SONG TYPES

Te Ao Hou, June 1964, Page 37

SONG TYPES The classification traditionally adopted for the chants is one of function, with most of the finer points literary rather than musical in nature. The tangi (or lament) for example, can be sub-classified as a song of grief, sorrow, longing, self-pity, regret, etc., depending on context. This is quite fully treated by Sir Apirana Ngata in the Prefaces to parts 1 and 2 of ‘Nga Moteatea’. Musically, it is possible to put each type of chant into one of two broad groups according to whether it is sung or recited. Amongst the sung types of chant are the waiata of all kinds including the Tangi, Waiata aroha (love long), and Waiata whaiaipo (sweetheart song); the Oriori (lullaby) and the Pao (entertainment song). The recited songs include the Patere (historical or genealogical tour), Whakaaraara pa (watch song), Kaioraora (abusive song), Tauparapara (recitation before speaking) and Karakia (incantation). In addition to these there exist a few others perhaps best described as semi-sung. Notable amongst these is the Karanga which is the generic name for the calls of all kinds performed by women on the marae. It includes Powhiri (greeting calls) and Poroporoaki (farewell calls). The sung type of chant differs from the recited in the following ways— (1) It is melodically organised. That is to say, it has a recognisable air made up of notes definite enough in pitch to be capable of arrangement in the form of a scale. Rises and falls of pitch may become established in some recited songs but they cannot be arranged in scale form. (2) The melody of sung items can be melismatic, i.e. more than one note can be sung per syllable. Recited songs by contrast are always syllabic and melisma cannot occur. (3) Sung items nearly always have a much slower tempo than recited ones. This results both from melisma and the greater tendency to dwell upon certain notes. The latter is particularly in evidence in the ‘drags’ which are discussed later under the heading to performance. Recited songs on the other hand, particularly karakia, sometimes rattle along at tempos in excess of 300 syllables per minute. (4) The characteristics of sung items which make for slower tempo, have their effect also on metre and rhythm. For example the durational values of the notes employed in recited song tend to be fewer than those of the sung items. Often, indeed, there are only two—long and short.