172 THE NATURE OF MUSIC 



merit of the shaping principle of equilibrium the first 

 great end and aim in melody's self-development was 

 perfect symmetry, and this meant perfect simplicity 

 of form. In a state of nature and under conditions 

 of complete freedom to bud and blossom into perfect 

 form in conformity with the laws of its being, melody 

 attained this end and aim in the folk-dance and 

 folk-song in which it directly and spontaneously voiced 

 the soul of the people. This perfect form of ideal 

 beauty attained by melody in a state of nature is 

 nothing short of wonderful. In melody's structural 

 development its two elements rhythm and harmony 

 have acted and reacted upon each other and have 

 played an equipollent part. The simple symmetrical 

 melody arose under the predominating influence of 

 rhythm at a time when harmony was little developed 

 and the chord unknown. On the other hand, the 

 more complex structures of modern melodies have 

 arisen under the predominating influence of melody's 

 rapidly developing element of harmony. But nothing 

 could be wider of the truth than the view that in 

 modern music melody has been supplanted and super- 

 seded by harmony. Melody being the raison d'etre 

 of harmony could not be supplanted by one of its 

 elements. I repeat: no melody, no harmony; no 

 melody, no idea ; no melody, no music. From first to 

 last music is melody and all composers are melodists. 

 In fulfilment of the shaping principle of equili- 

 brium short and simple tone-rhythms expanded into 

 symmetrical phrases, and these phrases then ex- 

 panded into the symmetrical folk-melody. This reg- 

 ular expansion of the subrhythm into larger and 



