In speaking of these discoveries I must go slightly into the theory of harmony and resign myself to being understood only by those of my readers who are more or less musicians.

In a slight work, _Daphnis et Chloe_, Offenbach risked a dominant eleventh without either introduction or conclusion--an extraordinary audacity at the time.

A short course in harmony is necessary for the understanding of this.

We must start with the fact that, theoretically, all dissonances must be introduced and concluded, which we cannot explain here, but this leading up to and away from have for their purpose softening the harshness of the dissonance which was greatly feared in bygone times.

Take if you please, the simple key of C natural.