6 
Each of the arts had its own kingdom, whose bounds are 
fairly, though not strictly, defined ; each art had its advantages, 
defects, and limitations. The peculiar characteristic of music was 
that it was continuous, fluent ; while painting and sculpture were 
fixed, and portrayed one single moment’s life. Contrast Leonardo 
da Vinci’s picture of the Last Supper with Bach’s setting of the 
words, ‘“ Lord, is it I?” which are sung twelve times. ‘“ Both 
presentments of the subject are true, and exemplify the various 
functions of the arts,” wrote Macfarren. Even rests, such as 
those just before the end of Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, are part 
of the music, part of the continuity. 
Before entering on the main subject of the functions of 
music, Mr. Davey made some allusion to its various resources, 
speaking rather of composition, not of performance, and mentioned 
the different wave-motions which produce a different tone-quality 
by the varying predominance of the partial tones which accompany 
every note. A succession of notes played on a violin would have 
quite a different effect from the same succession played on a 
wood or brass instrument ; with combinations of several notes this 
obviously varied still more with varying combinations. This 
difference of tone-quality produced in the main what is called 
colour in music. We were obliged to use words derived from the 
sister arts. With the advance of music since the invention of the 
opera and oratorio about 1600, colour had become ever a greater 
factor ; and delicate gradations of force were now also employed. 
In the modern orchestra, with all its various stringed, wind, and 
percussion instruments, colour had attained an astonishing 
diversity. Speaking in generalities, harmony, melody, and 
rhythm were the internal resources of music, and contribute the 
materials for the form of a composition; while the external 
resources of force and of tone-quality constitute its colour. 
‘* Music endeavours to display either structural or illustrative art ; 
that is, to attain artistic value either by the perfection of its 
composition or the accuracy by which it portrays something in 
external matters. In the latter case, music is apt to be sacrificed ”; 
and Mr. Davey quoted instances, including Signor Caruso’s 
sobbing, instead of singing at the end of Canio’s air in Pagliacci. 
The functions of structural music were then considered, 
somewhat briefly, as the subject was highly technical. Mozart’s 
explanation of the way he composed was a noteworthy point; the 
great genius said that when he had finished a work he seemed to 
hear it, not from beginning to end, but all at once, and then 
anything unsuitable struck him, and he altered it accordingly. 
The cultivation of musical taste Mr. Davey considered to depend 
largely upon experience: a young musician was pleased by 
interesting details, a cultivated listener required the whole work 
to be completely balanced. But how did a mature musician 
know the difference between a commonplace idea which anybody 
