This is not to say that the melody or harmonic lines bear any relation to modern Western pop music, or to say that the form is not without its quirks, but the relationship that the form of the song establishes with the listener is easily accessible and comforting where Stravinsky's, in contrast, is alien and dissociative. The song starts right away with a melodic/harmonic line of drums and a wind instrument that carries on throughout the song. Though the melody is played with and changes and evolves as the song progresses, there is no abrupt shift -- no break in the form -- in keeping with traditional Western music, especially folk music. The transitions in the piece are so gentle as to be hardly noticeable, giving the piece an overall smoothness and cohesion exactly the opposite of the effect Stravinsky achieves by breaking up the structure of his piece. "Cheumutemgure's...
[ View Full Essay]