New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-02-13
A New Musical Language

The article which we published some uine SIM
On the subiec, OF Cheves system oil Mus',"4','"s
hos sbown US thai the absolute need OF ne" ian
,o.ge for Music TO supplant the present oaroarous'
so,,,,i;c.,ed and ntolerabe No-Systen Is much
widely felt in this country than we mad suspect
a md Tho, many attempts had been made by pioneer
;,,sc,s in various parts OF the country-each indie
,,,,,.n, If the other but all tending toward the
treat object desired-,o put into logical shape and
form this important progress in the language OF the
mos, divine Of all our sentiments. Since the publ
cation OF that article we have received not less than
eigh; or ten letters from individuals remote from US
and from each other containing the germs OF new
Musical Languages invented by the writers, and
asking for information regarding certain points IN
Cheves system. In two or three cases small works
have been Published and small schools are IN pro-
gress on the new plans-imperfect and inefficient
as they are
An this shows concusively that people are be
ginning TO be aware of the distressing and generally
insuruountablc obstacles which the present system
of Notation interposes between them and know
ledge of Music and that, hand in hand with Phone
typy OF spoken and written Language must advance
and become perfected the Phonotypy OF Music. In
France, as we stated in our former article this ne
cessi,y has long been acknowledged and provided
for by the successful labor Of Cheve, founded upon
the discoveries of Rosseau and Calm and in Eng
land public opinion is rapidly undergoing enlighten-
nent on the subject OF reform as well in Written
us Musical Language. Among other evidences oil
this is the system of Mr. Wallbrdge, author of Jest
and Earnest Torrington Hall and other works Of
much literary merit. We are indebted 10 Mr.. Wall
bridge himself for brief exposition OF this system,
by Henry c. Lunn Associate OF the Royal Academy
of Music in London MIR. Wabrdge calls his sys-
tenn the Sequential System of Musical Notation. -
OF this system we will give the following brief out
line extracted from Mr.. Lunn's pamphlet;
THE basis of the Sequental System is the division Of
in. entire scale into groups of twelve chromac
diatonic sounds fact which has hitherto been entirely
uurecuguized in our Notation. Inc group being con-
sidered apart from either datonic chromntic arrange
nent is merely termed sequence and this fundamental
principle being that upon which the entire Notation is
constructed 1t is accordingly termed the Sequentla
SYSTEM The fixed scale OF sounds Is called the d5so
,e scale the Sequentia System because each OF them
ia fully recognized existing independently oil any otner
whatever. They are named one AGO. tree Jour Sc up 10
with every sound now called t-and
are signfed paper by the Arabic numerals answering
10 these names-the figures TO- IL and ~ being slightly
altered in order make each single ngure All aoso
inc sounds represented thus by numerals appear In
Notation merely point out the key and 10 declare the
selected according rule the
before mentioned twelve and occupying the places OF
staff
But instead Of the present staff Of fre lines-for the
nae of which have yet heard philosophical rea
son-tbe Seouena staff consists only of three which
exactly sufficient contain the notes OF the datonic
scale-he keynote being always placed immediately be-
low the staff and the leading not Immediately above it,
The sounds indicated thus IN t9t are called 'etGrc
they bear certain understood relation to each
other under influence OF the numeral which set at
the commencement and marked AS mayor or MINOR, de-
,ha in he r.
formed
ITO distinguish the particular Sequence intended, the
form OF the note varies. The notes OF the standard
sequence from which all the other sequences are reck-
oned are written with plain perpendicular stroke. In
those which ascend from this o5ong square heads, either
shut or OPEN are attached the r of the and in
those which The ieft ftc simplicity and
onaty of this method must be apparent TO all for here
all keys equally sharps and flats never appear
log save departures from the diatonic scale which de-
partures sgned by the notes santng to the rShi
for a sharp and to the LEFT for fiat All scales being
hus presented precisely the same to the eye transport
ton ia of course Of the easiest operations in the
world for we have but rub cut the numeral keynote
1t the commencement and substitute another-or even
imagine another-and the whole composition becomes
at once transposed child therefore, can play any
melody in His instruction book in key well
another and the first lesson IN the Piano Forte
Primer might readily be written with for keynote
with although in present Notation we should
write the fret of these in sharp (sx sharps) or Hat
(six aats) and the second in c, which s now falsely
termed the only natural MAJOR ky.
been hitherto almost solely confined to major keysf The
answer s-Bccause In the Sequentia System. the minor
il merely considered be systematic alteration OF the
major key-the only difference being that the third and
si1h of the scale fattened In the present system
seventh this scale be kept minor, in
rdr ,hst NAV be accidentally raised every time
ours as eadincnoe The fact is that the sharp ia as
much true interval OF the scale IN minor as In a
major and consequently ii accidental to be used
ALL should be when the seventh is fduened or de-
pdrts from key in the best compositions in minor
kew the sixth minor and the seventh major and al
though custom has sanctioned the introduction OF the
major sixth in ascending scale 1t must ever be
considered temporary departure from the key. In
proof OF this theory would refer the reader TO Mozart
Sonata in minor, which is likely TO be at every pansts
fingers ends To signify therefore. the minor scale in
the Sequentisl System curve is placed above the
neral selected indicative OF the key, which curve
shows that the third and sixth of the scale be fiat,
tened and his is all with which the Sequental student
will be troubled respecting the hitherto confused notions
this subject.
We TO degrees Of duration and it will be
that The Sequental System. being founded upon
truly rational principles is as much opposed 10 the
present system III this department in the depart
ment of ptch scale of absolute degrees of duration
is formed which bears the reference Mdel.sls
MttroHone that the scale of absolute sounds bears
concert pitch. This scale, like the scale OF absolute
sounds is named by the numerals !, 3, &c and one
Of these IT, in a similar manner, placed at the com.
mcncemeut of the composition thus denotng the pre-
else rlocity intended by the composer and determining
accurately the duration of each note succeeding it
the Keynote determines the pitch These relative
ouantes siguiied by stem attached 10 the note
and or two lines attached 10 The stem, which lines
either closed. open. serGted. All our numerous
methods of marking the rhythm are ruthessy swept
away and the only natural division being into double
and triple these all that the Scquential System
recognizes Every bar is filed by note called an
Fa,eTer which is divsibc into two or three notes
oil the lesser denomination accordingly as the time
is double or triple and as in double rhythm we have
to partitions in the bar. and in triple rhythm three each
the partitions is of occupied by one OF these
lesser notes As IL is considered therefore, that any
note can at any be well divided into three as into
roo the awkward expedient Of placing dot after note
rs in CHI time merely to express that IL Is divsiee
into three is of course avoided. Notes which 10 be
narsed as double have the attached 10 the left side
whilst those which TO be marked as triple have il at.
,sched on the right In the Sequertisl System dot is
only placed after note when 1t 10 be heightened be-
yond It's real vaue-never when 1t merely requires 10
be shown rs Invisible three. But in the Gudonan
Notation even the does not answer all purposes Tor
in si, time for instance the note which occupies
haf The bar being already dotted it is Impossible to
!,p,then il one,dird or ,,colhGs without in the first
case. binding qanre to it and in the second .s;a
crochet Sequenslism however provides 10Y ms rs