By John Lambert, Esq. 335 
of all ornamental phrases as unaccented or short, and giving full 
value to the notes which constitute the several cadences, whether 
subordinate or final. 
Of course these rules, like all others, are liable to various modi- 
fications, and all I can expect to do on such an occasion is to give 
you a general idea on the subject. 
Indeed it would be impossible to lay down such exact rules as 
would lead to uniformity in every little detail; as much must be left 
to the taste and skill of the singer: just as in modern Music, where 
even with the most exact division into regular Bars, with all the 
aid of crotchets, quavers, and semiquavers, one singer is found 
to impart to a certain song a peculiar character or charm, making 
it, according to the phrase, his own. 
Of the four examples which I have given of this kind of Music, 
the two Antiphons will be found the most elaborate and difficult. 
The phrases of each require to be very carefully studied, and a well- 
trained voice is essential to the due execution of them. The 
Hee dies, which is the more florid composition of the two, contains 
no less than 241 notes to 19 words, and in several parts of it will 
be noticed an ornament in frequent use at the present day. I mean 
the peculiar effect produced by the repetition, or repercussion as 
the ancient authors termed it, of the same note two or three 
times in succession upon the same syllable. It will be obvious, on 
the most cursory glance, that the long divisions of notes contained 
in these examples were intended to be sung with considerable 
flexibility of voice; and that such was the practice of the musicians 
of the Middle Ages we may learn from Guido, who expressly says 
that each musical phrase or newme is to be sung in one breath. 
Ty. 
In addition to that portion of the Metrical Music of the Middle 
Ages, which is merely syllabic, there are Hymns, the Music of 
which is of a more elaborate character, containing often several 
notes to a single syllable, and it has been confidently asserted by 
at least one writer of great authority (M. Fetis) that in intro- 
ducing this form of treatment the Church composers have sacrificed 
2x2 
