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102 National Music of the World.
The oddity of the effect made me note the tune down; when I had done so, I called the singer td me, and asked her to sing the tune. This she did once, twice, thrice—always omitting the superfluous bar. I then sang it to her, as I had noted it, and as she had sung it to herself, and asked her which of the two versions was right. 'Why, the second one,' she said; 'but it amuses me to sing it thus [with the five bars] when I am by myself'
And if we go to Venice, we shall find the same predilection for a triple rhythm : as for instance, in the well-worn Car naval.
I think I hear now a poor little grizzled creature, old enough to have seen something of better and gayer days in Venice, who, when I was there some twelve years ago, used to solace himself by piping out as he sculled along, or sat waiting on his steps for the passengers who rarefy patronised him, a legend of the Virgin, which seemed to have no beginning or end, to a slow version of the waltz movement closing the lovely concerted piece, ' O guardate,' from Signor Rossini's ' Turco in Italia.'
There were a good many accidental flats and sharps added to this, probably resulting from the |
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