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ELEMENTS OF VOCAL MUSIC.

INTRODUCTORY.

GENERAL DIVISION OF THE SUBJECT.-ANALYSIS OF MUSICAL SOUNDS.

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RHYTHMICS.

CHAPTER 1.

DIVISIONS OF TIME. MEASURES. PARTS OF MEASURES.

SI. The length of tones is measured by a division of time, into equal portions. This may be indicated or illustrated, by counting equally, thus: one, two; one, two; one, two; one, two.

QUESTIONS. By what is the length of tones measured ?-Why, in music, is time divided into equal portions?-By what may the division of time be indicated or illustrated?

II. The portions into which time is divided are called MEASURES; thus, at 1, four measures are counted.

QUESTIONS.-What are the portions into which time is divided called?-What are measures ?— Why is time divided into measures ?

III. Measures are divided into smaller portions, called PARTS OF MEASURES: thus, at § 1, measures are divided into two parts, the first part of each measure being indicated by one, and the second part by two.

QUESTIONS.-What are smaller portions of time than measures called?-How many parts are there in a measure?

IV. Measures and parts of measures, may be indicated not only by counting (to the ear), but also by motions of the hand (to the eye), called BEATS, or BEATING THE TIME.

QUESTIONS.-In what other manner than by counting, may the division of time into measures be indicated?-What are the motions of the hand called ?-How are measures and parts of measures indicated to the ear? How to the eye?

ELEMENTS OF VOCAL MUSIC.

V. In beating the time, a downward motion of the hand is usually made for the first part of a measure, and an upward motion for the second part. QUESTIONS.-How is the beat for the first part of a measure made? How for the second? NOTE 1-When the pupils commence learning to beat the time, it is well for them, not only to make the proper motions of the hand, but also to repeat the words downward beat, upward beat, or, down, up, as descriptive of the beats.

NOTE 2.-The class should now be exercised, not only in counting and beating the time, describing the beats, but also in beating the time repeating at each beat the syllable LA. This syllable should at first be merely spoken in the usual way, afterwards in prolonged tones, according to the length of the parts of the measure to which it is sung. The measure should be at different times comparatively slow and quick, but in general slow, as when the words downward beat, upward beat, are deliberately spoken.

Other syllables may be occasionally substituted for la, in these exercises, for the sake of variety, as Pa, Ma, Bar, Far, &c. The letter A should receive its grave sound (a); being the same as is heard in the words above named, or in Father, Calm, Balm, &c. The vowel sound a, or ah, is the best for vocal practice, and is constantly used by those who well understand the training of the voice.

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NOTE. In writing the above and similar exercises, it will not be necessary to write the syllable la, or words; the la will always be understood, and the above, or other similar words, can be taken, as the teacher pleases. After a lesson is written, and before it is recited or sung, questions should be asked; for example, on the above exercises the teacher may ask as follows:

How many measures are there in the lesson? How many bars? How many notes? How many accented notes?-How many notes in each measure?-How many beats must there be in each measure?-With which part of the measure does the lesson begin? &c.

NOTE.-The Teacher may now introduce the subject of Melodics, give out a few tones of the scale, show the manner of representing them, by a line or two (part of a staff) drawn on the board, and exercise the class in lessons like the following:

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Names of the Tones.

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la, la,

la.

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Re, Do,

Re,

Do.

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ELEMENTS OF VOCAL MUSIC.

§ XIV. When a measure appears in its first form, or when a separate sound is sung to each part of a measure, or, when in written music each part of a measure is occupied by a separate note or rest, the measure is said to be in its PRIMITIVE FORM.

QUESTIONS.-When is a measure said to be in its primitive form ?-In written music, when is a measure said to be in its primitive form ?-What is meant by the primitive form of measure in music heard?-What is meant by the primitive form of measure in written music?

XV. When a measure is sung to a prolonged tone, as at § 13, the measure is said to be in a DERIVED FORM.

QUESTIONS.-When is a measure said to be in a derived form ?—In written music, when is a measure said to be in a derived form?

XVI. Derived forms are obtained from primitive forms, by uniting the parts of a measure; and derived forms are reduced to primitive forms, by separating united parts of a measure.

QUESTIONS.-How are derived forms of measure obtained from primitive forms ?-How are derived forms of measure reduced to primitive forms?

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§ XVIII. A measure may have three parts; as one, two, three; one, two, three; or, downward beat, hither (or inward) beat, upward beat.

§ XIX. A measure having three parts, is called Triple Measure; a measure having two parts, is called DOUBLE MEASure.

XX. Figures are used as signs of measure; thus, the figure 2 denotes double, and the figure 3, triple measure.

XXI. Triple measure receives an accent on the first part. QUESTIONS.-How many kinds of measure have now been taught ?-What distinguishes one kind from the other?-If a measure has two parts, what is it called?-If a measure has three parts, what is it called?-Question also with respect to figures as signs of measure and accent.

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QUESTIONS ON THE FIRST EXERCISE.-In what time is the lesson written? Ans. Triple.-How
is it known to be triple measure? Ans. It has three parts ?-How many measures are there in the
lesson? Is the first measure in the primitive, or a derived form?-Is the second measure in the
primitive, or a derived form? Which class? Which derivative ?-Question also in a like manner
as to the other measures, and as to other exercises that may be written on the board. The exami-
nation by questions should always precede the singing.

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