INTRODUCING FIRST PRINCIPLES 29 



The test of truth here indicated is the simplest. 

 What all perceive or observe in common is the truth. 

 Truth is the correspondence of an expressed idea with 

 common experience. The truth of music Hes in 

 music itself, in music stripped of all associated ideas 

 and sentiments; it lies in tone-rhythm, and in tone- 

 rhythm we will seek it. Two simple examples will 

 illustrate our test of truth. 



1. Whether we know it or not we all feel and ex- 

 press a dual rhythm in dual periods, a triple rhythm 

 in triple periods. Hundreds and thousands sing, beat 

 time and march to the music of a national air in com- 

 plete ignorance of the rhythm which they feel and 

 express in common. However, the moment we learn 

 to observe a dual rhythm by its dual periods and a 

 triple rhythm by its triple periods, we all acquire the 

 same knowledge in the same way, namely, by trans- 

 muting a common feeling into a common perception 

 or observation. 



2. Whether we know it or not we all feel and ex- 

 press tones as roots, thirds, fifths, sevenths and ninths, 

 some in cadence, some in repose. The same hun- 

 dreds and thousands feel and express these harmonic 

 relations of tones with the same complete ignorance 

 of what they are. When these harmonic relations are 

 learned they are learned in the same way, namely, by 

 transmuting common feeling into common observa- 

 tion. 



