Comparing the Two Pieces

With a Lily in Your Hand is a very complex piece that has lots of syncopation throughout. Most of the time the different sections have contrasting rhythms that cause a sense of syncopation. The syncopation adds more interest to an already elaborate piece. Eighth rests and the multimeters cause a large portion of the syncopation but dotted rhythms are also used a lot.
The ostinato in this piece is very short and simple. The tenors and bass parts have a triplet pattern switches between two notes but the alto part has a triplet pattern of three notes. The tenor and alto parts are really dissonant. The ostinato is used to give the image water by giving the sense of a fluid motion. While the lower three parts are singing this ostinato the sopranos are introducing a slower different image into the piece. At this section Eric Whitacre decided to use word painting and use the triplet ostinato to help make this section more water like.


Abiani is a much more simple song but has a lot of dotted rhythms and eighth rests causing syncopation. The guitar solo at the bridge and at the introduction specifically uses dotted rhythms to create its syncopation. Since the tune is simple the syncopation adds interest and makes the piece itself more complex. Some of the ostinatos have syncopation in them as well.
Ostinato is used throughout the entire piece. Every time there is an ostinato the ostinato is different. Most of the harmony line is ostinato. The ostinato is used to give many different effects. At some points in the song the ostinato is used as a call and response, at other parts it is used to emphasize that the women of the village are calling everyone else in the village to be positive. The ostinato is also used to keep a tangible melody going while the lead singer improvises and uses ornamentation overtop.


Now to find the similarities between the pieces. Both of them use the ostinato effectively to convey some type of message. Whether the message is and image or calling people. Most of the ostinatos are very short and simple. The ostinato is always in the harmony parts. It can also be used as accompaniment.
The syncopation in Abiani and With a Lily in Your Hand use very typical techniques to create syncopation, eighth rests and dotted rhythms. The syncopation is also used to add interest. As well both of the pieces have at least two lines with different syncopated rhythms going at the same time. Whether it is in the accompaniment guitar or the other voices.