,illustration3 ,to ,miss ,harriette ,brower ,very ,sincerely ,enrico ,caruso ,n4,y4 #aiai ,,vocal ,,mastery ,,talks ,,with ,,master ,,singers ,,and ,,teachers ,,comprising ,,interviews ,,with ,,caruso1 ,,farrar1 ,,maurel1 ,,lehmann1 ,,and ,,others ,,by ,,harriette ,,brower ,author of ,piano ,mastery1 ,first and ,second ,series1 ,home-,help in ,music ,study1 ,self-,help in ,piano ,study ,,with ,,twenty ,,portraits ,,new ,,york ,,frederick ,a4 ,,stokes ,,company ,,publishers #aiag1 by ,,oliver ,,ditson ,,company #aiah1 #aiai1 by ,,the ,,musical ,,observer ,,company #aibj1 by ,,frederick ,a4 ,,stokes ,,company ,,foreword ,it has long been a cherished desire to prepare a series of ,talks with famous ,singers1 which should have an equal aim with ,talks with ,master ,pianists1 namely1 to obtain from the artists their personal ideas concerning their art and its mastery1 and1 when possible1 some inkling as to the methods by which they themselves have arrived at the goal4 ,there have been unexpected and untold difficulties in the way of such an undertaking4 ,the greater the artist the more numerous the body-guard which surrounds him--or her2 the more stringent the watch over the artist's time and movements4 ,if one is able to penetrate this barrier and is permitted to see the artist1 one finds usually an affable gentleman1 a charming woman1 with simple manners and kindly intentions4 ,however1 when one is fortunate enough to come in touch with great singers1 one finds it difficult to draw from them a definite idea of the process by which they have achieved victory4 ,a pianist can describe his manner of tone production1 methods of touch1 fingering1 pedaling2 the violinist can discourse on the bow arm1 use of left hand1 on staccato and pizzicati2 but the singer is loath to describe his own instrument4 ,and even if singers could analyze1 the description might not fit any case but their own4 ,for the art of singing is an individual art1 the perfecting an instrument hidden from sight4 ,each artist must achieve mastery by overcoming difficulties which beset his own personal path4 ,despite these obstacles1 every effort has been put forth to induce artists to speak from an educational standpoint4 ,it is hoped the various hints and precepts they have given1 may prove of benefit to singers and teachers4 ,limitations of space prevent the inclusion of many other artists and teachers4 ,,harriette ,,brower4 #aej ,west #hj ,street1 ,new ,york ,city4 ,,contents ,,foreword ,,enrico ,,caruso 444 ,the ,value of ,work ,,geraldine ,,farrar 444 ,the ,will to ,succeed a ,compelling ,force ,,victor ,,maurel 444 ,mind ,is ,everything ,a ,,visit ,,to ,,mme4 ,,lilli ,,lehmann ,,amelita ,,galli-,,curci 444 ,self-teaching the ,great ,essential ,,giuseppe ,,de ,,luca 444 ,ceaseless ,effort ,necessary for ,artistic ,perfection ,,luisa ,,tetrazzini 444 ,the ,coloratura ,voice ,,antonio ,,scotti 444 ,training ,american ,singers for ,opera ,,rosa ,,raisa 444 ,patience and ,perseverance ,win ,results ,,louise ,,homer 444 ,the ,requirements of a ,musical ,career ,,giovanni ,,martinelli 444 ,let ,us ,have ,plenty of ,opera in ,america ,,anna ,,case 444 ,inspired ,interpretation ,,florence ,,easton 444 ,problems ,confronting the ,young ,singer ,,marguerite ,d',,alvarez 444 ,the ,message of the ,singer ,,maria ,,barrientos 444 ,be ,your ,own ,critic ,,claudia ,,muzio 444 ,a ,child of the ,opera ,,edward ,,johnson 7,,edouardo ,,di ,,giovanni7 444 ,the ,evolution of an ,opera ,star ,,reinald ,,werrenrath 444 ,achieving ,success on the ,concert ,stage ,,sophie ,,braslau 444 ,making a ,career in ,america ,,morgan ,,kingston 444 ,the ,spiritual ,side of the ,singer's ,art ,,frieda ,,hempel 444 ,a ,lesson with a ,prima ,donna ,,with ,,the ,,master ,,teachers ,,david ,,bispham 444 ,the ,making of ,artist ,singers ,,oscar ,,saenger 444 ,use of ,records in ,vocal ,study ,,herbert ,,witherspoon 444 ,memory1 ,imagination1 ,analysis ,,yeatman ,,griffith 444 ,causation ,j4,h4 ,,duval 444 ,some ,secrets of ,beautiful ,singing ,,the ,,coda 444 ,a ,resum ,,illustrations ,enrico ,caruso ,frontispiece ,geraldine ,farrar ,victor ,maurel ,amelita ,galli-,curci ,giuseppe de ,luca ,luisa ,tetrazzini ,antonio ,scotti ,rosa ,raisa ,louise ,homer ,giovanni ,martinelli ,anna ,case ,florence ,easton ,marguerite d',alvarez ,maria ,barrientos ,claudia ,muzio ,edward ,johnson ,reinald ,werrenrath ,sophie ,braslau ,morgan ,kingston ,frieda ,hempel ,,vocal ,,mastery ,i ,,enrico ,,caruso ,,the ,,value ,,of ,,work ,enrico ,caruso6 ,the very name itself calls up visions of the greatest operatic tenor of the present generation1 to those who have both heard and seen him in some of his many rles4 ,or1 to those who have only listened to his records1 again visions of the wonderful voice1 with its penetrating1 vibrant1 ringing quality1 the impassioned delivery1 which stamps every note he sings with the hall mark of genius1 the tremendous1 unforgettable climaxes4 ,not to have heard ,caruso sing is to have missed something out of life2 not to have seen him act in some of his best parts is to have missed the inspiration of great acting4 ,as ,mr4 ,huneker once wrote3 ,the artistic career of ,caruso is as well known as that of any great general or statesman2 he is a national figure4 ,he is a great artist1 and1 what is rarer1 a genuine man4 ,and how we have seen his art grow and ripen1 since he first began to sing for us4 ,the date of his first appearance at the ,metropolitan ,opera ,house1 ,new ,york1 was ,november #bcrd1 #aijc4 ,then the voice was marvelous in its freshness and beauty1 but histrionic development lagged far behind4 ,the singer seemed unable to make us visualize the characters he endeavored to portray4 ,it was always ,caruso who sang a certain part2 we could never forget that4 ,but constant study and experience have eliminated even this defect1 so that to-day the singer and actor are justly balanced2 both are superlatively great4 ,can any one who hears and sees ,caruso in the rle of ,samson1 listen unmoved to the throbbing wail of that glorious voice and the unutterable woe of the blind man's poignant impersonation8 ,,in ,,early ,,days ,enrico ,caruso was born in ,naples1 the youngest of nineteen children4 ,his father was an engineer and the boy was taught the trade in his father's shop1 and was expected to follow in his father's footsteps4 ,but destiny decreed otherwise4 ,as he himself said1 to one listener3 ,i had always sung as far back as ,i can remember1 for the pure love of it4 ,my voice was contralto1 and ,i sang in a church in ,naples from fourteen till ,i was eighteen4 ,then ,i had to go into the army for awhile4 ,i had never learned how to sing1 for ,i had never been taught4 ,one day a young officer of my company said to me3 ',you will spoil your voice if you keep on singing like that'--for ,i suppose ,i was fond of shouting in those days4 ',you should learn how to sing1' he said to me2 'you must study4' ,he introduced me to a young man who at once took an interest in me and brought me to a singing master named ,vergine4 ,i sang for him1 but he was very discouraging4 ,his verdict was it would be hopeless to try to make a singer out of me4 ,as it was1 ,i might possibly earn a few lire a night with my voice1 but according to his idea ,i had far better stick to my father's trade1 in which ,i could at least earn forty cents a day4 ,but my young friend would not give up so easily4 ,he begged ,vergine to hear me again4 ,things went a little better with me the second time and ,vergine consented to teach me4 ,,rigid ,,discipline ,and now began a period of rigid discipline4 ,in ,vergine's idea ,i had been singing too loud2 ,i must reverse this and sing everything softly4 ,i felt as though in a strait-jacket2 all my efforts at expression were most carefully repressed2 ,i was never allowed to let out my voice4 ,at last came a chance to try my wings in opera1 at ten lire a night 7#b4jj74 ,in spite of the rgime of repression to which ,i had been subjected for the past three years1 there were still a few traces of my natural feeling left4 ,the people were kind to me and ,i got a few engagements4 ,vergine had so long trained me to sing softly1 never permitting me to sing out1 that people began to call me the ,broken ,tenor4 ,,the ,,first ,,real ,,chance ,a better chance came before long4 ,in #ahif the ,opera ,house in ,salerno decided to produce ,i ,puritani4 ,at the last moment the tenor they had engaged to sing the leading rle became ill1 and there was no one to sing the part4 ,lombardi1 conductor of the orchestra1 told the directors there was a young singer in ,naples1 about eighteen miles away1 who he knew could help them out and sing the part4 ,when they heard the name ,caruso1 they laughed scornfully4 ',what1 the ,broken ,tenor8' they asked4 ,but ,lombardi pressed my claim1 assured them ,i could be engaged1 and no doubt would be glad to sing for nothing4 ,so ,i was sent for4 ,lombardi talked with me awhile first4 ,he explained by means of several illustrations1 that ,i must not stand cold and stiff in the middle of the stage1 while ,i sang nice1 sweet tones4 ,no1 ,i must let out my voice1 ,i must throw myself into the part1 ,i must be alive to it--must live it and in it4 ,in short1 ,i must act as well as sing4 ,a ,,revelation ,it was all like a revelation to me4 ,i had never realized before how absolutely necessary it was to act out the character ,i attempted4 ,so ,i sang ,i ,puritani1 with as much success as could have been expected of a young singer with so little experience4 ,something awoke in me at that moment4 ,from that night ,i was never called a ',broken ,tenor' again4 ,i made a regular engagement at two thousand lire a month4 ,out of this ,i paid regularly to ,vergine the twenty-five per cent which he always demanded4 ,he was somewhat reconciled to me when he saw that ,i had a real engagement and was making a substantial sum1 though he still insisted that ,i would lose my voice in a few years4 ,but time passes and ,i am still singing4 ,,results ,,of ,,the ,,revelation ,the fact that ,i could secure an opera engagement made me realize ,i had within me the making of an artist1 if ,i would really labor for such an end4 ,when ,i became thoroughly convinced of this1 ,i was transformed from an amateur into a professional in a single day4 ,i now began to take care of myself1 learn good habits1 and endeavored to cultivate my mind as well as my voice4 ,the conviction gradually grew upon me that if ,i studied and worked1 ,i would be able one day to sing in such a way as to satisfy myself4 ,,the ,,value ,,of ,,work ,,to ,,the ,,singer ,caruso believes in the necessity for work1 and sends this message to all ambitious students3 ,to become a singer requires work1 work1 and again work6 ,it need not be in any special corner of the earth2 there is no one spot that will do more for you than other places4 ,it doesn't matter so much where you are1 if you have intelligence and a good ear4 ,listen to yourself2 your ear will tell you what kind of tones you are making4 ,if you will only use your own intelligence you can correct your own faults4 ,,ceaseless ,,study ,this is no idle speech1 voiced to impress the reader4 ,caruso practices what he preaches1 for he is an incessant worker4 ,two or three hours in the forenoon1 and several more later in the day1 whenever possible4 ,he does not neglect daily vocal technic1 scales and exercises4 ,there are always many rles to keep in rehearsal with the accompanist4 ,he has a repertoire of seventy rles1 some of them learned in two languages4 ,among the parts he has prepared but has never sung are3 ,othello1 ,fra ,diavolo1 ,eugen ,onegin1 ,pique ,dame1 ,falstaff and ,jewels of the ,madonna4 ,besides the daily review of opera rles1 ,caruso examines many new songs2 every day brings a generous supply4 ,naturally some of these find their way into the waste basket2 some are preserved for reference1 while the favored ones which are accepted must be studied for use in recital4 ,i had the privilege1 recently1 of spending a good part of one forenoon in ,mr4 ,caruso's private quarters at his ,new ,york ,hotel1 examining a whole book full of mementos of the ,jubilee celebration of ,march1 #aiai1 on the occasion when the great tenor completed twenty-five years of activity on the operatic stage4 ,here were gathered telegrams and cablegrams from all over the world4 ,many letters and cards of greeting and congratulation are preserved in this portly volume4 ,among them one noticed messages from ,mme4 ,schumann-,heink1 the ,flonzaley ,quartet1 ,cleofonte ,campanini and hosts of others4 ,here1 too1 is preserved the ,jubilee ,programme booklet1 also the libretto used on that gala occasion4 ,music lovers all over the world will echo the hope that this wonderful voice may be preserved for many years to come6 ,a ,,last ,,word ,the above article was shown to ,mr4 ,caruso1 at his request1 and ,i was asked a few days later to come to him4 ,there had been the usual rehearsal at the ,opera ,house that day4 ,ah1 those rehearsals1 exclaimed the secretary1 stopping his typewriter for an instant2 no one who has never been through it has any idea of what a rehearsal means4 ,and he lifted hands and eyes expressively4 ,mr4 ,caruso rose at eight1 went to rehearsal at ten and did not finish till after three4 ,he is now resting1 but will see you in a moment4 ,presently the great tenor opened the door and entered4 ,he wore a lounging coat of oriental silk1 red bordered1 and on the left hand gleamed a wonderful ring1 a broad band of dull gold1 set with diamonds1 rubies and sapphires4 ,he shook hands1 said he had read my story1 that it was quite correct and had his entire approval4 ,and have you a final message to the young singers who are struggling and longing to sing some day as wonderfully as you do8 ,tell them to study1 to work always1--and--to sacrifice6 ,his eyes had a strange1 inscrutable light in them1 as he doubtless recalled his own early struggles1 and life of constant effort4 ,and so take his message to heart3 ,work1 work--and--sacrifice6 ,,ii ,,geraldine ,,farrar ,,the ,,will ,,to ,,succeed ,a ,,compelling ,,force ,to measure the importance of ,geraldine ,farrar 7at the ,metropolitan ,opera ,house1 ,new ,york7 one has only to think of the void there would have been during the last decade1 and more1 if she had not been there4 ,try to picture the period between #aijf and #aibj without ,farrar--it is inconceivable6 ,farrar1 more than any other singer1 has been the triumphant living symbol of the new day for the ,american artist at the ,metropolitan4 ,she paved the way4 ,since that night1 in #aijf1 when her ,juliette stirred the staid old house1 ,american singers have been added year by year to the personnel4 ,among these younger singers there are those who will admit at once that it was the success of ,geraldine ,farrar which gave them the impetus to work hard for a like success4 ,illustration3 ,,geraldine ,,farrar ,these thoughts have been voiced by a recent reviewer1 and will find a quick response from young singers all over the country1 who have been inspired by the career of this representative artist1 and by the thousands who have enjoyed her singing and her many characterizations4 ,i was present on the occasion of ,miss ,farrar's dbut at the greatest opera house of her home land4 ,i1 too1 was thrilled by the fresh young voice in the girlish and charming impersonation of ,juliette4 ,it is a matter of history that from the moment of her auspicious return to ,america she has been constantly before the public1 from the beginning to end of each operatic season4 ,other singers often come for part of the season1 step out and make room for others4 ,but ,miss ,farrar1 as well as ,mr4 ,caruso1 can be depended on to remain4 ,any one who gives the question a moment's thought1 knows that such a career1 carried through a score of years1 means constant1 unremitting labor4 ,there must be daily work on vocal technic2 repertoire must be kept up to opera pitch1 and last and perhaps most important of all1 new works must be sought1 studied and assimilated4 ,the singer who can accomplish these tasks will have little or no time for society and the gay world1 inasmuch as her strength must be devoted to the service of her art4 ,she must keep healthy hours1 be always ready to appear1 and never disappoint her audiences4 ,and such1 according to ,miss ,farrar's own words is her record in the service of art4 ,while zealously guarding her time from interruption from the merely curious1 ,miss ,farrar does not entrench herself behind insurmountable barriers1 as many singers seem to do1 so that no honest seeker for her views of study and achievement can find her4 ,while making a rule not to try voices of the throng of young singers who would like to have her verdict on their ability and prospects1 ,miss ,farrar is very gracious to those who really need to see her4 ,again--unlike others--she will make an appointment a couple of weeks in advance1 and one can rest assured she will keep that appointment to the day and hour1 in spite of many pressing calls on her attention4 ,to meet and talk for an hour with an artist who has so often charmed you from the other side of the footlights1 is a most interesting experience4 ,in the present instance it began with my being taken up to ,miss ,farrar's private sanctum1 at the top of her ,new ,york residence4 ,though this is her den1 where she studies and works1 it is a spacious parlor1 where all is light1 color1 warmth and above all1 quiet4 ,a thick crimson carpet hushes the footfall4 ,a luxurious couch piled with silken cushions1 and comfortable arm chairs are all in the same warm tint2 over the grand piano is thrown a cover of red velvet1 gold embroidered4 ,portraits of artists and many costly trifles are scattered here and there4 ,the young lady who acts as secretary happened to be in the room and spoke with enthusiasm of the singer's absorption in her work1 her delight in it1 her never failing energy and good spirits4 ,from the day ,i heard ,miss ,farrar sing ,i felt drawn to her and hoped the time would come when ,i could serve her in some way4 ,i did not know then that it would be in this way4 ,her example is an inspiration to all who come in touch with her4 ,in a few moments ,miss ,farrar herself appeared1 and the young girl withdrew4 ,and was this ,farrar who stood before me1 in the flush of vigorous womanhood1 and who welcomed me so graciously8 ,the first impression was one of friendliness and sincerity1 which caused the artist for the moment to be forgotten in the unaffected simplicity of the woman4 ,miss ,farrar settled herself comfortably among the red silk cushions and was ready for our talk4 ,the simplicity of manner was reflected in her words4 ,she did not imply--there is only one right way1 and ,i have found it4 ,these things seem best for my voice1 and this is the way ,i work4 ,but1 since each voice is different1 they might not fit any one else4 ,i have no desire to lay down rules for others2 ,i can only speak of my own experience4 ,,the ,,question ,,of ,,health ,and you would first know how ,i keep strong and well and always ready8 ,perhaps the answer is1 ,i keep regular hours and habits1 and love my work4 ,i have always loved to sing1 as far back as ,i can remember4 ,music means everything to me--it is my life4 ,as a child and young girl1 ,i was the despair of my playmates because ,i would not join their games2 ,i did not care to skate1 play croquet or tennis1 or such things4 ,i never wanted to exercise violently1 and1 to me1 unnecessarily1 because it interfered with my singing2 took energy which ,i thought might be better applied4 ,as ,i grew older ,i did not care to keep late hours and be in an atmosphere where people smoked and perhaps drank1 for these things were bad for my voice and ,i could not do my work next day4 ,my time is always regularly laid out4 ,i rise at half past seven1 and am ready to work at nine4 ,i do not care to sit up late at night1 either1 for ,i think late hours react on the voice4 ,occasionally1 if we have a few guests for dinner1 ,i ask them1 when ten thirty arrives1 to stay as long as they wish and enjoy themselves1 but ,i retire4 ,,technical ,,study ,there are gifted people who may be called natural born singers4 ,melba is one of these4 ,such singers do not require much technical practice1 or if they need a little of it1 half an hour a day is sufficient4 ,i am not one of those who do not need to practice4 ,i give between one and two hours daily to vocalizes1 scales and tone study4 ,but ,i love it6 ,a scale is beautiful to me1 if it is rightly sung4 ,in fact it is not merely a succession of notes2 it represents color4 ,i always translate sound into color4 ,it is a fascinating study to make different qualities of tonal color in the voice4 ,certain rles require an entirely different range of colors from others4 ,one night ,i must sing a part with thick1 heavy1 rich tones2 the next night my tones must be thinned out in quite another timbre of the voice1 to fit an opposite character4 ,asked if she can hear herself1 ,miss ,farrar answered3 ,no1 ,i do not actually hear my voice1 except in a general way2 but we learn to know the sensations produced in muscles of throat1 head1 face1 lips and other parts of the anatomy1 which vibrate in a certain manner to correct tone production4 ,we learn the feeling of the tone4 ,therefore every one1 no matter how advanced1 requires expert advice as to the results4 ,,with ,,lehmann ,i have studied for a long time with ,lilli ,lehmann in ,berlin2 in fact ,i might say she is almost my only teacher1 though ,i did have some instruction before going to her1 both in ,america and ,paris4 ,you see1 ,i always sang1 even as a very little girl4 ,my mother has excellent taste and knowledge in music1 and finding ,i was in danger of straining my voice through singing with those older than myself1 she placed me with a vocal teacher when ,i was twelve1 as a means of preservation4 ,lehmann is a wonderful teacher and an extraordinary woman as well4 ,what art is there--what knowledge and understanding6 ,what intensity there is in everything she does4 ,she used to say3 ',remember1 these four walls which inclose you1 make a very different space to fill compared to an opera house2 you must take this fact into consideration and study accordingly4' ,no one ever said a truer word4 ,if one only studies or sings in a room or studio1 one has no idea of what it means to fill a theater4 ,it is a distinct branch of one's work to gain power and control and to adapt one's self to large spaces4 ,one can only learn this by doing it4 ,it is sometimes remarked by listeners at the opera1 that we sing too loud1 or that we scream4 ,they surely never think of the great size of the stage1 of the distance from the proscenium arch to the footlights1 or from the arch to the first set of wings4 ,they do not consider that within recent years the size of the orchestra has been largely increased1 so that we are obliged to sing against this great number of instruments1 which are making every possible kind of a noise except that of a siren4 ,it is no wonder that we must make much effort to be heard3 sometimes the effort may seem injudicious4 ,the point we must consider is to make the greatest possible effect with the least possible exertion4 ,lehmann is the most painstaking1 devoted teacher a young singer can have4 ,it is proof of her excellent method and her perfect understanding of vocal mastery1 that she is still able to sing in public1 if not with her old-time power1 yet with good tone quality4 ,it shows what an artist she really is4 ,i always went over to her every summer1 until the war came4 ,we would work together at her villa in ,gruenewald1 which you yourself know4 ,or we would go for a holiday down nearer ,salzburg1 and would work there4 ,we always worked wherever we were4 ,,memorizing ,how do ,i memorize8 ,i play the song or rle through a number of times1 concentrating on both words and music at once4 ,i am a pianist anyway2 and committing to memory is very easy for me4 ,i was trained to learn by heart from the very start4 ,when ,i sang my little songs at six years old1 mother would never let me have any music before me3 ,i must know my songs by heart4 ,and so ,i learned them quite naturally4 ,to me singing was like talking to people4 ,,contrasting ,,coloratura ,,and ,,dramatic ,,singing ,you ask me to explain the difference between the coloratura and the dramatic organ4 ,i should say it is a difference of timbre4 ,the coloratura voice is bright and brilliant in its higher portion1 but becomes weaker and thinner as it descends2 whereas the dramatic voice has a thicker1 richer quality all through1 especially in its lower register4 ,the coloratura voice will sing upper ,c1 and it will sound very high indeed4 ,i might sing the same tone1 but it would sound like ,a flat1 because the tone would be of such totally different timbre4 ,,to ,,the ,,young ,,singer ,if ,i have any message to the young singer1 it would be3 ,stick to your work and study systematically1 whole-heartedly4 ,if you do not love your work enough to give it your best thought1 to make sacrifices for it1 there is something wrong with you4 ,then choose some other line of work1 to which you can give undivided attention and devotion4 ,for music requires this4 ,as for sacrifices1 they really do not exist1 if they promote the thing you honestly love most4 ,do not fancy you can properly prepare yourself in a short time to undertake a musical career1 for the path is a long and arduous one4 ,you must never stop studying1 for there is always so much to learn4 ,if ,i have sung a rle a hundred times1 ,i always find places that can be improved2 indeed ,i never sing a rle twice exactly in the same way4 ,so1 from whatever side you consider the singer's work and career1 both are of absorbing interest4 ,another thing2 do not worry1 for that is bad for your voice4 ,if you have not made this tone correctly1 or sung that phrase to suit yourself1 pass it over for the moment with a wave of the hand or a smile2 but don't become discouraged4 ,go right on6 ,i knew a beautiful ,american in ,paris who possessed a lovely voice4 ,but she had a very sensitive nature1 which could not endure hard knocks4 ,she began to worry over little failures and disappointments1 with the result that in three years her voice was quite gone4 ,we must not give way to disappointments1 but conquer them1 and keep right along the path we have started on4 ,,modern ,,music ,modern music requires quite a different handling of the voice and makes entirely different demands upon it than does the older music4 ,the old ,italian operas required little or no action1 only beautiful singing4 ,the opera houses were smaller and so were the orchestras4 ,the singer could stand still in the middle of the stage and pour out beautiful tones1 with few movements of body to mar his serenity4 ,but we1 in these days1 demand action as well as song4 ,we need singing actors and actresses4 ,the music is declamatory2 the singer must throw his whole soul into his part1 must act as well as sing4 ,things are all on a larger scale4 ,it is a far greater strain on the voice to interpret one of the modern ,italian operas than to sing one of those quietly beautiful works of the old school4 ,america's growth in music has been marvelous on the appreciative and interpretive side4 ,with such a musical awakening1 we can look forward to the appearance of great creative genius right here in this country1 perhaps in the near future4 ,why should we not expect it8 ,we have not yet produced a composer who can write enduring operas or symphonies4 ,mac,dowell is our highest type as yet2 but others will come who will carry the standard higher4 ,,voice ,,limitations ,the singer must be willing to admit limitations of voice and style and not attempt parts which do not come within the compass of her attainments4 ,neither is it wise to force the voice up or down when it seems a great effort to do so4 ,we can all think of singers whose natural quality is mezzo--let us say--who try to force the voice up into a higher register4 ,there is one artist of great dramatic gifts1 who not content with the rich quality of her natural organ1 tried to add several high notes to the upper portion4 ,the result was disastrous4 ,again1 some of our young singers who possess beautiful1 sweet voices1 should not force them to the utmost limit of power1 simply to fill1 or try to fill a great space4 ,the life of the voice will be impaired by such injurious practice4 ,,vocal ,,mastery ,what do ,i understand by vocal mastery8 ,it is something very difficult to define4 ,for a thing that is mastered must be really perfect4 ,to master vocal art1 the singer must have so developed his voice that it is under complete control2 then he can do with it whatsoever he wishes4 ,he must be able to produce all he desires of power1 pianissimo1 accent1 shading1 delicacy and variety of color4 ,who is equal to the task8 ,miss ,farrar was silent a moment2 then she said1 answering her own question3 ,i can think of but two people who honestly can be said to possess vocal mastery3 they are ,caruso and ,mc,cormack4 ,those who have only heard the latter do little ,irish tunes1 have no idea of what he is capable4 ,i have heard him sing ,mozart as no one else ,i know of can4 ,these two artists have1 through ceaseless application1 won vocal mastery4 ,it is something we are all striving for6 ,,iii ,,victor ,,maurel ,,mind ,,is ,,everything ,mr4 ,james ,huneker1 in one of his series of articles entitled ,with the ,immortals1 in the ,new ,york ,world1 thus1 in his inimitable way characterizes ,victor ,maurel3 ,i don't suppose there is to be found in musical annals such diversity of aptitudes as that displayed by this ,french baritone4 ,is there an actor on any stage to-day who can portray both the grossness of ,falstaff and the subtlety of ,iago8 ,making allowance for the different art medium that the singing actor must work in1 and despite the larger curves of operatic pose and gesture1 ,maurel kept astonishingly near to the characters he assumed4 ,he was ,shakespearian2 his ,falstaff was the most wonderful ,i ever saw4 ,illustration3 ,,victor ,,maurel ,and then ,iago3 ,in the ,maurel conception1 ,othello's ,ancient was not painted black in black--the heart of darkness1 but with many nuances1 many gradations4 ,he was economical of gesture1 playing on the jealous ,moor as plays a skillfully handled bow upon a finely attuned violin4 ,his was truly an objective characterization4 ,his ,don ,giovanni was broadly designed4 ,he was the aristocrat to the life1 courtly1 brave1 amorous1 intriguing1 cruel1 superstitious and quick to take offense4 ,in his best estate1 the drinking song was sheer virtuosity4 ,suffice to add that ,verdi intrusted to him the task of originating two such widely sundered rles as ,iago and ,falstaff4 ,an extraordinary artist6 ,one evening we were discussing the merits of various famous singers of the past and present4 ,my friend is an authority whose opinion ,i greatly respect4 ,he is not only a singer himself but is rapidly becoming a singing master of renown4 ,after we had conferred for a long time1 my friend summed it all up with the remark3 ,you know who1 in my opinion1 is the greatest1 the dean of them all1 a past master of the art of song--,victor ,maurel4 ,did ,i not know6 ,in times gone by had we not discussed by the hour every phase of ,maurel's mastery of voice and action8 ,did we not together listen to that voice and watch with breathless interest his investiture of ,don ,giovanni1 in the golden days when ,lilli ,lehmann and the ,de ,reszkes took the other parts4 ,was there ever a more elegant courtly ,don1 a greater ,falstaff1 a more intriguing ,iago8 ,in those youthful days1 my friend's greatest ambition was to be able to sing and act like ,maurel4 ,to this end he labored unceasingly4 ,second only to this aim was another--to know the great baritone personally1 to become his friend1 to discuss the finest issues of art with him1 to consult him and have the benefit of his experience4 ,the consummation of this desire has been delayed for years1 but it is one of the all things which will surely come to him who waits4 ,maurel is now once more on ,american soil1 and doubtless intends remaining for a considerable period4 ,my friend is also established in the metropolis4 ,the two have met1 not only once but many times--indeed they have become fast friends4 ,i will take you to him1 promised friend ,jacque1--knowing my desire to meet the grand old man2 but don't ask for too many of his opinions about singers1 as he does not care to be quoted4 ,late one afternoon we arrived at his residence4 ,at the moment he was in his music room1 where1 for the last hour he had been singing ,falstaff6 ,if we could only have been hidden away in some quiet corner to listen6 ,he came running down the stairway with almost the agility of a boy1 coming to meet us with simple dignity and courtesy4 ,after the first greetings were over we begged permission to examine the many paintings which met the eye everywhere4 ,there was a large panel facing us1 representing a tall transparent vase1 holding a careless bunch of summer flowers1 very artistically handled4 ,near it hung an out-of-door sketch1 a garden path leading into the green4 ,other bits of landscape still-life and portraits made up the collection4 ,they had all been painted by the same artist--none other than ,maurel himself4 ,as we examined the flower panel1 he came and stood by us4 ,painting is a great art1 he said2 an art which requires profound study4 ,i have been a close student of this art for many years and love it more and more4 ,m4 ,maurel aims now to express himself through the art of color and form1 as he has always done through voice and gesture1 remarked my friend4 ,art is the highest means of expression1 went on the master1 whether through music1 painting1 sculpture1 architecture or the theater4 ,the effort to express myself through another art-medium1 painting1 has long been a joy to me4 ,i have studied with no teacher but myself1 but ,i have learned from all the great masters2 they have taught me everything4 ,he then led the way to his music room on the floor above4 ,here were more paintings1 many rare pieces of furniture and his piano4 ,a fine portrait of ,verdi1 with an affectionate autograph1 stood on a table2 one of ,ambroise ,thomas1 likewise inscribed1 hung near4 ,a serious man1 almost austere1 said ,maurel1 regarding the portrait of ,verdi thoughtfully1 but one of the greatest masters of all time4 ,praying us to be seated1 he placed himself on an ottoman before us4 ,the talk easily drifted into the subject of the modern operatic stage1 and modern operas of the ,italian school1 in which one is so often tempted to shout rather than sing4 ,the hero of ,mozart's ,don ,giovanni1 who could sing his music as perhaps no one else has ever done1 would not be likely to have much patience with the modern style of explosive vocal utterance4 ,how do you preserve your voice and your repertoire8 ,i questioned4 ,m4 ,maurel gazed before him thoughtfully4 ,it is entirely through the mind that ,i keep both4 ,i know so exactly how to produce tone qualities1 that if ,i recall those sensations which accompany tone production1 ,i can induce them at will4 ,how do we make tones1 sing an aria1 impersonate a rle8 ,is not all done with the mind1 with thought8 ,i must think the tone before ,i produce it--before ,i sing it2 ,i must mentally visualize the character and determine how ,i will represent it1 before ,i attempt it4 ,i must identify myself with the character ,i am to portray before ,i can make it live4 ,does not then all come from thinking--from thought8 ,again3 ,i can think out the character and make a mental picture of it for myself1 but how shall ,i project it for others to see8 ,i have to convince myself first that ,i am that character--,i must identify myself with it2 then ,i must convince those who hear me that ,i am really that character4 ,maurel rose and moved to the center of the room4 ,i am to represent some character--,amonasro1 let us say4 ,i must present the captive ,king1 bound with chains and brought before his captors4 ,i must feel with him1 if ,i am really going to represent him4 ,i must believe myself bound and a prisoner2 then ,i must1 through pose and action1 through expression of face1 gesture1 voice1 everything--,i must make this character real to the audience4 ,and as we looked1 he assumed the pose of the man in chains1 his hands seemed tied1 his body bent1 his expression one in which anger and revenge mingled2 in effect1 he was for the moment ,amonasro4 ,i have only made you see my mental concept of ,amonasro4 ,if ,i have once thoroughly worked out a conception1 made it my own1 then it is mine4 ,i can create it at any moment4 ,if ,i feel well and strong ,i can sing the part now in the same way as ,i have always sung it1 because my thought is the same and thought produces4 ,whether ,i have a little more voice1 or less voice1 what does it matter8 ,i can never lose my conception of a character1 for it is in my mind1 and mind projects it4 ,so there is no reason to lose the voice1 for that also is in mind and can be thought out at will4 ,suppose ,i have an opposite character to portray1--the elegant ,don ,giovanni1 for example2 and drawing himself up and wrapping an imaginary cloak about him1 with the old well-remembered courtly gesture1 his face and manner were instantly transformed at the thought of his favorite character4 ,he turned and smiled on us1 his strong features lighted1 and his whole appearance expressed the embodiment of ,mozart's hero4 ,you see ,i must have lived1 so to say1 in these characters and made them my own1 or ,i could not recall them at a moment's notice4 ,all impersonation1 to be artistic1 to be vital1 must be a part of one's self2 one must get into the character4 ,when ,i sing ,iago ,i am no longer myself--,i am another