ateur must study these matters indefatigably. The advent of a more
elastic rhythm and tempo has undoubtedly made all musical performance
infinitely more pleasurable to the listener than it formerly was; but
unfortunately (especially since the advent of Chopin's music) there
has been a great deal of misunderstanding as to the use and meaning
of this valuable new expressional element.

_Tempo rubato_ may be compared to speaking certain words more slowly
or more rapidly in order that the essential meaning of the entire
sentence may be more strongly impressed upon the listener. It must not
however break up the continuity of the tempo; as one writer has said
"we must bend the tempo, but not break it." Another well-known author,
in treating the same point, states that[15]

Freedom in tempo does not mean unsteadiness.... We must have
in music the sense of equilibrium, of stability. A careless,
spasmodic hurrying and retarding leads only to flabbiness
and inconsequence.

[Footnote 15: Dickinson, _The Education of a Music Lover_, p. 21.]

The most common kind of _rubato_ is probably that in which the first
part of the phrase (up to the climax) is accelerated, the climacteric
tone lingered upon slightly, then the remainder of the phrase rendered
_a tempo_ or possibly slightly _ritardando_. But there are many
phrases that demand a totally different sort of treatment; _e.g._, a
_ritardando_ in the first part instead of an _accelerando_. Which is
the appropriate way of delivering any particular phrase must be
determined in every case by musical feeling.

The thing that the beginner is apt to forget at the period when his
musical feeling though sincere is yet characterized by lack of
refinement, is that these _nuances_ must always be subtle, and that
the listener ought not to have fluctuations in tempo thrust in his
face at every turn. Indeed we may say that he should hardly know that
they are present, unless he is making a definite attempt to analyze
the performance. The familiar story of Chopin's breathing toward a
candle flame and making it flicker slightly, with the remark, "That is
my rubato," then blowing it violently out and saying "This is yours,"
is quite to the point in this connection.

It is of course understood that _rubato_ is to be employed almost
exclusively in moderate or slow tempos, having little or no place in
rapid, strongly rhythmic music. It should also be remarked that the
more sever