138 



THE NATURE OF MUSIC 



observe the above intervals in the ordinary sense of 

 length of steps, to perceive and know which is to 

 perceive and know very little since such interval- 

 steps give us no intelligence whatever of what is most 

 essential, namely, the inherent harmony of each of 

 the two tones in such a step. The essential thing to 

 perceive and know is that in moving from the first to 

 the second tone we are stepping from mi the third 

 of one harmony to re the fifth of another harmony, for 

 this includes the perception of the whole step or 

 major second from mi to re and the knowledge of the 

 length of this step is but secondary and supplementary 

 to that of the two harmonies. This is true of all steps 

 in one voice, true likewise of the steps of each chord- 

 voice as we move from chord to chord. Equally if 

 not more important is the necessity to discriminate 

 between the intervals formed by any two tones in 

 a given chord and the harmonic report of each of the 

 two tones. Two voices will suffice to illustrate this 

 point as follows: — 



S*^ 55 1311515 

 153''3''353'^3 



^i 



^ 



B 





r 

 I 



v^ I V7 I Y^ I V I y^ I 



The intervals of these combinations or chords are 

 as follows: major third, minor third, minor third, 

 major sixth, minor sixth, augmented fourth, minor 

 sixth, pure fourth, minor third, major second, minor 

 third. With these intervals compare the superscribed 

 harmonic reports and note that the first chord is the 