person altogether2 self is quite forgotten2 ,i am ,iago1 for the time being4 ,in ,paris1 at the ,sorbonne1 ,i gave a series of lectures2 the first was on this very subject1 the identification of one's self with the character to be portrayed4 ,the large audience of about fifteen hundred1 contained some of the most famous among artists and men of letters2 and ,maurel1 with hands clasped about his knee1 gazed before him into space1 and we knew he was picturing in mental vision1 the scene at the ,sorbonne1 which he had just recalled4 ,after a moment1 he resumed4 ,the singer1 though trying to act out the character he assumes1 must not forget to sing4 ,the combination of fine singing and fine acting is rare4 ,nowadays people think if they can act1 that atones for inartistic singing2 then they yield to the temptation to shout1 to make harsh tones1 simply for effect4 ,and the famous baritone caricatured some of the sounds he had recently heard at an operatic performance with such gusto1 that a member of the household came running in from an adjoining room1 thinking there must have been an accident and the master of the house was calling for help4 ,he hastily assured her all was well--no one was hurt2 then we all had a hearty laugh over the little incident4 ,and now we begged to be allowed to visit the atelier1 where the versatile artist worked out his pictures4 ,he protested that it was in disorder1 that he would not dare to take us up1 and so on4 ,after a little he yielded to persuasion1 saying1 however1 he would go up first and arrange the room a little4 ,as soon as he had left us my friend turned to me3 ,what a remarkable man6 ,so strong and vigorous1 in spite of his advanced age4 ,no doubt he travels those stairs twenty times a day4 ,he is as alert as a young man2 doubtless he still has his voice1 as he says4 ,and what a career he has had4 ,you know he was a friend of ,edward the ,seventh2 they once lived together4 ,then he and ,verdi were close friends2 he helped coach singers for ,verdi's operas4 ,he says it was a wonderful experience1 when the composer sat down at the piano1 put his hands on the keys and showed the singers how he wanted his music sung6 ,early in his career ,maurel sang in ,verdi's opera1 ,simone ,boccanegra1 which one never hears now1 but it has a fine baritone part1 and a couple of very dramatic scenes1 especially the final scene at the close4 ,this is the death scene4 ,maurel had sung and acted so wonderfully on a certain occasion that all the singers about him were in tears4 ,verdi was present at this performance and was deeply moved by ,maurel's singing and acting4 ,he came upon the stage when all was over1 and exclaimed1 in a voice trembling with emotion3 ',you have created the rle just as ,i would have it2 ,i shall write an opera especially for you6' ,this he did2 it was ,othello1 and the ,iago was composed for ,maurel4 ,in his later years1 when he seldom left his home1 the aged composer several times expressed the wish that he might go to ,paris1 just to hear ,maurel sing once more4 ,it is very interesting that he was led to speak to us as he did just now1 about mental control1 and the part played by mind in the singer's study1 equipment and career4 ,it is a side of the question which every young singer must seriously consider1 first1 last and always4 ,but here he comes4 ,again protesting about the appearance of his simple studio1 the master led the way up the stairways till we reached the top of the house1 where a north-lighted room had been turned into a painter's atelier4 ,with mingled feelings we stepped within this modest den of a great artist1 which held his treasures4 ,these were never shown to the casual observer1 nor to the merely curious2 they were reserved for the trusted few4 ,the walls were lined with sketches2 heads1 still life1 landscapes1 all subjects alike interested the painter4 ,a rugged bust of ,verdi1 over life size1 modeled in plaster1 stood in one corner4 ,on an easel rested a spirited portrait of ,maurel1 done by himself4 ,my friends tell me ,i should have a larger studio1 with better light2 but ,i am content with this1 for here is quiet and here ,i can be alone1 free to commune with myself4 ,here ,i can study my art undisturbed1--for ,art is my religion4 ,if people ask if ,i go to church1 ,i say ,no1 but ,i worship the immortality which is within1 which ,i feel in my soul1 the reflection of the ,almighty6 ,in quiet mood a little later we descended the white stairway and passed along the corridors of this house1 which looks so foreign to ,american eyes1 and has the atmosphere of a ,paris home4 ,the artist accompanied us to the street door and bade us farewell1 in his kindly dignified manner4 ,as the door closed and we were in the street1 my friend said3 ,a wonderful man and a rare artist4 ,where shall we find his like to-day8 ,,iv ,a ,,visit ,,to ,,mme4 ,,lilli ,,lehmann ,a number of years before the great war1 a party of us were spending a few weeks in ,berlin4 ,it was midsummer2 the city1 filled as it was for one of us at least1 with dear memories of student days1 was in most alluring mood4 ,flowers bloomed along every balcony1 vines festooned themselves from windows and doorways1 as well as from many unexpected corners4 ,the parks1 large and small1 which are the delight of a great city1 were at their best and greenest--gay with color4 ,many profitable hours were spent wandering through the galleries and museums1 hearing concerts and opera1 and visiting the old quarters of the city1 so picturesque and full of memories4 ,two of us1 who were musicians1 were anxious to meet the famous dramatic soprano1 ,lilli ,lehmann1 who was living quietly in one of the suburbs of the city4 ,notes were exchanged1 and on a certain day we were bidden to come1 out of the regular hours for visitors1 by special exception4 ,how well ,i remember the drive through the newer residential section of ,berlin4 ,the path before long led us through country estates1 past beautifully kept gardens and orchards4 ,our destination was the little suburb of ,gruenewald1 itself like a big garden1 with villas nestling close to each other1 usually set back from the quiet1 shaded streets4 ,some of the villas had iron gratings along the pathway1 through which one saw gay flowers and garden walks1 often statuary and fountains4 ,other homes were secluded from the street by high brick walls1 frequently decorated on top by urns holding flowers and drooping vines4 ,behind such a picturesque barrier1 we found the gateway which led to ,mme4 ,lehmann's cottage4 ,we rang and soon a trim maid came to undo the iron gate4 ,the few steps leading to the house door did not face us as we entered the inclosure1 but led up from the side4 ,we wanted to linger and admire the shrubs and flowering plants1 but the maid hastened before us so we had to follow4 ,from the wide entrance hall doors led into rooms on either hand4 ,we were shown into a salon on the left1 and bidden to await ,madame's coming4 ,in the few moments of restful quiet before she entered1 we had time to glance over this sanctum of a great artist4 ,to say it was filled with mementos and objets d'art hardly expresses the sense of repleteness4 ,every square foot was occupied by some treasure4 ,let the eye travel around the room4 ,at the left1 as one entered the doorway1 stood a fine bust of the artist1 chiseled in pure white marble1 supported on a pedestal of black marble4 ,then came three long1 ,french windows1 opening into a green garden4 ,across the farther window stood a grand piano1 loaded with music4 ,at the further end of the room1 if memory serves1 hung a large1 full length portrait of the artist herself4 ,a writing desk1 laden with souvenirs1 stood near4 ,on the opposite side a divan covered with rich brocade2 more paintings on the walls1 one very large landscape by a celebrated ,german painter4 ,before we could note further details1 ,mme4 ,lehmann stood in the doorway1 then came forward and greeted us cordially4 ,how often ,i had seen her impersonate her great rles1 both in ,germany and ,america4 ,they were always of some queenly character4 ,could it be possible this was the famous ,lehmann1 this simple housewife1 in black skirt and white blouse1 with a little apron as badge of home keeping4 ,but there was the stately tread1 the grand manner1 the graceful movement4 ,what mattered if the silver hair were drawn back severely from the face2 there was the dignity of expression1 classic features1 penetrating glance and mobile mouth ,i remembered4 ,after chatting a short time and asking many questions about ,america1 where her experiences had been so pleasant1 our talk was interrupted1 for a little1 by a voice trial1 which ,madame had agreed to give4 ,many young singers1 from everywhere1 were anxious to have expert judgment on their progress or attainments1 so ,lehmann was often appealed to and gave frequent auditions of this kind4 ,the fee was considerable1 but she never kept a penny of it for herself2 it all went to one of her favorite charities4 ,the young girl who on this day presented herself for the ordeal was an ,american1 who1 it seemed1 had not carried her studies very far4 ,,examining ,a ,,pupil ,mme4 ,lehmann seated herself at the piano and asked for scales and vocalizes4 ,the young girl1 either from fright or poor training1 did not make a very fortunate impression4 ,she could not seem to bring out a single pure steady tone1 much less sing scales acceptably4 ,madame with a resigned look finally asked for a song1 which was given4 ,it was a little song of ,franz1 ,i remember4 ,then ,lehmann wheeled around on the stool and said to us1 in ,german3 ,the girl cannot sing--she has little or no voice to begin with1 and has not been rightly trained4 ,then to the young girl she said1 kindly1 in ,english3 ,my dear young lady1 you have almost everything to learn about singing1 for as yet you cannot even sing one tone correctly2 you cannot even speak correctly4 ,first of all you need physical development2 you must broaden your chest through breathing exercises2 you are too thin chested4 ,you must become physically stronger if you ever hope to sing acceptably4 ,then you must study diction and languages4 ,this is absolutely necessary for the singer4 ,above all you must know how to pronounce and sing in your own language4 ,so many do not think it necessary to study their own language2 they think they know that already2 but one's mother tongue requires study as well as any other language4 ,the trouble with ,american girls is they are always in a hurry4 ,they are not content to sit down quietly and study till they have developed themselves into something before they ever think of coming to ,europe4 ,they think if they can just come over here and sing for an artist1 that fact alone will give them prestige in ,america4 ,but that gives them quite the opposite reputation over here4 ,american girls are too often looked upon as superficial1 because they come over here quite unprepared4 ,i say to all of them1 as ,i say to you3 ,go home and study2 there are plenty of good teachers of voice and piano in your own land4 ,then1 when you can sing1 come over here1 if you wish2 but do not come until you are prepared4 ,after this little episode1 we continued our talk for a while longer4 ,then1 fearing to trespass on her time1 we rose to leave4 ,she came to the door with us1 followed us down the steps into the front garden1 and held the gate open for us1 when we finally left4 ,we had already expressed the hope that she might be able to return to ,america1 at no very distant day1 and repeat her former triumphs there4 ,her fine face lighted at the thought1 and her last words to us were1 as she held open the little iron wicket4 ,i have a great desire to go to your country again2 perhaps1 in a year or two--who knows--,i may be able to do it4 ,she stood there1 a noble1 commanding figure1 framed in the green of her garden1 and waved her handkerchief1 till our cab turned a corner1 and she was lost to our view4 ,,the ,,mozart ,,festival ,several years later1 a year before the world war started1 to be exact1 we had the pleasure of meeting the artist again1 and this time1 of hearing her sing4 ,it was the occasion of the ,mozart ,festival in ,salzburg4 ,it is well known that ,lehmann1 devoted as she has always been to the genius of ,mozart1 and one of the greatest interpreters of his music1 had thrown her whole energy into the founding of a suitable memorial to the master in his native city4 ,this memorial was to consist of a large music school1 a concert hall and home for opera4 ,the ,mozarteum was not yet completed1 but a ,festival was held each year in ,salzburg1 to aid the project4 ,madame ,lehmann was always present and sang on these occasions4 ,we timed our visit to ,mozart's birthplace1 so that we should be able to attend the ,festival1 which lasted as usual five days4 ,the concerts were held in the ,aula ,academica1 a fine ,saal in the old picturesque quarter of the city4 ,at the opening concert1 ,lehmann sang a long1 difficult ,concert ,aria of ,mozart4 ,we could not help wondering1 before she began1 how time had treated this great organ2 whether we should be able to recognize the famous ,lehmann who had formerly taken such high rank as singer and interpreter in ,america4 ,we need not have feared that the voice had become impaired4 ,or1 if it had been1 it had become rejuvenated on this occasion4 ,mme4 ,lehmann sang with all her well-remembered power and fervor1 all her exaltation of spirit1 and of course she had a great ovation at the close4 ,she looked like a queen in ivory satin and rare old lace1 with jewels on neck1 arms and in her silver hair4 ,in the auditorium1 three arm chairs had been placed in front of the platform4 ,the ,arch-duke1 ,prince ,eugen1 the royal patron of the ,festival1 occupied one4 ,when ,madame ,lehmann had finished her ,aria1 she stepped down from the platform4 ,the ,prince rose at once and went to meet her4 ,she gave him her hand with a graceful curtesy and he led her to the armchair next his own1 which had evidently been placed in position for her special use4 ,at the close of the concert we had a brief chat with her4 ,the next day she was present at the morning concert4 ,this time she was gowned in black1 with an ermine cape thrown over her shoulders4 ,the ,arch-duke sat beside her in the arm chair1 as he had done the evening before4 ,we had a bow and smile as she passed down the aisle4 ,we trust the ,mozarteum in ,salzburg1 for which ,mme4 ,lehmann has labored with such devotion1 will one day fulfill its noble mission4 ,,lehmann ,,the ,,teacher ,as a teacher of the art of singing ,madame ,lehmann has long been a recognized authority1 and many artists now actively before the public1 have come from under her capable hands4 ,her book1 ,how to ,sing1--rendered in ,english by ,richard ,aldrich--7,macmillan7 has illumined the path1 for many a serious student who seeks light on that strange1 wonderful1 hidden instrument--the voice4 ,madame ,lehmann1 by means of many explanations and numerous plates1 endeavors to make clear to the young student how to begin and how to proceed in her vocal studies4 ,,breathing ,on the important subject of breathing she says3 ,no one can sing without preparing for it mentally and physically4 ,it is not enough to sing well1 one must know how one does it4 ,i practice many breathing exercises without using tone4 ,breath becomes voice through effort of will and by use of vocal organs4 ,when singing emit the smallest quantity of breath4 ,vocal chords are breath regulators2 relieve them of all overwork4 ,at the start a young voice should be taught to begin in the middle and work both ways--that is1 up and down4 ,a tone should never be forced4 ,begin piano1 make a long crescendo and return to piano4 ,another exercise employs two connecting half tones1 using one or two vowels4 ,during practice stand before a mirror1 that one may see what one is doing4 ,practice about one hour daily4 ,better that amount each day than ten hours one day and none the next4 ,the test will be2 do you feel rested and ready for work each morning8 ,if not you have done too much the day before4 ,,registers ,in regard to registers ,madame ,lehmann has this to say3 ,in the formation of the voice no registers should exist or be created4 ,as long as the word is kept in use1 registers will not disappear4 ,,physiology ,in spite of the fact there are many drawings and plates illustrating the various organs of head and throat which are used in singing1 ,madame ,lehmann says3 ,the singer is often worried about questions of physiology1 whereas she need--must--know little about it4 ,,the ,,nasal ,,quality ,the singer must have some nasal quality1 otherwise the voice sounds colorless and expressionless4 ,we must sing toward the nose3 7not necessarily through the nose74 ,for many ills of the voice and tone production1 ,i use long1 slow scales4 ,they are an infallible cure4 ,,use ,,of ,,the ,,lips ,the lips play a large part in producing variety of tone quality4 ,each vowel1 every word can be colored1 as by magic1 by well controlled play of the lips4 ,when lips are stiff and unresponsive1 the singing is colorless4 ,lips are final resonators1 through which tones must pass1 and lip movements can be varied in every conceivable manner4 ,,power ,,and ,,velocity ,she humorously writes3 ,singers without power and velocity are like horses without tails4 ,for velocity1 practice figures of five1 six1 seven and eight notes1 first slowly1 then faster and faster1 up and down4 ,v ,,amelita ,,galli-,,curci ,,self-,,teaching ,,the ,,great ,,essential ,no singer can rise to any distinction without the severest kind of self-discipline and hard work4 ,this is the testimony of all the great vocalists of our time--of any time4 ,this is the message they send back from the mountain top of victory to the younger ones who are striving to acquire the mastery they have achieved4 ,work1 work and again--work6 ,and if you have gained even a slight foothold on the hill of fame1 then work to keep your place4 ,above all1 be not satisfied with your present progress1--strive for more perfection4 ,there are heights you have not gained--higher up6 ,there are joys for you--higher up1 if you will but labor to reach them4 ,illustration3 ,photo by ,de ,strelecki1 ,n4,y4 ,,amelita ,,galli-,,curci ,perhaps there is no singer who more thoroughly believes in the gospel of work1 and surely not one who more consistently practices what she preaches1 than ,amelita ,galli-,curci4 ,she knows the value of work1 and she loves it for its own sake4 ,there is no long cessation for her1 during summer months1 to rest her voice4 ,there is no half-day seclusion after a performance1 to recover from the fatigue of singing a rle the night before4 ,no1 for her this event does not spell exhaustion but happiness1 exhilaration4 ,it is a pleasure to sing because it is not wearisome--it is a part of herself4 ,and she enjoys the doing6 ,thus it happens that the morning after a performance1 she is up and abroad betimes1 ready to attend personally to the many calls upon her time and attention4 ,she can use her speaking voice without fear1 because she has never done anything to strain it2 she is usually strong and well1 buoyant and bright4 ,those soft1 dark eyes are wells of intelligent thinking2 the mouth smiles engagingly as she speaks2 the slight figure is full of life and energy4 ,yet there is a deep sense of calm in her presence4 ,a brave1 bright spirit2 a great1 wonderful artist6 ,these thoughts faintly glimpse my first impression of ,mme4 ,galli-,curci1 as she entered her big1 sunny parlor1 where ,i was waiting to see her4 ,her delicate1 oval face was aglow with the flush of healthful exercise1 for she had just come in from a shopping expedition and the wintry air was keen4 ,i love to go shopping1 she explained1 so ,i always do it myself4 ,she bade me sit beside her on a comfortable divan1 and at once began to speak of the things ,i most wished to hear4 ,i am often asked1 she began1 to describe how ,i create this or that effect1 how ,i produce such and such tones1 how ,i make the voice float to the farthest corner1 and so on4 ,i answer1 that is my secret4 ,in reality it is no secret at all1 at least not to any one who has solved the problem4 ,any one possessing a voice and intelligence1 can acquire these things1 who knows how to go to work to get them4 ,but if one has no notion of the process1 no amount of mere talking will make it plain4 ,singing an opera rle seems such an easy thing from the other side of the footlights4 ,people seem to think1 if you only know how to sing1 it is perfectly natural and easy for you to impersonate a great lyric rle4 ,and the more mastery you have1 the easier they think it is to do it4 ,the real truth of the matter is that it requires years and years of study--constant study1 to learn how to sing1 before attempting a big part in opera4 ,there are so many organs of the body that are concerned in the process of breathing and tone production2 and most of these organs must be1 if not always1 yet much of the time1 relaxed and in an easy pliable condition when you sing4 ,there is the diaphragm--then the throat1 larynx1 the lungs1 nose1 lips--all of them help to make the tone4 ,perhaps ,i might say the larynx is the most important factor of all4 ,if you can manage that1 you have the secret4 ,but no human being can tell you exactly how to do it4 ,some singers before the public to-day have no notion of how to manage this portion of their anatomy4 ,others may do so occasionally1 but it may only be by accident4 ,they sometimes stumble upon the principle1 but not understanding how they did so1 they cannot reproduce the desired effects at will4 ,the singer who understands her business must know just how she produces tones and vocal effects4 ,she can then do them at all times1 under adverse circumstances1 even when nervous1 or not in the mood1 or indisposed4 ,,self-,,study ,how did ,i learn to know these things8 ,by constant study1 by constant listening--for ,i have very keen ears--by learning the sensations produced in throat and larynx when ,i made tones that were correctly placed1 were pleasing and at the same time made the effects ,i was seeking4 ,milan is my home city--beautiful ,milano under the blue ,italian skies1 the bluest in the world4 ,as a young girl1 the daughter of well-to-do parents1 ,i studied piano at the ,royal ,conservatory there1 and also musical theory and counterpoint4 ,i shall ever be grateful ,i started in this way1 with a thorough musical foundation1 for it has always been of great advantage to me in further study4 ,when my father met with reverses1 ,i made good use of my pianistic training by giving piano lessons and making a very fair income for a young girl4 ,but ,i longed to sing6 ,is it not the birthright of every ,italian to have a voice8 ,i began to realize ,i had a voice which might be cultivated4 ,i had always sung a little--every one does2 song is the natural1 spontaneous expression of our people4 ,but ,i wished to do more--to express myself in song4 ,so ,i began to teach myself by singing scales and vocalizes between my piano lessons4 ,meanwhile ,i studied all the books on singing ,i could lay hands on1 and then tried to put the principles ,i learned in this way in practice4 ,in trying to do this ,i had to find out everything for myself4 ,and that is why ,i know them6 ,i know exactly what ,i am about when ,i sing1 ,i know what muscles are being used1 and in what condition they ought to be2 what parts of the anatomy are called into action and why4 ,nature has given me two great gifts1 a voice and good health2 for both these gifts ,i am deeply grateful4 ,the first ,i have developed through arduous toil2 the second ,i endeavor to preserve through careful living1 regular hours and plenty of exercise in the fresh air4 ,i have developed the voice and trained it in the way that seemed to me best for it4 ,there are as many kinds of voices as there are persons2 it seems to me each voice should be treated in the way best suited to its possessor4 ,how can any other person tell you how that should be done8 ,and the singer gave me a bright look1 and made a pretty deprecating gesture4 ,you yourself must have the intelligence to understand your own case and learn how to treat it4 ,,never ,,strain ,,the ,,voice ,a singer who would keep her voice in the best condition1 should constantly and reasonably exercise it4 ,i always do a half hour or so of exercises1 vocalizes and scales every morning2 these are never neglected4 ,but ,i never do anything to strain the voice in any way4 ,we are told many fallacies by vocal teachers4 ,one is that the diaphragm must be held firmly in order to give support to the tone4 ,it seems to me this is a serious mistake4 ,i keep the diaphragm relaxed4 ,thus tone production1 in my case1 is made at all times with ease2 there is never any strain4 ,you ask if it is not very fatiguing to sing against a large orchestra1 as we have to1 and with a temperamental conductor1 like ,marinuzzi1 for instance1 ,i do not find it so2 there is a pure1 clear tone1 which by its quality1 placement and ease of production1 will carry farther than mere power ever can4 ,it can be heard above a great orchestra1 and it gets over4 ,,use ,,of ,,the ,,vowels ,young singers ask me what vowels to use in vocal practice4 ,in my own study ,i use them all4 ,of course some are more valuable than others4 ,the ,o is good1 the ,e needs great care2 the ,ah is the most difficult of all4 ,i am aware this is contrary to the general idea4 ,but ,i maintain that the ,ah is most difficult2 for if you overdo it and the lips are too wide apart1 the result is a white tone4 ,and on the other hand1 if the lips are nearer--or too near together1 or are not managed rightly1 stiffness or a throaty quality is apt to result2 then the tone cannot 'float4' ,i have found the best way is to use the mixed vowels1 one melting into the other4 ,the tone can be started with each vowel in turn1 and then mingled with the rest of the vowels4 ,do you know1 the feathered songster ,i love best--the nightingale--uses the mixed vowels too4 ,ah1 how much ,i have learned from him and from other birds also6 ,some of them have harsh tones--real quacks--because they open their bills too far1 or in a special way4 ,but the nightingale has such a lovely dark tone1 a 'covered tone1' which goes to the heart4 ,it has the most exquisite quality in the world4 ,i have learned much from the birds1 about what not to do and what to do4 ,,memorizing ,in taking up a new rle ,i begin with the story1 the libretto1 so ,i may first learn what it is about1 its meaning and psychology4 ,i take it to bed with me1 or have it by me if lying down1 because ,i understand musical composition and can get a clear idea of the composer's meaning without going to the instrument4 ,after a short time ,i begin to work it out at the piano1 in detail1 words and music together4 ,for a great rle like the ,somnambula or ,traviata1 ,i must spend three or four years1 perhaps more1 in preparation1 before bringing it to public performance4 ,it takes a long time to master thoroughly an operatic rle1 to work it out from all sides1 the singing1 the acting1 the characterization4 ,to the lay mind1 if you can sing1 you can easily act a part and also memorize it4 ,they little know the labor which must be bestowed on that same rle before it can be presented in such a shape as to be adequate1 in a way that will get it across4 ,it does not go in a few weeks or even months2 it is the work of years4 ,and even then it is never really finished1 for it can always be improved with more study1 with more care and thought4 ,,the ,,necessity ,,for ,,languages ,we hear much about need for study of languages by the singer1 and indeed too much stress cannot be placed on this branch of the work4 ,i realize that in ,america it is perhaps more difficult to impress people with this necessity1 as they have not the same need to use other languages in every day life4 ,the singer can always be considered fortunate who has been brought up from earliest years to more than one language4 ,my mother was ,spanish1 my father ,italian1 so this gave me both languages at home4 ,then in school ,i learned ,french1 ,german and ,english1 not only a little smattering of each1 but how to write and speak them4 ,you certainly have mastered ,english remarkably well1 ,i could not help remarking1 for she was speaking with great fluency1 and with hardly any accent4 ,this seemed to please her1 for she gave me one of those flashing smiles4 ,,coloratura ,,and ,,dramatic ,would you be pleased1 ,i asked1 if later on your voice should develop into a dramatic soprano8 ,mme4 ,galli-,curci thought an instant4 ,no1 she said1 ,i think ,i would rather keep the voice ,i have4 ,i heartily admire the dramatic voice and the rles it can sing4 ,raisa's voice is for me the most beautiful ,i know4 ,but after all ,i think1 for myself1 ,i prefer the lyric and coloratura parts1 they are so beautiful4 ,the old ,italian composers knew well how to write for the voice4 ,their music has beauty1 it has melody1 and melodic beauty will always make its appeal4 ,and the older ,italian music is built up not only of melody and fioriture1 but is also dramatic4 ,for these qualities can combine1 and do so in the last act of ,traviata1 which is so full of deep feeling and pathos4 ,,breath ,,control ,perhaps1 in ,vocal ,mastery1 the greatest factor of all is the breathing4 ,to control the breath is what each student is striving to learn1 what every singer endeavors to perfect1 what every artist should master4 ,it is an almost endless study and an individual one1 because each organism and mentality is different4 ,here1 as in everything else1 perfect ease and naturalness are to be maintained1 if the divine song which is the singer's concept of beauty1 is to be 'floated on the breath1' and its merest whisper heard to the farthest corner of the gallery4 ,,the ,,matter ,,in ,a ,,nutshell ,to sum up then1 the three requirements of vocal mastery are3 a1 ,management of the ,larynx2 b1 ,relaxation of the ,diaphragm2 c1 ,control of the ,breath4 ,to these might be added a fourth2 ,mixed ,vowels4 ,but when all these are mastered1 what then8 ,ah1 so much more it can never be put into words4 ,it is self-expression through the medium of tone1 for tone must always be a vital part of the singer's individuality1 colored by feeling and emotion4 ,tone is the outlet1 the expression of all one has felt1 suffered and enjoyed4 ,to perfect one's own instrument1 one's medium of expression1 must always be the singer's joy and satisfaction4 ,and you will surely rest when the arduous season is over8 ,yes1 ,i will rest when the summer comes1 and will return to ,italy this year4 ,but even though ,i seem to rest1 ,i never neglect my vocal practice2 that duty and pleasure is always performed4 ,and with a charming smile and clasp of the hand1 she said adieu4 ,,vi ,,giuseppe ,,de ,,luca ,,ceaseless ,,effort ,,necessary ,,for ,,artistic ,,perfection ,a ,roman of ,rome is what ,mr4 ,giuseppe ,de ,luca has been named4 ,the very words themselves call up all kinds of enchanting pictures4 ,sunny ,italy is the natural home of beautiful voices3 they are her birthright4 ,her blue sky1 flowers and olive trees--her old palaces1 hoary with age and romantic story1 her fountains and marbles1 her wonderful treasures of art1 set her in a world apart1 in the popular mind4 ,everything coming from ,italy has the right to be romantic and artistic4 ,if it happens to be a voice1 it should of necessity be beautiful in quality1 rich1 smooth1 and well trained4 ,illustration3 ,to ,mrs4 ,harriette ,brower cordially ,giuseppe ,de ,luca ,while all singers who come from the sunny land cannot boast all these qualifications1 ,mr4 ,de ,luca1 baritone of the ,metropolitan ,opera ,house1 ,new ,york1 can do so4 ,gifted with a naturally fine organ1 he has cultivated it arduously and to excellent purpose4 ,he began to study in early youth1 became a student of ,saint ,cecilia in ,rome when fifteen years of age1 and made his dbut at about twenty4 ,he has sung in opera ever since4 ,in #aiae1--,november #beth to be exact--,de ,luca came to the ,metropolitan1 and won instant recognition from critics and public alike4 ,it is said of him that he earned this success by earnest and intelligent work4 ,painstaking to a degree1 there is no detail of his art that he neglects or slights--so that one hesitates to decide whether he is greater as a singer or as an actor4 ,perhaps1 however1 his most important quality is his mastery of bel canto--pure singing--that art which seems to become constantly rarer on the operatic and concert stage4 ,de ,luca does such beautiful1 finished work2 every detail is carefully thought out until it is as perfect as can be4 ,so remarked a member of the ,metropolitan1 and a fellow artist4 ,those who have listened to the ,roman baritone in the various rles he has assumed1 have enjoyed his fine voice1 his true bel canto style1 and his versatile dramatic skill4 ,he has never disappointed his public1 and more than this1 is ever ready to step into the breach should necessity arise4 ,a man who has at least a hundred and twenty operas at his tongue's end1 who has been singing in the greatest opera houses of the world for more than twenty years1 will surely have much to tell which can help those who are farther down the line4 ,if he is willing to do so1 can speak the vernacular1 and can spare a brief hour from the rush of constant study and engagement1 a conference will be possible4 ,it was possible1 for time was made for it4 ,,the ,,musical ,,gift ,mr4 ,de ,luca1 who speaks the ,english language remarkably well1 greeted the writer with easy courtesy4 ,his genial manner makes one feel at home immediately4 ,although he had just come from the ,opera ,house1 where he had sung an important rle1 he seemed as fresh and rested as though nothing had happened4 ,i think the ability to act1 and also1 in a measure1 to sing1 is a gift1 began the artist4 ,i remember1 even as a little child1 ,i was always acting out in pantomime or mimicry what ,i had seen and felt4 ,if ,i was taken to the theater1 ,i would come home1 place a chair for audience1 and act out the whole story ,i had just seen before it4 ,from my youngest years ,i always wanted to sing and act4 ,a ,,remarkable ,,teacher ,as early as ,i could1 at about the age of fifteen1 ,i began to study singing1 with a most excellent teacher2 who was none other than ,signor ,wenceslao ,persischini1 who is now no longer living4 ,he trained no fewer than seventy-four artists1 of which ,i was the last4 ,battestini1 that wonderful singer1 whose voice to-day1 at the age of sixty-five1 is as remarkable as ever1 is one of his pupils4 ,we know that if a vocal teacher sings himself1 and has faults1 his pupils are bound to copy those faults instinctively and unconsciously4 ,with ,persischini this could not be the case2 for1 owing to some throat trouble1 he was not able to sing at all4 ,he could only whisper the tones he wanted1 accompanying them with signs and facial grimaces4 ,and ,mr4 ,de ,luca illustrated these points in most amusing fashion4 ,then he continued3 ,but he had unerring judgment1 together with the finest ear4 ,he knew perfectly how the tone should be sung and the student was obliged to do it exactly right and must keep at it till it was right4 ,he would let nothing faulty pass without correction4 ,i also had lessons in acting from ,madame ,marini1 a very good teacher of the art4 ,,the ,,artist ,,life ,after five years of hard study ,i made my dbut at ,piacenza1 as ,valentine1 in ,faust1 ,november #fth1 #ahig4 ,then1 you may remember1 ,i came to the ,metropolitan in the season of #aiae-aiaf1 where ,i have been singing continually ever since4 ,the artist should have good health1 that he may be always able to sing4 ,he owes this to his public1 to be always ready1 never to disappoint4 ,i think ,i have never disappointed an audience and have always been in good voice4 ,it seems to me when one is no longer able to do one's best it is time to stop singing4 ,it is because you study constantly and systematically that you are always in good voice4 ,yes1 ,i am always at work4 ,i rise at eight in the morning1 not later4 ,vocalizes are never neglected4 ,i often sing them as ,i take my bath4 ,some singers do not see the necessity of doing exercises every day2 ,i am not one of those4 ,i always sing my scales1 first with full power1 then taking each tone softly1 swelling to full strength1 then dying away--in mezza voce4 ,i use many other exercises also--employing full power4 ,english is also one of the daily studies1 with lessons three times a week4 ,,constantly ,,on ,,the ,,watch ,when singing a rle1 ,i am always listening--watching--to be conscious of just what ,i am doing4 ,i am always criticizing myself4 ,if a tone or a phrase does not sound quite correct to me as to placement1 or production1 ,i try to correct the fault at once4 ,i can tell just how ,i am singing a tone or phrase by the feeling and sensation4 ,of course ,i cannot hear the full effect2 no singer ever can actually hear the effect of his work1 except on the records4 ,there he can learn1 for the first time1 just how his voice sounds4 ,,learning ,a ,,new ,r,,le ,how do ,i begin a new part8 ,i first read over the words and try to get a general idea of their meaning1 and how ,i would express the ideas4 ,i try over the arias and get an idea of those4 ,then comes the real work--the memorizing and working out the conception4 ,i first commit the words1 and know them so well ,i can write them out4 ,next ,i join them to the music4 ,so far ,i have worked by myself4 ,after this much has been done1 ,i call in the accompanist1 as ,i do not play the piano very well2 that is to say1 my right hand will go but the left lags behind6 ,,always ,,being ,,sure ,,of ,,the ,,words ,yes1 as you say1 it requires constant study to keep the various rles in review1 especially