The Short

at the last bar but one, instead of the tempo rubato; as while aiming at spirit and enthusiasm, he only becomes
awkward and dull. This prolongation is usually conceded to appoggiaturas, to notes placed on long syllables, and
those which are naturally salient in the harmony. In all such cases, the time lost must be regained by accelerating
other notes. This is a good method for giving colour and variety to melodies. Example:—[Ex. 11.16(b)]
Two artists of a very different class—García (the author's father) and Paganini—excelled in the use of tempo rubato.
While the time was regularly maintained by an orchestra, they would abandon themselves to their inspiration, till the
instant a chord changed, or else to the very end of the phrase. An excellent perception of rhythm, and great selfpossession
on the part of the musician, however, are requisite for the adoption of this method, which should be
resorted to only in passages where the harmony is stable, or only slightly varied—in any other case, it would appear
singularly difficult, and give immense trouble to an executant. The annexed example illustrates our meaning
[footnote: This passage presents an approximate example of the use which the author's late father made of the tempo
rubato]:- [Ex. 11.16(c)]
The tempo rubato, again, is useful in preparing a shake, by permitting this preparation to take place on the preceding
notes; thus:—[Ex. 11.16(d)] The tempo rubato, if used affectedly, or without discretion, destroys all balance, and so
tortures the melody. 795
Tempo Rubato as Arhythmical Embellishment
TYPE OF TEMPO MODIFICATION 411
A somewhat different type of tempo rubato goes back at least to C. P. E. Bach, who used this term to describe an
irregular number of notes performed independently above a regular bass; Ex. 11.17, from his Sechs Sonaten… mit
verÄnderten Reprisen, illustrates the sort of situation to which he refers. Illustrations of similar procedures can be found
in the embellishments that Bach's Berlin colleague Franz Benda introduced into his own violin sonatas. Though this
795 New Treatise, 50–1.