rm much; and consequently, not allow
his stick to pass over much space; for each of these gestures should
operate nearly instantaneously; or at least, take but so slight a
movement as to be imperceptible. If the movement becomes perceptible,
on the contrary, and multiplied by the number of times that the gesture
is repeated, it ends by throwing the conductor behind in the time he
is beating, and by giving to his conducting a tardiness that proves
injurious. This defect, moreover, has the result of needlessly fatiguing
the conductor, and of producing exaggerated evolutions, verging on the
ridiculous, which attract the spectators' attention, and become very
disagreeable to witness.

In the time, three in a bar, the first gesture made, from up to down, is
likewise universally adopted for marking the first beat; but there are
two ways of marking the second. The majority of orchestral conductors
indicate it by a gesture from left to right; thus:--

[Illustration]

Some German Kapel-meisters do the contrary; and carry the stick from
right to left; thus:--

[Illustration]

This way has the disadvantage--when the conductor turns his back to the
orchestra, as in theatres--of permitting only a small number of musicians
to perceive the very important indication of the second beat; the body
of the conductor then hiding the movement of his arm. The other method
of proceeding is preferable; since the conductor stretches his arm
_outwards_, withdrawing it from his chest; and his stick, which he
takes care to raise slightly above the level of his shoulder, remains
perfectly visible to all eyes. When the conductor faces the players, it
is immaterial whether he marks the second beat to the right, or to the
left.

However, the third beat of the time, three in a bar, is always marked
like the last of the time, four in a bar; by an oblique movement
upwards.

[Illustration] or [Illustration]

The times,--five and seven in a bar,--would be more comprehensible for
the performers, if instead of indicating them by a particular series of
gestures, they were treated as though the one was composed of three and
two in a bar, and the other composed of four and three.

Then, these times would be beaten thus:--

[Illustration]

Example of seven in a bar:--

[Illustration]

These different times, in order to be divided in this way, are assumed
to belong to movements of moderate measure. The advice would not hold
good if their measure