The Melodic Hemp-Seed

The Melodic Hemp-seed is a form of music used during marches and military engagements originating in The Writ of Prodigies. The rules of the form are applied by composers to produce individual pieces of music which can be performed. A speaker recites nonsensical words and sounds while the music is played on three keplem, a quiluc and a sathrak. The music is melody and rhythm without harmony. The melody has long phrases throughout the form. Chords, seldom-used, are sparse -- intervals and single pitches are favored. 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 staccato.

• The speaker always should be vigorous.
• Each keplem always should be lively.
• The quiluc always does the main melody and should perform with skill.
• The sathrak always should bring a sense of motion and plays arpeggios. The voice ranges from the slicing low register to the nasal middle register.
• The Melodic Hemp-seed has the following structure: a passage and an additional lengthy passage.
• The first simple passage is voiced by the melody of the quiluc, the rhythm of the keplem and the speaker reciting nonsensical words and sounds. The passage is moderately fast, and it is to start loud then be immediately soft. The quiluc covers its entire range from the raucous low register to the eerie high register.
• The second simple passage is voiced by the melody of the keplem, the melody of the quiluc, the melody of the sathrak and the speaker reciting nonsensical words and sounds. The passage is moderately fast, and it is to be moderately loud. The quiluc stays in the eerie high register and the sathrak ranges from the slicing low register to the nasal middle register.

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