*

*

will give you a low sound. Let that stand for it, which I have written on the lower part of the board-ah. Let me hear you all sound it. Now sound its upper duplicate. * Let that stand for it (writing ah at some distance above.) Now sound them both again. * Again. * Could you give me a sound between those two? If you cannot, I will. Now I will sing the lower duplicate; and I shall want one of you to sing me a note or two between; and then I will sing the upper duplicate. ⚫ Now, let me try. You see there are a great many notes that may go between a note and its duplicate. There are several ways of putting these notes between in order. These ways are called modes. What are they called? What are modes? I shall only describe to you one mode at present. Doh' It is the mode which is used in nearly all the

Te

Lah

Soh

Fah

Me

*

tunes we sing. In this mode the lowest note is called Doh, and the mode is called the Doh mode. What is the lowest note? What is this mode called? I will rub out ah and put Doh. What must we call its duplicate ? * Yes, we will call that Doh too. But if it were brought down by the side of this, how would you know one from the other? We will put this mark to distinguish them: (Doh, Doh1). Now, I will Ray write-in all the other notes of this mode with their names: (as at the side). Read these names to me as I point-up and down. Again. Again. Could you read them if I were to rub these out and put only the first letter? I will do so. (As at the side). Now try. Again.Again. I will sing them to you beginning at the top."

Doh

d'

t

1

S

f

m

r

d

Here you may sing the following exercise, pointing to the notes on the 'mode' which you have just written. Perhaps it will be well to keep 'time' by beating with your foot.

"Does not that sound just like the bells when they are ringing a merry peal? Hold up hands—which of you can sing it by yourself. You shall try; but you must listen to me first and

then sing as I point. And remember, children, I do not intend to sing with you at all. I am going to teach you to sing by yourselves. Then, listen. (Do not forget to beat the measure, or time as it is called, and to point as you sing.) * Well, if you cannot sing so much, I will divide the exercise into parts and set you a short pattern at a time. Who else can do it? Now, you may all sing it together."

*

When you have thoroughly taught them thus far, the sum of their knowledge, both practical and theoretical, may be expressed thus:-1. A note is a musical sound as distinguished from a noise. 2. Given any note, to sing the same. 3. Given any note, to sing a different one. 4. Given a note, to sing a higher one. 5. Given a note, to sing a lower one. 6. A note which is the same as another, only higher, is called its duplicate. 7. Given a low note, to sing its higher duplicate. 8. Given a high note, to sing its lower duplicate. 9. A mode is a way of arranging sounds between a given note and its duplicate. 10. To repeat the names of notes in the Doh mode, up and down. 11. To sing the first exercise, as the teacher points on the mode. This is more real musical knowledge than one-tenth of our congregations possess. Now, my dear friend, may God prosper you in this endeavour, zealously made, to improve the decency and order of congregational worship. It is a happy peculiarity in your method of instruction that you will not have any occasion to desecrate sacred and solemn words by using them in your ordinary practice. May you have the pleasure of seeing these children, when God shall tune their hearts, not obliged, with one part of the congregation, to pay so much attention to the leader and the tune as to neglect the sense, or inclined, with the other, to pay so little, as to cause grating and drawling when only one voice of united praise should be heard: but enabled, by the simple knowledge you have communicated, now grown intuitive, to sing, with ease and sweet propriety, the praises of God, as their hearts shall bid them.

Very truly yours,

LETTER II.

Dear Friend,---I have three things to entreat of you; first, not to be impatient with your pupils, but to take the greatest pains with their earliest steps. Remember that in teaching, sym

pathy with the taught is the only pedestal which can uphold patience in her commanding altitude. Secondly, not on any account to sing with them. You cannot listen to them if you do. Set them a "pattern" as often as you please but take care that they do not begin to copy it till it is finished. Thus, you will practice the memory of the ear. Thirdly, not to let the children sing at all, in the first stages, except from your pointing on the black board in the manner which I tried to exhibit in my last letter. You will be surprised and delighted to find how easily they may be taught to do this, and how thoroughly, in doing this, the ear is cultivated. Lastly, let me entreat you not to indulge the children in singing favourite airs "by ear," as it is called, but let their musical pleasures arise directly from their musical attainments. There is nothing so delightful to

a child as to feel its own powers. This will be an ample reward. If you teach them with patient kindness there will be no lack of interest on the children's part.

You will now find it necessary to explain to them the structure of the mode. Every interval of the mode is exactly and beautifully measured, as you may see in the art. SCALE, Penny Cyclopædia: but it will be sufficient for you to distinguish between tones and part-tones. 'The distance from d to r,' you may say, 'is called a tone.' From r to m is a tone. Can you show me on the board any more tones? * Very well, but what shall we call the distance from f to m and from t to d? Let us call them PART-TONES.' Next, teach the children to repeat, as you point, in this way: From d to r a tone, from r to m a tone, from m to f a part tone, &c.' up to d1 and so down again. You should then show them with your voice, singing to the syllable ah, the difference between a tone and a part-tone.

You may now illustrate, by means of some familiar tune, what is meant by a 'PULSE' or accent of the voice, and make them notice that the pulse returns at equal intervals of time. You may next teach them to beat (their right hand striking upon the left held still) the simple BINARY MEASURE, saying as they clap-(:) soft, (!) loud, (:) soft, (!) loud, &c., or (!) loud, (:) soft, &c. as the measure may be. Let them do this while you sing some air in the same measure.

will be prepared to commence the exercises

After this they

below, each of

which I should recommend you to treat in the following manner.

1. Let it be MEASURED, or "read in time," as Mr. Hullah

would say. That is, while the children beat the measure, let them read, after your pointing, the sol-fa notes, in their common reading voice. You will, of course, direct at what RATE the measure should be beaten. It is marked in the signature of

each exercise.

2. When you think it necessary set them a PATTERN. That is, sing the exercise, while they 'measure' for you.

3. Give them Do by means of a pitch pipe or tuning fork, in a gentle and distinct voice. Let them listen to it, (not sing it) and be ready to sing it the moment your pointer touches d on the board.

4. Let them MODULATE or sol-fa it after your pointing. As often as they fail, begin again; and, if necessary, let the exercise be 'measured' and 'patterned' over again.

5. Let them voCALIZE it, or sing it to the vowel A as in father.

[The spaces between the accents indicate the equal divisions of time. The mark shows that a note is continued.]

Modulating to FA in the manner of Exercise 3.

:- !m :-
:- !r :-

:

:

DO IS G.

Modulating to So in the manner of Exercises 2 and 6.

Ex. 13.

Slowly.

DO IS G.

Modulating to So in the manner of Exercises 3 and 7.

Ex. 14.

Gently.

DO IS G.

dr !m f is :f !m :r !d :d !r :m !m :r !d

!r :d d

!d :r !m m m :f s :S !f :m !m :r

Modulating to LA in the manner of Exercise 2 and 6.

Ex. 17.

Ex. 18.

DO IS E.

Modulating to LA in the manner of Exercise 3 and 7.

Ex. 19.

Slowly.

!d :r !m f !s :- !:1 !s f !m :r !m :!m :f !s :- :1 !s :f !m :r !d :

!d :r

I have not room to write more at present. Your own invention, if you are in any need, will supply you, I am sure, much better exercises than these. You will perceive the course of developement which they are intended to pursue, and will easily be able to carry them up to the duplicate d'. I think that we should cultivate the middle of the voice first, and afterwards the extreme sounds. On this principle I have chosen the pitch of Do. Should you meet with any difficulties, I shall be obliged by your setting them down, and sending them to me.