I have always been aware, of course, of the difference between the
British-English and American-English nomenclature for the time values
of notes:  quavers, minims, etc., vs.  whole, half, quarter, etc., notes.
But it only recently occurred to me that I have never understood how this
difference arose.

I'm sure that some one on the list could give me a quick answer.  I assume
that the British usage was older, and the American one (which agrees with
most other languages, as far as I know) was a departure from it, but when
did this occur, and why?

Jon Johanning // [log in to unmask]