ART. 94. A tone which is of uniform force throughout its whole duration, is called an organ tone.

ART. 95. A tone which commences piano and gradually increases to forte, is a CRESCENDO or increasing tone, denoted by cres. or by this character

ART. 101. The following remarks are designed for the assistance of Teachers, who need any, in conducting a course of instruction under the ordinary circumstances of a New England singing school.

ART. 102. The object of the common singing school in the country, is to prepare a choir for the musical part of divine service.

ART. 103. Old and young, practiced singers and unpracticed learners join in the school. Some have learned all they know about music, within ten years, some within twenty, and some within a hundred. There are also not a few just out of leading strings.

ART. 104. All claim the privilege of learning to sing, and all hope to have a seat in the choir. The teacher is expected to make them all sing. Of course, he must pursue a different method from that which would be proper, if sufficient time were allowed to complete the musical education of each individual.

ART. 105. The number of lessons is usually from 20 to 30. The teacher will apportion the time to THEORY and PRACTICE, in such a manner as to secure, if possible, the main object of the school as stated in Art.

102.

tinctions in sound may be made perfectly intelligible by means of the voice; though on many accounts a violin is to be preferred.

ART. 107. Exhibit upon the blackboard* the different forms of notesexplaining their relative value-also, dots, triplets.

ART. 108. State and illustrate the principle mentioned in Art. 7. ART. 109. Exhibit and explain the different forms of rests, with the effects of the dots as applied to them.

ART. 110. State the matter of Art. 23, and introduce the singing of the scale. It is not yet the proper time to exhibit it, but the singing of may be commenced in order to give variety and interest to the lesson. The above will furnish material for one lesson.

it

ART. 111. After questioning the class upon what has hitherto been stated to them, and making perfectly sure that it is fully comprehended, the next step will be to explain measures, and the divisions which are supposed to be made of them into what are called parts of measures. Care must be taken here not to convey the idea that all measures are actually divided into such and such parts, but that to assist in determining their duration, a division of this kind is supposed, marked by beating time. Some of the evil consequences of entertaining the idea that this division is real may be found stated in Art. 173.

ART. 112. Explain the beats-let the class beat with counting-also with the words, downward, upward, inward, outward, according to their proper application.

ART. 113. Explain accent-and let the class beat time, using the words, loud, soft, accordingly.

ART. 114. Let them sing in double measure, one note to each beat, accenting properly.

ART. 115. Write these notes in two varieties of double measure, the one directly under the other, as in Art. 19.

ART. 116. Let the class understand, as you go along, that there may be as many varieties of double measure as there are different kinds of notes, and the same is true of triple, quadruple, and sextuple measure. ART. 117. Introduce triple measure by the same means, showing the three varieties in common use.

ART. 118. Introduce quadruple measure, in its two varieties.

* It is taken for granted that the teacher makes use of the blackboard.

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ART. 119. Explain sextuple measure representing it as compound triple measure. It is not worth while to try to beat it, until you have occasion to introduce tunes in that movement. Show the two varieties upon the blackboard, viz: and g.

ART. 120. Sing the scale part of the lesson, so that all may understand what succession of sounds the term implies.

ART. 121. About the third lesson will be a good time to examine the individual scholars as to their capacity to learn to sing. The true question to be settled in regard to each one is not, whether he might by possibility learn to sing, if there were time and labor enough bestowed upon him, but whether upon the whole it is probable he can go on with the class in the present course of lessons. The best test of the requisite degree of capacity is the singing of the scale. If a pupil can do this in an endurable manner he may be suffered to proceed; if not, he should be dismissed. The teacher ought to be cautious not to mistake timidity in a candidate for want of capacity.

ART. 122. By the fourth lesson, the school ought to be furnished with their singing books, so that the teacher may select portions of tunes, for exercises in Rhythm.

ART. 123. There is no better plan, practicable in the common singing school, than for the class to sing portions of tunes selected by the teacher as exercises in Time-that is singing the notes with reference to their duration merely, all upon the same pitch. This will save the timeconsuming process of writing upon the board. And it obviates the necessity of having exercises, composed expressly for the purpose, occupying the room in the books which is wanted for other purposes.

ART. 124. It is now time to introduce the subject of Melody, as laid down in the chapter on that subject.

ART. 125. Explain and exhibit the staff.

ART. 126. Exhibit the scale, upon the black board, with the letters, numerals, and syllables.

