RHYTHM AND TONE S3 



the utmost importance ; their psychology will discover 

 the hitherto overlooked key to the origin and true 

 nature of music's specific and basic harmony. 



Metre and rhythm are not alone often confounded, 

 but are sometimes treated as identical, which is wide 

 of the truth. Rhythm is not metre, metre is not 

 rhythm, neither in music nor in versification. Metre 

 is measure of rhythm-periods, that is, of time-periods 

 of tones. Our metrical symbols are symbols of meas- 

 urement; they symbolize rhythm, time. Metrical ac- 

 cents so-called do not exist. Feeling of rhythm came 

 first, perception of rhythm came next, metrical and 

 numerical symbols of rhythm came last. 



21. Analysis of Tone 



Sound that wavers in pitch is unbalanced, is unmu- 

 sical, is not harmonious, is not tone. Sound main- 

 tained at an unwavering pitch is balanced, musical, 

 harmonious, in a word, is tone, the unique voice of 

 music. The shaping principle, equilibrium, which is 

 inherent in common feeling, impels us to make for 

 balanced sound or tone just as it impels us to make 

 for balanced motion or rhythm. So long as we main- 

 tain sound at an unwavering pitch, so long do we gen- 

 erate in feeling the perfect balance or harmony of 

 tone. This pure harmonic form of tone to the genesis 

 of which in feeling music owes its origin and exist- 

 ence is the major consonance, music's first or original 

 consonance which to-day we call the Tonic-harmony 

 of the Major mode, the harmony of complete repose. 

 This perfect tone or harmony opens the first chapter 

 of tone-genesis, a new subject in our science ; it is an 



