other than the Bass Clef is used, or, when the part is marked 'cello'; and not to play again, until the Bass Clef is resumed, or the part marked Basso. Since the time of Beethoven, a separate part has often been written for the Contra-Basso; but the player always looks over the same book as the Violoncello.
Flutes and Oboes always play from the Treble Clef. Clarinets also play from the Treble Clef; but parts for the B♭ Clarinet are written a Major Second, and those for the A Clarinet a Minor Third, higher than they are intended to sound. Thus, in Beethoven's Symphony in C minor, the B♭ Clarinet parts are written in D minor; and in Mozart's Overture to Figaro (in D), the A Clarinet parts are written in F; while, in both cases, the Instrument transposes the notes to the required pitch, without farther interference on the part of the player. The Corno di Bassetto, or Tenor Clarinet, plays every note a Fifth lower than it is written; its part, therefore, when intended to be played in the key of F, must be written in that of C: and the same peculiarity characterises the Cor Anglais, or Tenor Oboe.
The normal Clef for the Bassoon is the Bass; but the Tenor Clef is frequently employed, for the highest notes, to save Ledger Lines. The Double Bassoon also uses the Bass Clef, sounding every note an Octave lower than it is written.
Trumpet parts are written in the Treble Clef, and always in the key of C; the Instrument being made to transpose them to the required pitch by the addition, or removal, of Crooks. In the time of Handel, Trumpets rarely played in any other keys than those of C and D; and the parts were then always written in the key in which they were intended to be played. Horn parts are written exactly in the same way as Trumpet parts; and the Instrument transposes them, in like manner, but in the Octave below. The few lower notes for the Horn are, however, frequently written in the Bass Clef. The Alto, Tenor, and Bass Trombones, play from the Alto, Tenor, and Bass Clefs, respectively.
The Drums, as a general rule, play only two notes—the Tonic, and Dominant: and these are usually [App. p.732 "were formerly"] written in C, and transposed by the manner of tuning the Instrument. Sometimes [App. p.732 "In modern music"], however, the true notes are written; especially when more than two Drums are used.
The Wind Instruments used in Military Bands stand in a great variety of keys, thereby causing much complication in the Notation of the Score.
In the Scores of Handel, Haydn, and Mozart, the Organ is usually made to play from the ordinary Bass part, which is figured throughout, and thus converted into a 'Thorough-base,' in order to indicate the chords with which the Organist is expected to enrich the composition. When the letters T.S.—for Tasto solo—are substituted for the figures, the Organist omits the Chords, and plays the Bass only, in unison, until the figures reappear. The Organ part is only written in full, on two Staves, when it is purely obbligato—as in Handel's 'Saul.' In old Organ and Harpsichord Music—both written in precisely the same way—frequent use is made of the Tenor Clef; but it has never been used for the Pianoforte, the Notation for which is chietty remarkable for the number of its Ledger Lines, notwithstanding the constant use of the diminutive 8va. placed over notes written in the octave below. When the Pedal was first brought into general use, it was indicated by the sign *, or the words senza sordino; the sign ⊕, or the words con sordino, shewing the place at which it was to be removed. It is now indicated by the abbreviation Ped.; and its removal, by an asterisk *, or, as in some of Beethoven's later works, a little cross +. The words una corda, or the letters U.C., indicate the 'Soft Pedal'; and the words tre corde, or the letters T.C., are used to direct its removal. In Beethoven's Sonata, Op. 106, the gradual removal of the 'Soft Pedal' is indicated thus:—Una corda. Poco a poco due ed allora tutte le corde. In the days when he affected German terms, he used the words mit Verschiebung. [See Verschiebung.]
In old Pianoforte Music, Abbreviations are of frequent occurrence. They are now very rarely used; and are, indeed, commonly supposed to indicate a very debased style of typography: nevertheless, they frequently serve to facilitate the process of reading very considerably. In Orchestral Parts, they are still extensively used; especially in tremolos, and other similar passages, in which, while economising space, they save readers an immensity of trouble. [See Abbreviations, Horn, Trumpet, Bassoon, Double Bassoon, Clarinet, etc., etc.]
If perfect adaptation of the means used to the end proposed be accepted as a fair standard of excellence, our present system of Notation leaves little to be desired; for it is difficult to conceive any combination of sounds, consistent with what we believe to be the true principles of Musical Science, which it is incapable of expressing. Attempts have been made, over and over again, to supersede it by newer inventions: but, with the exception of the 'Tonic Sol-fa' [1]system, and its French equivalent, the Méthode Galin-Paris-Chevé, not one of them has succeeded in commanding serious attention. It is impossible that we can set aside arrangements, the convenience of which has been tested by so many centuries of experience, in favour of such Methods as that advocated by the 'Chroma- Verein des gleichstüfigen Tonsystems,' the 'Keyboard Method of Notation, or Chromatic Stave,' or any other systems, good or bad, of modern invention, whether based upon the results of private experience, or scientific calculation, whatever may be the amount of ingenuity displayed in their construction. Like the Chiffres proposed by Louis Bourgeois, in the 16th century, they may, for a time, attain a certain amount of delusive popularity; but, sooner or later, they must, and invariably do, fall to the ground. And the reason is obvious. Our recognised system is an universal Language, common
- ↑ For an account of the 'Moveable Do,' which forms the chief characteristic of this system, see Solmisation.
