MUSIC. 



Ill 



The various rules for the composition and resolu- 

 tion may be found in any of the larger works on 

 music ; the subject is by far too technical and abstruse 

 for this Encyclopedia. 



For the purpose of giving variety in the effect, the 

 notes of a piece are sometimes made to occur on a 

 different key from that on which the melody com- 

 menced. These changings of the key obey certain 

 fixed laws which form that department of musical 

 science denominated Modulation. In the construc- 

 tion of a melody keeping in the same key, the prin- 

 cipal things to be kept in mind, are, to employ all 

 the notes of the scale, dwelling chiefly on the neces- 

 sary chords, that is, the chords of the tonic and 

 seventh; in the repetition of which, however, a same- 

 ness of method ought to be avoided. Pauses and 

 cadences ought to be made almost exclusively on 

 these two chords, nor should any additional sharp or 

 flat be added. These things are to be observed 

 where the modulation is confined within one key, 

 but we often pass from one key to another, a species 

 of modulation much more extensive in its laws than 

 the preceding, and to which we shall for a little 

 call the reader's attention. In modulating from a 

 major key, it will always be found best to do so from 

 the fifth above the tonic. As to the modulations in 

 the minor modes : from the principal key we may 

 modulate to the third, the fifth, the fourth, and lastly, 

 the sixth, these being given in the order of their 

 preference. "The key of each of these accessary 

 tones is determined by the third of the principal 

 key." This is a general rule throughout, that the 

 keys of the fifth and fourth of the principal key are 

 of the same kind with that key ; those of the third 

 and sixth, on the other hand, have minor thirds. In 

 modulation in different keys, it ought to be borne in 

 mind that a composition ought always to begin and 

 end in the same key ; and therefore, wherever we 

 leave the principal key for another, whether major 

 or minor, we ought to be prepared to return with 

 ease to it again. Moreover, since the principal key 

 ought to predominate throughout the piece, we ought 

 to dwell longer or shorter on the modulated keys, 

 according to their relation to it, dwelling longer on 

 those whose relation is the more perfect, and the 

 converse. 



The Fugue is a species of composition .often em- 

 ployed with fine effect, especially in sacred music. 

 It consists in a repetition of certain parts of the 

 melody by different instruments or voices, one after 

 the other; these repetitions being separated from 

 each other by sensible intervals of time. In talking 

 of fugues, it is usual to denominate the part which 

 leads, or goes first, the guide ; and the part which 

 follows in the repeat, is called the answer. The 

 pitch of the answer is different from that of the 

 repeat, nevertheless, the tones and semitones of the 

 one, must be entirely similar to those of the other. 

 The composition of fugues is regulated by certain 

 recognized principles, the chief of which are, that the 

 key note and the fifth ought to be preferred for the 

 opening and conclusion of the fugue, in which case 

 the melody ought not to extend beyond the octave oi 

 the key ; and if the guide begins or ends with the 



tonic, the answer ought to open and close on the 

 fifth. Should the melody of the fugue descend 

 from the tonic to the fifth, we may employ the 

 sixth and seventh in the answer; and passing to 

 the fourth, third, and second, we ought so to order 

 the arrangement, that one of the three last notes 

 should come near to the tonic. The fifth must 

 always answer the tonic, and the converse, except in 

 the middle of the air, where the fourth may be sub- 

 stituted ; thus affording four degrees from the fourth 

 to the tonic descending, or from the second to the 

 fifth ascending. The bass of the fugue must first be 

 found, then the other parts, in which it is to be 

 remembered, that they ought to follow a similar 

 progression in guide and answer; and if the imita- 

 tion be in the treble, the bass will carry the samp 

 accompanying chords in both. The melody of a 

 fugue should never occupy less time than half a 

 measure, nor should it extend much beyond four 

 measures, otherwise the movement must be rapid ; 

 and a fugue ends best on the first part of a measure, 

 when that measure is divided into two parts ; or on 

 the third, when it is divided into four: this, however, 

 is not without exception. 



Imitation consists in a continuance of a part of the 

 melody in the bass, or any other of the accompanying 

 parts. This is repeated at pleasure, depending en 

 tirely on the will of the composer. 



The Canon consists of an air, the subject of which 

 is repeated in all the parts, and may therefore be 

 regarded as a species of fugue. These repetitions are 

 managed so as to keep within the range of the voices 

 or instruments employed ; and it is usual for them to 

 be taken in the unison, or in the octave. The sub- 

 ject is first invented, and then the number of parts 

 chosen in which the piece is to be composed, of which 

 the melody is formed, one part serving as a pro- 

 longation of another ; then the air commences in one 

 of the parts, and when the subject is finished, it is 

 followed in another. 



We shall conclude this section by an explanation 

 of some characters employed in musical notation. 



The use of the single and double bar has been 

 already explained in treating of melody ; but it is 

 here to be observed, that when a double bar occurs 

 with dots on each side, the part which it terminates 

 must be again repeated. Sometimes, however, it is 

 necessary to repeat a portion of an air, which is not 

 terminated by a double bar, and this is denoted by 

 placing the mark :S: above the last note in the repeat. 

 The same thing is sometimes done by placing below 

 the last note the letters D.C., i. e. DE CAPO, repeat 

 the strain. The slur /~N placed over or under any 

 number of notes, denotes that they are to be per- 

 formed as if sliding into one another, that is, that 

 the transition from the one note to the other shall be 

 as little marked as possible. Nearly allied to the 

 grace of slurring, is that of gliding, denoted by the 

 mark ^ or ir, and is performed by passing from 

 one note to another, by rising or falling from the 

 pitch of the first to that of the second, by impercepti- 

 ble degrees. This grace is easily executed on the 

 violin, by sliding the finger gradually on the board 

 from the stop' of the one note to that of the other, 

 while the bow -continues to act on the string; and 

 thus the first tone becomes MI i;r;ulually lost and 

 beautifully blended with the second, that the transi- 

 tion is almost imperceptible. The glide is frequently 

 imitated by taking the chromatic interval between 

 the first and last note, and this is the only way in 

 which this grace can be at all approached on the 

 piano forte. As was remarked on a former occasion, 

 the figure 3 placed over three notes tied together, 

 shows that they should be performed in the time of 

 two ; so 6 placed over six notes, shows that they 



