220 On Musical Time, 



When the boiling heat is too long continued, the colour 

 of the syrup becomes darker. Does not this serve to sug- 

 gest that the process might be improved by employing a wa- 

 ter bath, instead of applying the heat directly to the boiler 

 or kettle ? 



XL. On Musical Time* 

 To Mr. Tilloch. 



Sir, It has long been a matter of just complaint among 

 musicians, that no method has yet been invented to regulate 

 musical time. The terms Largo, Adagio, Andante, Presto, 

 &c. seem to be mere terms of expression, and not the de- 

 finite characters of time; for it is absurd to suppose that 

 these terms mean any portion of time whatever, so that the 

 performer is left entirely to use his own taste and judgement. 

 To remove this imperfection, Loulie, a French musician, in^ 

 vented an instrument called The Musical Chronometer, for 

 the purpose of measuring time by means of a pendulum. 



But this instrument, though it appears perfect in theory, 

 could never be brought into practice, either from the trouble 

 of adjusting it at the beginning of every movement, or the 

 difficulty which the performer experienced in conforming to 

 mechanical rules. 



Another chronometer of a more simple construction hag 

 $ince been invented, consisting of a tape graduated into feet 

 and inches, with a plummet affixed to it. The way of using 

 this instrument is to prefix one of the notes to each move- 

 ment, and also the length of the pendulum, which vibrates 

 once during its performance. But surely this method must 

 be attended with as much uncertainty as to find the time 

 that a person would be in walking a mile, by finding what 

 time it would take him to walk a yard. 



Although these modes of introducing chronometers have 

 hitherto failed, yet I am inclined to believe, that, by a proper 

 use of timerkeepers, it will be very easy for the present and 

 future composers to fix the time to their music, so as not to 

 be misunderstood even by a young performer. This may be 

 done very correctly without any other instrument than a 

 pocket- watch which shows minutes and seconds : Thus, 



Let the composer take notice of the number of minutes 

 and seconds that elapse during the performance of' any 

 movement, according to the time in which he intends it 

 should be played or sung, and let these numbers be written 

 at the beginning of it. The words Largo, Adagio, An- 

 dante, 



