Our Singing Country

Complete Text, Lyrics & Sheet Music

	Music Preface
	which cancel, an accidental (sharp or flat) contained in the key signature, this accidental has been enclosed in parentheses (asor). Exceptions will be found in "King William Was King George's Son75 "Oh, Lovely Appearance of Death," and "Trouble, Trouble." Metrical signature and tempo Tempo refers to the speed at which a song is sung. Precise indications of speed have been given in terms of the metronome, at the heading of each song. Thus, J =66 indicates that there are 66 half-notes to the minute. The note-value used in the metronome mark is, in most cases, that of the denominator of the metrical signature. It repre­sents the pulse—or foot-beat, either present or implied. The numerator of the metrical signature indicates the number of pulses per measure. Further indication of pulse is given in the length of beams connecting eighth and sixteenth notes (asin "Billy Barlow" orin "Hop Up, My Ladies"). The eleven songs not transcribed from recordings have been given no metronome indications. General indications of speed are expressed by the terms "Fast," "Mod­erately fast," "Moderate," "Moderately slow," and "Slow," placed before the metronome mark at the heading of each song. Unless otherwise indi­cated, the song should be understood to have been sung more or less in strict time (Tempo giusto), with regularly recurring, strongly defined pulse, and well accented. The indications "Free" and "Somewhat free" have been used to designate the tempo of songs in which a regular pulse is either (a) vague or indeterminate, or (b) established, departed from and returned to periodically throughout the stanza (rubato). Ritetmto                      Abrupt change to a slower tempo Ritardando                  Gradual decrease of speed Accelerando                Gradual increase of speed A hold of indefinite length (fermata) A hold of definite length, indicating that a second beat, of the value of the denominator of the metrical signature, should be added to the tone over which this sign appears. Thus (as in "The Wild Colonial Boy"):
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