CHINESE MUSIC.

18

Chinese musicians must often be puzzled when reading a new piece, there being no

way

of distinguishing a note from

extent by

owing either

is

This defect has been remedied to a certain

octave.

to negligence or ignorance,

many

but this custom

pieces are found in

is

not general, and,

which there

notes Ji, f^,

from their respective octaves.
the least important imperfection of Chinese solmisation.

of distinguishing the
this

its

affixing little signs indicating the octave higher

is

no means

But, as will be seen,

OF THE VALUE OF XOTES.

The Chinese have not

for

each sound several figures expressing

its

value or lengtli.

Their notes indicate simply a certain sound at a certain height, but leave the reader in the

most complete doubt

note to signify that

and

is

Sometimes signs or dots are added on the right

as to then" value.

it is

be held longer than the others, but

to

still this

system

is

of a

not uniform,

foimd only in manuscrijjts.

This

is

of signs showing the value, the rests, the time,

The

by merely reading the written notes.

general form of a written piece shown to

he must

first

The

incontestably the weakest point in Cliinese musical notation.

hear

it

Some

2.

makes

it

quite impossible to learn a tune

best Chinese musician could only conjecture the

him

for the first time

to be able to decipher

it

played.

The following
I .

etc.,

total absence

are the principal arbitrary signs in use

notes are written larger than the

space

is

between two notes.

left

emphasise them.

rest, to

This

may mean

a rest or the end of a

verse.
3.

Small dots are written after the notes, one dot

may

be

then

^^'i^l

be

^, and

for

one time.

For instance,

^'H represent q.

OF THE RESTS.

A
duration

rest is
is

denoted by

little

merely a matter of

signs

taste,

{Jov x )

jJaced in the same row as the notes, but

and must be learnt

traditionally.

space

left

its

between

two notes may indicate a pause.

OF TIME.
The only measure

scientifically recognised

by the Chinese

theorists

is

that in four rim.-.

In practice, however, several measures are admitted, especially that in three time.