On RYTHMICAL MEASURES. g$ 



cular ftrain in the progrefs of it, is fometimes occupied by the 

 key-note, ftruck with emphafis, and followed by one or more 

 feeble notes, introductory to the next meafure. This firft bar 

 being as it were fet afide, or confidered as {landing by itfelf , 

 the mufic afterwards proceeds by regular pairs, commencing 

 at the fecond bar *. When inverfions occur at the end of three 

 or of five bars, diftincT: combinations of thefe numbers are 

 formed j\ Such fmaller uneven combinations are very often 

 repeated, and thus the original arrangement is reftored. In 

 other cafes too, when by any means the firft arrangement of the 

 pairs or double bars has been inverted, it is frequently reftored 

 either by the fame or by fome other means. Sometimes, how- 

 ever, the altered arrangement continues to the end of the piece, 

 and the number of bars in it becomes thereby uneven. As 

 pleafure is often heightened by variety and contrail, fuch occa- 

 fional interruptions of uniform movement give an additional 

 relilh to the regularity that is obferved in other parts of the 

 compofition. Their effect is fome what analogous to that of 

 difcords in the harmonical ftruc~lure of mufic. 



The licences with refpec~t to the combinations of the bars, 

 which have been mentioned above, though they feldom fail 

 to ftrike a perfon who has a good ear, do not prevent the rythm 

 from being diftinct and pleafing. In fome mufical compofi- 

 tions, however, fuch licences are carried to a greater extent. 

 The combinations are fometimes fo various and obfcure, that 

 the hearer can fcarcely retain the impreilion of them. This is 

 often the cafe in the longer and more grave and folemn pieces 

 of what is now, by way of diftinclion, called the ancient mu- 

 fic, 



* First quartetto of the fame fet, laft movement, at the beginning, and firft movement, 

 at the 23d bar of the firft part, and correfponding paffage of the fecond part. 



f The firft quartetto of Hayon's fecond fet begins with two combinations of three 

 bars, after which the mufic proceeds in general by pairs. The fecond part of the laft 

 movement of the firft of fix overtures by the Earl of Kelly, begins with two fucceflivp. 

 combinations of five bars. 