at the ,metropolitan1 where the operas are changed from day to day4 ,of course at performance the prompter is always there to give the cue--yet the words must always be in mind4 ,i have never yet forgotten a word or phrase4 ,on one occasion--it was in the ,damnation of ,faust1 a part ,i had already sung a number of times--,i thought of a word that was coming1 and seemed utterly unable to remember it4 ,i grew quite cold with fear--,i am inclined to be a little nervous anyway--but it was quite impossible to think of the word4 ,luckily at the moment when ,i needed the word ,i was so fearful about1 it suddenly came to me4 ,,natural ,,anxiety ,of course there is always anxiety for the artist with every public appearance4 ,there is so much responsibility--one must always be at one's best2 and the responsibility increases as one advances1 and begins to realize more and more keenly how much is expected and what depends on one's efforts4 ,i can assure you we all feel this1 from the least to the greatest4 ,the most famous singers perhaps suffer most keenly4 ,i have always sung in ,italian opera1 in which the language is easy for me4 ,latterly ,i have added ,french operas to my list4 ,samson and ,delilah1 which ,i had always done in ,italian1 ,i had to relearn in ,french2 this for me was very difficult4 ,i worked a long time on it1 but mastered it at last4 ,this is my twenty-second season in opera4 ,i have a repertoire of about one hundred and twenty rles1 in most of which ,i have sung many times in ,italy4 ,some ,i wish might be brought out at the ,metropolitan4 ,verdi's ,don ,carlos1 for instance1 has a beautiful baritone part2 it is really one of the fine operas1 though it might be considered a bit old-fashioned to-day4 ,still ,i think it would be a success here4 ,i am preparing several new parts for this season2 one of them is the ,tschaikowsky work--,eugene ,onegin4 ,so you see ,i am constantly at work4 ,my favorite operas8 ,i think they are these2 and ,mr4 ,de ,luca hastily jotted down the following3 ,don ,carlos1 ,don ,giovanni1 ,hamlet1 ,rigoletto1 ,barbier1 ,damnation of ,faust1 and last1 but not least1 ,tannhauser4 ,,growth ,,of ,,musical ,,appreciation ,,in ,,america ,asked if he considered appreciation for music had advanced during his residence in ,america1 his answer was emphatically in the affirmative4 ,the other evening ,i attended a reception of representative ,american society1 among whom were many frequenters of the ,metropolitan4 ,many of them spoke to me of the opera ,marouf4 ,i was surprised1 for this modern ,french opera belongs to the new idiom1 and is difficult to understand4 ',do you really like the music of ,marouf8' ,i asked4 ',oh1 yes indeed1' every one said4 ,it is one of my longest parts1 but not one of my special favorites4 ,in the summer6 ,ah1 ,i go back to my beloved ,italy almost as soon as the ,metropolitan season closes4 ,i could sing in ,buenos ,aires1 as the season there follows the one here4 ,but ,i prefer to rest the whole time until ,i return4 ,i feel the singer needs a period of rest each year4 ,to show you how necessary it is for the singer to do daily work on the voice1 ,i almost feel ,i cannot sing at all during the summer1 as ,i do no practicing1 and without vocalizes one cannot keep in trim4 ,if ,i am asked to sing during vacation1 ,i generally refuse4 ,i tell them ,i cannot sing1 for ,i do not practice4 ,it takes me a little while after ,i return1 to get the vocal apparatus in shape again4 ,thus it means constant study1 eternal vigilance to attain the goal1 then to hold what you have attained and advance beyond it if possible4 ,,vii ,,luisa ,,tetrazzini ,,the ,,coloratura ,,voice ,luisa ,tetrazzini has been called the greatest exponent of coloratura singing that we have at the present time4 ,her phenomenal successes in various quarters of the globe1 where she has been heard in both opera and concert1 are well known1 and form pages of musical history1 full of interest4 ,this remarkable voice1 of exquisite quality and development1 is another proof that we have as beautiful voices to-day1 if we will but realize the fact1 as were ever known or heard of in the days of famous ,italian songsters4 ,illustration3 ,,louisa ,,tetrazzini ,portraits often belie the artist1 by accentuating1 unduly1 some individuality of face or figure1 and ,tetrazzini is no exception4 ,from her pictures one would expect to find one of the imperious1 dominating order of prima donnas of the old school4 ,when ,i met the diva1 ,i was at once struck by the simplicity of her appearance and attire4 ,there was nothing pompous about her2 she did not carry herself with the air of one conscious of possessing something admired and sought after by all the world1 something which set her on a high pedestal apart from other singers4 ,not at all4 ,i saw a little lady of plump1 comfortable figure1 a face which beamed with kindliness and good humor1 a mouth wreathed with smiles4 ,her manner and speech were equally simple and cordial1 so that the visitor was put at ease at once1 and felt she had known the great singer for years4 ,before the conference could begin a pretty episode happened1 which showed the human side of the singer's character1 and gave a glimpse into her every day life4 ,mme4 ,tetrazzini was a little late for her appointment1 as she had been out on a shopping expedition1 an occupation which she greatly enjoys4 ,awaiting her return was a group of photographers1 who had arranged their apparatus1 mirrors and flash-light screen1 even to the piano stool on which the singer was to be placed4 ,she took in the situation at a glance1 as she entered1 and obediently gave herself into the hands of the picture makers4 ,ah1 you wish to make me beautiful1 she exclaimed1 with her pretty accent2 ,i am not beautiful1 but you may try to make me look so4 ,with patience she assumed the required poses1 put her head on this side or that1 drew her furs closer about her or allowed them to fall away from the white throat1 with its single string of pearls4 ,the onlooker suggested she be snapped with a little black ,pom1 who had found his way into the room and was now an interested spectator1 on his vantage ground1 a big sofa4 ,so little ,joy was gathered up and held in affectionate1 motherly arms1 close against his mistress' face4 ,it was all very human and natural1 and gave another side to the singer's character from the side she shows to the public4 ,at last the ordeal was over1 and ,madame was free to leave her post and sit in one of the arm chairs1 where she could be a little more comfortable4 ,the secretary was also near1 to be appealed to when she could not make herself intelligible in ,english4 ,my ,english is very bad1 she protested2 ,i have not the time now to learn it properly2 that is why ,i speak it so very bad4 ,in the summer1 or next year1 ,i will really learn it4 ,now1 what is it ,i can tell you8 ,i am ready4 ,,for ,,the ,d,,butante ,to ask such a natural born singer how she studies and works1 is like asking the fish swimming about in the ocean1 to tell you where is the sea6 ,she could not tell you how she does it4 ,singing is as the breath of life to ,tetrazzini--as natural as the air she breathes4 ,realizing this1 ,i began at the other end4 ,what message have you1 ,madame1 for the young singer1 who desires to make a career8 ,ah1 yes1 the dbutante4 ,tell her she must practice much--very much-- and ,madame spread out her hands to indicate it was a large subject2 she must practice several hours every day4 ,i had to practice very much when ,i began my study--when ,i was sixteen2 but now ,i do not have to spend much time on scales and exercises2 they pretty well go of themselves2 and she smiled sweetly4 ,you say1 she continued1 the dbutante--the young singer--does not know--in ,america--how much she needs the foreign languages4 ,but she should learn them4 ,she should study ,french1 ,italian and ,spanish1 and know how to speak them4 ,because1 if she should travel to those countries1 she must make herself understood1 and she must be able to sing in those languages1 too4 ,besides the languages1 it is very good for her to study piano also2 she need not know it so well as if she would be a pianist1 but she should know it a little2 yet it is better to know more of the piano--it will make her a better musician4 ,,the ,,coloratura ,,voice ,you love the coloratura music1 do you not1 ,madame8 ,ah1 yes1 ,i love the coloratura1--it suits me2 ,i have always studied for that--,i know all the old ,italian operas4 ,for the coloratura music you must make the voice sound high and sweet--like a bird--singing and soaring4 ,you think my voice sounds something like ,patti's8 ,maybe4 ,she said so herself4 ,ah1 ,patti was my dear friend--my very dear friend--,i loved her dearly4 ,she only sang the coloratura music1 though she loved ,wagner and dramatic music4 ,not long before she died she said to me3 ',luisa1 always keep to the coloratura music1 and the beautiful bel canto singing2 do nothing to strain your voice2 preserve its velvety quality4' ,patti's voice went to ,c sharp1 in later years2 mine has several tones higher4 ,in the great aria in ,lucia1 she used to substitute a trill at the end instead of the top notes2 but she said to me--',luisa1 you can sing the high notes6' ,then the breathing1 ,madame1 what would you say of that8 ,ah1 the breathing1 that is very important indeed4 ,you must breathe from here1 you know--what you call it--from the diaphragm1 and from both sides2 it is like a bellows1 going in and out1 and she touched the portions referred to4 ,one does not sing from the chest1--that would make queer1 harsh tones4 ,she sang a few tones just to show how harsh they would be4 ,you have shown such wonderful breath control in the way you sustain high tones1 beginning them softly1 swelling then diminishing them4 ,ah1 yes1 the coloratura voice must always be able to do those things1 was the answer4 ,should you ever care to become a dramatic singer8 she was asked4 ,tetrazzini grew thoughtful2 ,no1 ,i do not think so1 she said1 after a pause2 ,i love my coloratura music1 and ,i think my audience likes it too2 it goes to the heart--it is all melody1 and that is what people like4 ,i sing lyric music also--,i am fond of that4 ,yes1 and you sing songs in ,english1 with such good diction1 that we can all understand you--almost every word4 ,madame beamed4 ,i promise you ,i will learn ,english better next year2 for ,i shall come back to my friends in ,america next autumn4 ,i shall be in ,italy in the summer4 ,i have two homes over there1 one in ,italy and one in ,switzerland4 ,do ,i prefer to sing in opera or concert1 you ask8 ,i believe ,i like concert much better1 for many reasons4 ,i get nearer to the audience2 ,i am freer--much freer1 and can be myself and not some other person4 ,there is no change of costume1 either2 ,i wear one gown1 so it is easier2 yes1 ,i like it much more4 ,in traveling over your big country--you see ,i have just been out to ,california and back--,i find your people have advanced so very much in appreciation of music2 you know so much more than when ,i was here before2 that was indeed a long time ago--about twelve years1-- and ,madame made a pretty little gesture4 ,but in one way your great big country has scarcely advanced any if at all2 you have not advanced in providing opera for your music lovers4 ,you need permanent opera companies in all the larger cities4 ,the opera companies of ,new ,york and ,chicago are fine1 oh yes1--but they cannot give opera to the whole country4 ,there are a few traveling companies too1 which are good4 ,but what are they in your big country8 ,you should have opera stock companies all over1 which would give opera for the people4 ,then your fine ,american girls would have the chance to gain operatic experience in their own country1 which they cannot get now4 ,that is why the foreign singer has such a chance here1 and that is why the native singer can hardly get a chance4 ,all the ,american girls' eyes turn with longing to the ,metropolitan ,opera ,house2 and with the best intentions in the world the ,director can only engage a small number of those he would like to have1 because he has no room for them4 ,he can not help it4 ,so ,i say1 that while your people have grown so much in the liking and in the understanding of music1 you do not grow on this side1 because your young singers are obliged to travel to a foreign land to get the practice in opera they are unable to get at home4 ,you need to do more for the permanent establishing of opera in the large and small cities of your country4 ,madame did not express her thoughts quite as consecutively as ,i have set them down1 but ,i am sure she will approve1 as these are her ideas of the musical situation in this country4 ,as ,i listened to the words of this second ,patti1 as she is called1 and learned of her kindly deeds1 ,i was as much impressed by her kindness of heart as ,i had been by her beautiful art of song4 ,she does much to relieve poverty and suffering wherever she finds it4 ,as a result of her vocal mastery1 she has been able to found a hospital in ,italy for victims of tuberculosis1 which accommodates between three and four hundred patients4 ,the whole institution is maintained from her own private income4 ,during the war she generously gave of her time and art to sing for the soldiers and aided the cause of the ,allies and the ,red ,cross whenever possible4 ,for her labors of love in this direction1 she has the distinction of being decorated by a special gold medal of honor1 by both the ,french and ,italian ,governments2 a distinction only conferred on two others beside herself4 ,after our conference1 ,i thanked her for giving me an hour from her crowded day4 ,she took my hand and pressed it warmly in both hers4 ,please do not quite forget me1 ,madame4 ,indeed not1 will you forget me8 ,no1 ,i shall always remember this delightful hour4 ,then1 you see1 ,i cannot forget you6 and she gave my hand a parting squeeze4 ,,viii ,,antonio ,,scotti ,,training ,,american ,,singers ,,for ,,opera ,a singer of finished art and ripe experience is ,antonio ,scotti4 ,his operatic career has been rich in development1 and he stands to-day at the top of the ladder1 as one of the most admired dramatic baritones of our time4 ,one of ,naples' sons1 he made a first appearance on the stage at ,malta1 in #ahhi4 ,successful engagements in ,milan1 ,rome1 ,madrid1 ,russia and ,buenos ,aires followed4 ,in #ahii he came to ,london1 singing ,don ,giovanni at ,covent ,garden4 ,a few months thereafter1 he came to ,new ,york and began his first season at the ,metropolitan4 ,his vocal and histrionic gifts won instant recognition here and for the past twenty years he has been one of the most dependable artists of each regular season4 ,,characterization ,illustration3 handwritten note ,to ,miss ,harriette ,brower ,cordially ,a ,scotti ,new ,york #aibj ,with all his varied endowments1 it seldom or never falls to the lot of a baritone to impersonate the lover2 on the contrary it seems to be his mtier to portray the villain4 ,scotti has been forced to hide his true personality behind the mask of a ,scarpia1 a ,tonio1 an ,iago1 and last but not least1 the most repulsive yet subtle of all his villains--,chim-,fang1 in ,l',oracolo4 ,perhaps the most famous of them all is ,scarpia4 ,but what a ,scarpia1 the quintessence of the polished1 elegant knave6 ,the refinement of ,mr4 ,scotti's art gives to each rle distinct characteristics which separate it from all the others4 ,,opportunity ,,for ,,the ,,american ,,singer ,mr4 ,scotti has done and is doing much for the young ,american singer1 by not only drilling the inexperienced ones1 but also by giving them opportunity to appear in opera on tour4 ,to begin this enterprise1 the great baritone turned impresario1 engaged a company of young singers1 most of them ,americans1 and1 when his season at the ,metropolitan was at an end1 took this company1 at his own expense1 on a southern trip1 giving opera in many cities4 ,discussing his venture on one occasion1 ,mr4 ,scotti said3 ,it was an experiment in several ways4 ,first1 ,i had an all-,american company1 which was indeed an experiment4 ,i had some fine artists in the principal rles1 with lesser known ones in smaller parts4 ,with these ,i worked personally1 teaching them how to act1 thus preparing them for further career in the field of opera4 ,i like to work with the younger and less experienced ones1 for it gives me real pleasure to watch how they improve1 when they have the opportunity4 ,of course ,i am obliged to choose my material carefully1 for many more apply for places than ,i can ever accept4 ,,italian ,,opera ,,in ,,america ,so closely is ,italy identified with all that pertains to opera1 he continued1 that the question of the future of ,italian opera in ,america interests me immensely4 ,it has been my privilege to devote some of the best years of my life to singing in ,italian opera in this wonderful country of yours4 ,one is continually impressed with the great advance ,america has made and is making along all musical lines4 ,it is marvelous1 though you who live here may not be awake to the fact4 ,musicians in ,europe and other parts of the world1 who have never been here1 can form no conception of the musical activities here4 ,it is very gratifying to me1 as an ,italian1 to realize that the operatic compositions of my country must play an important part in the future of ,american musical art4 ,it seems to me there is more intrinsic value--more variety in the works of modern ,italian composers than in those of other nations4 ,we know the operas of ,mozart are largely founded on ,italian models4 ,of the great modern ,italian composers1 ,i feel that ,puccini is the most important1 because he has a more intimate appreciation of theatrical values4 ,he seems to know just what kind of music will fit a series of words or a scene1 which will best bring out the dramatic sense4 ,montemezzi is also very great in this respect4 ,this in no way detracts from what ,mascagni1 ,leoncavallo and others have accomplished4 ,it is only my personal estimate of ,puccini as a composer4 ,the two most popular operas to-day are ,ada and ,madame ,butterfly1 and they will always draw large audiences1 although ,american people are prone to attend the opera for the purpose of hearing some particular singer and not for the sake of the work of the composer4 ,in other countries this is not so often the case4 ,we must hope this condition will be overcome in due time1 for the reason that it now often happens that good performances are missed by the public who are only attracted when some much heralded celebrity sings4 ,,american ,,composers ,asked for his views regarding ,american operatic composers1 ,mr4 ,scotti said3 ,american composers often spoil their chances of success by selecting uninteresting and uninspired stories1 which either describe some doleful historic incident or illustrate some ,indian legend1 in which no one of to-day is interested1 and which is so far removed from actual life that it becomes at once artificial1 academic and preposterous4 ,puccini spends years searching for suitable librettos1 as great composers have always done4 ,when he finds a story that is worthy he turns it into an opera4 ,but he will wait till he discovers the right kind of a plot4 ,no wonder he has success4 ,in writing modern music dramas1 as all young ,americans endeavor to do1 they will never be successful unless they are careful to pick out really dramatic stories to set to music4 ,,operatic ,,training ,on a certain occasion ,i had an opportunity to confer with this popular baritone1 and learn more in regard to his experiences as impresario4 ,this meeting was held in the little back office of the ,metropolitan1 a tiny spot1 which should be--and doubtless is--dear to every member of the company4 ,those four walls1 if they would speak1 could tell many interesting stories of singers and musicians1 famed in the world of art and letters1 who daily pass through its doors1 or sit chatting on its worn leather-covered benches1 exchanging views on this performance or that1 or on the desirability or difficulty of certain rles4 ,even while we were in earnest conference1 ,director ,gatti-,casazza passed through the room1 stopping long enough to say a pleasant word and offer a clasp of the hand4 ,mr4 ,guard1 too1 flitted by in haste1 but had time to give a friendly greeting4 ,mr4 ,scotti was in genial mood and spoke with enthusiasm of his activities with a favorite project--his own opera company4 ,to the question as to whether he found young ,american singers in too great haste to come before the public1 before they were sufficiently prepared1 thus proving they were superficial in their studies1 he replied3 ,no1 ,i do not find this to be the case4 ,as a general rule1 young ,american singers have a good foundation to build upon4 ,they have good voices to start with2 they are eager to learn and they study carefully4 ,what they lack most--those who go in for opera ,i mean--is stage routine and a knowledge of acting4 ,this1 as ,i have said before1 ,i try to give them4 ,i do not give lessons in singing to these young aspirants1 as ,i might in this way gain the enmity of vocal teachers2 but ,i help the untried singers to act their parts4 ,of course all depends on the mentality--how long a process of training the singer needs4 ,the coloratura requires more time to perfect this manner of singing than others need2 but some are much quicker at it than others4 ,it is well ,i am blessed with good health1 as my task is extremely arduous4 ,when on tour1 ,i sing every night1 besides constantly rehearsing my company4 ,we are ninety in all1 including our orchestra4 ,it is indeed a great undertaking4 ,i do not do it for money1 for ,i make nothing personally out of it1 and you can imagine how heavy the expenses are2 four thousand dollars a week1 merely for transportation4 ,but ,i do it for the sake of art1 and to spread the love of modern ,italian opera over this great1 wonderful country1 the greatest country for music that exists to-day4 ,and the plan succeeds far beyond my hopes2 for where we gave one performance in a place1 we now1 on our second visit1 can give three--four4 ,next year we shall go to ,california4 ,so we are doing our part1 both to aid the young singer who sorely needs experience and to educate the masses and general public to love what is best in modern ,italian opera6 ,,ix ,,rosa ,,raisa ,,patience ,,and ,,perseverance ,,win ,,results ,to the present day opera goers the name of ,rosa ,raisa stands for a compelling force4 ,in whatever rle she appears1 she is always a commanding figure1 both physically1 dramatically and musically4 ,her feeling for dramatic climax1 the intensity with which she projects each character assumed1 the sincerity and self forgetfulness of her naturalistic interpretation1 make every rle notable4 ,her voice is a rich1 powerful soprano1 vibrantly sweet when at its softest--like a rushing torrent of passion in intense moments4 ,at such moments the listener is impressed with the belief that power and depth of tone are limitless2 that the singer can never come to the end of her resources1 no matter how deeply she may draw on them4 ,there are such moments of tragic intensity1 in her impersonation of the heroine in ,jewels of the ,madonna1 in ,sister ,angelica1 in ,norma1 as the avenging priestess1 in which rle she has recently created such a remarkable impression4 ,illustration3 ,rosa ,raisa ,a ,,prima ,,donna ,,at ,,home ,if one has pictured to one's self that because the ,russian prima donna can show herself a whirlwind of dynamic passion on the stage1 therefore she must show some of these qualities in private life1 one would quickly become disabused of such an impression when face to face with the artist4 ,one would then meet a slender1 graceful young woman1 of gentle presence and with the simplest manners in the world4 ,the dark1 liquid eyes look at one with frankness and sincerity2 the wide1 low brow1 from which the dark hair is softly drawn away1 is the brow of a madonna4 ,in repose the features might easily belong to one of ,raphael's saints4 ,however1 they light up genially when their owner speaks4 ,mme4 ,raisa stood in the doorway of her ,new ,york apartment1 ready to greet us as we were shown the way to her4 ,her figure1 clad in close-fitting black velvet1 looked especially slender2 her manner was kind and gracious1 and we were soon seated in her large1 comfortable salon1 deep in conference4 ,before we had really begun1 the singer's pet dog came bounding to greet us from another room4 ,the tiny creature1 a ,mexican terrier1 was most affectionate1 yet very gentle withal1 and content to quietly cuddle down and listen to the conversation4 ,i will speak somewhat softly1 began ,mme4 ,raisa1 since speaking seems to tire me much more than singing1 for what reason ,i do not know4 ,we singers must think a little of our physical well being1 you see4 ,this means keeping regular hours1 living very simply and taking a moderate amount of exercise4 ,yes1 ,i always loved to sing2 even as a little child ,i was constantly singing4 ,and so ,i began to have singing lessons when ,i was eight years old4 ,later on ,i went to ,italy and lived there for a number of years1 until ,i began to travel4 ,i now make my home in ,naples4 ,my teacher there was ,madame ,marchesio1 who was a remarkable singer1 musician and teacher--all three4 ,even when she reached the advanced age of eighty1 she could still sing wonderfully well4 ,she had the real bel canto1 understood the voice1 how to use it and the best way to preserve it4 ,i owe so much to her careful1 artistic training2 almost everything1 ,i may say4 ,,the ,,singer',s ,,life ,one cannot expect to succeed in the profession of music without giving one's best time and thought to the work of vocal training and all the other subjects that go with it4 ,a man in business gives his day1 or the most of it1 to his office4 ,my time is devoted to my art1 and indeed ,i have not any too much time to study all the necessary sides of it4 ,during the season1 ,i do regular vocal practice each day and keep the various rles in review4 ,during the summer ,i study new parts1 for then ,i have the time and the quiet4 ,that is what the singer needs--quiet4 ,i always return to ,naples for the vacation1 unless ,i go to ,south ,america and sing there4 ,then ,i must have a little rest too1 that ,i may be ready for the labors of the following season4 ,,vocal ,,training ,even during the busiest days technic practice is never neglected4 ,vocalizes1 scales1 terzetta--what you call them--broken thirds1 yes1 and long1 slow tones in mezza di voce1 that is1 beginning softly1 swelling to loud then gradually diminishing to soft1 are part of the daily rgime4 ,one cannot omit these things if one would always keep in condition and readiness4 ,when at work in daily study1 ,i sing softly1 or with medium tone quality2 ,i do not use full voice except occasionally1 when ,i am going through a part and wish to try out certain effects4 ,,one ,,voice ,i was trained first as a coloratura and taught to do all the old ,italian operas of ,bellini1 ,rosini1 ,donizetti and the rest of the florid ,italian school4 ,this gives the singer a thorough1 solid training--the sort of training that requires eight or ten years to accomplish4 ,but this is not too much time to give1 if one wishes to be thoroughly prepared to sing all styles of music4 ,in former days1 when singers realized the necessity of being prepared in this way1 there existed ,i might say--one voice2 for the soprano voice was trained to sing both florid and dramatic music4 ,but in these days sopranos are divided into ,high1 ,lyric1 ,coloratura and ,dramatic2 singers choose which of these lines seems to suit best their voice and temperament4 ,,coloratura ,,and ,,dramatic ,it is of advantage to the singer to be trained in both these arts4 ,in the smaller opera houses of ,italy1 a soprano1 if thus trained1 can sing ,lucia one night and ,norma the next2 ,traviata one night and ,trovatore the next4 ,modern ,italian opera calls for the dramatic soprano4 ,she must be an actress just as well as a singer4 ,she must be able to express in both voice and gesture intense passion and emotion4 ,it is the period of storm and stress4 ,coloratura voices have not so much opportunity at the present time1 unless they are quite out of the ordinary4 ,and yet1 for me1 a singer who has mastery of the beautiful art of bel canto1 is a great joy4 ,galli-,curci's art is the highest ,i know of4 ,for me she is the greatest singer4 ,melba also is wonderful4 ,i have heard her often--she has been very kind to me4 ,when ,i hear her sing an old ,italian air1 with those pure1 bell-like tones of hers1 ,i am lifted far up2 ,i feel myself above the sky4 ,,do ,,not ,,yield ,,to ,,discouragement ,the younger singer need not yield to discouragement1 for she must know from the start1 that the mastery of a great art like singing is a long and arduous task4 ,if the work seems too difficult at times1 do not give up or say ',i cannot4' ,if ,i had done that1 ,i should have really given up many times4 ,instead ,i say2 ',i can do it1 and not only ,i can but ,i will6' ,,musicianship ,there are so many sides to the singer's equipment1 besides singing itself2 and ,mme4 ,raisa lifted dark eyes and spread out her graceful hands as though to indicate the bigness of the subject4 ,yes1 there is the piano1 for instance2 the singer is much handicapped without a knowledge of that instrument1 for it not only provides accompaniment but cultivates the musical sense4 ,of course ,i have learned the piano and ,i consider it necessary for the singer4 ,then there are languages4 ,be not content with your own1 though that language must be perfectly learned and expressed1 but learn others4 ,you of course speak several languages8 questioned the listener4 ,yes1 ,i speak eight1 she answered modestly4 ,russian1 of course1 for ,i am ,russian2 then ,french1 ,italian1 ,german1 ,spanish1 ,polish1 ,roumanian and ,english4 ,besides these ,i am familiar with a few dialects4 ,,have ,,patience ,so many young singers are so impatient2 they want to prepare themselves in three or four years for a career1 and ,madame frowned her disapproval4 ,perhaps they may come before the public after that length of time spent in study2 but they will only know a part--a little of all they ought to know4 ,with a longer time1 conscientiously used1 they would be far better equipped4 ,the singer who spends nine or ten years in preparation1 who is trained to sing florid parts as well as those which are dramatic--she indeed can sing anything1 the music of the old school as well as of the new4 ,in ,rome ,i gave a recital of old music1 assisted by members of the ,sistine ,chapel choir4 ,we gave much old music1 some of it dating from the sixth century4 ,do ,i always feel the emotions ,i express when singing a rle8 ,yes1 ,i can say that ,i endeavor to throw myself absolutely into the part ,i am portraying2 but that ,i always do so with equal success cannot be expected4 ,so many unforeseen occurrences may interfere1 which the audience can never know or consider4 ,one may not be exactly in the mood1 or in the best of voice2 the house may not be a congenial space1 or the audience is unsympathetic4 ,but if all is propitious and the audience with you--then you are lifted up and carry every one with you4 ,then you are inspired and petty annoyances are quite forgotten4 ,,vocal ,,mastery ,you ask a very difficult question when you ask of what vocal mastery consists4 ,if ,i have developed perfect control throughout the two and a half octaves of my voice1 can make each tone with pure quality and perfect evenness in the different degrees of loud and soft1 and if ,i have perfect breath control as well1 ,i then have an equipment that may serve all purposes of interpretation4 ,together with vocal mastery must go the art of interpretation1 in which all the mastery of the vocal equipment may find expression4 ,in order to interpret adequately one ought to possess a perfect instrument1 perfectly trained4 ,when this is the case one can forget mechanism1 because confident of the ability to express whatever emotion is desired4 ,have you a message which may be carried to the young singers8 she was asked4 ,tell them to have patience--patience to work and patience to wait for results4 ,vocal mastery is not a thing that can be quickly accomplished2 it is not the work of weeks and months1 but of years of consistent1 constant effort4 ,it cannot be hurried1 but must grow with one's growth1 both mentally and physically4 ,but the reward of earnest effort is sure to come6 ,x ,,louise ,,homer ,,the ,,requirements ,,of ,a ,,musical ,,career ,madame ,louise ,homer is a native artist to whom every loyal ,american can point with pardonable pride4 ,her career has been a constant1 steady ascent1 from the start2 it is a career so well known in ,america that there is hardly any need to review it1 except as she herself refers to it on the rare occasions when she is induced to speak of herself4 ,for ,mme4 ,homer is one of the most modest artists in the world2 nothing is more distasteful to her than to seek for publicity through ordinary channels4 ,so averse is she to any self-seeking that it was with considerable hesitation that she consented to express her views to the writer1 on the singer's art4 ,as ,mr4 ,sidney ,homer1 the well known composer and husband of ,mme4 ,homer1 remarked1 the writer should prize this intimate talk1 as it was the first ,mme4 ,homer had granted in a very long time4 ,illustration3 ,,louise ,,homer ,the artist had lately returned from a long trip1 crowded with many concerts1 when ,i called at the ,new ,york residence of this ideal musical pair and their charming family4 ,mme4 ,homer was at home and sent down word she would see me shortly4 ,in the few moments of waiting1 ,i seemed to feel the genial atmosphere of this home1 its quiet and cheer4 ,a distant tinkle of girlish laughter was borne to me once or twice2 then a phrase or two sung by a rich1 vibrant voice above2 then in a moment after1 the artist herself descended and greeted me cordially4 ,we will have a cup of tea before we start in to talk1 she said1 and1 as if by magic1 the tea tray and dainty muffins appeared4 ,how wholesome and fresh she looked1 with the ruddy color in her cheeks and the firm whiteness of neck and arms4 ,the ,japanese robe of midnight blue1 embroidered in yellows1 heightened the impression of vigorous health by its becomingness4 ,,for ,,the ,,girl ,,who ,,wants ,,to ,,make ,a ,,career ,there is so much to consider for the girl who desires to enter the profession1 began ,mme4 ,homer1 in response to my first query4 ,first1 she must have a voice1 there is no use attempting a career without the voice2 there must be something to develop1 something worth while to build upon4 ,and if she has the voice and the means to study1 she must make up her mind to devote herself exclusively to her art2 there is no other way to succeed4 ,she cannot enter society1 go to luncheons1 dinners and out in the evening1 and at the same time accomplish much in the way of musical development4 ,many girls think1 if they attend two or three voice lessons a week and learn some songs and a few operatic arias1 that is all there is to it4 ,but there is far more4 ,they must know many other things4 ,the vocal student should study piano and languages2 these are really essential4 ,not that she should strive to become a pianist2 that would not be possible if she is destined to become a singer2 but the more she knows of the piano and its literature1 the more this will cultivate her musical sense and develop her taste4 ,,how ,,an ,,artist ,,works ,i am always studying1 always striving to improve what ,i have already learned and trying to acquire the things ,i find difficult1 or that ,i have not yet attained to4 ,i do vocal technic every day2 this is absolutely essential1 while one is in the harness4 ,it is during the winter that ,i work so industriously1 both on technic and repertoire1 between tours4 ,this is when ,i study4 ,i believe in resting the voice part of the year1 and ,i take this rest in the summer4 ,then1 for a time1 ,i do not sing at all4 ,i try to forget there is such a thing as music in the world1 so far as studying it is concerned4 ,of course ,i try over ,mr4 ,homer's new songs1 when they are finished1 for summer is his time for composition4 ,since the voice is such an intangible instrument1 the singer needs regular guidance and criticism1 no matter how advanced she may be4 ,as you say1 it is difficult for the singer to determine the full effect of her work2 she often thinks it much better than it really is4 ,that is human nature1 isn't it8 she added with one of her charming smiles4 ,,the ,,start ,,in ,,opera ,how did you start upon an operatic career8 the singer was asked4 ,just here ,mr4 ,homer entered and joined in the conference4 ,i do not desire to go into my life-history1 as that would take too long4 ,in a few words1 this is how it happened--years ago4 ,we were living in ,boston2 ,i had a church position1 so we were each busy with our musical work4 ,my voice was said to be 'glorious1' but it was a cumbersome1 unwieldy organ4 ,i could only sing up to ,f2 there were so many things ,i wanted to do with my voice that seemed impossible1 that ,i realized ,i needed more training4 ,i could have remained where ,i was2 the church people were quite satisfied1 and ,i sang in concert whenever opportunity offered4 ,but something within urged me on4 ,we decided to take a year off and spend it in study abroad4 ,paris was then the ,mecca for singers and to ,paris we went4 ,i plunged at once into absorbing study2 daily lessons in voice training and repertoire2 languages1 and ,french diction1 several times a week1 and soon acting was added1 for every one said my voice was for the theater4 ,i had no idea1 when ,i started out1 that ,i should