26
THE CHOIRMASTER'S MANUAL
The climax of any crescendo should be an accented note. Attack has already been dealt with in Chapter IV.
An accelerando should be an imperceptible quickening, as of a train moving out of a station; and a rallentando can be learned by watching the gradual ceasing of the drops of water when a tap is turned off.
Rhythm. The chief beat or accent in a measure is the first. Secondary accents occur on the odd beats afterwards. The first beat is always a down-stroke with the baton. The following diagram will show the more usual ways of beating times.
68 (in slow time, when the six beats are taken).
