Rhythm retained its natural complexity, for music was still allowed to flow freely in a series of two's and threes, each being added to what was before. Upon the advent of the Ars Nova , a system of measured rhythm was established that was as accurate as the clock. However, we then became bound to the regularity of a set pulse. Now, there are many fine musicians who cannot express themselves in sound unless it has been written down for them in this relatively new form of notation. The time has come for us to revitalize the notion of time as the present.
All events have rhythm.
Rhythm is merely a word to describe events as they succeed each other in time. As was demonstrated in Lesson II, the appreciation of what seems irregular is a matter of refinement. The vulgar insist on a rather violent regularity of pulse, which is certainly oppressive to those with finer sensibilities. Regular rhythm which conforms to the metronome has its own ratios which correspond to those that we found when we were discussing tones. It is important that we consider them now because, as I implied before, this regularity is so expected by the masses that its manipulation will have a powerful effect on them.