+inline int
+compare (Rhythmic_tuple const &a, Rhythmic_tuple const &b)
+{
+ return Rhythmic_tuple::time_compare (a, b);
+}
+
+int
+Rhythmic_tuple::time_compare (Rhythmic_tuple const &h1,
+ Rhythmic_tuple const &h2)
+{
+ return (h1.end_ - h2.end_).main_part_.sign ();
+}
+
+/****************************************************************/