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V. §56.] QUALITY OF PIANOFORTE SOUNDS. 115
the successive intervals are reckoned downwards instead of upwards. The wires of all these notes will reinforce the tone of the tuning-fork by resonance. If now we remove the fork and strike middle C on the pianoforte itself, we obtain of course a sound consisting of a number of simple tones. To each of these latter there corresponds a descending series of notes on the key-board determined in the manner just explained. A full chord struck in the middle region of the instrument will, therefore, command the more or less active services of many more wires than have been set vibrating by direct percussion. The increase of loudness thus secured is not very considerable, the effect being rather a heightened richness, like that of a mass of voices singing pianissimo. The sustaining power of the loud pedal renders care in its employment essential. It should, as a general rule, be held down only so long as notes belonging to one and the same chord are struck. Whenever a change of harmony occurs, the pedal should be allowed to rise, in order that the descent of the dampers may at once extinguish the preceding chord. If this precaution is neglected, perfectly irreconcilable chords become promiscuously jumbled together, and a series of jarring discords ensue which are nearly as distressing to the ear as the actual striking of wrong notes. The quahty of
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