Page:Choirmaster's Manual.djvu/35

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THE CHOIRMASTER'S MANUAL
23

Exercise 23.

\relative c' { \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 12/1 c1 d e f g a b c \override NoteHead.style = #'harmonic d e f g \bar ".." }

Taking C as keynote, what interval is A? Sing it. Point out repeatedly that C to A, being a line and a space, must be an even interval.

Continue exercise in the following manner, pointing to notes:

C as keynote; what is E? Sing it.
F as keynote; what is A? Sing it.
D as keynote; what is G? Sing it.

And so on. This exercise repeated regularly will soon make the choir recognize all intervals, and sing those of the major scale correctly.

Note. After the key-signatures are understood, the quality of intervals can be explained, and sight-reading from the next note, and not from the keynote, can be practised until perfection is gained. In the following exercise, for instance,

Exercise 24.

\relative c' { \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 14/1 c1_"1" e_"2" d_"3" f_"4" e_"5" g_"6" a_"7" b_"8" c_"9" e,_"10" b'_"11" a_"12" b_"13" c_"14" }

every interval could easily be sung as from the keynote C, according to the diatonic scale; but taking such notes as an interval above or below the note preceding it, it becomes plain (if only a major third has been learned, as a "line to next line," or "space to next space" interval), that D to F, or E to G, will be sung major until the minors are taught, or rather the key-signatures. Then, if it is recognized that the key of D requires two sharps (F and C), from D to F "natural" must be half a tone less. Intervals should be practised both from the keynote and back.

In reading from the "next note," that note is looked upon as a temporary keynote. It is unnecessary in a short