74 THE NATURE OF MUSIC 



trasted in the next examples for a special purpose. 

 In a) we hear Weber, in b) we hear Wagner. 



In common parlance we would say that these two 

 examples present one and the same melody, and that 

 b) is a harmonization of a). This is not true. It 

 would be true were melody an element; it is not true, 

 because melody is a composite of two elements, 

 rhythm and harmony. The two melodies look alike 

 but how unlike they sound. Are we to believe the 

 eye or the ear ? The harmonic numbers indicate the 

 ear's testimony. Compare these numbers in the two 

 examples. Melodies are thoughts. As melodies and 

 thoughts, a) and b) are distinct; both are equally 

 individual and natural. It is true that a given single 

 melody as at a) suggests a variety of different har- 

 monizations, but let us remember that it is also true 

 that every such harmonization results in the trans- 

 formation of one distinct and individual melody and 

 thought into another distinct and individual melody 

 and thought, no two of which can possibly be the same. 

 In a separate chapter I will present the potential har- 

 monies of a tone, which subject includes that of the 

 potential harmonies of a melody. Here it is enough 

 to have pointed out the germinal, essential and indi- 

 vidual force and character of melody as thought both 

 spontaneous and constructive. When a composer 



