ee 

942 
On Terms for Time in Mufic. 
[Jan. 1, 








Tempo ordinario (common time), and 
Tempo giutto (proper time),are purpofely 
omitted. The firft varies with the fafhion 
of the age; the laft with the fancy or 
judgment of the performers. 
Enough, i is prefumed, has now been 
advanced, to fhew that the terms made ule 
of are indefinite, or Ymifapplied ; and I 
fhall now endeavour to prove, that it 
would be very eafy to fubiitute definite 
eharaéters. Loulie invented a machine, 
called a chronometer, to meafure time, a 
defcription of which is given by Malcolm, 
and may be feen in the Encyclopedia Bri- 
tannica, under the article Chronometer. 
This machine is more complex, expenfive, 
and unweildy than is neceflary, and twice 
as leng as that I made ufe of in my expe- 



Notes which | Length of tke 
‘Terms of Names of the Pieces. Time. | ope Swingof | Pendulum. 
Time. : the Pendull | ——— ae 
: a expreiles. Feet. Iuch¢es. 
“Air, ‘© Their found is gone Due Mefiiah. |. C | Quaver. EVE 
Larghetto. Chorus, ‘‘Blefiing and honour. c Cc ditto ® F¥ 
Chorus, ** Let us oe reak their bonds.” 2 ditto co 6 
Duetto, * Deh quel pianto.’ Bach. = ditto ta 
Avia, ‘* if Confine della vita.” - Handel. | Cc ditto 2 10 
Sone: ta fecond Op. 42, Haydn. } 2-4exs ditto 1 6 
Adiz aio. ae : 
& Fifth movement of the Paflione Stromentale Cc ditto 0 9g 
Haydn. 
Middle movement of ionata ie Op. 25. 2-Lths ditta 2 & 
we Ciementi. ; 
~""* Y Sixth movement of Paffione Stromentale. Cc ditto o 6 
te Haydn. 
Duett, ** O death:” Meitiah, Handel. 3 ditto | o 6 
ah aan ae Airy) *¢ Every valley.” i ditto. ditto. Cy ditto tee 
Middle movement ofa finfonia in C, Haydn. | 2-4.4, ditto 55.8 
Middle movement of overture Feftino. ditto ! 2-445, ditto gee laa 
( Middle movement of fonata ii. Op. 21. - | 6-81ns ditto ¥/ [6 
Be mpea Kozeluch. 
Andostina.© <2. 5 oF = = ; : 
Ditto, in Overture La Reine de la France ¢ minim. 2 3 
Haydn. |} i 
Ra lcacer Lait movement offonata 111.Op. 21-Kozeluch. | 2-4:ns | cretchet. | fee 
ae ’ ¢ Entre-a& of the overture to Henryl V.Martini. 2, Aths ditto L4G 
Chorus, ** And the giory of the Lord.” 2 ditto i 0 
Handel. 
Allegro. Finale to the fourth fonata, Op. 17. Haydn. 2 ditto o 6 
Chorus ** He trufted in God.” Handel. Cc ditto os 
Air, ©* Se il ciel mi divide.” Piccini.. |, “| = atte o 8 
BESS Second Obce Concerto. Handel. 2) eee ee 
eae ee Overture Hoxalana. Haydn. = ditto | Iie 
Chorus, ‘* And with his ftripes.” Handel. ¢: || ani 
Aila Breve. < Chorus ** Throughout the land.” Solomon. & ditto a 
Handel. 
Prefto Latte movement of La Chaffer. Kozeluch. | 2-4tns ditto ca 
LQ. = 
Ditto of fonata i. Op. 25. Haydn. | 2-4tn< ditto I 
Lait movement of ** But who may abide.” | C ditto Se 
: ae 
eltiimo. . - ss 
Prefiffimo. Ditto of fonata ii. Op. 17. Haydn. | 6-8 dotted. 
: i 
i 
crotchet. a 
riments, which was indeed merely a piece 
of tape and a eee graduated into 
Englifh feet and inches ; a meafure more 
generaliy intelligible than the cyphers ufed 
by Loulie, wh: ch could only be under- 
ftood by thofe poffefled of oze of his chro- 
nometers. 
The time of mufic already compofed 
may be obtained at the many judicious 
performances at the concert of ancient mu- _ 
fic, at cathedrals and Operas; and allow- 
ing this time to be incorreé& ‘conn having 
been traditional! ly handed down to us, it 
appears to me the cnly way of preventing 
it from becoming fill more fo. It will 
be eafy for prefent and future éompofers 
to render the time of their works indifpu- 
table, by prefxing one of the notes to each 
; fraia 
