Of Graceing Notes.
Graceing of Notes is performed two Wayes; viz. by the Bow, and by the Fingers. By the Bow; as when we Play lowd, or soft, according to our Fancy,or the Humour of the Musick. Again; this lowd, and soft, is sometimes exprest in One and the same Note; as when we make it soft in the beginning, and then (as it were) swell, or grow lowder, towards the middle, or ending. Some also af∣fect a kind of Shake or Tremble with the Bow, like the shaking Stop of an Or∣gan: but the frequent use thereof (in my opinion) is not commendable. To these may be added, that of Playing 2, 3. or more Notes with one Motion of the Bow, which would not have that Grace, or Ornament, if they were Played se∣verally.
Graces done with the Fingers, are of two sorts: viz. smooth, and shaked.Smooth is, when in rising, or falling, a Tone, or Semitone, we seem to draw as it were, the Sound from one Note to another, in imitation of the Voice; and is ex∣pressed by setting down, or taking off the Finger, a little after the touch of the Bow. In ascending, it makes that Grace which we call a Plain-Beat or Rise; in descending, that called a Backfall.
Sometimes a Note is graced by sliding to it from the Third below, called an Elevation, now something obsolete. Sometimes from the Third above; which we call a Double Backfall. This sliding a Third, up, or down, is alwayes done upon one String. Again; a Note is sometimes graced by joyning part of its sound to the Note following; like a Prickt-Crochet: whose following Quaver is Placed with the ensuing Note, but Played with the same Bow of his Prickt-Crochet: This we will call a Cadent. There is yet another plain or smooth Grace, called a Spinger,which concludeth the found of a Note more acute, by clapping down another Finger just at the expiring of it.