go into opera4 ,i had always loved to sing1 as far back as ,i can remember4 ,my father was a ,presbyterian clergyman1 and when we needed new hymn books for church or ,sunday ,school1 they used to come to our house4 ,i would get hold of every hymn book ,i could find and learn the music4 ,so ,i was always singing2 but an operatic career never entered my thought1 until the prospect seemed to unfold before me1 as a result of my arduous study in ,paris4 ,of course ,i began to learn important arias from the operas4 ,every contralto aspires to sing the grand air from the last act of ,le ,prophete2 you know it of course4 ,i told my teacher ,i could never do it1 as it demanded higher tones than ,i had acquired1 going up to ,c4 ,he assured me it would be perfectly easy in a little while1 if ,i would spend a few moments daily on those high notes4 ,his prediction was correct1 for in a few months ,i had no trouble with the top notes4 ,i studied stage deportment and acting from one of the greatest singing actors of the ,french stage1 ,paul ,lherie4 ,what an artist he was6 ,so subtle1 so penetrating1 so comprehensive4 ,the principles he taught are a constant help to me now1 and his remarks often come back to me as ,i study a new rle4 ,as ,i say1 ,i studied this line of work1 not knowing what would grow out of it2 ,i did it on faith1 hoping that it might prove useful4 ,it seems to me1 remarked the composer1 that young singers would do well to make a study of acting1 along with languages and piano4 ,then1 if the voice developed and an operatic career opened to them1 they would be so much better prepared2 they would have made a start in the right direction2 there would not be so much to learn all at once1 later on4 ,if the girl could only be sure she was destined for a stage career1 said ,mme4 ,homer1 thoughtfully1 she might do many things from the start that she doesn't think of doing before she knows4 ,to go on with my ,paris story4 ,i kept faithfully at work for a year1 preparing myself for ,i knew not just what2 ,i could not guess what was in store4 ,then ,i got my first opera engagement1 quite unexpectedly4 ,i was singing for some professional friends in a large saale4 ,i noticed a man standing with his back to me1 looking out of one of the long windows4 ,when ,i finished1 he came forward and offered me an engagement at ,vichy1 for the summer season4 ,the name ,vichy only suggested to my mind a kind of beverage4 ,now ,i learned the town had a flourishing ,opera ,house1 and ,i was expected to sing eight rles4 ,thus my stage career began4 ,,what ,,are ,,the ,,assets ,,for ,a ,,career8 ,and what must the girl possess1 who wishes to make a success with her singing8 was asked4 ,first of all1 as ,i have already said1 she must have a voice2 she can never expect to get very far without that4 ,voice is a necessity for a singer1 but it rests with her what she will do with it1 how she will develop it4 ,the next asset is intelligence2 that is as great a necessity as a voice4 ,for through the voice we express what we feel1 what we are2 intelligence controls1 directs1 shines through and illumines everything4 ,indeed what can be done without intelligence8 ,i could mention a young singer with a good natural voice1 who takes her tones correctly1 who studies well2 indeed one can find no fault with the technical side of her work2 but her singing has no meaning--it says absolutely nothing2 it only represents just so many notes4 ,that is because she has not a musical nature1 put in ,mr4 ,homer4 ,to my mind that is the greatest asset any one can have who wishes to become a musician in any branch of the art4 ,what can be done without a musical nature8 ,of course ,i speak of the young singer who wishes to make a career4 ,there are many young people who take up singing for their own pleasure1 never expecting to do much with it4 ,and it is a good thing to do so4 ,it gives pleasure to their family and friends--is a healthful exercise1 and last but not least1 is financially good for the teacher they employ4 ,but the trouble comes when these superficial students aspire to become opera singers1 after a couple of seasons' study4 ,of course they all cast eyes at the ,metropolitan1 as the end and aim of all striving4 ,just as if1 when a young man enters a law office1 it is going to lead him to the ,white ,house1 or that he expects it will1 said ,mr4 ,homer4 ,then1 resumed the artist1 we have already three requirements for a vocal career2 ,voice1 ,intelligence and a ,musical ,nature4 ,i think the ,fourth should be a ,capacity for ,work4 ,without application1 the gifts of voice1 intelligence and a musical nature will not make an artist4 ,to accomplish this task requires ceaseless labor1 without yielding to discouragement4 ,perhaps the ,fifth asset would be a cheerful optimism as proof against discouragement4 ,that is the last thing the student should yield to--discouragement1 for this has stunted or impaired the growth of many singers possessed of natural talent4 ,the young singer must never be down-hearted4 ,suppose things do not go as she would like to have them2 she must learn to overcome obstacles1 not be overcome by them4 ,she must have backbone enough to stand up under disappointments2 they are the test of her mettle1 of her worthiness to enter the circle with those who have overcome4 ,for she can be sure that none of us have risen to a place in art without the hardest kind of work1 struggle and the conquering of all sorts of difficulties4 ,the sixth asset ought to be ,patience1 for she will need that in large measure4 ,it is only with patient striving1 doing the daily vocal task1 and trying to do it each day a little better than the day before1 that anything worth while is accomplished4 ,it is a work that cannot be hurried4 ,i repeat it2 the student must have unlimited patience to labor and wait for results4 ,,coloratura ,,and ,,dramatic ,i would advise every student to study coloratura first4 ,then1 as the voice broadens1 deepens and takes on a richer timbre1 it will turn naturally to the more dramatic expression4 ,the voice needs this background1 or foundation in the old ,italian music1 in order to acquire flexibility and freedom4 ,i was not trained to follow this plan myself1 but my daughter ,louise1 who is just starting out in her public career1 has been brought up to this idea1 which seems to me the best4 ,,memorizing ,i memorize very easily1 learning both words and music at the same time4 ,in taking up a new rle1 my accompanist plays it for me and we go over it carefully noting all there is in language and notes4 ,when ,i can take it to bed with me1 and go over it mentally2 when ,i can go through it as ,i walk along the street1 then it has become a part of me2 then ,i can feel ,i know it4 ,mme4 ,homer holds the banner at the ,metropolitan1 for rapid memorizing1 said her husband4 ,on one occasion1 when ,das ,rheingold was announced for an evening performance1 the ,fricka was suddenly indisposed and unable to appear4 ,early in the afternoon1 the ,director came to ,mme4 ,homer1 begging her to do the part1 as otherwise he would be forced to close the house that night4 ,a singer had tried all forenoon to learn the rle1 but had now given it up as impossible4 ,mme4 ,homer consented4 ,she started in at three o'clock and worked till six1 went on in the evening1 sang the part without rehearsal1 and acquitted herself with credit4 ,this record has never been surpassed at the ,metropolitan4 ,i knew the other ,frickas of the ,ring1 said ,madame1 but had never learned the one in the ,rheingold2 it is full of short phrases and difficult to remember1 but ,i came through all right4 ,i may add1 as you ask1 that perhaps ,orfeo is my favorite rle1 one of the most beautiful works we have4 ,,vocal ,,mastery ,what do ,i understand by ,vocal ,mastery8 ,the words explain themselves4 ,the singer must master all difficulties of technic1 of tone production1 so as to be able to express the thought of the composer1 and the meaning of the music4 ,don't forget that the singer must have a musical nature1 added ,mr4 ,homer1 for without this true vocal mastery is impossible4 ,,xi ,,giovanni ,,martinelli ,,let ,,us ,,have ,,plenty ,,of ,,opera ,,in ,,america ,said the ,professor3 ,how well ,i remember the first time ,i heard ,martinelli4 ,we were traveling in ,italy that summer1 and had arrived in ,verona rather late in the afternoon4 ,the city seemed full of people1 with many strangers1 and we could not at first secure accommodations at the hotel4 ,inquiring the cause1 the answer was3 ',does not the signer know that to-day is one holiday1 and to-night1 in the ,amphitheater1 ,ada will be sung1 under the stars4' ,we finally secured rooms1 and of course heard the opera that night4 ,young ,martinelli was the ,rhadames1 and ,i shall never forget how splendidly his voice rang out over those vast spaces of the ,arena4 ,it was a most unusual experience to hear that music sung in the open--'under the stars1' and it was unforgettable4 ,illustration3 ,,giovanni ,,martinelli ,giovanni ,martinelli1 who has been for several years one of the leading tenors at the ,metropolitan ,opera ,house1 ,new ,york1 has warmly entrenched himself in the hearts of music lovers in ,america4 ,to be a great singer1 as some one has said1 requires1 first1 voice2 second1 voice2 third1 voice4 ,however1 at the present hour a great singer must have more than voice2 we demand histrionic ability also4 ,we want singing actors as well as great singers4 ,mr4 ,martinelli is the possessor of a beautiful voice and1 moreover1 is a fine actor and an excellent musician4 ,he was1 first of all1 a clarinetist before he became a singer1 and so well did he play his chosen instrument that his services were in great demand in his home town in ,italy4 ,then it was discovered he had a voice and he was told he could make a far greater success with that voice than he ever could playing the clarinet4 ,he set to work at once to cultivate the voice in serious earnest and under good instruction4 ,after a considerable time devoted to study1 he made his dbut in ,milan1 in ,verdi's ,ernani4 ,his success won an engagement at ,covent ,garden and for ,monte ,carlo4 ,a visit to the singer's ,new ,york home is a most interesting experience4 ,he has chosen apartments perched high above the great artery of the city's life--,broadway4 ,from the many sun-flooded windows magnificent views of avenue1 river and sky are visible1 while at night the electrical glamour that meets the eye is fairy-like4 ,it is a sightly spot and must remind the singer of his own sun lighted atmosphere at home4 ,the visitor was welcomed with simple courtesy by a kindly1 unaffected gentleman1 who insists he cannot speak your ,english1 but who1 in spite of this assertion1 succeeds in making himself excellently well understood4 ,one feels his is a mentality that will labor for an object and will attain it through force of effort4 ,there is determination in the firm mouth1 which smiles so pleasantly when speaking2 the thoughtful brow and serious eyes add their share to the forceful personality4 ,the ,titian-tinted hair indicates1 it is said1 a birthplace in northern ,italy4 ,this is quite true in the case of ,mr4 ,martinelli1 as he comes from a village not far from ,padua and but fifty miles from ,venice--the little town of ,montagnana4 ,,daily ,,study ,you ask about my daily routine of study4 ,in the morning ,i practice exercises and vocalizes for one hour4 ,these put the voice in good condition1 tune up the vocal chords and oil up the mechanism1 so to speak4 ,after this ,i work on repertoire for another hour4 ,i always practice with full voice1 as with half voice ,i would not derive the benefit ,i need4 ,at rehearsals ,i use half voice1 but not when ,i study4 ,in the afternoon ,i work another hour1 this time with my accompanist2 for ,i do not play the piano myself1 only just enough to assist the voice with a few chords4 ,this rgime gives me three hours' regular study1 which seems to me quite sufficient4 ,the voice is not like the fingers of a pianist1 for they can be used without limit4 ,if we would keep the voice at its best1 we must take care not to overwork it4 ,,treatment ,,of ,,the ,,voice ,in regard to the treatment of the voice1 each singer must work out his own salvation4 ,a great teacher--one who understands his own voice and can sing as well as teach--may tell how he does things1 may explain how he treats the voice1 may demonstrate to the student his manner of executing a certain phrase or passage1 or of interpreting a song4 ,but when this is done he can do little more for the student1 for each person has a different mentality and a different quality of voice--indeed there are as many qualities of voice as there are people4 ,after general principles are thoroughly understood1 a singer must work them out according to his own ability4 ,this does not mean that he cannot be guided and helped by the greater experience of a master higher up1 who can always criticize the result of what the student is trying to do4 ,the voice is a hidden instrument1 and eventually its fate must rest with its possessor4 ,a ,,new ,r,,le ,when ,i take up a new part ,i read the book very carefully to get a thorough idea of the story1 the plot and the characters4 ,then comes the study of my own part1 of which ,i memorize the words first of all4 ,as soon as the words are committed ,i begin on the music4 ,when these are both well in hand1 work with the accompanist follows4 ,i have many tenor rles in my repertoire and am working on others4 ,if you ask for my favorite opera1 or operas1 ,i would answer1 as most ,italians would do1 that ,i enjoy singing the music of ,verdi more than that of any composer4 ,i love his ,ada perhaps best of all4 ,ernani is a beautiful opera1 but maybe would be thought too old-fashioned for ,new ,york4 ,i sing various rles in ,french as well as ,italian--,faust1 ,sans ,gene1 and many more4 ,in ,italy we know ,wagner very well--,lohengrin1 ,tannhauser1 ,tristan and ,meistersinger1--but of course they are always sung in ,italian4 ,,opera ,,in ,,every ,,city ,the ,metropolitan is one of the greatest opera houses in the world--but it is only one4 ,you have a wonderful country1 yet most of its cities must do without opera4 ,do not forget that in ,italy every city and town has its opera house and its season of opera1 lasting ten weeks or more4 ,of course the works are not elaborately produced1 the singers may not be so great or high-salaried1 but the people are being educated to know and love the best opera music4 ,performances are given ,wednesdays and ,thursdays1 ,saturdays and ,sundays2 the singers resting the days between4 ,they need to as they are obliged to sing at every performance4 ,ah1 if you would follow some such plan in ,america6 ,it would create a great love for good music in the smaller cities and towns where people hear so little1 and so seldom this kind of music4 ,you do so much for music in every other style1 but not for opera4 ,of course ,i must except the half dozen cities large enough and rich enough to be favored with a season of extended operatic performances2 these are the real music centers of your country4 ,i will show you what we do for opera in ,italy4 ,here is an ,italian musical journal1 which ,i have just received4 ,mr4 ,martinelli took up a single-sheet newspaper which lay upon his desk4 ,you will find all the large cities and most of the small ones reported here4 ,accordingly1 accounts are given of what works are being performed1 what artists are singing and where1 and how long each season will last4 ,thus we can glance over the whole field and keep in touch with every singer4 ,naturally1 the time and length of the seasons of performance differ widely in the different places4 ,thus a singer of reputation can make engagements in various places1 then go from one town to another in a complete tour1 without conflicting4 ,i have had the pleasure of singing a number of seasons at the ,metropolitan4 ,during the summer ,i do not always go back to ,italy when the season is over here2 last year ,i sang in ,buenos ,aires4 ,this keeps me at work the whole year4 ,buenos ,aires is a beautiful city1 and reminds one of ,milan4 ,yes1 ,i like ,new ,york4 ,it is more commercial1 of course1 but ,i have grown accustomed to that side of it4 ,as the visitor was leaving1 courteously conducted through the corridor by ,mr4 ,martinelli1 a small chariot was encountered1 crammed with dolls and toys1 the whole belonging to little ,miss ,martinelli1 aged eleven months4 ,shall you make a singer of the little lady8 the artist was asked4 ,ah1 no2 one singer in a family is enough1 was the quick response4 ,but who can tell8 ,it may so happen1 after all4 ,,xii ,,anna ,,case ,,inspired ,,interpretation ,anna ,case1 known from one end of our land to the other1 in song recital1 is surely one hundred per cent4 ,american4 ,she was born in the little ,state of ,new ,jersey1 and received her entire vocal training right here in ,new ,york ,city1 of a single teacher4 ,no running about from one instructor to another1 getting points from each1 for this singer4 ,she knew from the first moment that she had found the right teacher1 one who understood her1 what she wanted to do1 and could bring her to the goal4 ,and when one has discovered just the right person to develop talent1 one should have the good sense and loyalty to stick to that person4 ,this is exactly what ,miss ,case has done1 for along with other gifts she has the best gift of all--common sense4 ,mme4 ,ostrom-,renard has been my only teacher1 she says2 whatever ,i am or have accomplished ,i owe entirely to her4 ,she has done everything for me2 ,i feel she is the most wonderful teacher in the world4 ,illustration3 ,,anna ,,case ,a life of constant travel and almost daily concerts and recitals1 lies before ,miss ,case from early in the ,autumn to the end of ,spring1 with but a few breathing places here and there1 between the tours1 when she returns home to rest up4 ,during one of these oases it was a pleasant experience to meet and talk with the charming young singer1 in her cozy ,new ,york apartment4 ,she had just come in from a six weeks' trip1 which had included concerts in ,texas and ,mexico1 where the usual success had attended her everywhere4 ,it must surely give a sense of relief to know that the quiet home is awaiting one's return2 that there are to be found one's favorite books1 music1 piano1 the silken divan1 soft lights1 pictures1--all the familiar comforts one is deprived of on the road4 ,the visitor1 coming in from the biting winds without1 was impressed with the comfort and warmth of the small salon1 as the mistress of it entered4 ,clad in soft draperies of dull blue1 which but thinly veiled the white arms and fell away from the rounded throat1 ,miss ,case was just as beautiful to look upon as when she stands in bewildering evening gown before a rapt audience4 ,and1 what is much more to the point1 she is a thoroughly sensible1 sincere ,american girl1 with no frills and no nonsense about her4 ,after greetings were over1 the singer settled herself among the silken cushions of her divan ready for our talk4 ,i believe ,i always wanted to sing1 rather than do anything else in the way of music4 ,i studied the piano a little at first1 but that did not exactly appeal to me4 ,i also began the violin1 because my father is fond of that instrument and wanted me to play it4 ,but the violin was not just what ,i wanted either1 for all the time ,i longed to sing4 ,singing is such a part of one's very self2 ,i wanted to express myself through it4 ,i had no idea1 when ,i started1 that ,i should ever make a specialty of it1 or that1 in a comparatively few years ,i should be singing all over the country4 ,i did not know what was before me1 ,i only wanted to learn to sing4 ,now ,i cannot tell just how ,i do the different things one must do to sing correctly4 ,i know that1 if ,i have to master some subject1 ,i just sit down and work at that thing till ,i can do it--till it is done4 ,my teacher knows every organ in the anatomy1 and can describe the muscles1 bones and ligaments found in the head1 face and throat4 ,she can make a diagram of the whole or any part4 ,not that such knowledge is going to make a singer1 but it may help in directing one's efforts4 ,,tone ,,placement ,can you describe tone placement8 she was asked4 ,for the deeper tones--as one makes them--they seem to come from lower down3 for the middle and higher tones1 you feel the vibrations in facial muscles and about the eyes1 always focused forward1 just at the base of the forehead1 between the eyes4 ,it is something very difficult to put into words2 the sensations have to be experienced1 when making the tones4 ,the singer must judge so much from sensation1 for she cannot very well hear herself4 ,i do not really hear myself2 ,i mean by this ,i cannot tell the full effect of what ,i am doing4 ,,when ,,to ,,practice ,no doubt you do much practice--or is that now necessary8 ,miss ,case considered this thoughtfully4 ,i never practice when ,i am tired1 for then it does more harm than good4 ,it is much better for the voice to rest and not use it at all1 than to sing when not physically fit4 ,one must be in good condition to make good tones2 they will not be clear and perfect if one is not strong and in good health4 ,i can really study1 yet not sing at all4 ,for the whole work is mental anyway4 ,,using ,,full ,,voice ,when ,i work on the interpretation of a song1 in the quiet of my music room here1 ,i try to sing it just as ,i would before an audience2 ,i have not two ways of doing it1 one way for a small room and another for a large one4 ,if your tone placement is correct1 and you are making the right effects1 they will carry equally in a large space4 ,at least this is my experience4 ,but1 she added1 smiling1 you may find other artists who would not agree to this1 who would think quite differently4 ,each one must see things her own way2 and singing is such an individual thing after all4 ,,the ,,subject ,,of ,,interpretation ,the interpretation of a rle1 or song1 is everything--of course4 ,what are mere notes and signs compared to the thoughts expressed through them8 ,yet it is evident there are people who don't agree to this1 for one hears many singers who never seem to look deeper than the printed page4 ,they stand up and go through their songs1 but the audiences remain cold2 they are not touched4 ,the audiences are blamed for their apathy or indifference1 but how can they be warmed when the singer does not kindle them into life8 ,to me there is a wonderful bond of sympathy between the audience and myself4 ,i feel the people1 in a sense1 belong to me--are part of my family4 ,to them ,i pour out all my feelings--my whole soul4 ,all the sorrow of the sad songs1 all the joy of the gay ones1 they share with me4 ,in this spirit ,i come before them2 they feel this1 ,i am sure4 ,it awakens a response at once1 and this always inspires me4 ,i put myself in a receptive mood2 it has the desired effect2 my interpretation becomes inspired through their sympathy and my desire to give out to them4 ,,the ,,words ,,of ,a ,,song ,,paramount ,i feel the greatest thing about a song is the words4 ,they inspired the music1 they were the cause of its being4 ,i cannot imagine1 when once words have been joined to music1 how other words can be put to the same music1 without destroying the whole idea4 ,the words must be made plain to the audience4 ,every syllable should be intelligible1 and understood by the listener4 ,i feel diction is so absolutely essential4 ,how can a singer expect the audience will take an interest in what she is doing1 if they have no idea what it is all about8 ,and this applies not only to ,english songs but to those in ,french as well4 ,in an audience there will be many who understand ,french4 ,shall the singer imagine she can pronounce a foreign tongue in any old way1 and it will go--in these days8 ,no1 she must be equally careful about all diction and see that it is as nearly perfect as she can make it2 that it is so correct that anybody can understand every word4 ,when she can do this1 she has gone a long way toward carrying her audience with her when she sings4 ,when the diction is satisfactory1 there is yet something much deeper2 it is the giving out of one's best thought1 one's best self1 which must animate the song and carry it home to the listener4 ,it touches the heart1 because it comes from one's very inmost being4 ,i am a creature of mood4 ,i cannot sing unless ,i feel like it4 ,i must be inspired in order to give an interpretation that shall be worth anything4 ,,growth ,,of ,,appreciation ,in traveling over the country1 ,i have found such wonderful musical growth1 and it seems to increase each year4 ,even in little places the people show such appreciation for what is good4 ,and ,i only give them good music--the best songs1 both classical and modern4 ,nothing but the best would interest me4 ,in my recent trip1 down in ,mexico and ,oklahoma1 there are everywhere large halls1 and people come from all the country round to attend a concert4 ,men who look as though they had driven a grocery wagon1 or like occupation1 sit and listen so attentively and with such evident enjoyment4 ,i am sure the circulation of the phonograph records has much to do with ,america's present wonderful advancement in musical understanding4 ,just here a large cat slipped through the doorway2 such a beautiful creature1 with long gray and white fur and big blue eyes4 ,it is a real chinchilla1 of high degree1 said ,miss ,case1 caressing her pet4 ,i call her ,fochette4 ,i am so fond of all animals1 especially dogs and cats4 ,you must know the country well1 having been over it so much4 ,yes1 but oh1 the long distances6 ,it often takes so many hours to go from one place to another4 ,i think there is a reason why foreign singers are apt to be rather stout2 they are not worn out by traveling great distances1 as cities are so much nearer together than over here6 ,and ,miss ,case smiled in amusement4 ,but1 in spite of all discomforts of transportation and so on1 the joy of bringing a message to a waiting audience is worth all it costs4 ,i often think1 if one could just fly to ,chicago or ,philadelphia1 for instance1 sing one's program and return just as quickly1 without all these hours of surface travel1 how delightful it would be6 ,i had a wonderful experience in an airplane last summer4 ,flying has the most salutary effect on the voice4 ,after sailing through the air for awhile1 you feel as though you could sing anything and everything1 the exhilaration is so great4 ,one takes in such a quantity of pure air that the lungs feel perfectly clear and free4 ,one can learn a lesson about breathing from such an experience4 ,before parting a final question was asked3 ,what1 in your opinion1 are the vital requisites necessary to become a singer8 ,almost instantly came the reply3 ,brains1 ,personality1 ,voice4 ,with this cryptic answer we took leave of the fair artist4 ,,xiii ,,florence ,,easton ,,problems ,,confronting ,,the ,,young ,,singer ,english by birth1 ,american by marriage1 beloved in every country where her art is known1 ,florence ,easton1 after ten years of activity in the music centers of ,europe1 is now making her home in ,america4 ,mme4 ,easton is a singer whose attitude towards music is one of deepest sincerity4 ,no one could witness her beautiful1 sympathetic investiture of the ,saint ,elizabeth1 of ,liszt1 or some of her other important rles1 without being impressed with this complete1 earnest sincerity4 ,it shines out of her earnest eyes and frank smile1 as she greets the visitor2 it vibrates in the tones of her voice as she speaks4 ,what can even a whole hour's talk reveal of the deep undercurrents of an artist's thought8 ,yet in sixty minutes many helpful things may be said1 and ,mme4 ,easton1 always serious in every artistic thing she undertakes1 will wish the educational side of our talk to be uppermost4 ,,the ,,young ,,singer ,i have a deep sympathy for the ,american girl who honestly wishes to cultivate her voice4 ,of course1 in the first place1 she must have a voice to start with2 there is no use trying to train something which doesn't exist4 ,given the voice and a love for music1 it is still difficult to tell another how to begin4 ,each singer who has risen1 who has found herself1 knows by what path she climbed1 but the path she found might not do for another4 ,there are quantities of girls in ,america with good voices1 good looks and a love for music4 ,and there are plenty of good vocal teachers1 too1 not only in ,new ,york1 but in other large cities of this great country4 ,there is always the problem1 however1 of securing just the right kind of a teacher4 ,for a teacher may be excellent for one voice but not for another4 ,,the ,,studio ,,versus ,,the ,,concert ,,room ,illustration3 ,,florence ,,easton ,the ,american girl1 trained in the studio1 has little idea of what it means to sing in a large hall or opera house4 ,in the small room her voice sounds very pretty1 and she can make a number of nice effects2 she may also have a delicate pianissimo4 ,these things are mostly lost when she tries them in a large space4 ,it is like beginning all over again4 ,she has never been taught any other way but the studio way4 ,if young singers could only have a chance to try their wings frequently in large halls1 it would be of the greatest benefit4 ,if they could sing to a public who only paid a nominal sum and did not expect great things2 a public who would come for the sake of the music they were to hear1 because they wanted the enjoyment and refreshment of it1 not for the sake of some singers with big names1 they would judge the young aspirant impersonally1 which would be one of the best things for her4 ,,value ,,of ,,honest ,,criticism ,frequently the trouble with the young singer is that her friends too often tell her how wonderful she is4 ,this is a hindrance instead of a help4 ,she should always have some one who will criticize her honestly4 ,the singer cannot really hear herself1 that is1 not until she is well advanced in her work4 ,therefore she should always have the guidance of a teacher4 ,i never think of giving a program without going through it for criticism4 ,the office of critic is a very difficult one1 especially if you are to criticize some one you are fond of4 ,mr4 ,maclennan and ,i try to do it for each other4 ,i assure you it is no easy task to sing a program knowing some one is listening who will not spare you1 and will tell you all your faults4 ,i know this is all very salutary1 but it is human nature to wish to hear one's good points rather than the poor ones4 ,i sometimes say3 ',do tell me the good things ,i did4' ,but he says he does not need to speak of those2 ,i only need to know my faults in order that they may be corrected4 ,it is so easy to overdo a little1 one way or the other4 ,for instance1 you make a certain effect1--it goes well4 ,you think you will make it a little more pronounced next time4 ,and so it goes on1 until before you know it you have acquired a definite habit1 which the critics will call a mannerism and advise you to get rid of4 ,so the artist has to be constantly on the watch1 to guard against these incipient faults4 ,,breathing ,,exercises ,asked what kind of breathing exercises she used1 ,mme4 ,easton continued3 ,no doubt each one has her own exercises for the practice and teaching of breath control4 ,for myself1 ,i stand at the open window1 for one should always breathe pure air1 and ,i inhale and exhale slowly1 a number of times1 till ,i feel my lungs are thoroughly clear and filled with fresh air4 ,then ,i frequently sing tones directly after these long inhalations4 ,a one-octave scale1 sung slowly in one breath1 or at most in two1 is an excellent exercise4 ,you remember ,lilli ,lehmann's talks about the 'long scale'8 ,but the way in which she uses it perhaps no one but a ,lehmann could imitate4 ,what a wonderful woman she was--and is6 ,she has such a remarkable physique1 and can endure any amount of effort and fatigue4 ,every singer who hopes to make a success in any branch of the musical profession1 should look after the physical side1 and see that it is cared for and developed4 ,,study ,,the ,,piano6 ,if a girl is fond of music1 let her first of all study the piano1 for a knowledge of the piano and its music is really at the bottom of everything4 ,if ,i have a word of advice to mothers1 it should be3 ',let your child study the piano4' ,all children should have this opportunity1 whether they greatly desire it or not4 ,the child who early begins to study the piano1 will often--almost unconsciously--follow the melody she plays with her voice4 ,thus the love of song is awakened in her1 and a little later it is discovered she has a voice that is worth cultivating4 ,how many of our great singers began their musical studies first at the piano4 ,on the other hand1 the girl with a voice1 who has never worked at the piano1 is greatly handicapped from the start1 when she begins her vocal studies4 ,as she knows nothing of the piano1 everything has to be played for her1--she can never be independent of the accompanist2 she loses half the pleasure of knowing and doing things herself4 ,,full ,,or ,,half ,,voice ,asked if she used full or half voice for practice1 ,mme4 ,easton replied3 ,i do not1 as a rule1 use full voice when at work4 ,but this admission1 if followed1 might prove injurious to the young singer4 ,in the earlier stages of study1 one should use full voice1 for half voice might result in very faulty tone production4 ,the advanced singer1 who has passed the experimental stage can do many things the novice may not attempt1 and this is one of them4 ,,in ,,regard ,,to ,,memorizing ,here again my particular method of work can hardly be of value to others1 as ,i memorize with great rapidity4 ,it is no effort for me2 ,i seem to be able to visualize the whole part4 ,music has always been very easy to remember and with sufficient concentration ,i can soon make the words my own4 ,i always concentrate deeply on what ,i am doing4 ,lately ,i was asked to prepare a leading rle in one of the season's new operas1 to replace a singer at short notice1 should this be necessary4 ,i did so and accomplished the task in four days4 ,mr4 ,caruso laughingly remarked ,i must have a camera in my head4 ,i know my own parts1 both voice and accompaniment4 ,in learning a song1 ,i commit both voice and words at the same time4 ,,feeling ,,deeply ,,during ,,performance ,i feel the meaning of the music1 the tragedy or comedy1 the sadness or gayety of it each time ,i perform it1 but not1 as a rule1 to the extent of being entirely worn out with emotion4 ,it depends1 however1 on the occasion4 ,if you are singing in a foreign language1 which the audience does not understand1 you make every effort to 'put it over1' to make them see what you are trying to tell them4 ,you strive to make the song intelligible in some way4 ,you may add facial expression and gesture1 more than you would otherwise do4 ,all this is more wearing because of the effort involved4 ,,language ,this brings us to another point1 the study of languages4 ,the ,italian sings nearly all his rles in his own tongue1 with a few learned in ,french4 ,with the ,frenchman1 it is the same3 he sings in his own tongue and learns some parts in ,italian4 ,but we poor ,americans are forced to learn our parts in all three languages4 ,this1 of itself1 greatly adds to our difficulties4 ,we complain that the ,american sings his own language so carelessly4 ,an ,italian1 singing his own language for his own people1 may not be any more careful than we are1 but he will make ,english1 if he attempts it1 more intelligible than we do1 because he takes extra care to do so4 ,the duty is laid upon ,americans to study other languages1 if they expect to sing4 ,i know how often this study is neglected by the student4 ,it is another phase of that haste to make one's way which is characteristic of the young student and singer4 ,take1 for example1 the girl in the small town1 who is trying to do something with her voice4 ,she believes if she can get to ,new ,york1 or some other music center1 and have six months' lessons with some well known teacher1 she will emerge a singer4 ,she comes and finds living expenses so great that only one lesson a week with the professor is possible4 ,there is no chance for language or diction study1 or piano lessons2 yet all these she ought to have4 ,and one vocal lesson a week is entirely inadequate4 ,the old way of having daily lessons was far more successful4 ,the present way vocal teachers give lessons is not conducive to the best development4 ,the pupils come in a hurry1 one after another1 to get their fifteen or twenty minutes of instruction4 ,yet one cannot blame the teacher for he must live4 ,,the ,,ideal ,,way ,the ideal way is to have several lessons a week1 and not to take them in such haste4 ,if the pupil arrives1 and finds1 on first essay1 that her voice is not in the best of trim1 how much better to be able to wait a bit1 and try again2 it might then be all right4 ,but1 as ,i said1 under modern conditions1 this course seems not to be possible1 for the teacher must live4 ,if only vocal lessons could be free1 at least to the talented ones6 ,it seems sad that a gifted girl must pay to learn to sing1 when it is a very part of her1 as much as the song of the bird4 ,ah1 if ,i had plenty of money1 ,i would see that many of them should have this privilege1 without always looking at the money end of it4 ,,amount ,,of ,,daily ,,practice ,it seems to me the young singer should not practice more than two periods of fifteen or twenty minutes each4 ,at most one should not use the voice more than an hour a day4 ,we hear of people practicing hours and hours daily1 but that is probably in books4 ,the voice cannot be treated as the pianist or violinist does his fingers4 ,one must handle the voice with much more care4 ,,opportunities ,,for ,,the ,,young ,,singer ,,in ,,america ,the chances for the ,american singer to make a career in concert and recital are abundant4 ,in no other country in the world do such opportunities exist4 ,if she can meet the requirements1 she can win both fame and fortune on the concert stage4 ,in opera1 on the other hand1 opportunities are few and the outlook anything but hopeful4 ,every young singer casts longing eyes at the ,metropolitan1 or ,chicago ,opera1 as the goal of all ambition4 ,but that is the most hopeless notion of all4 ,no matter how beautiful the voice1 it is drill1 routine1 experience one needs4 ,without these1 plus musical reputation1 how is one to succeed in one of the two opera houses of the land8 ,and even if one is accepted 'for small parts1' what hope is there of rising1 when some of the greatest artists of the world hold the leading rles8 ,what the ,american singer needs is opportunity to gain experience and reputation in smaller places4 ,several years' drill and routine would fit the aspirant for a much broader field4 ,this would give her command over her resources and herself1 and perfect her voice and impersonations1 if she has the gifts and constantly studies to improve them4 ,even ,england1 so small compared to ,america1 has seven opera companies that travel up and down the land1 giving opera2 they have done this during all the years of the war4 ,this question of providing opportunity for operatic experience in ,america1 is one which has long been discussed and many experiments have been tried1 without arriving at satisfactory results4 ,what is needed is to awaken interest in opera in small places--just little out-of-the-way towns4 ,my idea would be to have a regular stock local opera company1 and have the standard operas studied4 ,have a little orchestra of about twenty and a small chorus4 ,the small parts to be learned by the most competent singers in the place4 ,then have the few principal rles taken by 'guest artists1' who might make these engagements in regular route and succession4 ,it seems to me such a plan could be carried out1 and what a joy it would be to any small community6 ,but people must gradually awake to this need3 it will take time4 ,,xiv ,,marguerite ,d',,alvarez ,,the ,,message ,,of ,,the ,,singer ,a great podium backed with green1 reminding one of a forest of palms2 dim lights through the vast auditorium2 a majestic1 black-robed figure standing alone among the palms1 pouring out her voice in song2 a voice at once vibrant1 appealing1 powerful1 filled now with sweeping passion1 again with melting tenderness2 such was the stage setting for my first impression of ,mme4 ,marguerite d',alvarez1 and such were some of the emotions she conveyed4 ,soon after this experience1 ,i asked if ,i might have a personal talk with the artist whose singing had made such a deep impression upon me4 ,it was most graciously granted1 and at the appointed hour ,i found myself in a charmingly appointed yet very home-like salon1 chatting with this ,spanish lady from ,peru1 who speaks such beautiful ,english and is courtesy itself4 ,this time it was not a somber1 black-robed figure who came forward so graciously to greet me1 for above a black satin walking skirt1 ,madame had added a blouse of soft creamy lace1 which revealed the rounded curves of neck and arms2 the only ornament being a string of pearls about the full throat4 ,later in our talk ,i ventured to express my preference for creamy draperies instead of black1 for the concert room2 but the singer thought otherwise4 ,no1 she said2 my gown must be absolutely unobtrusive--negative4 ,i must not use it to heighten effect1 or to attract the audience to me personally4 ,people must be drawn to me by what ,i express1 by my art1 by what ,i have to give them4 ,but to begin at the beginning4 ,in answer to my first question1 ,what must one do to become a singer8 ,madame said3 ,illustration3 ,,marguerite ,d',,alvarez ,to become a singer1 one must have a voice2 that is of the first importance4 ,in handling and training that voice1 breathing is perhaps the most vital thing to be considered4 ,to some breath control seems to be second nature2 others must toil for it4 ,with me it is intuition2 it has always been natural4 ,breathing is such an individual thing4 ,with each person it is different1 for no two people breathe in just the same way1 whether natural or acquired4 ,just as one pianist touches the keys of the instrument in his own peculiar way1 unlike the ways of all other pianists4 ,for instance1 no two singers will deliver the opening phrase of ',my heart at thy sweet voice1' from ,samson1 in exactly the same way4 ,one will expend a little more breath on some tones than on others2 one may sing it softer1 another louder4 ,indeed how can two people ever give out a phrase in the same way1 when they each feel it differently8 ,the great thing is to control the management of the breath through intelligent study4 ,but alas1--with a pretty little deprecating gesture1--many singers do not seem to use their intelligence in the right way4 ,they need to study so many things besides vocalizes and a few songs4 ,they ought to broaden themselves in every way4 ,they should know books1 pictures1 sculpture1 acting1 architecture1--in short everything possible in the line of art1 and of life4 ,for all these things will help them to sing more intelligently4 ,they should cultivate all these means of self-expression4 ,for myself1 ,i have had a liberal education in music--piano1 harmony1 theory1 composition and kindred subjects4 ,and then ,i love and study art in all its forms and manifestations4 ,your first recital in ,new ,york was a rich and varied feast1 ,i remarked4 ,indeed ,i feel ,i gave the audience too much2 there was such a weight of meaning to each song1 and so many6 ,i cannot sing indifferent or superficial songs4 ,i must sing those which mean much1 either of sadness or mirth1 passion or exaltation4 ,no one knows 7who has not been through it7 what it means to face a great audience of strangers1 knowing that something in you must awake those people and draw them toward you3 you must bare your very soul to them and bring theirs to you1 in answering response1 just by your voice4 ,it is a wonderful thing1 to bring to masses of people a message in this way4 ,i feel this strongly1 whenever ,i stand before a large audience1 that with every note ,i sing ,i am delivering something of the ,god-given gift which has been granted to me--that ,i can do some good to each one who hears4 ,if they do not care for me1 or if they misunderstand my message1 they may hate me--at first4 ,when they do understand1 then they adore me4 ,,sentiment ,,versus ,,temperament ,you can well believe it is far more difficult to sing a recital program than to do an operatic rle4 ,in the recital you are absolutely alone1 and entirely responsible for your effect on the audience4 ,you must be able to express every variety of emotion and feeling1 must make them realize the difference between sorrow and happiness1 revenge or disdain2 in short1 make them1 for the moment1 experience these things4 ,the artist who can best vivify these varying emotions must have temperament4 ,on the piano1 you may hear players who express sentiment1 feeling1 fine discrimination in tone color and shading2 but comparatively few possess real temperament4 ,there is great difference between that quality and sentiment4 ,the one can be learned1 to a certain extent2 but temperament is one's very life and soul1 and is bound to sweep everything before it4 ,of this one thing ,i am very sure2 the singer cannot express all these emotions without feeling them to the full during performance4 ,i always feel every phrase ,i sing--live it4 ,that is why1 after a long and exhausting program1 ,i am perfectly limp and spent4 ,for ,i have given all that was in me4 ,friends of ,sara ,bernhardt say that after a performance1 they would find her stretched prone on a couch in her dressing room1 scarcely able to move or speak4 ,the strain of a public appearance1 when one gives one's heart's blood1 is beyond words2 and ,madame's upturned face and expressive gesture denoted how keenly alive she was to this experience4 ,after a little pause1 ,i said3 ,let us come down to earth1 while you tell me just how you study4 ,no doubt you do some daily technical practice4 ,,massage ,,the ,,voice ,oh1 yes1 technic is most important2 one can do nothing without it4 ,when ,i begin to study in the morning1 ,i give the voice what ,i call a massage4 ,one's voice cannot be driven1 it must be coaxed1 enticed4 ,this massage consists of humming exercises1 with closed lips4 ,humming is the sunshine of the voice4 ,the singer illustrated the idea with a short musical figure1 consisting of three consecutive tones of the diatonic scale1 ascending and descending several times2 on each repetition the phrase began on the next higher note of the scale4 ,you see1 she continued1 this little exercise brings the tone fully forward4 ,as you feel the vibration1 it should be directly between the eyes4 ,now1 after you have coaxed the voice forward in this way1 and then opened your lips to sing a full tone1 this tone should1 indeed must1 be right in the same place where the humming tones were1--it cannot be anywhere else4 ,madame illustrated again1 first humming on one tone1 then letting it out with full resonance1 using the vowel ,ah1 which melted into ,o1 and later changed into ,u1 as the tone died away4 ,this vibration in the voice should not be confounded with a tremolo1 which is1 of course1 very undesirable4 ,a voice without vibrato1 would be cold and dead1 expressionless4 ,there must be this pulsing quality in the tone1 which carries waves of feeling on it4 ,thus the singer entices the voice to come forward and out1 never treating it roughly or harshly1 never forcing or straining it4 ,take pleasure in every tone you make2 with patience and pleasure much is accomplished4 ,i could not give you a more useful tip than this4 ,will you tell me how you learn a song8 she was asked4 ,i first read over the text and get a good idea of its meaning4 ,when ,i begin to study the song1 ,i never separate the music from the words1 but learn both together4 ,i play the piano of course1 and thus can get a good idea of the accompaniment1 and of the whole ensemble4 ,i feel so strongly that real art1 the highest art1 is for those who truly understand it and its mission4 ,a dream of mine is one day to found a school of true art4 ,everything in this school shall be on a high plane of thought4 ,the instructors shall be gifted themselves and have only lofty ideals4 ,and it will be such a happiness to watch the development of talent which may blossom into genius through having the right nurture4 ,i shall watch this work from a distance1 for ,i might be too anxious if ,i allowed myself to be in the midst of the work4 ,but this is my dream1 and ,i hope it will one day come true4 ,,xv ,,maria ,,barrientos ,,be ,,your ,,own ,,critic ,it is often remarked that the world has grown far away from coloratura singing2 that what we want to-day is the singing actor1 the dramatic singer1 who can portray passion--tear it to tatters if need be--but at least throw into voice gesture and action all the conflicting emotions which arise when depicting a modern dramatic character4 ,it is said1 with much truth1 composers do not write coloratura parts in these days1 since audiences do not care to listen to singers who stand in the middle of the stage1 merely to sing beautiful arias and tonal embroideries4 ,therefore there are very few coloratura singers at present1 since their opportunities are so limited4 ,to the last objection it can be answered that audiences do still flock to hear a great coloratura artist1 for they know they will hear pure1 beautiful melodies when they listen to the old ,italian operas4 ,and melody proves to be a magnet every time2 it always touches the heart4 ,again1 the coloratura singer is not obliged to stand in the middle of the stage1 while she warbles beautiful tones1 with seemingly little regard for the rle she is enacting4 ,the coloratura singer1 who is an artist1 can act as well as sing4 ,tetrazzini1 as she moves about the room1 greeting her guests1 as she does in ,traviata or ,lucia1 can at the same time keep right on with her florid song1 proving she can think of both arts at once4 ,it is quite true there are not many coloratura singers of the first rank to-day4 ,when you have mentioned ,galli-,curci1 ,tetrazzini1 ,barrientos1 and ,frieda ,hempel--the last is both lyric and coloratura--you have named all the great ones who are known to us here in ,america4 ,there are a couple of younger artists1 ,garrison and ,macbeth1 who are rapidly gaining the experience which will one day place them in the charmed circle4 ,illustration3 ,,maria ,,barrientos ,consider for an instant the three first named singers4 ,they stand at the very top of their profession2 they are each and all great in their chosen line1 to which they are fitted by reason of their special vocal gifts4 ,yet how absolutely different is each from the other6 ,they cannot even be compared4 ,they all sing the great florid arias1 but each with her own peculiar timbre of voice1 her individual nuance and manner of expression4 ,and it is well this should be so4 ,we would not have all coloratura singing of the same pattern of sameness or quality1 for we find uniformity is monotonous4 ,there is one peculiar mode of mastery for ,galli-,curci1 another for ,tetrazzini1 still another for ,barrientos2 each in her particular genre is unique1 apart4 ,perhaps this is especially the case with the ,spanish prima donna1 ,barrientos1 who has for several years past come to the ,metropolitan for part of the season4 ,she lives very quietly--almost in seclusion--in the great city1 keeping very much to herself1 with her mother and the members of her household1 and does not care to have the simple routine she plans for herself interrupted by any outside demands on her crowded days4 ,thus it happens that very few come face to face with the ,spanish artist except her personal friends4 ,but once in a while she breaks the strict rule1 and will consent to speak with a serious questioner about her manner of study1 how she happened to take up a musical career1 also some of the characteristics of her country1 its people and its musical art4 ,as her own art of song is most delicate and pure1 as her instrument is the most fragile and ethereal of any of the voices of her class1 so the singer herself is of slight and delicate physique4 ,her oval face1 with its large luminous eyes1 has a charm more pronounced than when seen on the other side of the footlights4 ,her manner is simple and sincere1 in common with that of all great artists4 ,although ,i always loved singing1 ,i never expected to become a singer1 began ,mme4 ,barrientos1 as we were seated on a comfortable divan in her artistic music room4 ,as a very young girl1 hardly more than a child1 my health became delicate4 ,i had been working very hard at the ,royal ,conservatory of ,music1 in ,barcelona1 my native city1 studying piano1 violin and theory1 also composition4 ,i was always a delicate child1 and the close application required for these studies was too much for me4 ,singing was prescribed in order to develop my chest and physique2 ,i took it up as a means of health and personal pleasure1 without the slightest idea to what it might lead4 ,you speak of the responsibility of choosing a good and reliable vocal instructor4 ,this is indeed a difficult task1 because each teacher is fully persuaded that his method is the only correct one4 ,but there are so many teachers1 and some of them do not even sing themselves at all4 ,can you imagine a vocal teacher who cannot sing himself1 who is so to say voiceless1 unable to demonstrate what he teaches8 ,a piano or violin teacher must play his instrument1 or he will not be able to show the pupils how it ought to be done4 ,but the vocal teacher thinks to instruct without demonstrating what he is trying to impart4 ,,beginning ,,vocal ,,study ,,with ,,opera ,so ,i did not begin my studies with a regular vocal teacher1 but with a dilettante--,i do not know just how you say that in ,english4 ,this gentleman was not a professional2 he was a business man who at the same time was a good musician4 ,instead of starting me with a lot of scales and exercises1 we began at once with the operas4 ,i was twelve years old when ,i began1 and after one year of this kind of study1 made my dbut in the rle of ,inez1 in ,l',africaine4 ,about this time ,i lost my kind instructor1 who passed away4 ,i then worked by myself until ,i was sixteen1 when ,i began to study technic systematically4 ,as you see1 then1 ,i am practically self-taught4 ,it seems to me1 if one has voice and intelligence1 one can and should be one's own teacher4 ,no one else can do as much for you as you can do for yourself4 ,you can tell what the sensations are1 what parts are relaxed and what parts are firm1 better than any one else4 ,you can listen and work on tone quality until it reaches the effect you desire4 ,i do not neglect vocal technic now1 for ,i know its value4 ,i do about three quarters of an hour technical practice every day--scales and exercises4 ,,memorizing ,i memorize very easily2 it only takes a few weeks to learn an operatic rle4 ,i spent three weeks on ,coq d',or1 and that is a difficult part1 so many half tones and accidentals4 ,but ,i love that music1 it is so beautiful2 it is one of my favorite rles4 ,some parts are longer and more difficult than others4 ,of course ,i know most of the ,italian operas and many ,french ones4 ,i should like to sing ,mireille and ,lakm here1 but the ,director may wish to put on other works instead4 ,,spanish ,,opera ,yes1 we have native opera in ,spain1 but the works of our operatic composers are little known in other lands4 ,the ,spanish people are clannish1 you see1 and seem to lack the ambition to travel abroad to make their art known to others2 they are satisfied to make it known to their own people4 ,casals and ,i--we are perhaps the ones who regularly visit you1 though you have several ,spanish singers in the opera who reside here permanently4 ,as for ,spanish composers of instrumental music1 you are here somewhat familiar with the names of ,grovelez and ,albeniz2 ,granados you know also1 both his opera1 ,goyescas1 which was performed at the ,metropolitan1 and his personality4 ,he came to ,america to witness the premier of his opera1 and while here proved he was a most excellent pianist as well as a composer of high merit1 which fact was revealed in his piano and vocal compositions4 ,the ,american people were most kind and appreciative to him4 ,when the disaster came and he was lost at sea1 the testimonial they sent his orphaned children was a goodly sum1 though ,i hardly think the children appreciated your goodness4 ,among the composers in ,spain who have turned their gifts toward operatic channels ,i can mention ,pedrell1 ,morea1 ,falla1 ,vives and ,breton4 ,vives is now writing an opera for me1 entitled ,abanico4 ,gradually1 no doubt1 the music of our country1 especially its opera1 will find its way to other lands4 ,even in ,england1 ,i am told1 ,spanish music is very little known2 our many distinguished modern musicians are hardly even names4 ,of course the world knows our ,toreador songs1 our castanet dances1 and the like2 perhaps they think we have little or no serious music1 because it is still unknown4 ,spanish music is peculiar to the country2 it is permeated with the national spirit and feeling4 ,asked if she would sing in ,south ,america during the vacation1 the singer answered3 ,i have sung there with great success4 ,but ,i shall not be able to go there this summer4 ,my little boy has been placed in a school in ,france2 it is the first time we have been separated1 and it has been very hard for me to have the ocean between us4 ,i shall sing at ,atlanta1 the first week of ,may1 and then sail the middle of the month for ,france4 ,yes1 indeed1 ,i hope to return to ,america next season4 ,i trust you have been able to understand my poor ,english1 she said smiling1 as she parted with her visitor2 we speak several languages here in my home--,spanish with my mother and friends1 ,french and ,italian with others in the household4 ,but there seems little necessity for using ,english1 even though ,i am living in the heart of the metropolis4 ,perhaps next year1 ,i shall master your language better4 ,and the picture of her1 as she stood in her artistic1 home-like salon1 with its lights1 its pictures and flowers1 is even more lasting than any to be remembered on the operatic stage4 ,,xvi ,,claudia ,,muzio ,a ,,child ,,of ,,the ,,opera ,illustration3 ,,claudia ,,muzio ,in tales of romance one reads sometimes of a gifted girl who lives in a musical atmosphere all her life1 imbibing artistic influences as naturally and almost as unconsciously as the air she breathes4 ,at the right moment1 she suddenly comes out into the light and blossoms into a full fledged singer1 to the surprise and wonder of all her friends4 ,or she is brought up behind the scenes in some great ,opera ,house of the world1 where1 all unnoticed by her elders1 she lives in a dream world of her own1 peopled by the various characters in the operas to which she daily listens4 ,she watches the stage so closely and constantly that she unconsciously commits the rles of the heroines she most admires1 to memory4 ,she knows what they sing1 how they act the various parts1 how they impersonate the characters4 ,again1 at the right moment1 the leading prima donna is indisposed1 there is no one to take her place2 manager is in despair1 when the slip of a girl1 who is known to have a voice1 but has never sung in opera1 offers to go on in place of the absent one4 ,she is finally permitted to do so2 result1 a popular success4 ,some pages of ,claudia ,muzio's musical story read like the romantic experiences of a novel-heroine4 ,she1 too1 was brought up in great opera houses1 and it seemed natural1 that in due course of time1 she should come into her own1 in the greatest lyric theater of the land of her adoption4 ,when she returned to ,america1 a couple of years ago1 after gaining experience in ,europe1 she arrived toward the end of the season preceding her scheduled dbut here1 to prepare herself more fully for the coming appearance awaiting her4 ,i was asked to meet and talk with the young singer1 to ascertain her manner of study1 and some of her ideas regarding the work which lay before her4 99 99 99 99 99 ,it was always my dream to sing at the ,metropolitan1 and my dream has come true4 ,claudia ,muzio said the words with her brilliant smile1 as her great soft dark eyes gazed luminously at the visitor4 ,the day was cold and dreary without1 but the singer's apartment was of tropical warmth4 ,a great bowl of violets on the piano exhaled delicious fragrance2 the young ,italian in the bloom of her oriental beauty1 seemed like some luxuriant tropical blossom herself4 ,claudia ,muzio1 who was just about to take her place among the personnel of the ,metropolitan1 is truly to the manner born1--a real child of the opera4 ,she has lived in opera all her life1 has imbibed the operatic atmosphere from her earliest remembrance4 ,it must be as necessary for a singer who aspires to fill a high place in this field of artistic endeavor1 to live amid congenial surroundings1 as for a pianist1 violinist or composer to be environed by musical influences4 ,yes1 ,i am an ,italian1 she began1 for ,i was born in ,italy2 but when ,i was two years old ,i was taken to ,london1 and my childhood was passed in that great city4 ,my father was stage manager at ,covent ,garden1 and has also held the same post at the ,manhattan and ,metropolitan ,opera ,houses in ,new ,york4 ,so ,i have grown up in the theater4 ,i have always listened to opera--daily1 and my childish imagination was fired by seeing the art of the great singers4 ,i always hoped ,i should one day become a singer1 so ,i always watched the artists in action1 noting how they did everything4 ,as a result1 ,i do not now have to study acting as a separate branch of the work1 for acting comes to me naturally4 ,i am very temperamental2 ,i feel intuitively how the rle should be enacted4 ,all tiny children learn to sing little songs1 and ,i was no exception4 ,i acquired quite a number1 and at the age of six1 exhibited my accomplishments at a little recital4 ,but ,i never had singing lessons until ,i began to study seriously at about the age of sixteen4 ,although ,i did not study the voice till ,i reached that age1 ,i was always occupied with music1 for ,i learned as a little girl to play both harp and piano4 ,we lived in ,london1 of which city ,i am very fond1 from the time ,i was two1 till ,i was fourteen1 then we came to ,america4 ,after residing here a couple of years1 it was decided ,i should make a career1 and we went to ,italy4 ,i was taken to ,madame ,anna ,casaloni at ,turino4 ,she was quite elderly at that time1 but she had been a great singer4 ,when she tried my voice1 she told me it was quite properly placed--so ,i had none of that drudgery to go through4 ,at first my voice was a very light soprano1 hardly yet a coloratura4 ,it became so a little later1 however1 and then gradually developed into a dramatic soprano4 ,i am very happy about this fact1 for ,i love to portray tears as well as laughter--sorrow and tragedy as well as lightness and gayety4 ,the coloratura manner of singing is all delicacy and lightness1 and one cannot express deep emotion in this way4 ,we subsequently went to ,milano1 where ,i studied with ,madame ,viviani1 a soprano who had enjoyed great success on the operatic stage4 ,after several years of serious study ,i was ready to begin my career4 ,so ,i sang in ,milan and other ,italian cities1 then at ,covent ,garden1 and now ,i am in the ,metropolitan4 ,in ,italy ,i created the rle of ,fiora in ,amore del tre ,re1 and sang with ,ferrari-,fontana4 ,i also created ,francesca in ,francesca da ,rimini1 under its composer1 ,zandonai4 ,i have a repertoire of about thirty operas1 and am of course adding to it constantly1 as one must know many more than thirty rles4 ,since coming to ,new ,york1 ,i have learned ,ada1 which ,i did not know before1 and have already appeared in it4 ,it was learned thoroughly in eight days4 ,now ,i am at work on ,madame ,butterfly4 ,,technical ,,practice ,i work regularly every morning on vocal technic4 ,not necessarily a whole hour at a stretch1 as some do2 but as much time as ,i feel ,i need4 ,i give practically my whole day to study1 so that ,i can make frequent short pauses in technical practice4 ,if technic is studied with complete concentration and vigor1 as it always should be1 it is much more fatiguing than singing an opera rle4 ,you ask about the special forms of exercises ,i use4 ,i sing all the scales1 one octave each--once slow and once fast--all in one breath4 ,then ,i sing triplets on each tone1 as many as ,i can in one breath4 ,i can sing about fifteen now1 but ,i shall doubtless increase the number4 ,for all these ,i use full power of tone4 ,another form of exercise is to take one tone softly1 then go to the octave above1 which tone is also sung softly1 but there is a large crescendo made between the two soft tones4 ,my compass is three octaves--from ,c below middle ,c1 to two octaves above that point4 ,i also have ,c sharp1 but ,i do not practice it1 for ,i know ,i can reach it if ,i need it1 and ,i save my voice4 ,neither do ,i work on the final tones of the lowest octave1 for the same reason--to preserve the voice4 ,,breath ,,control ,every singer knows how important is the management of the breath4 ,i always hold the chest up1 taking as long breaths as ,i can conveniently do4 ,the power to hold the breath1 and sing more and more tones with one breath1 grows with careful1 intelligent practice4 ,there are no rules about the number of phrases you can sing with a single breath4 ,a teacher will tell you2 if you can sing two phrases with one breath1 do so2 if not1 take breath between4 ,it all rests with the singer4 ,,memorizing ,i learn words and music of a rle at the same time1 for one helps the other4 ,when ,i have mastered a rle1 ,i know it absolutely1 words1 music and accompaniment4 ,i can always play my accompaniments1 for ,i understand the piano4 ,i am always at work on repertoire1 even at night4 ,i don't seem to need very much sleep1 ,i think1 and ,i often memorize during the night2 that is such a good time to work1 for all is so quiet and still4 ,i lie awake thinking of the music1 and in this way ,i learn it4 ,or1 perhaps it learns itself4 ,for when ,i retire the music is not yet mastered1 not yet my own1 but when morning comes ,i really know it4 ,of course ,i must know the words with great exactness1 especially in songs4 ,i shall do ,english songs in my coming song recital work1 and the words and diction must be perfect1 or people will criticize my ,english4 ,i always write out the words of my rles1 so as to be sure ,i understand them and have them correctly memorized4 ,,keeping ,,up ,,repertoire ,most singers1 ,i believe1 need a couple of days--sometimes longer--in which to review a rle4 ,i never use the notes or score when going over a part in which ,i have appeared1 for ,i know them absolutely1 so there is no occasion to use the notes4 ,other singers appear frequently at rehearsal with their books1 but ,i never take mine4 ,my intimate knowledge of score1 when ,i assisted my father in taking charge of operatic scores1 is always a great help to me4 ,i used to take charge of all the scores for him1 and knew all the cuts1 changes and just how they were to be used4 ,the singers themselves often came to me for stage directions about their parts1 knowing ,i had this experience4 ,yes1 as you suggest1 ,i could sing here in winter1 then in ,south ,america in summer4 7,miss ,muzio accomplished this recently1 with distinguished success and had many thrilling adventures incident to travel47 ,this would mean ,i would have no summer at all1 for that season with them is colder than we have it here4 ,no1 ,i want my summer for rest and study4 ,during the season at the ,metropolitan ,i give up everything for my art4 ,i refuse all society and the many invitations ,i receive to be guest of honor here and there4 ,i remain quietly at home1 steadfastly at work4 ,my art means everything to me1 and ,i must keep myself in the best condition possible1 to be ready when the call comes to sing4 ,one cannot do both1 you know2 art and society do not mix well4 ,i have never disappointed an audience2 it would be a great calamity to be obliged to do so4 ,,xvii ,,edward ,,johnson 7,,edouardo ,,di ,,giovanni7 ,,the ,,evoluton ,,of ,,an ,,opera ,,star ,the story of ,edward ,johnson's musical development should prove an incentive1 nay more1 a beacon light along the path of consistent progress toward the goal of vocal and operatic achievement4 ,indeed as a tiny child he must have had the desire to become a singer4 ,a friend speaks of musical proclivities which began to show themselves at an early age1 and describes visits of the child to their home1 where1 in a little ,lord ,fauntleroy suit1 he would stand up before them all and sing a whole recital of little songs1 to the delight of all his relatives4 ,the singer's progress1 from the musical child on and up to that of an operatic artist1 has been rational and healthy1 with nothing hectic or overwrought about it2 a constant1 gradual ascent of the mountain4 ,and while an enviable vantage ground has been reached1 such an artist must feel there are yet other heights to conquer4 ,for even excellence1 already achieved1 requires constant effort to be held at high water mark4 ,and the desire for greater perfection1 which every true artist must feel1 is a never-ending urge to continued struggle4 ,in a recent conversation with the tenor1 ,mr4 ,johnson spoke of early days1 when he desired above everything else to become a musician and follow a musical career1 though his family expected him to enter the business world4 ,he came to ,new ,york to look the ground over1 hoping there might be opportunity to continue his studies and make his way at the same time4 ,he was fortunate enough to secure a church position1 and sang subsequently in some of the best ,new ,york and ,brooklyn churches4 ,after this period he did much concert work1 touring through the ,middle ,west with the ,chicago ,symphony ,orchestra and singing in many ,music ,festivals throughout the country4 ,illustration3 ,edward ,johnson ,but church and concert singing did not entirely satisfy2 he longed to try his hand at opera1--in short to make an operatic career4 ,he was well aware that he would not find this field nor gain the necessary experience in ,america2 he must go to ,italy1 the land of song1 to gain the required training and experience4 ,he was also fully aware of the fact that there was plenty of hard work1 and probably many disappointments before him1 but he did not shrink from either4 ,fortunately1 ,i have a fund of humor1 he said1 and there was a twinkle in his eye as he spoke4 ,it is a saving grace1 as you say2 without it ,i believe ,i should have many times given up in sheer despair4 ,mr4 ,johnson went to ,italy in #aiji1 beginning at once his studies with ,lombardi1 in ,florence4 ,in the ten years of his absence from his home land he has built up a reputation and made a career in the great operatic centers of ,italy1 ,spain and ,south ,america4 ,after his dbut in ,padua1 he became leading tenor at ,la ,scala1 ,milan1 for five consecutive seasons4 ,in ,rome he spent four seasons at the ,costanzi ,theater1 in the meantime making two visits to the ,colon ,theater1 ,buenos ,aires1 and filling engagements in ,madrid1 ,bologna1 ,florence and ,genoa4 ,how could ,i stay away from ,america for such a length of time8 you ask4 ,for various reasons4 ,i was getting what ,i had come to ,italy for1 experience and reputation4 ,i was comfortable and happy in my work4 ,i loved the beautiful country1 and the life suited me4 ,the people were kind4 ,i had my own home in ,florence1 which is still there and to which ,i can return when my season is over here4 ,best of all ,i had the opportunity of creating all the new tenor rles in the recent operas of ,puccini1 ,montemezzi1 ,pizzetti and ,gratico4 ,i also created the rle of ,parsifal in ,italian1 and the first season at ,la ,scala1 it was performed twenty-seven times4 ,with your permission let us go a little into detail in regard to the needs of the young singer and his method of study1 so that he may acquire vocal mastery4 ,what do you consider the most important and necessary subject for the young singer1 or any one who wishes to enter the profession1 to consider8 ,a musical education1 was the prompt1 unhesitating reply4 ,so many think if they have a good natural voice and take singing lessons1 that is quite sufficient2 they will soon become singers4 ,but a singer should also be a musician4 ,he should learn the piano by all means and have some knowledge of theory and harmony4 ,these subjects will be of the greatest benefit in developing his musicianship2 indeed he cannot well get on without them4 ,a beautiful voice with little musical education1 is not of as much value to its possessor as one not so beautiful1 which has been well trained and is coupled with solid musical attainments4 ,a ,,musical ,,career ,if one goes in for a musical career1 one should realize at the start1 something of what it means1 what is involved1 and what must go with it4 ,singing itself is only a part1 perhaps even the smaller part1 of one's equipment4 ,if opera be the goal1 there are languages1 acting1 make up1 impersonation1 interpretation1 how to walk1 how to carry oneself1 all to be added to the piano and harmony we have already spoken of4 ,the art of the singer is a profession--yes1 and a business too4 ,you prepare yourself to fill a public demand2 you must prove yourself worthy1 you must come up to the standard1 or there will not be a demand for what you have to offer4 ,and it is right this should be so4 ,we should be willing to look the situation fairly in the eye1 divesting it of all those rose colored dreams and fancies2 then we should get right down to work4 ,,not ,,many ,,rules ,if you get right down to the bottom1 there are in reality not so many singing rules to learn4 ,you sing on the five vowels1 and when you can do them loudly1 softly1 and with mezzo voce1 you have a foundation upon which to build vocal mastery4 ,and yet some people study eight1 ten years without really laying the foundation4 ,why should it take the singer such a long time to master the material of his equipment8 ,a lawyer or doctor1 after leaving college1 devotes three or four years only to preparing himself for his profession1 receives his diploma1 then sets up in business4 ,it ought not to be so much more difficult to learn to sing than to learn these other professions4 ,,the ,,ear ,of course the ear is the most important factor1 our greatest ally4 ,it helps us imitate4 ,imitation forms a large part of our study4 ,we hear a beautiful tone2 we try to imitate it2 we try in various ways1 with various placements1 until we succeed in producing the sound we have been seeking4 ,then we endeavor to remember the sensations experienced in order that we may repeat the tone at will4 ,so you see ,listening1 ,imitation and ,memory are very important factors in the student's development4 ,,bel ,,canto ,i have just spoken of a beautiful tone4 ,the old ,italian operas cultivate the bel canto1 that is--beautiful singing4 ,of course it is well for the singer to cultivate this first of all1 for it is excellent1 and necessary for the voice4 ,but modern ,italian opera portrays the real men and women of to-day1 who live1 enjoy1 suffer1 are angry and repentant4 ,bel canto will not express these emotions4 ,when a man is jealous or in a rage1 he will not stand