44 THE NATURE OF MUSIC 



light accent and is then brought forward on a heavy 

 accent. In no the head is jerked to one side on a 

 heavy accent and then moves back on a Hght accent. 

 Similar dual movements and successions of relative 

 accents appear in our spontaneous positive and nega- 

 tive gestures. Positive certainty, conviction and as- 

 sertion are expressed by raising the hand on a light 

 accent and bringing it down on a heavy accent. Un- 

 certainty, surprise and interrogation cause us to raise 

 the hands on a heavy accent, then to relax and drop 

 them on a light accent. Down-accents are heavy 

 accents of positive gravity. 



This analysis shows that every rhythmic moment in 

 consciousness is either a repose-moment or a cadence- 

 moment. Rhythm-repose is perfect balance; rhythm- 

 cadence is relative balance tending to perfect balance. 

 This relation of cadence and repose is inseparable in 

 our feeling, percept and concept of rhythm. In other 

 words, there must be a play of light accent upon heavy 

 accent, else there is no feeling or perception of rhythm. 

 The play of one light accent upon a heavy accent is the 

 embryonic form of rhythm, and a motive consisting of 

 two such accents is the shortest conceivable motive in 

 music. This inseparable relation of cadence and re- 

 pose is an important fact as we shall presently see. 

 Of the two elements, rhythm and tone, rhythm is first, 

 universal and fundamental, while tone owes its speci- 

 fic musical form to rhythm. Cadence and repose first 

 appeared in rhythm, and their inseparable relation is 

 the basis of all rhythmic form and relation in music. 

 The study of this relation in tone is our next step in 

 analysis. 



