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time. Hence the rhythm of speech, like its melody, is more or less irregular.

The time of a note, or syllable, is called quantity. The time of a rest is also called quantity; because rests, as well as notes, are a constituent of rhythm Hence the characters used for the expression of quantity, are either of sound or silence. The former are called notes; the latter, rests. These characters, and

their relative lengths, are as follows:

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Hence, a semibreve is equal to two minims; equal to four crotchets; equal to eight quavers, &c.

A dot following a note, or rest, increases its length one-half-in other words, increases its length in the ratio of 2 to 3. Thus, a dotted semibreve ( . ) is equal to a semibreve and a minim (P), or to three minims (); a dotted minim (P), to a minim and a crotchet (P), or to three crotchets (PPP); and

so on.

There are two general modes of time common and triple. In common time each measure is divisible by 2; in triple time each measure is divisible by 3.

There are several varieties of each of these modes of time. When a piece is in common time, and each measure contains two quavers, or their equivalent, the

figures are prefixed to the words, or the music; when each measure contains two crotchets, the figures are prefixed; and when each measure contains four crotchets, a capital C, or the figures are prefixed. When a piece is in triple time, and each measure contains three quavers, the figures are prefixed to the words, or the music; when each measure contains three crotchets, the figures are prefixed; and when each measure contains six quavers, the figures are prefixed to the words, or the music. The upper figure, in each of these cases, shows how many notes of a certain description there are in each measure; and the lower figure, how many of these notes are equal in value to a semibreve.

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MOVEMENT.

MOVEMENT is the velocity with which a sentence is read or sung, or a strain of instrumental music is played. The rate of movement should be such as the senti

ment demands. Solemn discourse requires a slow movement; simple narrative, a medium rate of utterance; animated description, as well as all language expressive of any sudden passion, as joy, anger, &c., a movement more or less rapid, according to the intensity of emotion. In the science of music, various terins have been employed to denote the rate of movement, the principal of which are the following:

ADAGIO,... very slow; the slowest time.

Largo,

.....

......

slow time.

Larghetto,... slow, but not so slow as largo.

ANDANTE,.. 'medium time.

Andantino, a little quicker than andante.
Allegretto,... rather quick, but not so quick as allegro.
ALLEGRO,.... quick time.

Presto,...

....

very quick.

Prestissimo.. as quick as possible.

Adagio, andante and allegro, are the three chief divisions of time; the other terms mark the intermediate degrees.

In addition to the foregoing terms, which mark the movement, there are others, which indicate the style of performance. Some of these are as follows:

Affetuoso,.. affectionate a soft and delicate style of performance.
Brillante,.. shining, sparkling-a gay, showy style.
Furioso,... fierce, mad- a vehement style.

Spiritóso,.. spirited — a spirited style.

Sometimes these terms are used in connexion with those which express the rate of movement, thus:

Allégro con spirito, quick with spirit—in a quick and spirited

manner.

The rate of movement is not definitely marked by the terms Adagio, Largo, Larghetto, &c. ; it may, however, be designated with precision by means of the

METRONOME OF MAELZEL.

This instrument has a graduated pendulum, to which is attached a sliding weight. The higher this weight

All

is moved upon the pendulum, the
slower are its vibrations; and the
contrary. When the weight cor-
responds to the number 50, the vi-
brations of the pendulum are the
slowest; when it corresponds to
160, they are the quickest.
the numbers on the instrument
have reference to a minute of time.
Thus, when the weight is placed
at 50, fifty beats, or ticks, occur m
in a minte; when at 60, sixty beats
in a minute; when at 100, one
hundred beats in a minute, &c.

Diag. 17.

[graphic]

The engraving in the margin represents the instrument in action.

In reading, as a general rule, the time should be marked on the metronome by whole measures - in other words, each measure should correspond to one tick of the instrument.

In music, it is most convenient to mark the time on the metronome in adagios, by quavers; in andantes, by crotchets; in allegros, by minims; and in prestos, by whole measures.

EXAMPLES OF THE SEVERAL MOVEMENTS.

In the following Examples, the words which indicate the movement and the corresponding numbers on the metronome, are both employed.

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Larghetto. Metronome 66 -one beat in a measure.

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-The figure 3 over the three quavers which compose the first measure, signifies that they are to be pronounced in the time of two.

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Allegro con spirito. Metronome 104 -one beat in a measure.

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