Songs of the Copper Eskimos 375 



first part, and therefore has been placed accordingly in the analysis. The 

 phrase of the main part of the refrain is much longer than any other in the 

 song yet is not easily divisible, and this is followed by an extension which acts 

 as a kind of connective to introduce the return to the verse part. 



In the first verse there is a little two-measure section at the beginning which 

 sounds like a brief introduction, but this is curtailed in the second half of verse 

 1. It is givenin full again in both parts of verse 2, but has not in the analysis 

 been separated from the verse part, not only because it leads directly into it, 



I as a connective does, but because the number of minor subdivisions is already 

 80 great. The two measures are d measures and resemble those which close the 

 verses, in pitch if not in rhythm. The second phrase of each verse part is B, 

 nearly the same as the second phrase of the prelude, and this is common enough 

 to be called almost customary in pisiks with preludes. The use of an E rather 

 than an A phrase at the beginning of the verse part is also customary in this type 

 of song among the Copper Eskimos. Undoubtedly the two forms, this and the 

 ordinary pisik, had a common origin, but this specimen from the Inland Hud- 

 son Bay people contains a surprising and interesting lot of new features. 

 There is so much similarity in the melody throughout the song that only very 

 small details mark the differences in phrases, but where these occur it seemed 

 better to designate the phrases by totally different letters as in the case of 

 larger melodic distinctions, in order to avoid the use of numerous prime marks 

 for each phrase letter, especially as these are generally reserved for other pur- 

 poses, and to denote changes of another character. 



Considering the complexity of the pattern and the very small nature of the 

 differences between parts, the regularity of the song is striking. The usual 

 minor deviations occur, but one would expect many more of a structural nature, 

 and also slips in repetitions. 



The tune begins on the first beat of the measure on the seventh degree, if 

 it is conceded that the nearest tonality is A major. It ends on the tonic, i.e., 

 a, after the end of the second refrain phrase, but the extension connective which' 

 in other situations has always followed this is here omitted. 



The speed of the song is a marked feature, for it moves at 152 M.M., a far 

 greater tempo than any Copper Eskimo pisik has been found to attain. 



