were either very quick or very slow.

The time, two in a bar, I have already signified, cannot be beaten
otherwise than as we have before seen--whatever its degree of rapidity.
But if, as an exception, it should be very slow, the conductor ought to
subdivide it.

A very rapid four in a bar, on the contrary, should be beaten two in a
bar; the four accustomed gestures of a moderate movement becoming then
so hurried as to present nothing decided to the eye, and serving only to
confuse the performer instead of giving him confidence. Moreover,--and
this is of much more consequence,--the conductor, by uselessly making
these four gestures in a quick movement, renders the pace of the rhythm
awkward, and loses the freedom of gesture which a simple division of the
time into its half would leave him.

Generally speaking, composers are wrong to write in such a case the
indication of the time as four in a bar. When the movement is very
brisk, they should never write any other than the sign [Symbol: two in
a bar], and not that of [Symbol: four in a bar], which might lead the
conductor into error.

It is exactly the same for the time, three in a bar, fast 3/4 or 3/8.
Then the conductor must omit the gesture of the second beat, and, by
remaining the period of a beat longer on the first, only raise the stick
at the third.

[Illustration]

It would be absurd to attempt to beat the three in a bar of one of
Beethoven's scherzos.

In slow movements the rule for these two times is like that for two in
a bar. If the movement is very slow, each time must be divided; and
consequently eight gestures must be made for the time, four in a bar,
and six for the time, three in a bar, repeating (and shortening) each
of the principal gestures we have before instanced.

Example of three in a bar, very slow:

[Illustration]

Example of four in a bar, very slow:

[Illustration]

The arm should take no part in the little supplementary gesture
indicating the subdivision of the bar; merely the wrist causing the
stick to move.

This division of the different times is intended to prevent the rhythmical
divergences which might easily take place among the performers during
the interval which separates one beat from the other. The conductor not
indicating anything during this period (rendered somewhat considerable
by the extreme slowness of the movement), the players are then entirely
left to themselves, _without conductor_; and as the rhythmical