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FIGURE XXX.

This little piece illustrates what has been already said about freedom of expression. It does not impress us as strictly dance music; it is manifestly written for its own sake and represents that natural tendency to create something beautiful which underlies art everywhere. But in respect of order and design we find here a decided weakness. Four separate and successive ideas, each followed by an elaboration of itself, would make a poor model for any art. One feels a sense of vagueness after listening to a piece so constructed; no single idea dominates; one longs for some point upon which the attention may be centered.

II. A GAVOTTE AND VARIATIONS BY RAMEAU.

Pauer's "Alte Meister," Vol. I, contains another interesting experiment in the variation form, a "Gavotte and Variations" by Rameau (1683-1764). The opening phrase of this Gavotte runs as follows:

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FIGURE XXXI. First phrase of Gavotte by Rameau.

In the variation of the above, which will be found in Figure XXXII, the theme is presented less definitely than in the original, while the upper part in sixteenth notes makes a kind of free counterpoint.