Page:How to Write Music.djvu/46

38 dispensed with. This is especially the case in Mendelssohn's music.

38.—Eighths and shorter notes, to which one syllable is to be sung, should have a united hook, provided that they belong to the same rhythmic group; and separate hooks, though belonging to the same rhythmic group, if sung to separate syllables:

39.—Many writers place a slur over eighth notes, as well as quarters and longer notes, when sung to one syllable. But this is quite unnecessary with hooked notes unless, as in the preceding example, a syllable is sung to a whole group and part of another, or parts of two groups. Redundancy of slurs—very common in old music—is confusing rather than helpful.

Intelligibility depends much upon getting the syllables exactly under or over the notes to which they are to be sung.