From the Church Music Committee: Choristers’ Manual, Lesson IV; Notation

FROM THE CHURCH MUSIC COMMITTEE Choristers' Manual — Lesson IV — Notation By Edward P. Kimball Notation is music's written language; it is "the art of representing musical tones by means of characters." Grove defines it as "the art of expressing musical ideas in writing," which is a most satisfactory definition, because there is much in music to express beside tones. Musical notation is so familiar to the student nowadays that comparatively few realize the slow stages of its development and evolution before it reached its present com- prehensiveness and perfection. A historical study is not purposed here. Grove summarizes the principles of our present notation as follows: 1. The relative pitch of sounds is indicated by the position of signs, called notes, on a staff of five lines, which can be extended when required by the addition of ledger lines. The cleff forms the key of the staff. (In German it is called "key.") 2. The relative time values of notes are shown by their shapes. 3. The relative force of accents is shown by the position of the notes with regard to the bar-lines. 4. The key and rhythm of a composition are shown by signatures. 5. The whole note is the "mother" of the other notes, the remaining notes taking their values, as J^, J4, etc., of the whole note. 6. The rhythmic scheme is shown by bar lines. 7. Expression requirements of the music thus written shown by easily under- stood words and signs placed above and below the staff. Anyone, who has not made a thorough and systematic study of nota- tion, will find, on giving the subject some attention, that most persons, even musicians, are wont to be more or less careless in their use of terminology and the details of notation. While there may be a slight variety permissible in the designation of some details, our present system is so complete that there need be no reason why everyone cannot and should not be familiar with the essentials at least. Just as it is impossible to understand completely the content of a page of written language except one is perfectly familiar with every sign and symbol which has been used in setting the thought down, so it is not possible to comprehend fully a page of written music, unless one understands the meaning of every sign and symbol made use of to put it into print. This is the contention upon which this lesson is based. If the chorister who is in charge of the class during the discussion of these lessons is not by training and experience capable of conducting this lesson, which is really purely technical in character, so that the subjects set forth here as deserving consideration may be fully elucidated both in theory and practice, it is suggested that a professional musician, or other fully competent to teach these things, be asked to take charge of the department for the treat- ment of the subject of notation. Believing that a text book is almost indispensable to the profitable consideration of this lesson, the Church Music Committee recommends that each stake secure at least one copy of Music Notation and Terminology, by Karl W. Gehrkins, from the Deseret Book Co., 44 East South Temple St., Salt Lake City, $1.60, postpaid. The material of this lesson follows closely that text. The subjects for discussion are as follows: I. Some features of correct notation. 1. Notes, kinds, etc. (a) Rules for turning stems. (b) Necessity for turning stems when two voices are written em one staff. (c) Use of the cross stroke writing notes that are grouped together with

FROM THE CHURCH MUSIC COMMITTEE 251 one beat, or otherwise. 2. Rests, kinds, etc. 3. Cleffs. (a) G cleff. (b) F cleft. 4. Sharp and double sharp. 5. Flat and double flat. 6. Natural or cancel sign. 7. Tie. 8. Dot after note or rest. Two dots after note or rest. II. Symbols used in writing music. 1. Staff, Brace. 2. Leger lines, (why?) 3. Key signature. (a) What it is. (b) How formed. (c) How to determine whether major or minor key. 4. Accidentals. (a) Their introduction usually means a temporary change of key from that indicated by the key-signature. (This item is important!) (b) Before a double sharp or double flat. 5. Ties — also across bar. Accidentals tied across bar. 6. Altered staff degrees. 7. Meaning of "inharmonic;" illustration. 8. Notes: (a) Pitch. (b) Length of tones. (c) Present table of notes and rests. (d) A peculiar use of whole rest (to fill a measure of any kind of time. 9. Bar. 10. Double bar. III. Abbreviations, signs, etc. 1. Signs for repetitions. 2. Word "simile." (meaning) 3. Extended rest for several bars. 4. Pause; "fermata;" hold. 5. Alteration of pitch; 8 va., etc. 6. Dots above or below notes, 7. Dash over notes. 8. Slur. 9. Slur with dots. 10. Dash and dot over notes. 11. Accent marks. 12. Sign, d. s.; d. c, etc. 13. Fine (finish). 14. Arpeggio — ways of writing, etc. Note: Much of this lesson may appear on first thought to be extremely elementary, but the experienced teacher knows that it is the fundamentals that are overlooked or neglected. It is urged, therefore, that every item be given the same careful attention that would be given, if the class were in ignorance of the material. In this way only can any omission be guarded against. Oftimes ignorance of a small detail will bring about an insurmountable barrier to progress. (To be continued next month) Movies Suitable for Ward Presentation The following motion pictures have been previewed by the joint com- mittee of recreation General Boards of the Mutual Improvement Associations. They are found to be, in general, suitable for presentation in our ward Church houses. Some of these pictures carry a real moral message, others are essen- tially for entertainment. Write for information to the Bureau of Visual Instruction, University of Utah, from which the pictures may be secured. The Three Musketeers — 12 reels. Douglas Fairbanks. Romantic melo- drama of French court life. Little Lord Fauntleroy — 10 reels. Mary Pickford. Story of change in child's life from poverty to luxury. Way Down East — 12 reels. Barthelmess, Gish. New England and home drama. Tess of the Storm Country — 10 reels. Mary Pickford. Romance of girl who finds happiness through unselfishness and thought of others. Tailor Made Man — 9 reels. Charles Ray. Comedy of a tailor. When the Clouds Roll By — 6 reels, Douglas Fairbanks. Melodrama and adventure. Disraeli — 7 reels. George Arliss. Historical drama. Pollyanna — 6 reels. Mary Pickford. Comedy drama of domestic child. Headless Horseman — 7 reels. Will Rogers. Ichabod Crane's story. For Napoleon and France — 6 reels. All-Star. A thrilling and emotion- al drama of French history involving a love story. Robinhood — 1 1 reels. Douglas Fairbanks. History and legend of King Richard and Robinhood. Lorna Doone — 7 reels. Madge Bellamy. Adventures of English-Scotch border. Blackmore's novel. Smilin' Through — 8 reels. Norma Talmadge. Irish story and family- feuds and spirit visitations.