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Widecombe-in-the-Moor
Widecombe Things New and Old
This is the twenty-first item from Robert Dymond's book: "Things New and Old Concerning the Parish of Widecombe-in-the-Moor and its Neighbourhood" (1876)
THE MUSIC OF MOORLAND WATERS.
YOUR true moor-man, from traditional habit, always personifies the river near his home, and this is especially the case with the Dart, displaying as it does so many phases of character in its active course amongst its native rocks and woods. Mr. R. J. King, in a delightful article on “ The Folk Lore of Devonshire,” in Fraser, of December, 1873, instances the expression “‘Dart came down last night ’—used after a flood— or ‘ Hearken how Dart cryeth’ —When his sound is heard at a distance, as Devonshire phrases which may often be noted. The ‘ cry ’ of the river is that louder sound which rises in still, cloudy weather, or towards nightfall. Like the ‘ calling of the sea,’ or the ‘ calling of the northern cleaves ’ (cliffs) in Cornwall, it is held to be of evil omen when heard far inland, or out of sight of the river. It is the cry of the river-spirit for his prey ; and the local rhyme runs thus :—
River of Dart, River of Dart,
Every year thou claimest a heart.”
Our musical readers will find on Dartmoor rare opportunities of testing the following German analysis of the tones of waterfalls :—-
“A mass of falling water gives the chord of C sharp (C, E, D,) and below these notes the non-accordant F. When C and D sounds louder than the middle note, F is heard very fully. It smothers the pure chord of C sharp, so that it is no longer heard as a conchord, but a clear rushing noise. The F is a deep, dull, humming, far resounding tone, strong in proportion to the mass of falling water ; it can be heard round rocky corners, or through thick woods, and at a distance at which the other notes are imperceptible. Besides F, C and G are heard. E is always weak, and the ear scarcely recognises it in small falls. The notes C, E, A, F, belong to all rushing waters, and in great falls often in different octaves. Small falls often give the same tones, one, two or three octaves higher. No other tones can be found. In strong falls F is the easiest to hear; in all weak ones C. On first attempting to distinguish the notes, C is usually the most readily recognised, and as each note is accompanied by its octave it is often difficult to decide which C, A, or F, is heard. Persons with musical ears attempting to sing near rushing water spontaneously use the key of C sharp or F sharp if near a heavy thundering fall ; other keys give an ugly discord.”
The information on this page was last modified on July 20 2017 18:47:01.