quietly in the middle of the stage and sing beautiful tones4 ,he does not think of beautiful tones at all4 ,hatred and jealousy should be expressed in the voice as well as in action and gesture2 they are far from lovely in themselves1 and to be natural and true to life1 they will not make lovely tones in the voice4 ,we want singing actors to-day1 men and women who can adequately portray the characters they impersonate through both voice and action4 ,,learning ,a ,r,,le ,in taking up a new part ,i vocalize the theme first1 to get an idea of the music2 then ,i learn the words4 ,after this ,i work with the accompanist who comes to me every morning4 ,of course1 besides this1 ,i do daily vocalizes and vocal exercises2 one must always keep up one's vocal technic4 ,but learning words and music is only a part of the work to be done on a rle4 ,it must then be interpreted2 more than this it must be visualized4 ,this part of the work rests largely with the singer1 and gives opportunity for his individuality to assert itself4 ,of course the general idea of the characterization is given us1 the make-up1 posturing and so on4 ,to work out these ideas1 to make the part our own1 to feel at home in it1 so that it shall not seem like acting1 but appear perfectly natural--all this takes a great deal of thought1 time and study4 ,it is all a mental process1 as every one knows2 we must project our thought out to the audience1 we must 'get it over1' or it will never strike fire6 ,,interpretation ,on the subject of individuality in interpretation1 ,mr4 ,johnson was convincing4 ,i feel that if ,i have worked out a characterization1 ,i must stick to my idea1 in spite of what others say4 ,it is my own conception1 and ,i must either stand or fall by it4 ,at times ,i have tried to follow the suggestions of this or that critic and have changed my interpretation to suit their taste4 ,but it always rendered me self conscious1 made my work unnatural and caused me speedily to return to my own conception4 ,,learning ,,by ,,doing ,the singer finds the stage a great teacher4 ,before the footlights he has constant opportunity to try out this or that effect1 to note which placement of the voice best fits the tones he wishes to produce4 ,then1 too1 he soon learns to feel whether he has made the impression he had hoped1 whether he has the audience with him4 ,if he cannot win the audience1 he takes careful thought to see why4 ,in order to win his hearers1 to get his work across the footlights1 there are certain things he must have1 virtues he must possess4 ,for instance1--and the artist counted them off on his finger tips1--he must have ,accent1 ,diction1 ,characterization1 and above all1 ,sincerity4 ,no matter what other good qualities he may possess1 he must be sincere before anything else4 ,if he lack this the audience soon finds it out4 ,there's nothing that wins its way like the grace of sincerity4 ,you see ,i give prominent place to accent and diction4 ,whatever fault the critics found with me1 they have always conceded to me both these virtues4 ,but time passes and soon the work of the night will begin4 ,i trust that our informal conference may contain a few points of personal experience which may be helpful to those who are striving to enter the field of opera4 ,and with his pleasant smile and genial greeting1 ,mr4 ,johnson closed the conference4 ,,xviii ,,reinald ,,werrenrath ,,achieving ,,success ,,on ,,the ,,concert ,,stage ,at the close of a recital by ,reinald ,werrenrath1 the listener feels he has something to carry away1 a tangible impression1 a real message4 ,what is the impression--can it be defined8 ,perhaps it is more the complete effect as a whole that makes the deepest impression4 ,the voice is always agreeable1 the diction so clear and distinct that every syllable can be followed from the topmost corner of ,carnegie ,hall1 so there is no need to print a program book for this singer4 ,different qualities of voice render the picture or mood more vivid1 and all is accomplished with perfect ease1 in itself a charm4 ,people settle in their seats as if certain that a song recital by ,werrenrath is sure to bring enjoyment and satisfaction4 ,and ,mr4 ,werrenrath has proven1 through season after season of concert giving in ,america1 that he is filling his own special niche in the scheme of the country's musical life2 that he has his own message of the beautiful--the natural--in vocal art to deliver to the people all over the land1 and he is accomplishing this with ever increasing ability and success4 ,to go through a season filled with concert tours1 such as a popular singer has laid out for him1 means so many weeks and months of strenuous toil and travel4 ,there may be a few brief hours or days here and there1 when he can be at home among family and friends2 but soon he is off again--on the road4 ,mr4 ,werrenrath is the sort of singer who is generally on the wing1 or if not exactly that1 is so rushed with work1 record making and rehearsing for occasional opera appearances1 that it is very difficult to get a word with him4 ,i was exceedingly fortunate however1 one day recently1 to catch a glimpse of him between a ,metropolitan rehearsal on the one hand1 and some concert business on the other4 ,he entered the room where ,i waited1 tall1 vigorous1 his fine face lighted by a rapid walk in the fresh air2 he seemed the embodiment of mental vigor and alertness4 ,,vocal ,,control ,illustration3 ,,reinald ,,werrenrath ,i plunged at once into the subject ,i had come for1 telling him ,i wanted to know how he had worked to bring about such results as were noted in his recent recital in ,carnegie ,hall2 in what way he had studied1 and what1 in his opinion1 were the most important factors1 from an educational point of view1 for the young singer to consider4 ,that is entirely too difficult a question to be answered briefly1 even in a half hour1 or in an hour's talk4 ,there are too many angles2 his clear gray eyes looked at me frankly as he spoke4 ,voice culture1 voice mastery1 what is it8 ,it is having control of your instrument to such an extent that you put it out of your thought completely when you sing4 ,the voice is your servant and must do your bidding4 ,this control is arrived at through a variety of means1 and can be considered from a thousand angles1 any one of which would be interesting to follow up4 ,i have been on the concert stage for nearly a score of years1 and ought to know whereof ,i speak2 yet ,i can say ,i have not learned it all even now1 not by any means4 ,vocal technic is something on which you are always working1 something which is never completed1 something which is constantly improving with your mental growth and experience--if you are working along the right lines4 ,people talk of finishing their vocal technic2 how can that ever be done8 ,you are always learning how to do better4 ,if you don't make the effect you expected to1 in a certain place1 when singing in public1 you take thought of it afterward1 consider what was the matter1 why you couldn't put it over--why it had no effect on the audience4 ,then you work on it1 learn how to correct and improve it4 ,,early ,,experiences ,as you may know1 my father was a great singer2 he was my first teacher4 ,after ,i lost him ,i studied for several years with ,dr4 ,carl ,duft and later with ,arthur ,mees4 ,in all this time ,i had learned a great deal about music from the intellectual and emotional sides1 music in the abstract and so on4 ,in fact1 ,i thought ,i knew about all there was to be learned about the art of song2 ,i settled back on my oars and let the matter go at that4 ,at last1 however1 ,i awoke to see that ,i didn't know it all yet2 ,i discovered ,i couldn't put the feeling and emotion which surged within me across to others in the way ,i wanted to--in the way which could move and impress them2 ,i could not make the effects ,i wanted2 ,i was getting into a rut4 ,this was seven years ago4 ,at that time ,i went to ,percy ,rector ,stevens1 who has done me an immense amount of good1 and with whom ,i constantly keep in touch1 in case there should be anything wrong with my instrument anywhere4 ,mr4 ,stevens understands the mechanics of the voice perhaps better than any one ,i know of4 ,if ,i go to him and say3 ',i made some tones last night that didn't sound right to me1' or ',i couldn't seem to put over this or that effect2 ,i want you to tell me what is the matter4' ,he will say3 ',sing for me1 show me the trouble and we'll see what we can do for it4' ,so ,i sing and he will say3 ',you are tightening your throat at that place1' or 'your diaphragm is not working properly1' or there is some other defect4 ,he can always put his finger directly on the weak spot4 ,he is my vocal doctor4 ,your whole vocal apparatus must work together in entire harmony4 ,we hear of teachers who seem to specialize on some one part of the anatomy to the exclusion of other parts4 ,they are so particular about the diaphragm1 for instance2 that must be held with exactly the right firmness to support the tone4 ,that is all very well2 but what about the chest1 the larynx1 the throat1 the head and all the rest of the anatomy8 ,the truth is the whole trunk and head of the body are concerned in the act of tone production2 they form the complete instrument1 so to say4 ,when the singer is well and strong and in good condition1 all the parts respond and do their work easily and efficiently4 ,,daily ,,practice ,i do not go through a routine of scales and exercises daily--at least not in the season1 for ,i have no time4 ,if you are going to take your automobile out for a spin you don't ride it around for half an hour in the yard to see whether it will go4 ,no1 you first look after the machinery1 to see if all is in working order1 and then you start out1 knowing it will go4 ,i do a lot of gymnastics each day1 to exercise the voice and limber up the anatomy4 ,these act as a massage for the voice2 they are in the nature of humming1 mingled with grunts1 calls1 exclamations1 shouts1 and many kinds of sounds--indeed so many and various they cannot be enumerated4 ,but they put the voice in condition1 so there is no need for all these other exercises which most singers find so essential to their vocal well-being4 ,i will say right here that ,i am working with two masters2 the first for the mechanics of the voice1 the second who helps me from quite an opposite angle--interpretation and finish4 ,,with ,,maurel ,the master from whom ,i have learned so much that it cannot be estimated is ,victor ,maurel4 ,he is a most remarkable man1 a great thinker and philosopher4 ,if he had turned his attention to any other art or science1 or if he had been but a day laborer1 he would be a great man anywhere1 in any capacity4 ,i have been with him1 whenever possible1 for two years now4 ,he has shown me the philosophy1 the psychology of singing4 ,he has taught me the science of intense diction4 ,by means of such diction1 ,i can sing mezza voce1 and put it over with less effort and much more artistic effect than ,i ever used to do1 when ,i employed much more voice4 ,you hear it said this or that person has a big voice and can sing with great power4 ,a brass band can make a lot of noise4 ,i have stood beside men1 who in a smaller space1 could make much more noise than ,i could4 ,but when they got out on the stage you couldn't hear them at the back of the hall4 ,it is the knowing how to use the voice with the least possible effort1 coupled with the right kind of diction1 that will make the greatest effect4 ,now ,i can express myself1 and deliver the message ,i feel ,i have to give4 ,,the ,,singer ,,before ,,an ,,audience ,you ask if ,i hear myself1 when ,i am singing for an audience4 ,in a general way1 yes4 ,of course ,i do not get the full effect of what ,i am doing2 a singer never does4 ,it takes the records to tell me that1 and ,i have been making records for a good number of years4 ,but ,i know the sensations which accompany correct tone production1 and if ,i feel they are different in any place or passage1 ,i try to make a mental note of the fact and the passage1 that ,i may correct it afterwards4 ,but ,i must emphasize the point that when ,i sing1 ,i cast away all thought of how ,i do anything technical2 ,i want to get away from the mechanics of the voice2 ,i must keep my thought clear for the interpretation1 for the message ,i have brought to the audience4 ,to be constantly thinking--how am ,i doing this or that--would hamper me terribly4 ,i should never get anywhere4 ,i must have my vocal apparatus under such control that it goes of itself4 ,a pianist does not think of technic when playing in public1 neither should a singer think of his vocal technic4 ,of course there may be occasions when adverse circumstances thrust conditions upon me4 ,if ,i have a slight cold1 or tightness of throat1 ,i have to bring all my resources to bear1 to rise above the seeming handicap1 and sing as well as ,i can in spite of it4 ,i can say gratefully1 without any desire to boast1 that during the past eleven years1 ,i have never once missed an engagement or disappointed an audience4 ,of course ,i have had to keep engagements when ,i did not feel in the mood1 either physically or mentally4 ,many singers would have refused under like conditions4 ,but it does not seem fair to the audience to disappoint1 or to the manager either2 it puts him in a very difficult and unpleasant position4 ,it seems to me the artist should be more considerate of both manager and audience1 than to yield to a slight indisposition and so break his engagement4 ,,the ,,singer ,,in ,,his ,,studio ,it makes such a difference--in quality of tone and in effect--whether you sing in a small or large space4 ,things you do in the studio and which may sound well there1 are quite different or are lost altogether in a large hall4 ,you really cannot tell what the effect will be in a great space1 by what you do in your studio4 ,in rehearsing and study1 ,i use half voice1 and only occasionally do ,i use full voice1 that is when ,i wish to get a better idea of the effect4 ,,vocal ,,mastery ,as we stood at the close of the conference1 ,i asked the supreme question--,what do you understand by ,vocal ,mastery8 ,the artist looked as though ,i were making an impossible demand in requiring an answer to so comprehensive a subject4 ,he took a few strides and then came back4 ,i can answer that question with one word--,disregard4 ,which means1 that if you have such control of your anatomy1 such command of your vocal resources that they will always do their work1 that they can be depended upon to act perfectly1 then you can disregard mechanism1 and think only of the interpretation--only of your vocal message4 ,then you have conquered the material--then you have attained ,vocal ,mastery6 ,,xix ,,sophie ,,braslau ,,making ,a ,,career ,,in ,,america ,a fact1 often overlooked when considering the career of some of our great singers of to-day1 is the fact that they started out to become an instrumentalist rather than a singer4 ,in other words they become proficient on some instrument before taking up serious study of the voice4 ,in this connection one thinks of ,mme4 ,sembrich1 who was both pianist and violinist before becoming known as a singer4 ,it would be interesting to follow up this idea and enumerate the vocalists who have broadened their musicianship through the study of other instruments than their own voices4 ,but this delightful task must be reserved for future leisure4 ,for the present it can be set down here that ,miss ,sophie ,braslau1 probably the youngest star in the constellation of the ,metropolitan artists1 is an accomplished pianist1 and intended to make her career with the aid of that instrument instead of with her voice4 ,but we will let the young artist speak for herself4 ,on the occasion in question1 she had just returned from a walk1 her arms full of rosebuds4 ,i never can resist flowers1 she remarked1 as she had them placed in a big silver vase4 ,then she carried the visitor off to her own special rooms1 whose windows overlooked an inner garden1 where one forgot one was in the heart of ,new ,york4 ,indeed it is not like ,new ,york at all1 rather like ,paris1 said ,miss ,braslau1 answering my thought4 ,on a chaise longue in this ivory and rose sanctum1 reposed a big1 beautiful doll1 preserved from childish days4 ,the singer took it up2 ,i don't play with it now1 she said with a smile1 but ,i used to4 ,she placed it carefully in a chair1 then settled herself to talk4 ,illustration3 ,,sophie ,,braslau ,yes1 ,i intended to make the piano my instrument and began my studies at the age of six4 ,before long it was seen that ,i had something of a voice1 but no one gave it much thought1 supposing ,i was to be a pianist2 indeed ,i have the hand of one1 holding it up4 ,i don't think1 in those early years1 ,i was so very anxious to become a player4 ,i did not love scales--do not now1 and would quite as soon have sat at the piano with a book in my lap1 while my fingers mechanically did their stunts4 ,but my mother looked after my practice1 and often sat near me4 ,she required a regular amount of time given to music study each day4 ,i am so grateful that she was strict with me1 for my knowledge of piano and its literature is the greatest joy to me now4 ,to my thinking all children should have piano lessons2 the cost is trifling compared to the benefits they receive4 ,they should be made to study1 whether they wish to or not4 ,they are not prepared to judge what is good for them1 and if they are given this advantage they will be glad of it later on4 ,in due time ,i entered the ,institute of ,musical ,art1 taking the full piano course4 ,arthur ,hochmann was my teacher for piano1 and ,i found him an excellent master4 ,he did a great deal for me2 in interpretation1 in fineness of detail1 in artistic finish ,i owe him very much4 ,later ,i studied several years with ,alexander ,lambert4 ,while at work with my piano1 it grew more apparent that ,i had a voice that should be cultivated4 ,so ,i began4 ,afterwards ,i worked three years with ,signor ,buzzi ,peccia1 who started me on an operatic career and finally brought me to the ,metropolitan4 ,it was a great ordeal for a young singer1 almost a beginner1 to start at our greatest ,opera ,house6 ,it meant unremitting labor for me4 ,i worked very hard1 but ,i am not afraid of work4 ,toscanini held sway when ,i began1 and he was a marvelous musician and conductor4 ,such exactness1 such perfection of detail2 he required perfection of every one4 ,he did not at first realize how much of a beginner ,i was1 though ,i had really learned a large number of rles4 ,he was so strict in every detail that ,i wept many bitter tears for fear ,i would not come up to the mark4 ,i knew the music1 but had not gained experience through routine4 ,it seems to me every singer should gain this experience in some smaller places before attempting the highest4 ,my advice would be to go and get experience in ,europe first4 ,i have never been in ,germany1 but in ,italy and ,france there are many small opera houses where one may learn routine4 ,another thing4 ,there is a mistaken notion that one cannot reach any height in opera without 'pull' and great influence4 ,i am sure this is not true2 for while a pull may help1 one must be able to deliver the goods4 ,if one cannot1 all the backing in the world will not make one a success4 ,the singer must have the ability to 'put it over4' ,think of the artists who can do it--,farrar1 ,gluck1 ,schumann-,heink4 ,there is never any doubt about them2 they always win their audiences4 ,what ,i have done has been accomplished by hard work1 without backing of any kind4 ,really of what use is backing anyway8 ,the public can judge--or at least it can feel4 ,i know very well that when my chance came to sing ,shanewis1 if ,i had not been able to do it1 no amount of influence would have helped the situation4 ,i had it in my own hand to make or mar my career4 ,i often wonder whether audiences really know anything about what you are trying to do2 whether they have any conception of what is right in singing1 or whether they are merely swayed by the temperament of the singer4 ,whether we are1 or are not to be a musical nation should be a question of deep interest to all music lovers4 ,if we really become a great musical people1 it will be largely due to the work of the records4 ,we certainly have wonderful advantages here1 and are doing a tremendous lot for music4 ,i had an interesting experience recently4 ,it was in a little town in ,north ,carolina1 where a song recital had never before been given4 ,can you fancy a place where there had never even been a concert8 ,the people in this little town were busy producing tobacco and had never turned their thought toward music4 ,in the face of the coming concert what did those people do8 ,they got a program1 studied what pieces ,i had sung on the ,victor1 got the music of the others2 so they had a pretty good idea of what ,i was going to sing4 ,when ,i stepped on the platform that night and saw the little upright piano 7no other instrument could be secured7 and looked into those eager faces1 ,i wondered how they would receive my work4 ,my first number was an aria from ,orfeo4 ,when ,i finished1 the demonstration was so deafening ,i had to wait minutes before ,i could go on4 ,and so it continued all the evening4 ,how do ,i work8 ,very hard1 at least six hours a day4 ,of these ,i actually sing perhaps three hours4 ,i begin at nine and give the first hour to memory work on repertoire4 ,i give very thorough study to my programs2 for ,i must know every note in them1 both for voice and piano4 ,i make it a point to know the accompaniments1 for in case ,i am ever left without an accompanist1 ,i can play for myself1 and it has a great effect on audiences4 ,they may not know or care whether you can play ,beethoven or ,chopin1 but the fact that you can play while you sing1 greatly impresses them4 ,in committing a song1 ,i play it over and sing it sufficiently to get a good idea of its construction and meaning2 then ,i work in detail1 learning words and music at the same time1 usually4 ,certain things are very difficult for me1 things requiring absolute evenness of passage work1 or sustained calm4 ,naturally ,i have an excess of temperament2 ,i feel things in a vivid1 passionate way4 ,so ,i need to go very slowly at times4 ,to-day ,i gave several hours to only three lines of an aria by ,haendel1 and am not yet satisfied with it4 ,indeed1 can we ever rest satisfied1 when there is so much to learn1 and we can always improve8 ,the second hour of my day is given to vocalizes4 ,of course there are certain standard things that one must do2 but there are others that need not be done every day4 ,i try to vary the work as much as ,i can4 ,the rest of the day is given to study on repertoire and all the things that belong to it4 ,there is so much more to a singer's art than merely to sing4 ,and it is a sad thing to find that so many singers lack musicianship4 ,they seem to think if they can sing some songs1 or even a few operas1 that is all there is to it4 ,but one who would become an artist must work most of the time4 ,i am sure ,charles ,hackett knows the value of work2 so does ,mabel ,garrison and many other ,americans4 ,and when you think of it1 there are really a brave number of our own singers who are not only making good1 but making big names for themselves and winning the success that comes from a union of talent and industry4 ,,xx ,,morgan ,,kingston ,,the ,,spiritual ,,side ,,of ,,the ,,singer',s ,,art ,a man who has risen to his present eminence through determined effort and hard work1 who has done it all in ,america1 is a unique figure in the world of art4 ,he can surely give much valuable information to students1 for he has been through so much himself4 ,thus ,i was informed by one who was in a position to understand how ,morgan ,kingston had achieved success4 ,the well known tenor was most kind in granting an audience to one seeking light on his ideas and experiences4 ,he welcomed the visitor with simple1 sincere courtesy1 and discussed for an hour and a half various aspects of the singer's art4 ,in what way may ,i be of service to you8 began ,mr4 ,kingston1 after the first greetings had been exchanged4 ,there are many questions to ask1 was the answer2 perhaps it were best to propound the most difficult one first1 instead of reserving it till the last4 ,what1 in your opinion1 goes into the acquiring of ,vocal ,mastery8 ,that is certainly a difficult subject to take up1 for vocal mastery includes so many things4 ,first and foremost it includes vocal technic4 ,one must have an excellent technic before one can hope to sing even moderately well4 ,the singer can do nothing without technic1 though of course there are many people who try to sing without it4 ,they1 however1 never get anywhere when hampered by such a lack of equipment4 ,technic furnishes the tools with which the singer creates his vocal art work2 just as the painter's brushes enable him to paint his picture4 ,,rules ,,of ,,technic ,illustration3 ,,morgan ,,kingston ,i said the singer should have a finished technic in order to express the musical idea aright1 in order to be an artist4 ,but technic is never finished2 it goes on developing and broadening as we ourselves grow and develop4 ,we learn by degrees what to add on and what to take away1 in our effort to perfect technic4 ,students1 especially in ,america1 are too apt to depend on rules merely4 ,they think if they absolutely follow the rules1 they must necessarily become singers2 if they find that you deviate from rule they tell you of it1 and hold you up to the letter of the law1 rather than its meaning and spirit4 ,i answer1 rules should be guides1 not tyrants4 ,rules are necessary in the beginning2 later we get beyond them1--or rather we work out their spirit and are not hide-bound by the letter4 ,,early ,,struggles ,as you may know1 ,i was born in ,nottinghamshire1 ,england4 ,i always sang1 as a small boy1 just for the love of it1 never dreaming ,i would one day make it my profession4 ,in those early days ,i sang in the little church where ,lord ,byron is buried4 ,how many times ,i have walked over the slab which lies above his vault4 ,when ,i was old enough ,i went to work in the mines1 so you see ,i know what hardships the miners endure2 ,i know what it means to be shut away from the sun for so many hours every day4 ,and ,i would lighten their hardships in every way possible4 ,i am sure1 if it rested with me1 to choose between having no coal unless ,i mined it myself1 ,i would never dig a single particle4 ,but this is aside from the subject in hand4 ,i always sang for the love of singing1 and ,i had the hope that some day ,i could do some good with the gift which the good ,god had bestowed on me4 ,then1 one day1 the opportunity came for me to sing in a concert in ,london4 ,up to that time ,i had never had a vocal lesson in my life2 my singing was purely a natural product4 ,on this occasion ,i sang1 evidently with some little success1 for it was decided that very night that ,i should become a singer4 ,means were provided for both lessons and living1 and ,i now gave my whole time and attention toward fitting myself for my new calling4 ,the lady who played my accompaniments at that concert became my teacher4 ,and ,i can say1 with gratitude to a kind ,providence1 that ,i have never had1 nor wished to have any other4 ,when ,i hear young singers in ,america saying they have been to ,mr4 ,s4 to get his points1 then they will go to ,mr4 ,w4 to learn his point of view1 ,i realize afresh that my experience has been quite different and indeed unique2 ,i am devoutly thankful it has been so4 ,,what ,,the ,,teacher ,,should ,,do ,,for ,,the ,,student ,my teacher made a study of me1 of my characteristics1 mentality and temperament4 ,that should be the business of every real teacher1 since each individual has different characteristics from every other4 ,it is now ten years since ,i began to study the art of singing4 ,i came to ,america soon after the eventful night which changed my whole career2 my teacher also came to this country4 ,i had everything to learn2 ,i could not even speak my own language2 my speech was a dialect heard in that part of the country where ,i was brought up4 ,i have had to cultivate and refine myself4 ,i had to study other languages1 ,italian1 ,french and ,german4 ,i learned them all in ,america4 ,so you see there is no need for an ,american to go out of his own country for vocal instruction or languages2 all can be learned right here at home4 ,i am a living proof of this4 ,what ,i have done others can do4 ,,the ,,technical ,,side ,as for technical material1 ,i have never used a great quantity4 ,of course ,i do scales and vocalizes for a short time each day2 such things are always kept up4 ,then ,i make daily use of about a dozen exercises by ,rubini4 ,beyond these ,i make technical studies out of the pieces4 ,but1 after one has made a certain amount of progress on the technical side1 one must work for one's self--,i mean one must work on one's moral nature4 ,,the ,,moral ,,side ,i believe strongly that a singer cannot adequately express the beautiful and pure in music while cherishing at the same time1 a bad heart and a mean nature behind it4 ,singing is such a personal thing1 that one's mentality1 one's inner nature1 is bound to reveal itself4 ,each one of us has evil tendencies to grapple with1 envy1 jealousy1 hatred1 sensuality and all the rest of the evils we are apt to harbor4 ,if we make no effort to control these natural tendencies1 they will permanently injure us1 as well as impair the voice1 and vitiate the good we might do4 ,i say it in all humility1 but ,i am earnestly trying to conquer the errors in myself1 so that ,i may be able to do some good with my voice4 ,i have discovered people go to hear music when they want to be soothed and uplifted4 ,if they desire to be amused and enjoy a good laugh1 they go to light opera or vaudeville2 if they want a soothing1 quieting mental refreshment1 they attend a concert1 opera or oratorio4 ,therefore ,i want to give them1 when ,i sing1 what they are in need of1 what they are longing for4 ,i want to have such control of myself that ,i shall be fitted to help and benefit every person in the audience who listens to me4 ,until ,i have thus prepared myself1 ,i am not doing my whole duty to myself1 to my art or to my neighbor4 ,we hear about the petty envy and jealousy in the profession1 and it is true they seem to be very real at times4 ,picture two young women singing at a concert2 one receives much attention and beautiful flowers1 the other--none of these things4 ,no doubt it is human nature1 so-called1 for the neglected one to feel horribly jealous of the favored one4 ,now this feeling ought to be conquered1 for ,i believe1 if it is not1 it will prevent the singer making beautiful1 correct tones1 or from voicing the beauty and exaltation of the music4 ,we know that evil thoughts react on the body and result in diseases1 which prevent the singer from reaching a high point of excellence4 ,we must think right thoughts for these are the worth while things of life4 ,singing teachers utterly fail to take the moral or metaphysical side into consideration in their teaching4 ,they should do this and doubtless would1 did they but realize what a large place right thinking occupies in the development of the singer4 ,one could name various artists who only consider their own self-aggrandizement2 one is compelled to realize that1 with such low aims1 the artist is bound to fall short of highest achievement4 ,it is our right attitude towards the best in life and the future1 that is of real value to us4 ,how often people greet you with the words3 ',well1 how is the world treating you to-day8' ,does any one ever say to you--',how are you treating the world to-day8' ,that is the real thing to consider4 ,as ,i said a few moments ago1 ,i have studied ten years on vocal technic and repertoire4 ,i have not ventured to say so before1 but ,i say it to-night--,i can sing6 ,of course most of the operatic tenor rles are in my repertoire4 ,this season ,i am engaged for fourteen rles at the ,metropolitan4 ,these must be ready to sing on demand1 that is at a moment's notice1--or say two hours' notice4 ,that means some memory work as well as constant practice4 ,would ,i rather appear in opera1 recital or oratorio8 ,i like them all4 ,a recital program must contain at least a dozen songs1 which makes it as long as a leading operatic rle4 ,the ten years just passed1 filled as they have been with close study and public work1 ,i consider in the light of preparation4 ,the following ten years ,i hope to devote to becoming more widely known in various countries4 ,and then-- a pleasant smile flitted over the fine1 clean-cut features1--then another ten years to make my fortune4 ,but ,i hasten to assure you the monetary side is quite secondary to the great desire ,i have to do some good with the talent which has been given me4 ,i realize more and more each day1 that to develop the spiritual nature will mean happiness and success in this and in a future existence1 and this is worth all the effort and striving it costs4 ,,xxi ,,frieda ,,hempel ,a ,,lesson ,,with ,a ,,prima ,,donna ,there is no need to say that ,frieda ,hempel is one of the most admired artists on the opera and concert stage to-day4 ,every one knows the fact4 ,miss ,hempel has endeared herself to all through her lovely voice1 her use of it1 her charm of manner and the sincerity of her art4 ,illustration3 ,photo by ,alfred ,chancy ,johnston ,,frieda ,,hempel ,it is seven years since ,miss ,hempel first came to sing at the ,metropolitan4 ,america has advanced very greatly in musical appreciation during this period4 ,miss ,hempel herself has grown in artistic stature with each new character she has assumed4 ,this season she has exchanged the opera field for that of the concert room1 to the regret of opera patrons and all music lovers1 who desired to see her at the ,metropolitan4 ,being so constantly on the wing1 it has been extremely difficult to secure a word with the admired artist4 ,late one afternoon1 however1 toward the end of her very successful concert season1 she was able to devote an hour to a conference with the writer on the principles of vocal art4 ,how fair1 slender and girlish she looked1 ensconced among the cushions of a comfortable divan in her music room1 with a favorite pet dog nestling at her side4 ,and you ask how to master the voice2 it seems then1 ,i am to give a vocal lesson1 she began1 with an arch smile1 as she caressed the little creature beside her4 ,,breathing ,the very first thing for the singer to consider is breath control2 always the breathing--the breathing4 ,she thinks of it morning1 noon and night4 ,even before rising in the morning1 she has it on her mind1 and may do a few little stunts while still reclining4 ,then1 before beginning her vocal technic in the morning1 she goes through a series of breathing exercises4 ,just what they are is unnecessary to indicate1 as each teacher may have his own1 or the singer has learned for herself what forms are most beneficial4 ,,vocal ,,technic ,the pianist before the public1 or the player who hopes to master the instrument in the future1 never thinks of omitting the daily task of scales and exercises2 he knows that his chances for success would soon be impaired1 even ruined1 if he should neglect this important and necessary branch of study4 ,it is exactly the same thing with the singer4 ,she cannot afford to do without scales and exercises4 ,if she should1 the public would soon find it out4 ,she must be in constant practice in order to produce her tones with smoothness and purity2 she must also think whether she is producing them with ease4 ,there should never be any strain1 no evidence of effort4 ,voice production must always seem to be the easiest thing in the world4 ,no audience likes to see painful effort in a singer's face or throat4 ,,vocal ,,practice ,the young singer should always practice with a mirror--do not forget that2 she must look pleasant under all circumstances4 ,no one cares to look at a singer who makes faces and grimaces1 or scowls when she sings4 ,this applies to any one1 young or older4 ,singing must always seem easy1 pleasant1 graceful1 attractive1 winning4 ,this must be the mental concept1 and1 acted upon1 the singer will thus win her audience4 ,i do not mean that one should cultivate a grin when singing2 that would be going to the other extreme4 ,let the singer also use a watch when she practices1 in order not to overdo4 ,i approve of a good deal of technical study1 taken in small doses of ten to fifteen minutes at a time4 ,i myself do about two hours or more1 though not all technic2 but ,i make these pauses for rest1 so that ,i am not fatigued4 ,after all1 while we must have technic1 there is so much more to singing than its technic4 ,technic is indeed a means to an end1 more in the art of song than in almost any other form of art4 ,technic is the background for expressive singing1 and to sing expressively is what every one should be striving for4 ,,what ,,it ,,means ,,to ,,be ,a ,,singer ,a beautiful voice is a gift from heaven1 but the cultivation of it rests with its possessor4 ,here in ,america1 girls do not realize the amount of labor and sacrifice involved1 or they might not be so eager to enter upon a career4 ,they are too much taken up with teas1 parties and social functions to have sufficient time to devote to vocal study and all that goes with it4 ,there are many other things to study2 some piano if possible1 languages of course1 physical culture and acting1 to make the body supple and graceful4 ,i say some piano should be included1 at least enough to play accompaniments at sight4 ,but when she has mastered her song or rle1 she needs an accompanist1 for she can never play the music as it should be played while she