except in the fourth verse which takes that of the first verse but without 

 the extension which was added in the first instance. The refrains for the second 

 and third verses have considerable material in common in the shape of 

 prominent constantly modified H phrases. 



The second. No. 48, has two-part verses, each part different with different 

 refrains for each verse except in the first part of the third verse where a reversion 

 is made to the corresponding refrain in the first verse. In the second part of 

 the third verse the verse part is the same as in the second part of the first verse. 

 All the refrains, however, have the last line and the extensions more or less the 

 same. 



A Fragment 



The fragment. No. 49, is only long enough to show that the song is sup- 

 posed to begin with the verse, but whether or not the A phrase is really a musical 

 prelude cannot be determined. 



Different Forms 



In songs Nos. 50a and 50b we find forms like some of the examples which 

 have been called atons and like the songs that are found in some of the other 

 regions. They are placed here at tlie end of the group of pisiks because they 

 have been identified as pisiks by the natives. There is nothing of the usual 

 pisik form about them and doubtless they are survivals of another type the 

 identity of which is not now recognized, it if ever was, and with which dancing 

 in the pisik manner has become associated. 



Before leaving the pisiks for a study of the atons, it seems well to note any 

 other points beside form by which they may be differentiated. These are points 

 that are not ordinarily associated with types in classical music, such as whether 

 the song is in major or minor tonality, what are the tones upon which it starts 

 and ends and what is the relation of these either to a tonic or to a tone which 

 may be called the general level or resting tone in place of the tonic. 



Thirty-three songs are in the major mode, seven shift from major to minor, 

 usually the tonic or relative minor of the tonality in which the song began, 

 one shifts from minor to major, six are minor and four are irregular or irregular 

 after a major passage. While the tonality of the pisiks may thus be said to be 

 predominantly major, the comparatively large number of songs which are not 

 so, together with the fact that most of the music from this region is major, makes 

 it impossible to regard the tonality as distinctive of this type of dance song. It 

 may be interesting to note that in this series the third of the major scale is a 



