Polynesian Mythology and Ancient Traditional History of the New Zealand Race
Notation
Notation.
The notation that I have adopted is, for the enharmonic diesis, the St. Andrew's cross or saltier x , quarter tone or half sharp; the usual ♯ for the sharp; and x ♯ for three-quarter sharp. In like manner, the -♭ for quarter tone or half flat; ♭ for the flat; and -_♭ (or I might have said + ♭) for the three-quarter flat.
In the Arab ternal division I should use—;one-third sharp, /♯; two-third sharp, ♯/; one-third flat, /♭; two-third flat, ♭//.
In my notation, also, it must be observed, that a sign ♯ or ♭ never conveys its influence beyond the note to which it is attached; thus would read E half-flat, E natural, E half-sharp, E natural; and is a delicate expression of the chromatic or of the diatonic
page 237I now give the airs as best I can.
One word as to time. Though I have timed the airs I have given, I am free to confess there was neither metre nor rhythm of any marked character discernible in them; and even in the divisions of the lines or verses, the singer seemed to stop indifferently now at one, now at another word. I have, however, followed in my divisions those given in the book, taking it for granted that the learned author, who has given himself so much pains about the matter, will have chosen the most authentic.
JAMES A. DAVIES,*
Formerly of Trin. Coll. Camb.
Late Private Sec. to H.R.H. Prince Leopold,
Count of Syracuse, Naples.
17, Great Ormond Street, Queen Square, September, 1854.
Mr. McGregor gives the following specimens of Arabian Music.—See his “Eastern Music.” Which I represent thus:— or thus, perhaps clearer:— The run at the end is also met with in the New Zealand songs. The cadence is mixed, i.e. enharmonic and diatonic.
* Author of the Papers on the Rhythm of the Ancient Greek Orators, of the Psalms, Selah, the Evil Eye, read before the Royal Society of Literature; and of Papers on Accent and Quantity, discovering their true and real difference, from authentic sources. See “English Journal of Education,” February, March, April, June, July, and August: G. Bell, 186, Fleet Street,
The Chinese Air sung under my window in London:—
page 239No. 1. He Waita Aroha: or, the Bride's Complaint. Reduced by James Davies. Page 30.*
* The pages refer to Sir George Grey's collection of New Zealand Songs, “Mau Konga moteatea, me nga Haki rara.”
This last bar would perhaps be better written— but I have avoided as much as possible ♯ or ++ ♭, as being so very unusual, and it is evident to the musician that D three-quarters sharp is equal to E quarter flat, at least sufficiently near in practice.
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