On Instrumental Origins of Lithuanian Polymodal <i>Saturnites</i>

Abstract

The northeastern Lithuanian vocal sutartines feature a great diversity in their polyphonic structure: they vary in texture (polyphonic and heterophonic), modal structure (polymodal and monomodal), and rhythm (polyrhythmic and homorhythmic). Since the prevailing melodic style of sutartines is mixed rather than homogeneous, it is probable that these polyphonic songs originally evolved through the interaction of different folk music styles. Most of polyphonic sutartines, according to Latvian and Lithuanian ethnomusicologists, were composed by juxtaposing monophonic melodies. This was proved by comparing the melodic structure of sutartines with that of the monophonic melodies from the adjacent regions.Such characteristics of sutartines as polymodality, cannot be fully explained in regard to the development of vocal melodies. This leads to an admission that vocal sutartines underwent a considerable melodic influence of instrumental music. The polyphonic polymodal sutartines have probably derived from the proce...