28 



THE POPULAE EDUCATOR. 



claiming the sole right of attendance upon it. Lot this be 

 clearly understood. Any sound may bo taken for the KEY- 

 NOTE ; and that being fixed, the places of the six other notes 

 are known. 



The common human ear throughout the world is pleased when 

 these sounds attend that key-note, and is displeased when other 

 sounds, not holding the same relation to the key-note, and not 

 standing at precisely the same relative pitch, are used in their 

 stead ; for even an uncultivated ear would promptly mark the 

 difference between the accurate singer and the inaccurate, 

 between the singer in tune and the singer out of tune. 



This distinct arrangement of six sounds around a key-note is 

 called the musical " scale." It may be high in pitch in one 

 tune, and low in another, but the reloMve position of its notes 

 remains unchanged. These notes may be reproduced in replicates 

 or " octaves " of higher or lower pitch, but they still retain the 

 same relation. Transition or "modulation" (which will be 

 afterwards explained) may change the key-note in the course of 

 a tune, but the new key-note governs its dependents exactly as 

 the old one did. Every apparent exception only proves the rule. 

 This one scale is the foundation of all music. Some speak of this 

 scale as though it were of human invention ; but if so, how is 

 it that every newly-discovered nation is found either using it 

 (if they are musical at all), or possessed of ears which readily 

 approve it ? How is it that the Chinese or Indians have not 

 "invented" some other scale? The truth is, some of these 

 nations do omit a note or two, but they do not alter the rest ; 

 and when the question is fairly examined, it is found the omis- 

 sions were caused by their rude and incomplete instruments, 

 rather than by defective ears. Again, let me ask, going back 

 to the time of the ancient Greeks, of whose musical notation 

 there is not a remnant from which we could have copied, how is 

 it that we learn, from their philosophical treatises, that the scale 

 which the people used was the same as ours ? Could not that 

 refined people have " invented" something better ? Are we not 

 right, then, in calling it the scale of all nations and of all times, 

 the scale to which the ear and soul of man are tuned by the 

 all- wise Creator ? 



When we examine its structure more closely, we find other 

 proofs that it comes from the hand of God. Like many of 

 bis works the rainbow, for instance it seems to the careless 

 observer irregular, but discloses a beautiful harmony and pur- 

 pose to him who is more thoughtful. The distances in pitch 

 (that is, highness or lowness of sound), or, in other words, the 

 intervals between the notes of this scale, are very delicately 

 arranged. In another lesson we shall be able to describe its 

 structure more minutely ; but let it suffice for the present to 

 eay, that the simplest measurement of the scale in plain figures 

 is that which divides it into fifty-three degrees. 

 Such a division is only inaccurate to the extent 

 of being about one third of a degree too large. 

 If you will make use of the sol-fa syllables to 

 represent the notes of this scale, Don standing for 

 THE KEY-NOTE OP A TUNE, at ivhatever pitch it is 

 taken, then the number of such degrees between 

 each couple of notes may be set forth by the 

 figures at the side. Why the scale of music found 

 most acceptable to human ears should be thus 

 curiously and delicately formed, and why it does 

 not exhibit a greater apparent uniformity, we 

 cannot tell. It is an " ultimate fact " of philo- 

 sophy, like the structure of the rainbow. We must 

 take it as it is, and reverently study the laws of 

 its structure. Sir Isaac Newton's division of the 

 spectrum into seven colours bore some analogy to 

 these seven notes ; and in a large work written 

 by Mr. Hay, f Edinburgh, a clear relationship 

 has been established between the principles of 

 beauty in the human form, and certain angles 

 founded on the proportions of the musical scale. 

 Doubtless there are in the various departments of Nature cer- 

 tain uniting principles, certain secret affinities of things, which 

 shall prove them all to have sprung from one creating Hand. 



It may, however, be noticed here, that every note of the scale 

 BOTtada pleasantly, when heard at the same time with the key- 

 note, excepting only BAT and TB ; and of these, the most diffi- 

 cult notes of the scale, more will be said when our lessons are 

 further advanced. 



DOH' 



5 



TE 



LAH 



SOH 



FAH 



5 

 ME 



RAT 



BOH 



For the present, we wish your attention confined to the thrco 

 notes, Don, ME, and Son, the first, the thu-d, and the fifth. 

 They are the strong notes of the scale, on whioh, as you will 

 afterwards learn, the others lean. We may call them "the 

 framework of the building." When sounded Together they are 

 commonly called the " chord of the tonic," tonic being the 

 scientific name for key-note. Chiefly by these notes your voice 

 must be tuned. Take, then, some low sound of your voice for 

 the key-note, or DOH, and try to sing the following exercises, 

 pointing to the notes on the scale given above, as yeu sing. This 

 pointing on the scale is more important than you would at first 

 imagine. In no other way can you obtain so clear a notion of 

 the relative position of notes. If previously uninstructed, you 

 must ask some musical friend to sing these notes to you, or 

 play them on an instrument for a pattern. Do not, on any 

 account, however, sing with him or let him sing with you. 

 Remember that you are learning to sing alone. Your friend 

 will know what notes to play when you tell him D, F sharp, 

 A, and upper D 1 ; or, if he prefers it, C, E, G, and upper C 1 . 

 You will notice that when a note is repeated in a higher pitch, 

 we put this mark (') above it : thus, Don 1 . You need not 

 trouble yourself with the "staff" of five lines at present, except 

 to notice that DOH is printed as a square note. 



EXERCISE 1. 



Note. Sing these notes first slowly, then quickly, and again 

 with a sound " long drawn out." Do not be disappointed if 

 your friend pronounces you inaccurate in the first and second 

 notes, though they are the easiest. Let him patiently set the 

 " pattern " of those two notes again, and, if need be, many 

 times again. Master one note at a time. Some pupils require 

 several lessons, with much patient " patterning " of the teacher, 

 and much careful listening, followed by vocal effort of the 

 learner, before this exercise is perfectly done. 



EXERCISE 2. 



Don 1 Son 



ME SOH Son ME 



DOH 



Note. You observe the upright bars. Sing the note imme- 

 diately after them with a stronger accent or force of voice than 

 the others. You notice that two of the notes on the " staff" of 

 five lines are open, and that the names beneath are followed by 

 a stroke of " continuance." Sing those notes twice as long as 

 the rest. 



EXERCISE 3. 



EXERCISE 4. 



Sing all these exercises again, while some one else repeats 

 the note DOH for every rote you sing. THis we call " tolling 

 the bell." 