endeavors to interpret the song as that should be sung4 ,one cannot do complete justice to both at the same time4 ,in order to study all the subjects required1 the girl with a voice must be willing to give most of her day to the work4 ,this means sacrificing the social side and being willing to throw herself heart and soul into the business of adequately preparing for her career4 ,,american ,,voices ,i find there are quantities of lovely voices here in ,america4 ,the quality of the ,american female voice is beautiful2 in no country is it finer1 not even in ,italy4 ,you have good teachers here1 too4 ,then why are there so few ,american singers who are properly prepared for a career8 ,why do we hear of so few who make good and amount to something8 ,if the girl has means and good social connections1 she is often not ready to sacrifice social gayeties for the austere life of the student4 ,if she is a poor girl1 she frequently cannot afford to take up the subjects necessary for her higher development4 ,instruction is expensive here1 and training for opera almost impossible4 ,the operatic coach requires a goodly fee for his services4 ,and when the girl has prepared several rles where shall she find the opportunity to try them out8 ,inexperienced singers cannot be accepted at the ,metropolitan2 that is not the place for them4 ,at the prices charged for seats the management cannot afford to engage any but the very best artists4 ,until there are more opera houses throughout the country1 the ,american girl will still be obliged to go to ,europe for experience and routine4 ,in ,europe it is all so much easier4 ,every little city and town has its own opera house1 where regular performances are given and where young singers can try their wings and gain experience4 ,the conductor will often help and coach the singer and never expect a fee for it4 ,,the ,,young ,,singer ,,before ,,an ,,audience ,the singer who wishes to make a career in concert1 should constantly study to do things easily and gracefully4 ,she is gracious in manner1 and sings to the people as though it gave her personal pleasure to stand before them4 ,she has a happy expression of countenance2 she is simple1 unaffected and sincere4 ,more than all this her singing must be filled with sentiment and soul2 it must be deeply felt or it will not touch others4 ,of what use will be the most elaborate technic in the world if there is no soul back of it4 ,so the young singer cultivates this power of expression1 which grows with constant effort4 ,the artist has learned to share her gift of song with her audience1 and sings straight across into the hearts of her listeners4 ,the less experienced singer profits by her example4 ,shall the singer carry her music in a song recital1 is a much discussed question4 ,many come on with nothing in hand4 ,what then happens8 ,the hands are clasped in supplication1 as though praying for help4 ,this attitude becomes somewhat harrowing when held for a whole program4 ,other singers toy with chain or fan1 movements which may be very inappropriate to the sentiment of the song they are singing4 ,for myself ,i prefer to hold in hand a small book containing the words of my songs1 for it seems to be more graceful and ,jess obtrusive than the other ways ,i have mentioned4 ,i never refer to this little book1 as ,i know the words of my songs backward2 ,i could rise in the middle of the night and go through the program without a glance at words or music1 so thoroughly do ,i know what ,i am singing4 ,therefore ,i do not need the book of words1 but ,i shall always carry it1 no matter what the critics may say4 ,and why should not the executive artist reassure himself by having his music with him8 ,it seems to me a pianist would feel so much more certain of himself if he had the notes before him2 he of course need not look at them1 but their presence would take away the fear that is often an obsession4 ,with the notes at hand he could let himself go1 give free reign to fancy1 without the terrible anxiety he must often feel4 ,,opera ,,or ,,concert ,people often ask whether ,i prefer to sing in opera or concert4 ,i always answer1 ,i love both4 ,i enjoy opera for many reasons2 ,i love the concert work1 and ,i am also very fond of oratorio4 ,of course in the opera ,i am necessarily restrained2 ,i can never be ,frieda ,hempel1 ,i must always be some one else2 ,i must always think of the others who are playing with me4 ,in concert ,i can be myself and express myself4 ,i get near the people2 they are my friends and ,i am theirs4 ,i am much in spirit with oratorio also4 ,,coloratura ,,or ,,dramatic ,do ,i think the coloratura voice will ever become dramatic8 ,it depends on the quality of the voice4 ,i think every dramatic singer should cultivate coloratura to some extent--should study smooth legato scales and passages4 ,to listen to some of the dramatic rles of to-day1 one would think that smooth legato singing was a lost art4 ,nothing can take its place1 however1 and singers should realize this fact4 ,miss ,hempel believes that every singer1 no matter how great1 should realize the advantage of constant advice from a capable teacher1 in order to prevent the forming of undesirable habits4 ,she also considers ,vocal ,mastery implies the perfection of everything connected with singing2 that is to say1 perfect breath control1 perfect placement of the voice1 perfect tone production1 together with all requisite grace1 feeling and expressiveness4 ,,with ,,the ,,master ,,teachers ,,xxii ,,david ,,bispham ,,the ,,making ,,of ,,artist ,,singers ,if we were asked to name one of the best known1 and best loved of ,american singers1 the choice would surely fall on ,david ,bispham4 ,this artist1 through his vocal1 linguistic and histrionic gifts1 his serious aims and high ideals1 has endeared himself to musicians and music lovers alike4 ,we are all proud of him as an ,american1 and take a sort of personal pride in his achievements4 ,mr4 ,bispham has been before the public as actor-singer for many years4 ,there is no other artist in the ,english-speaking world who has had greater experience in all kinds of vocal work than this ,quaker ,singer1 as he calls himself1 for he comes from ,philadelphia1 and is of old ,english1 ,quaker1 ,colonial stock4 ,his professional dbut was made in ,london1 in #ahia1 with the ,royal ,english ,opera ,company1 as the ,duc ,de ,longueville1 in the beautiful ,opera ,comique1 ,the ,basoche1 by ,messager4 ,the following year he appeared in ,wagnerian ,music ,drama at the ,royal ,opera1 ,covent ,garden1 performing the part of ,kurwenal1 in ,tristan and ,isolde1 without rehearsal4 ,his adaptability to music in ,english1 ,french1 ,italian and ,german1 caused him to be at once accepted as a member of that distinguished company4 ,in #ahif1 ,mr4 ,bispham joined the forces of the ,metropolitan ,opera ,house1 ,new ,york1 and remained there for a number of years1 singing each season alternately on both sides of the ocean4 ,of recent years he has devoted most of his time to concerts1 though he is one of the founders and officers of the ,society of ,american ,singers1 with which artistic body he frequently appears in the classic operas of ,mozart1 ,pergolesi1 ,donizetti and others4 ,my first conference with ,mr4 ,bispham was held in his ,new ,york studio4 ,here1 in this artistic retreat where absolute quiet reigns1 though located in the heart of the great city's busy life1 the noted singer teaches and works out his programs and various characterizations4 ,,the ,,problem ,,of ,,breath ,,control ,the singer should breathe as easily and naturally as animals and people do when they sleep1 he began4 ,but we are awake when we sing2 correct breath control1 therefore1 must be carefully studied1 and is the result of understanding and experience4 ,the best art conceals art4 ,the aim is to produce tones with the utmost ease and naturalness1 though these must be gained with patient toil4 ,a child patting the keyboard with his tiny hands1 is unconsciously natural and at ease1 though he does not know what he is doing2 the great pianist is consciously at ease because he understands principles of ease and relaxation1 and has acquired the necessary control through years of training4 ,the singer acquires management of the breath through correct position and action of his anatomy4 ,the body is held erect1 chest active2 the network of abdominal muscles constantly gain strength as they learn to push1 push1 push the air up through the lungs to the windpipe1 then through the mouth and nasal cavities4 ,mr4 ,bispham illustrated each point in his own person as he described it4 ,when the manner of taking breath1 and the way to develop the diaphragm and abdominal muscles1 is understood1 that is only a beginning4 ,management of the breath is an art in itself4 ,the singer must know what to do with the breath once he has taken it in1 or he may let it out in quarts the moment he opens his mouth4 ,he has to learn how much he needs for each phrase4 ,he learns how to conserve the breath2 and while it is not desirable to hold one tone to attenuation1 that the gallery may gasp with astonishment1 as some singers do1 yet it is well to learn to do all one conveniently can with one inhalation1 provided the phrase permits it4 ,,technical ,,material ,i give many vocalizes and exercises1 which ,i invent to fit the needs of each pupil4 ,i do not require them to be written down1 simply remembered4 ,at the next lesson quite a different set of exercises may be recommended4 ,i also make exercises out of familiar tunes or themes from operatic airs4 ,it will be found that technical material in the various manuals is often chosen from such sources1 so why not use them in their original form4 ,thus while the student is studying technic he is also acquiring much beautiful material1 which will be of great value to him later on4 ,,the ,,study ,,of ,,repertoire ,repertoire is a wide subject and offers a fascinating study to the vocal student4 ,he must have both imagination and sentiment1 also the ability to portray1 through movement and facial expression1 the various moods and states of feeling indicated by words and music4 ,in taking up a new rle1 ,i read the story to get at the kernel or plot1 and see what it means4 ,the composer first saw the words of poem or libretto1 and these suggested to him suitable music4 ,so the singer begins his work by carefully reading the words4 ,i then have the music of the whole work played for me on the piano1 so as to discover its trend and meaning--its content4 ,if the composer is available ,i ask him to do this4 ,i next begin to study my own part in detail1 not only the important sections but the little bits1 which seem so small1 but are often so difficult to remember4 ,,characterization ,under this head the singer spoke at length of the difficulty some singers encounter when they endeavor to portray character1 or differentiate emotions4 ,there is endless scope in this line1 to exercise intelligence and imagination4 ,some singers1 continued the artist1 seem incapable of characterizing a rle or song4 ,they can do what ,i call 'flat work1' but cannot individualize a rle4 ,a singer may have a beautiful voice yet not be temperamental2 he may have no gift for acting1 nor be able to do character work4 ,at the present moment ,i am preparing several new rles1 three of them are of old men4 ,it rests with me to externalize these three in such a way that they shall all be different1 yet consistent with the characters as ,i understand them4 ,each make-up must be distinctive1 and my work is to portray the parts as ,i see and feel them4 ,i must get into the skin of each character1 so to say1 then act as ,i conceive that particular person would behave under like circumstances4 ,many singers cannot act1 and most actors cannot sing4 ,when the two are combined we have a singing actor1 or an actor-singer4 ,once there was a popular belief that it was not necessary for the singer to know much about acting--if he only had a voice and could sing4 ,the present is changing all that4 ,many of us realize how very much study is required to perfect this side of our art4 ,in this connection ,i am reminded of my ,london dbut4 ,i was to make it with the ,royal ,english ,opera ,company4 ,they heard me three times before deciding to take me on4 ,with this formality over1 rehearsals began4 ,i soon found that my ideas of how my rle--an important one--was to be acted1 did not always coincide with the views of the stage director1 and there were ructions4 ,the manager saw how things were going1 and advised me to accept seemingly the ideas of the stage director during rehearsals1 but to study acting with the highest authorities and then work out the conception after my own ideas4 ,accordingly1 ,i spent an hour daily1 before the morning rehearsal1 with one of the finest actors of comedy to be found in ,london4 ,later in the day1 after rehearsal1 ,i spent another hour with a great tragic actor4 ,thus ,i worked in both lines1 as my part was a mixture of the tragic and the comic4 ,i put in several weeks of very hard work in this way1 and felt ,i had gained greatly4 ,of course this was entirely on the histrionic side1 but it gives an idea of the preparation one needs4 ,when the day of the dress rehearsal arrived1 ,i appeared on the scene in full regalia1 clean shaven 7,i had been wearing a beard until then71 and performed my rle as ,i had conceived it1 regardless of the peculiar ideas of the stage director4 ,at the first performance ,i made a hit1 and a little later was engaged for grand opera at ,covent ,garden1 where ,i remained for ten years4 ,,knowledge ,,of ,,anatomy ,while ,i believe in understanding one's anatomy sufficiently for proper tone production1 and all that goes with it1 there are many peculiar and unnecessary fads and tricks resorted to by those who call themselves teachers of singing4 ,the more fantastic the theories inculcated by these people1 the more the unwary students seem to believe in them4 ,people like to be deluded1 you know4 ,but ,i am not able to gratify their desires in this direction2 for ,i can't lie about music6 ,i was present at a vocal lesson given by one of these so-called instructors4 ',you must sing in such a way that the tone will seem to come out of the back of your head1' he told the pupil1 and he waved his arms about his head as though he were drawing the tone out visibly4 ,another pupil was placed flat on his back1 then told to breathe as though he were asleep1 and then had to sing in that position4 ,another teacher ,i know of makes pupils eject spit-balls of tissue paper at the ceiling1 to learn the alleged proper control of the breath4 ,what criminal nonsense this is6 ,as ,i have said1 ,i believe in knowing what is necessary about anatomy1 but not in too great measure4 ,a new book will soon be issued1 ,i am told1 which actually dissects the human body1 showing every bone and muscle in any way connected with breath or voice4 ,all this may be of interest as a matter of research1 but must one go into such minutiae in order to teach singing8 ,i think the answer must ever be in the negative4 ,you might as well talk to a gold-fish in a bowl-and say3 ',if you desire to proceed laterally to the right1 kindly oscillate gently your sinister dorsal fin1 and you will achieve the desired result4' ,oh1 ,art1 what sins are committed in thy name6 ,,in ,,the ,,studio ,it is often affirmed that an artist finds experience the best teacher4 ,it must be equally true that the artist-teacher of wide experience in both performance and instruction1 should be a safe guide1 just because of this varied experience4 ,i was impressed with this fact when ,i recently had the privilege of visiting ,mr4 ,bispham's studio during lesson hours1 and listening to his instruction4 ,a most interesting sanctum is this studio1 filled as it is with souvenirs and pictures of the artist's long career on the operatic stage4 ,here hangs a drawing in color of ,bispham as ,telramund1 in shining chain armor2 there a life-size portrait as ,beethoven1 and again as himself4 ,in the midst of all is the master1 seated at a table4 ,in front of him1 at the piano1 stands the student4 ,it is an ,english song she is at work on1 for ,mr4 ,bispham thoroughly believes in mastering ,english as well as other languages4 ,how alert he is as he sits there2 how keen of eye and ear4 ,not the slightest fault escapes him4 ,he often sings the phrase himself1 then calls for its repetition4 ,sing that passage again2 there is a tone in it that is not pleasant--not well-sounding2 make it beautiful6 ,careful of your consonants there1 they are not distinct2 let them be clearer1 but don't make them over distinct4 ,don't scoop up the ends of the phrases2 make the tones this way2 and he illustrates repeatedly4 ,sing this phrase in one breath if you can1 if not1 breathe here-- indicating the place4 ,the student now takes up an ,italian aria4 ,of course the master teacher has no need of printed score2 he knows the arias by heart4 ,he merely jots down a few remarks on a slip of paper1 to be referred to later4 ,the aria goes quite well4 ,at its close the singer goes to her seat and another takes her place4 ,a voice of rich1 warm timbre4 ,more ,english--and it must be most exact1 to suit ,mr4 ,bispham's fastidious ear4 ,make the word fire in one syllable1 not two4 ,do not open the mouth quite so wide on the word desire1 for1 by doing so you lose the balance and the tone is not so good4 ,,vocalizes ,another student--with a fine tenor--was asked to vocalize for a number of minutes4 ,he sang ascending and descending tone-figures1 sometimes doing them in one breath1 at others taking a fresh breath at top4 ,some of the syllables used were3 la1 ma1 may1 and mi4 ,he then sang single tones1 swelling and diminishing each4 ,it was found that passing from forte to piano was much more difficult than swelling from soft to loud4 ,the aria ,be not afraid1 was now taken up2 it was pronounced one of the most difficult solos ever written1 and a very valuable composition for vocal training4 ,you sing that phrase too loud1 cautioned the instructor4 ,this is not a human being who is speaking1 rather it is a heavenly voice4 ,that high note of the phrase should be made softer1 more ethereal4 ,make it a young tone--put the quality of ,spring into it4 ,the whole thing should be more spiritual or spiritualized4 ,now go through it again from beginning to end4 ,when this was finished a halt was called2 there had been enough work done for that day4 ,soon the class was dismissed4 ,the young singers--some if not all of them known upon the concert stage--filed out4 ,one young woman remained2 she was to have a drama lesson4 ,the master of singing showed himself equally efficient as master of ,english diction for the spoken drama4 ,and here1 for a time1 we must leave him at his work4 ,,xxiii ,,oscar ,,saenger ,,use ,,of ,,records ,,in ,,vocal ,,study ,mr4 ,oscar ,saenger has been termed maker of artists1 since a number of our great singers have come from under his capable hands4 ,he has a rare gift for imparting instruction in a way that is concise and convincing4 ,a man of wide experience1 profound knowledge of his subject1 commanding personality and winning courtesy1 he impresses all who come within his radius that he knows whereof he speaks4 ,a man who knows what he knows is one to be followed4 ,mr4 ,saenger had just returned from a season of travel over ,america as far as the ,coast4 ,a most profitable trip he called it1 filled with many interesting and unique experiences4 ,he had been lecturing also1 in a number of cities1 on his new method of vocal study with the aid of the ,victor ,talking ,machine4 ,when he learned ,i had come expressly to ask for his ideas on vocal technic and study1 he said3 ,i think you will be interested to hear about my latest hobby1 the study of singing with the aid of records4 ,then he plunged at once into the most absorbingly interesting account of his ideas and achievements in this line ,i had ever listened to4 ,,teacher1 ,,artist ,,and ,,accompanist ,,in ,,one ,this is my own idea1 of combining the teacher1 artist and accompanist in one trinity1 he began4 ,and1 by the way1 my idea is now patented in ,washington4 ,it is the result of nine years' thought and labor1 before the idea could be brought out in its finished form4 ,the design has been to make the method and its elucidation so simple that the girl from a small town can understand it4 ,the method consists of twenty lessons for each of the five kinds of voices3 ,soprano1 ,mezzo-,soprano1 ,tenor1 ,baritone and ,bass4 ,each portfolio holds twenty records1 together with a book containing minute directions for studying and using the records4 ,i believe that any one1 with good intelligence1 who wishes to learn to sing1 can take the book and records and begin his studies1 even though he has never sung before4 ,he can thus prepare himself for future lessons4 ,for you must understand this method is not meant to replace the teacher1 but to aid the teacher4 ,i can assure you it aids him in ways without number4 ,it gives him a perfect exemplar to illustrate his principles4 ,if he be fatigued1 or unable to sing the passage in question1 here is an artist who is never wearied1 who is always ready to do it for him4 ,i myself constantly use the records in my lessons4 ,if ,i have taught a number of consecutive hours1 it is a relief to turn to the artist's record and save my own voice4 ,,simplicity ,as ,i have said1 the design has been to make everything plain and simple4 ,i wrote the book and sent it to the ,victor people4 ,they returned it1 saying ,i had written an excellent book1 but it was not simple enough4 ,they proposed sending a man to me who was neither a musician nor a singer4 ,if ,i could make my meaning clear enough for him to understand1 it was likely the girl from a little ,western town could grasp it4 ,so this man came and we worked together4 ,if ,i talked about head tones1 he wanted to know what ,i meant2 if about throaty tones1 ,i had to make these clear to him4 ,when he understood1 ,i was sure any one could understand4 ,thus the books as they stand came into being4 ,the records themselves represent an immense amount of care and effort4 ,will you believe we had to make over two thousand in order to secure the one hundred needed for the present series8 ,the slightest imperfection is enough to render an otherwise perfect record useless4 ,even the artists themselves would sometimes become discouraged at the enormous difficulties4 ,it is nerve-racking work1 for one must be on tension all the time4 ,,imitation ,a ,,fundamental ,,principle ,if you are interested1 ,i will go a little more into detail4 ,the main idea of this unique method of study1 is imitation4 ,every human being likes to imitate--from the tiny child to the adult4 ,acting upon this idea1 we take the artist as model4 ,everything the model does1 the student strives to imitate4 ,by means of the record1 it is possible for the student to do this over and over again1 until he has learned to copy it as accurately as it is possible4 ,and here is where the knowledge and experience of the teacher come in4 ,during the lesson he tests each tone1 each phrase1 advising the pupil how nearly he approaches the perfect model1 or showing him his faults and why he does not succeed in imitating the model more correctly4 ,,for ,,beginners ,do you mean to say1 ,mr4 ,saenger1 that this method of vocal study can be taken up by one who knows really nothing of the voice1 or singing1 and can be used with success2 that such a person can become a singer through self-study8 ,it is indeed possible1 was the answer2 and it is being done every day4 ,if the student has much intelligence1 determination and concentration1 she can learn to sing from these directions and these records4 ,they are a great boon to young aspirants in small towns1 where there are really no good teachers4 ,in such places local teachers can study and teach from these records4 ,again1 you often find people too shy1 or too ashamed to go to a teacher for a voice trial or lessons4 ,they want to sing--every one would like to do that2 but they don't know how to go at it4 ,with these records they can begin to study1 and thus get ready for later lessons4 ,with these records those who are far from a music center can have the benefit of expert instruction at small cost4 ,i might work with a pupil for several months in the ordinary way--without the records--and not be able to teach him even with half the accuracy and quickness obtainable by the new method4 ,,the ,,accompanist ,all singers know how important1 how necessary it is to have services of an expert accompanist4 ,the student of this method has one at hand every hour of the day2 a tireless accompanist1 who is willing to repeat without complaint1 as often as necessary4 ,,the ,,speaking ,,voice ,a very important branch of the work1 for the would-be singer1 is to cultivate the speaking voice4 ,tones in speaking should always be made beautiful and resonant4 ,even in children a pleasant quality of voice in speaking can be acquired4 ,mothers and teachers can be trained to know and produce beautiful tones4 ,the ear must be cultivated to know a pure1 beautiful tone and to love it4 ,,breathing ,,exercises ,the management of the breath is a most important factor1 as the life of the tone depends on the continuance of the breath4 ,the student must cultivate the power of quickly inhaling a full breath and of exhaling it so gradually that she can sing a phrase lasting from ten to twenty seconds4 ,this needs months of arduous practice4 ,in all breathing1 inhale through the nose4 ,the lower jaw during singing should be entirely relaxed4 ,the tone should be focused just back of the upper front teeth4 ,the way to place the tone forward is to think it forward4 ,the student must think the tone into place4 ,to 'attack' a tone is to sing it at once1 without any scooping1 and with free open throat4 ,when the throat is tightened the student loses power to attack her tones in the right way4 ,,phrasing ,phrasing1 in a limited sense1 is simply musical punctuation4 ,in its broader sense it is almost synonymous with interpretation4 ,for it has to do not only with musical punctuation but with the grouping of tones and words in such a way that the composition is rendered intelligible as a whole1 so as to express the ideas of the composer4 ,this is where the intellectual and musical qualities of the singer are brought into requisition4 ,she must grasp the content1 whether it be song or aria1 in order to effect this grouping intelligently4 ,accent1 crescendo and diminuendo are the most important factors in phrasing4 ,from the very beginning the student should be careful how and where she takes breath and gives accent2 there must always be a reason1 and thought will generally make the reason clear4 ,,tone ,,production ,the first thing to be considered is the position of the body2 for beauty of tone cannot be obtained unless all efforts harmonize to produce the desired result4 ,an easy1 graceful1 buoyant position is essential2 it can be cultivated in front of a mirror1 from the first lesson4 ,tone production is the result of thought4 ,picture to yourself a beautiful tone2 sing it on the vowel ,ah4 ,if you stood in rapture before an entrancing scene you would exclaim1 ,ah1 how beautiful4 ,producing a beautiful tone rests on certain conditions4 ,first1 breath control2 ,second1 ,freedom of throat2 ,third1 ,correct focus of tone4 ,we know that a stiff jaw and tongue are the greatest hindrances to the emission of good tone4 ,muscles of chin and tongue must be trained to become relaxed and flexible4 ,do not stiffen the jaw or protrude the chin1 else your appearance will be painful and your tones faulty4 ,to think the tone forward is quite as important as to sing it forward4 ,without the mental impression of correct placing1 the reality cannot exist4 ,it is much better to think the tone forward for five minutes and sing one minute1 than to practice the reverse4 ,one should practice in fifteen-minute periods and rest at least ten minutes between4 ,the student should never sing more than two hours a day--one in the morning and one in the afternoon4 ,as most singers love their work1 many are inclined to overdo4 ,do not tamper with the two or three extreme upper or lower tones of your voice lest you strain and ruin it permanently4 ,never practice when suffering from a cold4 ,ideal attack is the tone which starts without any scooping1 breathiness or explosiveness4 ,breathe noiselessly1 the secret of which is to breathe from down1 up4 ,faulty emissions of tone are3 nasal1 guttural1 throaty and tremulous4 ,i will give you examples of all these from the record ,no4 #cc1 which will show you first the fault and then the perfect example4 ,if the pupil studies these perfect emissions of tone and tries to imitate them1 there is no need for her to have the common faults mentioned4 ,,sustained ,,tones ,the next step is to study sustained tones4 ,as you see the artist begins in the middle of her voice--always the best way--and sings a whole tone on ,a1 with the syllable ,ah1 always waiting a whole measure for the pupil to imitate the tone4 ,next she sings ,a flat and so on down to lower ,a1 the pupil imitating each tone4 ,she now returns to middle ,a and ascends by half steps to ,e natural1 the pupil copying each tone after it is sung by the artist4 ,the tone should be free1 round and full1 but not loud1 and the aim be to preserve the same quality throughout4 ,do not throw or push the tone1 but spin it4 ,,uniting ,,several ,,tones ,we first begin by uniting two tones1 smoothly and evenly1 then three in the same way4 ,after each pair or group of tones1 the accompaniment is repeated and the pupil imitates what the artist has just sung4 ,now comes the uniting of five tones1 up and down2 after this the scale of one octave4 ,the scale should be sung easily with moderate tone quality4 ,a slight accent can be given to the first and last tones of the scale4 ,we all realize the scale is one of the most important exercises for the building of the voice2 the preceding exercises have prepared for it4 ,,arpeggios ,for imparting flexibility to the voice1 nothing can exceed the ,arpeggio1 but like all vocal exercises1 it must be produced with precision of tone1 singing each interval clearly1 with careful intonation1 always striving for beauty of tone4 ,there are various forms of arpeggios to be used4 ,the second form is carried a third above the octave2 the third form a fifth above4 ,this makes an exercise which employs every tone in the scale save one1 and gives practice in rapid breathing4 ,remember1 that the note before1 taking breath is slightly shortened1 in order to give time for taking breath1 without disturbing the rhythm4 ,,the ,,trill ,the trill is perhaps the most difficult of all vocal exercises1 unless the singer is blessed with a natural trill1 which is a rare gift4 ,we begin with quarter notes1 then add eighths and sixteenths4 ,this exercise1 if practiced daily1 will produce the desired result4 ,it is taken on each tone of the voice--trilling in major seconds4 ,,vocalizes ,the purpose of vocalizes is to place and fix the voice accurately and to develop taste1 while singing rhythmically and elegantly4 ,the records give some ,concone exercises1 ably interpreted by one of our best known voices4 ,you hear how even and beautiful are the tones sung1 and you note the pauses of four measures between each phrase1 to allow the student to repeat the phrase1 as before4 ,i firmly believe this method of study is bound to revolutionize vocal study and teaching4 ,you see it goes to the very foundation1 and trains the student to imitate the best models4 ,it even goes farther back1 to the children1 teaching them how to speak and sing correctly1 always making beautiful tones1 without harshness or shouting4 ,young children can learn to sing tones and phrases from the records4 ,furthermore1 ,i believe the time is coming when the technic and interpretation of every instrument will be taught in this way4 ,it is my intention to follow up this set of foundational records by others which will demonstrate the interpretation of songs and arias as they are sung by our greatest artists4 ,the outlook is almost limitless4 ,and now1 do you think ,i have answered your questions about tone production1 breath control and the rest8 ,perhaps ,i have1 as convincingly as an hour's talk can do4 ,,xxiv ,,herbert ,,witherspoon ,,memory1 ,,imagination1 ,,analysis ,no doubt the serious teacher1 who may be occupied in any branch of musical activity1 has often pictured to himself what an ideal institution of musical art might be like1 if all students assembled should study thoroughly their particular instrument1 together with all that pertained to it4 ,they should by all means possess talent1 intelligence1 industry1 and be far removed from a superficial attitude toward their chosen field4 ,the studio used for instruction in this imagined institution1 should also be ideal1 quiet1 airy1 home-like1 artistic4 ,some such vision perhaps floats before the minds of some of us teachers1 when we are in the mood to dream of ideal conditions under which we would like to see our art work conducted4 ,it has been possible for ,mr4 ,herbert ,witherspoon1 the distinguished basso and teacher1 to make such a dream-picture come true4 ,for he has established an institution of vocal art--in effect if not in name--where all the subjects connected with singing1 are considered and taught in the order of their significance4 ,not less ideal is the building which contains these studios1 for ,mr4 ,witherspoon has fitted up his private home as a true abiding place for the muse4 ,at the close of a busy day1 marked like all the rest with a full complement of lessons1 the master teacher was willing to relax a little and speak of the work in which he is so deeply absorbed4 ,he apologized for having run over the time of the last lesson1 saying he never could teach by the clock4 ,i do not like to call this a school1 he began1 although it amounts to one in reality1 but only in so far as we take up the various subjects connected with vocal study4 ,i consider languages of the highest importance2 we have them taught here4 ,there are classes in analysis1 in pedagogy--teaching teachers how to instruct others4 ,we have an excellent master for acting and for stage deportment3 ,i advise that students know something of acting1 even if they do not expect to go in for opera2 they learn how to carry themselves and are more graceful and self-possessed before an audience4 ,the work has developed far beyond my expectations4 ,there are over two hundred students1 and ,i have eight assistants1 who have been trained by me and know my ways and methods4 ,some of these give practice lessons to students1 who alternate them with the lessons given by me4 ,these lessons are quite reasonable1 and in combination with my work1 give the student daily attention4 ,my plan is not to accept every applicant who comes1 but to select the most promising4 ,the applicants must measure up to a certain standard before they can enter4 ,to this one fact is due much of our success4 ,and what are these requirements8 ,voice1 to begin with2 youth 7unless the idea is to teach71 good looks1 musical intelligence1 application4 ,if the candidate possesses these requisites1 we begin to work4 ,in three months' time it can be seen whether the student is making sufficient progress to come up to our standard4 ,those who do not are weeded out4 ,you can readily see that as a result of this weeding process1 we have some very good material and fine voices to work with4 ,we have many musicals and recitals1 both public and private1 where young singers have an opportunity to try their wings4 ,there is a most generous1 unselfish spirit among the students2 they rejoice in each others' success1 with never a hint of jealousy4 ,we have had a number of recitals in both ,aeolian and ,carnegie ,halls1 given by the artist students this season4 ,on these occasions the other students always attend and take as much interest as though they were giving the recital themselves4 ,,bel ,,canto ,you have remarked lately that 'singers are realizing that the lost art of bel canto is the thing to strive for and they are now searching for it4' ,can you give a little more light on this point8 ,i hardly meant to say that in any sense the art of bel canto was lost2 how could it be8 ,many singers seem to attach some uncanny significance to the term4 ,bel canto means simply beautiful singing4 ,when you have perfect breath control1 and distinct1 artistic enunciation1 you will possess bel canto1 because you will produce your tones and your words beautifully4 ,because these magic words are in the ,italian tongue does not mean that they apply to something only possessed by ,italians4 ,not at all4 ,any one can sing beautifully who does so with ease and naturalness1 the ,american just as well as those of any other countries4 ,in fact ,i consider ,american voices1 in general1 better trained than those of ,italy1 ,germany or ,france4 ,the ,italian1 in particular1 has very little knowledge of the scientific side2 he usually sings by intuition4 ,we ought to have our own standards in judging ,american voices2 until we do so1 we will be constantly comparing them with the voices of foreign singers4 ,the quality of the ,american voice is different from the quality found in the voices of other countries4 ,to my mind the best women's voices are found right here in our midst4 ,,memory ,i have also said that there are three great factors which should form the foundation stones upon which the singer should rear his structure of musical achievement4 ,these factors are ,memory1 ,imagination1 ,analysis4 ,i have put memory first because it is the whole thing1 so to say4 ,the singer without memory--a cultivated memory--does not get far4 ,memory lies at the very foundation of his work1 and must