of this duration by all the performers. Now this precision and this
uniformity can only be established in the more or less numerous
assemblage of band and chorus by means of certain signs made by their
conductor.

These signs indicate the principle divisions, the accents of the bar,
and, in many cases, the subdivisions, and the half-accents. I need
hardly here explain what is meant by the "accents" (accented and
unaccented parts of a bar); I am presupposing that I address musicians.

The orchestral conductor generally uses a small light stick, of about
a foot in length, and rather whitish than of a dark color (it is seen
better), which he holds in his right hand, to make clearly distinct his
mode of marking the commencement, the interior division, and the close
of each bar. The bow, employed by some violinist conductors (leaders),
is less suitable than the stick. It is somewhat flexible, and this want
of rigidity, together with the slight resistance it offers to the air,
on account of its appendage of hair, renders its indications less
precise.

The simplest of all times--two in a bar--is beaten simply.

The arm and the stick of the conductor are raised, so that his hand is
on a level with his head, he marks the first beat, by dropping the point
of his stick perpendicularly (_bending his wrist_ as much as possible;
and not lowering the whole arm), and the second beat by raising the
stick by a contrary gesture.

[Illustration]

The time--one in a bar--being in reality, and particularly for the
conductor, but the time of an extremely rapid two in a bar, should be
beaten like the preceding. As the conductor is obliged to raise the
point of his stick, after having lowered it, he necessarily divides this
into two portions.

In the time--four in a bar--the first gesture, or down beat, is
universally adopted for marking the first accented part, the
commencement of the bar.

[Illustration]

The second movement made by the conducting-stick, from right to left,
rising, indicates the second beat (first unaccented part). [Illustration]
A third, transversely, from left to right, indicates the third beat
(second accented part); [Illustration] and a fourth, obliquely, from
down to up, indicates the fourth beat (second unaccented part). The
combination of these four gestures may be figured thus:--

[Illustration]

It is of importance that the conductor, in thus delivering his different
directions, should not move his a