MUSIC. 
compound common time, but wliich is, in 
fact, a species of triple time. The reason 
given for classing it as a common-time mea- 
sure is, that the beat of the foot, i. e. its 
fall, is at the first note ; and, that the rise 
of the foot is in the middle of the bar; 
whereas, in all kinds of triple-time, the foot 
rises at the third division of each bar. This 
is called beating time. The letters, d and «, 
put under the notes in the lOth, llth, 12tli, 
13th, and 14th Examples, will show when 
the foot should fall (at d) and rise (at u). 
This operation is not necessary among good 
musicians ; at all events, only one, that is, the 
leader of a band, should ever beat the time, 
and then only loud enough to govern those 
who accompany him. Those performers 
who cannot feel the measure will never be 
the better for its being beat into them. 
Music is divided into periods and phrases, 
the same as poetry : it would be trespass- 
ing on the linjits of our plate to insert ex- 
amples of this ; but every person, at all 
conversant in the practice of music, or who 
has a susceptible ear, cannot but notice in 
all ballads, and other lyric compositions, 
&c. particular dispositions in the musical 
phrases to assimilate with the fines or words. 
This is not so much felt in the more labour- 
ed compositions, in which w'e too often 
find, that affectation of singularity, and a 
display of science, lead the composer to de- 
viate from the simple dictates of nature, 
and to carry his audience into those snb- 
limer regions of composition, whither the 
vulgar are not prepared to follow him. Bra- 
vttras, and other highly -wrought composi- 
tions, are of this description : in such, the 
powers of some favourite performer are to 
be rendered conspicuous, and astonish- 
ment, rather than pleasure, is the moment- 
ary object. Such, however, essentially 
serve the cause of the science ; for, without 
some points of emulation, we should be li- 
mited to ditties, dirges, and all the tribe of 
artless strains, which, though very pleasing 
in themselves, would form but an indiffer- 
ent school, and by starving genius, and ba- 
nishing taste, would reduce our whole stock 
of musical knowledge, and of musical re- 
creation, to very narrow limits indeed. 
But, although music may not be con- 
fined within the shackles of lyric intention, 
it nevertheless, if worthy of the designation, 
is, in every part, under the influence of ge- 
neral rules, applied, perhaps, with less ri- 
gour, and occasionally too much neglected ; 
but such liberties often produce most pow- 
erfiil effects; and, by exacting applause 
from mankind in general, seem to com- 
mand that indulgence which theorists would 
peremptorily negative. The great art lays 
in the adaptation ! Here we must remark, 
that several notes of the scale have very pe- 
culiar effects. The key-note always im- 
presses forcibly, and seems most familiar to 
the ear : it is also. very bold and command- 
ing : the third leaves an unfinished effect, 
especially when minor, in which mode it as- 
similates greatly with the fourth, which is 
peculiarly querulous ; the tone of the sixth 
is mild ; as is that of the second ; both these 
seem to have no determined effect ; but, if 
any thing, partake of a minor tendency ; 
that is, they are more plaintive than com- 
manding : the fifth is bold, but inconclu- 
sive, though it evidently points to a termi- 
nation; hence we find, most pauses and im- 
perfect cadences settle on this note, which, 
in many situations, seems absolutely to con- 
vey some question. A perfect knowledge 
of the effect of all the notes in the scale is 
necessary to the composer, who thereon 
founds his melodies, and the expression par- 
ticularly applicable either to the incident 
or to the words. The sudden rise, or fall, 
of a semitone, produces the most extraordi- 
nary effects on many occasions : the former 
may be rendered extremely pathetic, 
though in general augmentations in tlie 
compass of tliirds, fourths, fifths, and sixths, 
lend rather to roughen than to soften ; 
w'hile, on the other hand, their diminution, 
and especially of a seventh, from sharp to 
flat, occasions a melancholy and languid 
change, often of the key; which if their 
passing from a major to a minor mode is 
highly impressive. 
We trust the reader is now prepared to 
enter on the discussion of that important 
part of the science called harmonic conso- 
nance, or the doctrine of combined sounds. 
This relates to what is termed harmony, or 
tlie performancemf music in parts ; melody 
being confined entirely to a succession of 
single sounds ; such as one voice, or the 
sounds of a flute, or of any other instru- 
ment capable of uttering only one note at 
a time. Hence, when we admire an air, 
and find fault with the accompaniments, as 
being deficient in modulation, &c. we say, 
“ the melody is pleasing ; but the harmony 
is bad.” This part of our subject relates to 
an immense variety, in the selection of 
which the greatest judgment is necessary ; 
as will be seen from the following brief 
hints. 
There is to every note a natural accom- 
