The Music of Hindostan c6.7

c6.7

In all the melodies the tonic is C unless otherwise stated. It may be asked what decided in each case which note was the tonic. At the time of hearing the song there was seldom any doubt about it, and the doubtful cases are those for which no special note of the tonic was made at the time. What exactly decided the point at the time is a little difficult to particularize: it was something almost personal—just as when we read a book written by a man whom we actually know we get a better idea of his meaning than others would who do not know him. Tonality depends upon such things as the particular turn of phrase, the repetitions, the accompanying words, and these may, of course, be reproduced on paper. But it is, further, suggested in the extent to which particular notes are made essential or accidental, the exact amount of strength given to a leading note or to an appoggiatura, the emphasis in the accompanying percussion, minute retardations and anticipations, grace-notes at particular places, even the mere expression of face and hand—and most of these defy notation. The sum total of all these guides us, without our quite knowing how, to the general plan of the music, and thereby to its tonic. For a tonic is a tendency rather than a fact. All we could say of our own music is that in proportion as it exists for its own sake, and not for the sake of some other thing—words, or situation, or programme—it has a tendency to centre round some one note. Harmony can mark this note with exceptional precision; and we are apt therefore in looking for the tonic in an unharmonized melody to supply those harmonies mentally, and so to bring what we hope to find. In the Arab tunes, Nos. 52-4, for instance, it is impossible to say without having heard a good deal of Arabian music what they would regard as the tonic.