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Reminiscences of Henry Coward

1919; Musical Times Publications; Volume: 60; Issue: 914 Linguagem: Inglês

10.2307/3701623

2397-5318

Henry Coward,

a measure.It could also be employed to mark the completion of a measure when the notes involved seemed on the minus side.When a breve was followed by a minim only, with a dot placed after the minim, the measure was filled out by the breve equalling five minims.In the greater prolation the semibreve and the semibreve rest equalled three minims.Sometimes one found that where a measure of breve and semibreve was followed by a measure of semibreve and breve, or conversely, a dot was placed between these measures.The Dot Divisio Modi was intended to preserve the integrity of the Rhythmic Modes.This invention of Rhythmic Modes was an early mensural system devised out of the combination of the triple prolation with the poetic metres.After describing these, Miss Warner went on to speak of alteration, which was the final subdivision of the mensural use of the dot, and gave various examples from i6th century compositions.The extra-mensural use of the dot had not been mentioned by any of the early musical theorists.It was found pretty frequently in such a position that it could not be taken to refer to the perfection of the note, or to the definition or completion of the measure, or to the regulation of grouping in the greater prolation: neither was it necessary for the purpose of alteration, or for division of the Rhythmic Modes.The lecturer had come to the conclusion that it was employed for expressing the catalexis which might occur in imitational music, and thus to ensure the proper accentuation of the words.It would thus reduce a triple measure to a duple.That beautiful effect of rhythmical substitution, familiar to us in the music of Brahms, where a measure of perfect time was inserted in the flow of imperfect time with the greater prolation, was so common in music of the period as to need little comment.Musicians of the I6th century used effects such as these freely and with mastery, with the definite knowledge of their value in breaking up and embellishing the rhythmic flow.Miss Warner concluded by enlarging on the point of perfection and bar feeling, which she said was no modern growth but an integral force in the evolution of music.When it was called periodicity, this fact was recognised at once.Man was a rhythmical animal, so constructed that when he heard a succession of equidistant sounds he would insensibly arrange them in groups of two's or three's provided they were within the circuit of his rhythmical comprehension.There was clear evidence that the bar feeling was recognised by our Tudor and Elizabethan composers.It was not only in music that contemporary mastery of rhythm manifested itself: one could parallel the cross rhythms of Byrd and Whyte in the blank verse of Shakespeare and Webster.The freedom and subtlety of rhythm which we found in the work of this great age did not come to it through lawlessness, but through liberty.They could not have broken the rules so well if they had not had them first by heart.'After tumult, rest; after tempest, calm; Earth, like a weary child, is gently press'd In the enfolding arm.Where the battle roar'd Round the trenched height, Steals a dewy fragrance, softly pour'd From the lips of night.Creeps the gathering rust O'er the broken gun, Fort and bastion crumble into dust, Now their task is done.