ART. 127. Illustrate the relationship between the first and eighth sounds of the scale. A violin will furnish the means. thus:

It may be done A string of a given thickness and length extended upon the violin with a given tension, will upon being made to vibrate, give forth a sound

which is called G. Half that length of string will vibrate with twice the rapidity of the other, and will give out a sound which is also called G. And these two strings upon being set in vibration at the same time will so blend their sounds that it will be impossible to distinguish between them. The reason is that the vibrations of the longer string coincide severally with every other vibration of the shorter. This coincidence may be illustrated upon the blackboard in this manner:

The deep black perpendicular bars show the vibrations of the long string, and the smaller perpendicular bars those of the short string. Every alternate one coincides with the black bars.

The two sounds are at the same distance from each other, as to pitch, as 8 of the scale is from 1.

ART. 128. The proportion of the vibrations to each other, in any sounds which are the distance of a fifth from each other as C to G for instance, is as 2 to 3,-other intervals are in other proportions, but it is not necessary to exhibit them to the class. The only thing important is to give them an idea of the nature of the octave. ART. 129. Explain the Clefs and their uses. These Clefs were originally the letters whose places they fix upon the staff. Thus the character called the G clef, was originally the letter G, but it has undergone various transformations until it has arrived at its present shape.

ART. 130. Explain the application of the letters to the degrees of the staff of the numerals to the sounds of the scale- and point out the uses of the syllables.

ART. 131. Let the class practice the scale a portion of each lesson with the syllables, and also with one syllable, la. The other portion of the time of the lesson should be employed in exercises in time.

ART. 132. A trouble will arise in most classes at this stage. It will be found difficult to get them to sing 8 sharp enough with the syllable, do. To remedy the evil, it will be well to substitute la for 8 sometimes.

A

ART. 135. Exercise upon the scale with its extension both up and down. It will be well to change the pitch occasionally to A or B or D, especially if the class have fallen from the right pitch, as they are sure to do at first. You may then revert to the true pitch of C, and the class will come up to it readily.

ART. 136. Exercise upon different sounds of the scale extended, skipping about irregualarly. In order to enable the singers to strike 3 from 1, let them sing one, two, three, then one, three. Pursue the same course with the other sounds.

ART. 138. Give a definition of an interval -the violin may furnish the means of a good illustration. By the help of that, show the difference between a tone and a half-tone or semitone.

ART. 139. Describe the order of intervals in the scale. Let attention be directed to the letters, numerals, and syllables, between which the half-tone intervals occur.

ART. 140. You may prove to the class the fact that the order of intervals in the scale is founded in nature, by firstly referring to their own testimony that it is agreeable to the ear, and, secondly, by showing, from the fingering of the violin, that a scale consisting of whole tone intervals only, is very disagreeable.

Call upon the class to point out the corresponding sounds in the ascending and descending scale.

ART. 143. You will before this time, have introduced exercises in melody from easy tunes in the key of C. The second treble part is generally most convenient. The Bass ought also to be used as an exercise by the whole school, for it is important that the two clefs should be fully comprehended by all. It is best at first to sing these exercises without reference to rhythm.

ART. 144. Let the scale be sung in various kinds of measure.

ART. 145. time and tune.

Let the second treble of suitable tunes in C be sung in

ART. 146. It is now the proper stage to distribute the voices into the four parts. A few voices will be found suitable for Tenor,-— a few are enough. The rest of the men belong to the Base. The boys whose voices have not changed will sing second treble. All the little girls will sing second of the rest of the females nearly one half should belong to that part the residue to the first treble. Voices, peculiarly fitted for any part, should be required to sing it, whether they are disposed or not. All those ladies who have an incurable propensity to flat, should be placed in the second, or dismissed altogether, which is better.

ART. 147. Proceed to practice tunes in C. with the syllables and frequently with la alone, beginning with the easiest and learning thesecond treble first. Then add the base; then the first treble and tenor - make the scholars describe the names and uses of every musical character to be found in the tune, viz. the brace the staff-the clefs- the notes and rests the kind of measure the number and application of the beats. Let them do all this before they begin to sing. There are generally two or three smart little girls and now and then an intelligent lad or two, who will answer all your questions if you suffer them. It is a good way to have all the seats numbered — and then after proposing your enquiry, let no one answer until you call upon a particular number. This will secure the attention of all and there will be emulation excited, which will do great good.

ART. 148. You may introduce earlier than this, if thought best, the the matters treated of under the head of Dynamics and such musical characters and tunes as may be useful. It will be well to practice the scale in the different degrees of force and in the various kinds of tone,

C

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ART. 154. Present the subjects in Chap. XI.

. ART. 155. After some practice in the different keys, the class may commence singing words. Let each tune be sung by the syllables until the music is familiar before the words are applied.

