MUSICAL COMPOSITION

50 MUSICAL COMPOSITIONThis kind of variation is mere child's play to anyonewho knows his harmony, but for the purposes of compositionit is only useful as a framework to be filled inby rhythmical phrases, and as indicating a scheme ofmodulation. The simple treatment of a melody has todo with its bass only, and with the working out of thematerials of those two parts. The complex treatmentinvolves using intermediate parts which will completethe harmonic scheme and add interest to its presentment.The first may be said to be the building standingon secure foundations, complete in its architecturalproportions, but empty and bare. The second is thepainting and furnishing of the empty building. Thedecorations must be in keeping with the style of thearchitecture, and sufficiently varied to give due contrastwithout disturbing the general design.This treatment of melodies must be practised bothfor voices and instruments. The most useful methodis to begin with voices. Choose a hymn tune or achorale, and, after harmonising it freely in four or fiveparts, take the melody as a Canto Fermo in long notesin one part and write three or four free parts round it.Brahms' motet, "A Saving Health," is a compact andadmirable model of this style of treatment j thephrases of the chorale are treated in intclligiblesections or sentences, and the free parts are allfounded upon the phrases which they accompany. Forthe harmonisation of the tune itself innumerableprototypes can be found in Bach, many of themmodern and experimental enough to satisfy, and evento surprise, the most ultra-progressive taste. Thesame groundwork will do equally well for instrumentaltreatment, and here again a close study of