Page:How to Write Music.djvu/45

Rh 37.—In vocal music the singing of one syllable to two or more notes is shown in the case of whole notes, half notes, and quarters, by a slur (see Fig. 25).

It will be seen from the above that a slur does not dispense with the necessity for tying consecutive notes of the same pitch, occurring in a passage sung to one syllable. For an apparent exception see a passage from Handel's "But who may abide":

Fig. 26.

But here, the repeated note occurring on a strong accent preceded by a weak one, is evidently intended not to be tied, but to receive an emphasis. (Similar exceptions may be found in "Every Valley.")

In modern music, when all the notes of a measure are to be sung to the same syllable, and there is no likelihood of confusion, the slur is often