ART. 156. Explain the subject of articulation-something in this way. Words are composed of vowels and consonants. The most common form of a syllable, embraces three elements of speech, viz. a consonant sound first, then a principal vowel sound, then a consonant sound at the close. For example the word, bead is composed, first, of the consonant sound, b, next the vowel, e, lastly the consonant, d. The teacher may exhibit the articulation of the, b, by attempting to give utterance to it, without opening the lips. A guttural noise will be heard, which is the proper sound of that letter. The d may be shown in a similar manner. The class should be told that a syllable is to be sung or prolonged upon the vowel sound, and that the form of it is not allowed to change in the slightest degree during the length of the note or notes belonging to the syllable. The consonants are to be given as short as possible, but with smartness and force.

ART. 157. A syllable may consist of one vowel sound alone-as, oh, ah. Attention is to be directed to giving it correctly, and holding it in the same form, throughout the note.

ART. 158. A syllable may consist of a consonant and a vowel — as, day, me, do, fa,- or of a vowel first as, add, in, up, at.

ART. 159. There is in every syllable, a principal vowel sound, upon which the time of the note belonging to it, is employed. Many syllables have more than one vowel (letter) but all but one are generally silent as in the words, day, rain, bean. As to the pronunciation of these syllables, they might as well be spelt, da răn bìn. The silent letters will be disregarded of course.

ART. 160. Some syllables however, which have two vowels, have a sound different from that of any single vowel. Thus, voice-fear — but all such words have a single sound upon which they are prolonged. In voice it is the sound of o in the word on which is dwelt upon, what comes after that should be brought together as much as possible into one sound, which should be articulated like a consonant. The same remarks apply to the words, fear, tear, here — the e is the prolonged sound. Also the words there, hire, roar.

ART. 161. Many words have several consonants together, sometimes one or more of them is silent, but often, they are all to be articulated, The endeavor should be to crowd them as much as possible into one sound, and give them with great quickness and force, by no means, however slighting any of them, but making each one distinctly audible. Perhaps there is no worse word to sing than hosts.

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ART. 162. Many single letters have a compound sound, as word may hare; y and i, in try, high. There is a sound of e heard after the principal sound which may readily be perceived, upon speaking the words with a slight extension of the vowel,- i sounds like a-e - (the a as in father)-a sounds like a-e. In these and similar cases you take the first sound as the principal, and dwell upon it through all the notes belonging to the syllable, and then regard the other element of the sound as coming into the character of a consonant, so far as to require a rapid enunciation. Unless this is done, the syllable becomes double, in fact, two syllables, and ought to have two notes. ART. 163. Let the teacher analyze various words and cause the pupils to do it. Have them point out the principal vowel sound. ART. 164. Caution the class against carrying the last letter of a word forward to the following word. The rule in opposition to this practice, is, to Finish every syllable on the note that belongs to it.

ART 165. PAUSES. A pause is to be made at the end of every strain; also, whenever there is a comma or other stop in the words; also where the

sense requires it. The time of pauses is not added to the length of the measures, but is a part of the time of the note preceding them-or, in other words, you shorten the note before the pause, sufficiently to furnish the time required for the pause. Thus when there is no rest at the end of a strain, you make the last note in the line, less than its nominal value so at any required pause.

ART. 166. BREATHING. The breath should be inhaled quickly, and where possible to the full capacity of the lungs. It should be expended without waste, and in such a manner that it may all contribute to the fulness of voice. Many persons fail to fill the lungs, and besides that, waste half their breath, for want of good management. Of course they don't sing more than half a measure before the breath is gone. Sad work is made with words through this fault. A habit arises of breathing at regu

lar intervals, which does more mischief than any other one thing. ART. 167. GROUPING OR PHRASING WORDS. The language should be connected in the breath according to its connections in phrases and parts of sentences.

ART. 168. The time which respiration requires, (for it amounts to a good deal especially in unpracticed singers,) must be borrowed from the note preceding each breath, in the same manner as pauses.

ART. 169. It will be many times, impracticable to inhale a full breath, owing to the rapidity of the movement, or the shortness of the notes. such cases the singer must be content with what he can get.

In

ART. 170. In regard to all these stops, pauses and breathings, the general rule is to COMMENCE every measure and every note, strictly in its proper place in the time, according to the regular beating, however you may end them.

ART. 171. ACCENT AND EMPHASIS. If the accent of music conform to that of the words it is well; but if not it must be made to.

ART. 172. The important words should be loudest as in reading. Emphatic words should be emphasised in singing. Little, unimportant words, as articles, prepositions, conjunctions, &c., should be sung lightly. ART. 173. EXPRESSION, TASTE, &c. A country choir usually consists of from 25 to 75 individuals, singers and players upon divers instruments. They are of all sorts, good, bad, and indifferent. It is obvious that with such a company, all that can be done in the way of expression, must be of a very general nature, such as is pointed out in these rules.