continue with it the whole journey through1 from the bottom to the top4 ,in the beginning you think a beautiful tone1 you try to reproduce it4 ,when you come to it again you must remember just how you did it before4 ,each time you repeat the tone this effort of memory comes in1 until at last it has become second nature to remember and produce the result2 you now begin to do so automatically4 ,as you advance there are words to remember as well as notes and tones4 ,memory1 of course1 is just as necessary for the pianist4 ,he must be able to commit large numbers of notes1 phrases and passages4 ,in his case there are a number of keys to grasp at once1 but the singer can sing but one tone at a time4 ,both notes and words should be memorized1 so the singer can come before the audience without being confined to the printed page4 ,when acting is added there is still more to remember4 ,back of memory study lies concentration2 without concentration little can be accomplished in any branch of art4 ,,imagination ,the central factor is imagination2 what can be done without it6 ,can you think of a musician1 especially a singer1 without imagination8 ,he may acquire the letter--that is1 execute the notes correctly1 but the performance is dead1 without life or soul4 ,with imagination he comprehends what is the inner meaning of the text1 the scene2 also what the composer had in mind when he wrote4 ,then he learns to express these emotions in his own voice and action1 through the imaginative power1 which will color his tones1 influence his action1 render his portrayal instinct with life4 ,imagination in some form is generally inherent in all of us4 ,if it lies dormant1 it can be cultivated and brought to bear upon the singer's work4 ,this is absolutely essential4 ,,analysis ,i have put analysis last because it is the crowning virtue1 the prime necessity4 ,we study analysis here in the studios1 learning how to separate music into its component parts1 together with simple chord formations1 general form and structure of the pieces1 and so on4 ,can you comprehend the dense ignorance of many music students on these subjects8 ,they will come here to me1 never having analyzed a bit of music in their lives1 having not an inkling of what chord structure and form in music mean4 ,if they played piano even a little1 they could hardly escape getting a small notion of chord formation4 ,but frequently vocal students know nothing of the piano4 ,they are too apt to be superficial4 ,it is an age of superficiality--and cramming3 we see these evils all the way from the college man down4 ,i am a ,yale man and don't like to say anything about college government1 yet ,i cannot shut my eyes to the fact that men may spend four years going through college and yet not be educated when they come out4 ,most of us are in too much of a hurry1 and so fail to take time enough to learn things thoroughly2 above all we never stop to analyze4 ,analysis should begin at the very outset of our vocal or instrumental study4 ,we analyze the notes of the music we are singing1 and a little later its form4 ,we analyze the ideas of the composer and also our own thoughts and ideas1 to try and bring them in harmony with his4 ,after analyzing the passage before us1 we may see it in a totally different light1 and so phrase and deliver it with an entirely different idea from what we might have done without this intelligent study4 ,,conscious ,,or ,,unconscious ,,control ,do you advise conscious action of the parts comprising the vocal instrument1 or do you prefer unconscious control of the instrument1 with thought directed to the ideal quality in tone production and delivery8 was asked4 ,by all means unconscious control1 was the emphatic answer4 ,we wish to produce beautiful sounds2 if the throat is open1 the breathing correct1 and we have a mental concept of that beautiful sound1 we are bound to produce it4 ,it might be almost impossible to produce correct tones if we thought constantly about every muscle in action4 ,there is a great deal of nonsense talked and written about the diaphragm1 vocal chords and other parts of the anatomy4 ,it is all right for the teacher who wishes to be thoroughly trained1 to know everything there is to know about the various organs and muscles2 ,i would not discourage this4 ,but for the young singer ,i consider it unnecessary4 ,think supremely of the beautiful tones you desire to produce2 listen for them with the outer ear--and the inner ear--that is to say--mentally--and you will hear them4 ,meanwhile1 control is becoming more and more habitual1 until it approaches perfection and at last becomes automatic4 ,when that point is reached1 your sound producing instrument does the deed1 while your whole attention is fixed on the interpretation of a master work1 the performance of which requires your undivided application4 ,if there is action1 you control that in the same way until it also becomes automatic2 then both singing and acting are spontaneous4 ,,does ,,the ,,singer ,,hear ,,himself8 ,this question was put to ,mr4 ,witherspoon1 who answered3 ,the singer of course hears himself1 and with study learns to hear himself better4 ,in fact ,i believe the lack of this part of vocal training is one of the greatest faults of the day1 and that the singer should depend more upon hearing the sound he makes than upon feeling the sound4 ,in other words1 train the ear1 the court of ultimate resort1 and the only judge--and forget sensation as much as possible1 for the latter leads to a million confusions4 ,undoubtedly a singer hears in his own voice what his auditors do not hear1 for he also hears with his inner ear1 but the singer must learn to hear his own voice as others hear it1 which he can do perfectly well4 ,here we come to analysis again4 ,the phonograph records teach us much in this respect1 although ,i never have considered that the phonograph reproduces the human voice4 ,it comes near it in some cases1 utterly fails in others1 and the best singers do not always make the best or most faithful reproductions4 ,,xxv ,,yeatman ,,griffith ,,causation ,the causation of beautiful singing can only be found through a pure and velvety production of the voice1 and this is acquired in no other way than by a thorough understanding of what constitutes a perfect beginning--that is the attack or start of the tone4 ,if the tone has a perfect beginning it must surely have a perfect ending4 ,thus ,mr4 ,yeatman ,griffith began a conference on the subject of vocal technic and the art of song4 ,he had had a day crowded to the brim with work--although all days were usually alike filled--yet he seemed as fresh and unwearied as though the day had only just begun4 ,one felt that here was a man who takes true satisfaction in his work of imparting to others2 his work is evidently not a tiresome task but a real joy4 ,mrs4 ,griffith shares this joy of work with her husband4 ,it is most ideal1 she says2 we have so grown into it together2 we love it4 ,as is well known1 this artist pair returned to their home land at the outbreak of the war1 after having resided and taught for five years in ,london1 and previous to that for one year in ,florence1 ,italy4 ,of course they were both singers1 giving recitals together1 like the ,henschels1 and appearing in concert and oratorio4 ,but constant public activity is incompatible with a large teaching practice4 ,one or the other has to suffer4 ,we chose to do the teaching and sacrifice our public career1 said ,mr4 ,griffith4 ,during the five years in which these artists have resided in ,new ,york1 they have accomplished much2 their influence has been an artistic impulse toward the ideals of beautiful singing4 ,among their many artist pupils who are making names for themselves1 it may be mentioned that ,florence ,macbeth1 a charming coloratura soprano1 owes much of her success to their careful guidance4 ,michael ,angelo has said1 continued ,mr4 ,griffith1 that 'a perfect start is our first and greatest assurance of a perfect finish4' ,and nowhere is this precept more truly exemplified than in vocal tone production4 ,the tone must have the right beginning1 then it will be right all through4 ,a faulty beginning is to blame for most of the vocal faults and sins of singers4 ,our country is full of beautiful natural voices2 through lack of understanding many of them1 even when devoting time and money to study1 never become more than mediocre1 when they might have developed into really glorious voices if they had only had the right kind of treatment4 ,,tone ,,placement ,we hear a great deal about tone placement in these days2 the world seems to have gone mad over the idea4 ,but it is an erroneous idea4 ,how futile to attempt to place the tone in any particular spot in the anatomy4 ,you can focus the tone1 but you cannot place it4 ,there is but one place for it to come from and no other place4 ,it is either emitted with artistic effect or it is not4 ,if not1 then there is stiffness and contraction1 and the trouble ought to be remedied at once4 ,every one agrees that if the vocal instrument were something we could see1 our task would be comparatively easy4 ,it is because the instrument is hidden that so many false theories about it have sprung up4 ,one teacher advocates a high1 active chest2 therefore the chest is held high and rigid1 while the abdominal muscles are deprived of the strength they should have4 ,another advises throwing the abdomen forward2 still another squares the shoulders and stiffens the neck4 ,these things do not aid in breath control in the least2 on the contrary they induce rigidity which is fatal to easy1 natural tone emission4 ,,in ,,the ,,beginning ,when the pupil comes to me1 we at once establish natural1 easy conditions of body and an understanding of the causes which produce good tone4 ,we then begin to work on the vowels4 ,they are the backbone of good singing4 ,when they become controlled1 they are then preceded by consonants4 ,take the first vowel1 ,a2 it can be preceded by all the consonants of the alphabet one after another1 then each vowel in turn can be treated in the same way4 ,we now have syllables2 the next step is to use words4 ,here is where difficulties sometimes arise for the student4 ,the word becomes perfectly easy to sing if vowels and consonants are properly produced4 ,when they are not1 words become obstacles4 ,correct understanding will quickly obviate this4 ,,breath ,,control ,breath control is indeed a vital need1 but it should not be made a bugbear to be greatly feared4 ,the young student imagines he must inflate the lungs almost to bursting1 in order that he may take a breath long enough to sing a phrase4 ,then1 as soon as he opens his lips1 he allows half the air he has taken in to escape1 before he has uttered a sound4 ,with such a beginning he can only gasp a few notes of the phrase4 ,or he distends the muscles at the waist to the fullest extent and fancies this is the secret of deep breathing4 ,in short1 most students make the breathing and breath control a very difficult matter indeed1 when it is1 or should be an act most easy and natural4 ,they do not need the large quantity of breath they imagine they do2 for a much smaller amount will suffice to do the work4 ,i tell them1 ',inhale simply and naturally1 as though you inhaled the fragrance of a flower4 ,and when you open your lips after this full natural breath1 do not let the breath escape2 the vocal chords will make the tone1 if you understand how to make a perfect start4 ,if the action is correct1 the vocal chords will meet2 they will not be held apart nor will they crowd each other4 ,allow the diaphragm and respiratory muscles to do their work1 never forcing them2 then you will soon learn what breath control in singing means4 ,remember again1 not a particle of breath should be allowed to escape4 ,every other part of the apparatus must be permitted to do its work1 otherwise there will be interference somewhere4' ,,causation ,everything pertaining to the study of vocal technic and the art of singing may be summed up in the one word--,causation4 ,a cause underlies every effect4 ,if you do not secure the quality of tone you desire1 there must be a reason for it4 ,you evidently do not understand the cause which will produce the effect4 ,that is the reason why singers possessing really beautiful voices produce uneven effects and variable results4 ,they may sing a phrase quite perfectly at one moment4 ,a short time after they may repeat the same phrase in quite a different way and not at all perfectly4 ,one night they will sing very beautifully2 the next night you might hardly recognize the voice1 so changed would be its quality4 ,this would not be the case if they understood causation4 ,a student1 rightly taught1 should know the cause for everything he does1 how he does thus and so and why he does it4 ,a singer should be able to produce the voice correctly1 no matter in what position the rle he may be singing may require the head or body to be in4 ,in opera the head or body may be placed in difficult unnatural positions1 but these should not interfere with good tone production4 ,,registers ,i am asked sometimes if ,i teach registers of the voice4 ,i can say decidedly no1 ,i do not teach registers4 ,the voice should be one and entire1 from top to bottom1 and should be produced as such1 no matter in what part of the voice you sing4 ,throughout the voice the same instrument is doing the work4 ,so1 too1 with voices of different caliber1 the coloratura1 lyric and dramatic4 ,each and all of these may feel the dramatic spirit of the part1 but the lighter quality of the voice may prevent the coloratura from expressing it4 ,the world recognizes the dramatic singer in the size of the voice and of the person4 ,from an artistic point of view1 however1 there are two ways of looking at the question1 since the lyric voice may have vivid dramatic instincts1 and may be able to bring them out with equal or even greater intensity than the purely dramatic organ4 ,,vocal ,,mastery ,vocal ,mastery is acquired through correct understanding of what constitutes pure vowel sounds1 and such control of the breath as will enable one to convert every atom of breath into singing tone4 ,this establishes correct action of the vocal chords and puts the singer in possession of the various tints of the voice4 ,when the diaphragm and respiratory muscles support the breath sufficiently and the vocal chords are permitted to do their work1 you produce pure tone4 ,many singers do not understand these two vital principles4 ,they either sing with too much relaxation of the diaphragm and respiratory muscles1 or too much rigidity4 ,consequently the effort becomes local instead of constitutional1 which renders the tone hard and strident and variable to pitch4 ,again the vocal chords are either forced apart or pinched together1 with detriment to tone production4 ,the real value of control is lost when we attempt to control the singing instrument and the breath by seeking a place for the tone the singing instrument produces4 ,when the vocal chords are allowed to produce pure vowels1 correct action is the result and with proper breath support1 ,vocal ,mastery can be assured4 ,,xxvi ,j4,h4 ,,duval ,,some ,,secrets ,,of ,,beautiful ,,singing ,a young ,french girl had just sung a group of songs in her own language and had won acclaim from the distinguished company present4 ,they admired the rich quality of her voice1 her easy1 spontaneous tone production and clear diction4 ,a brilliant future was predicted for the young singer4 ,one critic of renown remarked3 ,it is a long time since ,i have heard a voice so well placed and trained4 ,and who is your teacher8 she was asked4 ,it is ,mr4 ,duval2 ,i owe everything to him4 ,he has really made my voice2 ,i have never had another teacher and all my success will be due to him1 she answered4 ,we at once expressed a desire to meet ,mr4 ,duval and hear from his own lips how such results were attained4 ,a meeting was easily arranged and we arrived at the appointed hour1 just in time to hear one of the brilliant students of this ,american-,french singing master4 ,mr4 ,duval is young1 slim and lithe of figure1 with sensitive1 refined features1 which grow very animated as he speaks4 ,he has a rich fund of humor and an intensity of utterance that at once arrests the listener4 ,he came forward to greet the visitor with simple cordiality1 saying he was pleased we could hear one of his latest finds4 ,the young tenor was at work on an air from ,tosca4 ,his rich1 vibrant voice1 of large power and range and of real ,caruso-like quality1 poured forth with free and natural emission4 ,with what painstaking care this wise teacher aided him to mold each tone1 each phrase1 till it attained the desired effect4 ,being a singer himself1 ,mr4 ,duval is able to show and demonstrate as well as explain4 ,he does both with the utmost clearness and with unfailing interest and enthusiasm4 ,indeed his interest in each pupil in his charge is unstinted4 ,the lesson over1 ,mr4 ,duval came over to us4 ,there is a singer ,i shall be proud of1 he said4 ,several years ago ,i taught him for a few months1 giving him the principles of voice placement and tone production4 ,this was in ,europe4 ,i had not seen him since then till recently1 when circumstances led him to ,new ,york4 ,he never forgot what he had previously learned with me4 ,he now has a lesson every day and is a most industrious worker4 ,i believe he has a fortune in that voice4 ,next season will see him launched1 and he will surely make a sensation4 ,will you give some idea of the means by which you accomplish such results8 ,the means are very simple and natural4 ,so many students are set on the wrong track by being told to do a multitude of things that are unnecessary1 even positively harmful4 ,for instance1 they are required to sing scales on the vowels1 ,a1 ,e1 ,i1 ,o1 ,u4 ,i only use the vowel ,ah1 for exercises1 finding the others are not needed1 especially excluding ,e and ,u as injurious4 ,indeed one of the worst things a young voice can do is to sing scales on ,e and ,u1 for these contract the muscles of the lips4 ,another injurious custom is to sing long1 sustained tones in the beginning4 ,this ,i do not permit4 ,after telling you the things ,i forbid1 ,i must enlighten you as to our plan of study4 ,the secret of correct tone emission is entire relaxation of the lips4 ,i tell the pupil1 the beginner1 at the first lesson1 to sing the vowel ,ah as loudly and as deeply as possible1 thinking constantly of relaxed lips and loose lower jaw4 ,ah is the most natural vowel and was used exclusively in the old ,italian school of ,bel ,canto4 ,long sustained tones are too difficult4 ,one should sing medium fast scales at first4 ,if we begin with the long sustained tone1 the young singer is sure to hold the voice in his throat1 or if he lets go1 a tremolo will result4 ,either a throaty1 stiff tone or a tremolo will result from practicing the single sustained tone4 ,singing pianissimo in the beginning is another fallacy4 ,this is one of the most difficult accomplishments and should be reserved for a later period of development4 ,the young singer adds to scales various intervals1 sung twice in a breath1 beginning1 not at the extreme of the lower voice1 but carried up as high as he can comfortably reach4 ,i believe in teaching high tones early1 and in showing the pupil how to produce the head voice4 ,not that ,i am a high tone specialist1 he added smiling1 for ,i do not sacrifice any part of the voice to secure the upper notes4 ,but after all it is the high portion of the voice that requires the most study1 and that is where so many singers fail4 ,the young student practices these first exercises1 and others1 two half hours daily1 at least two hours after eating1 and comes to me three times a week4 ,i suggest she rest one day in each week1 during which she need not sing at all1 but studies other subjects connected with her art4 ,as the weeks go by1 the voice1 through relaxed lips and throat and careful training1 grows richer and more plentiful4 ,one can almost note its development from day to day4 ,,words ,,in ,,the ,,voice ,when the time comes to use words1 the important thing is to put the words in the voice1 not the voice in the words1 to quote ,juliani1 the great teacher1 with whom ,i was associated in ,paris4 ,more voices have been ruined by the stiff1 exaggerated use of the lips in pronouncing1 than in any other way4 ,when we put the words in the voice1 in an easy1 natural way1 we have bel canto4 ,another thing absolutely necessary is breath support4 ,hold up the breath high in the body1 for high tones1 though always with the throat relaxed4 ,this point is not nearly enough insisted upon by teachers of singing4 ,the points ,i have mentioned already prove that a vocal teacher who desires the best results in his work with others1 must know how to sing himself2 he should have had wide experience in concert and opera before attempting to lead others along these difficult paths4 ,because a man can play the organ and piano and has accompanied singers is not the slightest cause for thinking he can train voices in the art of song4 ,i have no wish to speak against so-called teachers of singing1 but say this in the interests of unsuspecting students4 ,it is impossible1 continued ,mr4 ,duval1 to put the whole method of vocal training into a few sentences4 ,the student advances gradually and naturally1 but surely1 from the beginnings ,i have indicated1 to the trill1 the pizzicati1 to more rapid scales1 to learning the attack1 and so on4 ,of course diction plays a large part in the singer's development4 ,with the first song the student learns to put other vowels in the same voice with which the exercises on ,ah have been sung1 and to have them all of the same size1 easily and loosely pronounced4 ,never permit the pronunciation to be too broad for the voice4 ,the pronunciation should never be mouthed1 but should flow into the stream of the breath without causing a ripple4 ,this is bel canto6 ,in teaching ,i advise two pupils sharing the hour1 for while one is singing the other can rest the voice and observe what is being taught4 ,it is too fatiguing to a young voice to expect it to work a full half hour without rest4 ,i was teaching in my ,paris studio for a number of months after the war started1 before coming to ,america4 ,it is my intention1 in future1 to divide my time between ,new ,york and ,paris4 ,i like teaching in the ,french capital for the reason ,i can bring out my pupils in opera there4 ,i am also pleased to teach in my own land1 for the pleasant connections ,i have made here1 and for the fresh1 young ,american voices which come to me to be trained4 ,,vocal ,,mastery ,what is ,vocal ,mastery8 ,there are so many kinds6 ,every great artist has his own peculiar manner of accomplishing results--his own vocal mastery4 ,patti had one kind1 ,maurel another1 ,lehmann still another4 ,caruso also may be considered to have his own vocal mastery1 inasmuch as he commands a vocal technic which enables him to interpret any rle that lies within his power and range4 ,the greatest singer of to-day1 ,shalyapin1 has also his individual vocal mastery1 closely resembling the sort that enabled ,maurel to run such a gamut of emotions with such astonishing command and resource4 ,in fine1 as every great artist is different from his compeers1 there can be no fixed and fast standard of vocal mastery1 except the mastery of doing a great thing convincingly4 ,,xxvii ,,the ,,coda ,a ,,resum ,the student1 seeking light on the many problems of vocal technic1 the training for concert and opera1 how to get started in the profession1 and kindred subjects of vital importance1 has doubtless found1 in the foregoing talks a rich fund of help and suggestion4 ,it is from such high sources that a few words of personal experience and advice1 have often proved to be to the young singer a beacon light1 showing what to avoid and what to follow4 ,it were well to gather up these strands of suggestion from great artists and weave them into a strong bulwark of precept and example1 so that the student may be kept within the narrow path of sound doctrine and high endeavor4 ,at the very outset1 two points must be borne in mind3 #a4 ,each and every voice and mentality is individual4 #b4 ,the artist has become a law unto himself2 it is not possible for him to make rules for others4 ,first1 as to difference in voices4 ,when it is considered that the human instrument1 unlike any fabricated by the hand of man1 is a purely personal instrument1 subject to endless variation through variety in formation of mouth and throat cavities1 also physical conditions of the anatomy1 it is no cause for wonder that the human instrument should differ in each individual4 ,then think of all sorts and conditions of mentality1 environment1 ambitions and ideals4 ,it is a self evident fact that the vocal instrument must be a part of each person1 of whom there are no two alike4 ,artists in general have strongly expressed themselves on this point3 most of them agree with ,galli-,curci1 when she says3 ,there are as many kinds of voices as there are persons2 therefore it seems to me each voice should be treated in the manner best suited to its possessor4 ,singing is such an individual thing1 after all1 says ,anna ,case2 it is a part of one's very self4 ,each person has a different mentality and a different kind of voice1 says ,martinelli2 indeed there are as many qualities of voice as there are people4 ,granting1 then1 that there are no two voices and personalities in the world1 exactly alike1 it follows1 as a natural conclusion1 that the renowned vocalist1 who has won his or her way from the beginning up to fame and fortune1 realizes that her instrument and her manner of training and handling it are peculiarly personal4 ,as she has won success through certain means and methods1 she considers those means belong to her1 in the sense that they especially suit her particular instrument4 ,she is then a law unto herself and is unwilling to lay down any laws for others4 ,geraldine ,farrar does not imply there is only one right way to train the voice1 and she has found that way4 ,in speaking of her method of study1 she says3 ,these things seem best for my voice1 and this is the way ,i work4 ,but1 since each voice is different1 my ways might not suit any one else4 ,i have no desire to lay down rules for others2 ,i can only speak of my own experience4 ,galli-,curci says3 ,the singer who understands her business must know just how she produces tones and vocal effects4 ,she can then do them at all times1 even under adverse circumstances1 when nervous or not in the mood4 ,i have developed the voice and trained it in the way that seemed to me best for it4 ,how can any other person tell you how that is to be done8 ,it rests with the singer what she will do with her voice--how she will develop it1 remarks ,mme4 ,homer4 ,martinelli says3 ,the voice is a hidden instrument and eventually its fate must rest with its possessor4 ,after general principles are understood1 a singer must work them out according to his ability4 ,florence ,easton remarks3 ,each singer who has risen1 who has found herself1 knows by what path she climbed1 but the path she found might not do for another4 ,instead of considering this reticence on the part of the successful singer1 to explain the ways and means which enabled him to reach success1 in the light of a selfish withholding of advice which would benefit the young student1 we rather look upon it as a worthy and conscientious desire not to lead any one into paths which might not be best for his or her instrument4 ,in the beginning the student needs advice from an expert master1 and is greatly benefited by knowing how the great singers have achieved4 ,later on1 when principles have become thoroughly understood1 the young singers learn what is best for their own voices2 they1 too1 become a law unto themselves1 capable of continuing the development of their own voices in the manner best suited to this most individual of all instruments4 ,,american ,,voices ,we often hear slighting things said of the quality of ,american voices1 especially the speaking voice4 ,they are frequently compared to the beauty of ,european voices1 to the disparagement of those of our own country4 ,remembering the obloquy cast upon the ,american voice1 it is a pleasure to record the views of some of the great singers on this point4 ,there are quantities of girls in ,america with good voices1 good looks and a love for music1 asserts ,mme4 ,easton4 ,mme4 ,hempel says3 ,i find there are quantities of lovely voices here in ,america4 ,the quality of the ,american female voice is beautiful2 in no country is it finer1 not even in ,italy4 ,herbert ,witherspoon1 who has such wonderful experience in training voices1 states3 ,we ought to have our own standards in judging ,american voices2 until we do so1 we will be constantly comparing them with the voices of foreign singers4 ,the quality of the ,american voice is different from the quality found in the voices of other countries4 ,to my mind1 the best women's voices are found right here in our midst4 ,and he adds3 ,any one can sing beautifully who does so with ease and naturalness1 the ,american just as well as those of any other country4 ,in fact ,i consider ,american voices1 in general1 better trained than those of ,italy1 ,germany or ,france4 ,the ,italian1 in particular1 has very little knowledge of the scientific side2 he usually sings by intuition4 ,,american ,,voice ,,teachers ,if this be accepted1 that ,american voices are better trained than those of other countries1 and there is no reason to doubt the statement of masters of such standing1 it follows there must be competent instructors in the art of song right in our own land4 ,mme4 ,easton agrees with this4 ,there are plenty of good vocal teachers in ,america1 she says1 not only in ,new ,york ,city1 but in other large cities of this great country4 ,there is always the problem1 however1 of securing just the right kind of a teacher4 ,for a teacher may be excellent for one voice but not for another4 ,morgan ,kingston asserts3 ,there is no need for an ,american to go out of his own country for vocal instruction or languages2 all can be learned right here at home4 ,i am a living proof of this4 ,what ,i have done others can do4 ,you have excellent vocal teachers right here in ,america1 says ,mme4 ,hempel4 ,then she marvels1 that with all these advantages at her door1 there are not more ,american girls who make good4 ,she lays it to the fact that our girls try to combine a social life with their musical studies1 to the great detriment of the latter4 ,,are ,,american ,,vocal ,,students ,,superficial8 ,it is doubtless a great temptation to the ,american girl who possesses a voice and good looks1 who is a favorite socially1 to neglect her studies at times1 for social gaiety4 ,she is in such haste to make something of herself1 to get where she can earn a little with her voice2 yet by yielding to other calls she defeats the very purpose for which she is striving by a lowered ideal of her art4 ,let us see how the artists and teachers view this state of things4 ,lehmann says3 ,the trouble with ,american girls is they are always in a hurry4 ,they are not content to sit down quietly and study till they have developed themselves into something before they ever think of coming to ,europe4 ,they think if they can only come over here and sing for an artist1 that fact alone will give them prestige in ,america4 ,with us ,american girls are too often looked upon as superficial because they come over here quite unprepared4 ,i say to them3 ,go home and study2 there are plenty of good teachers of voice and piano in your own land4 ,then1 when you can sing1 come here if you wish4 ,frieda ,hempel speaks from close observation when she says3 ,here in ,america1 girls do not realize the amount of labor and sacrifice involved1 or they might not be so eager to enter upon a musical career4 ,they are too much taken up with teas1 parties1 and social functions to have sufficient time to devote to vocal study and to all that goes with it4 ,in order to study all the subjects required1 the girl with a voice must be willing to give most of her day to work4 ,this means sacrificing the social side1 and being willing to throw herself heart and soul into the business of adequately preparing herself for her career4 ,,the ,,vocal ,,student ,,must ,,not ,,be ,,afraid ,,to ,,work ,in the words of ,caruso's message to vocal students1 they must be willing to work--to work always--and to sacrifice4 ,but ,geraldine ,farrar does not consider this in the light of sacrifice4 ,her message to the young singer is3 ,stick to your work and study systematically1 whole-heartedly4 ,if you do not love your work enough to give it your best thought1 to make sacrifices for it1 then there is something wrong with you4 ,better choose some other line of work1 to which you can give undivided attention and devotion4 ,for music requires both4 ,as for sacrifices1 they really do not exist1 if they promote the thing you honestly love most4 ,you must never stop studying1 for there is always so much to learn4 ,i have developed my voice through arduous toil1 to quote ,mme4 ,galli-,curci4 ,raisa says3 ,one cannot expect to succeed in the profession of music without giving one's best time and thought to the work of vocal training and all the other subjects that go with it4 ,a man in business gives his day1 or the most of it1 to his office4 ,my time is devoted to my art1 and indeed ,i have not any too much time to study all the necessary sides of it4 ,i am always studying1 always striving to improve what ,i have already learned and trying to acquire the things ,i find difficult1 or have not yet attained to1 testifies ,mme4 ,homer4 ,,the ,,requirements ,,for ,a ,,vocal ,,career ,those who have been through the necessary drudgery and struggle and have won out1 should be able to give an authoritative answer to this all important question4 ,they know what they started with1 what any singer must possess at the beginning1 and what she must acquire4 ,naturally the singer must have a voice1 for there is no use trying to cultivate something which does not exist4 ,all artists subscribe to this4 ,they also affirm she should have good looks1 a love for music and a musical nature4 ,let us hear from ,mme4 ,homer on this subject4 #a4 ,voice1 first of all4 #b4 ,intelligence2 for intelligence controls1 directs1 shines through and illumines everything4 ,what can be done without it8 #c4 ,musical nature4 #d4 ,capacity for ,work4 ,without application1 the gifts of voice1 intelligence and a musical nature will not make an artist4 #e4 ,a cheerful optimism1 which refuses to yield to discouragement4 #f4 ,patience4 ,it is only with patient striving1 doing the daily vocal task1 and trying to do it each day a little better than the day before1 that anything worth while is accomplished4 ,the student must have unlimited patience to labor and wait for results4 ,mr4 ,witherspoon states1 that students coming to him must possess ,voice1 to begin with2 youth1 good looks1 musical intelligence and application4 ,if the candidate possess these requisites1 we begin to work4 ,anna ,case answers the question as to the vital requisites necessary to become a singer3 ,brains1 ,personality1 ,voice4 ,quotations could be multiplied to prove that all artists fully concur with those already mentioned4 ,there must be a promising voice to cultivate1 youth1 good looks1 7for a public career7 and the utmost devotion to work4 ,,what ,,branches ,,of ,,study ,,must ,,be ,,taken ,,up8 ,all agree there are many other subjects to study besides singing2 that alone is far from sufficient4 ,edward ,johnson says3 ,singing itself is only a part1 perhaps the smaller part of one's equipment4 ,if opera be the goal1 there are languages1 acting1 make up1 impersonation1 interpretation1 how to walk1 all to be added to piano1 harmony and languages4 ,the most important of all is a musical education4 ,most of the great singers have emphatically expressed themselves in favor of piano study4 ,indeed1 many were pianists in the beginning1 before they began to develop the voice4 ,among those who had this training are3 ,galli-,curci1 ,lehmann1 ,raisa1 ,d',alvarez1 ,barrientos1 ,braslau1 ,case4 ,miss ,braslau says3 ,i am so grateful for my knowledge of the piano and its literature2 it is the greatest help to me now4 ,to my thinking all children should have piano lessons2 the cost is trifling compared with the benefits they receive4 ,they should be made to study1 whether they wish it or not1 for they do not know what is best for them4 ,mme4 ,raisa says3 ,there are so many sides to the singer's equipment besides singing itself4 ,the piano is a necessity2 the singer is greatly handicapped without a knowledge of that instrument1 for it not only provides accompaniment but cultivates musical sense4 ,the vocal student should study piano as well as languages1 asserts ,mme4 ,homer2 both are the essentials4 ,not that she need strive to become a pianist2 that would not be possible if she is destined to be a singer4 ,but the more she knows of the piano and its literature1 the more this will cultivate her musical sense and develop her taste4 ,florence ,easton is even more emphatic4 ,if a girl is fond of music1 let her first study the piano1 for a knowledge of the piano and its music is at the bottom of everything4 ,all children should have this opportunity1 whether they desire it or not4 ,the child who early begins to study piano1 will often unconsciously follow the melody with her voice4 ,thus the love of song is awakened in her1 and a little later it is discovered she has a voice worth cultivating4 ,on the subject of languages1 artists are equally specific4 ,languages are an absolute necessity1 beginning with one's mother tongue4 ,the student should not imagine that because he is born to the ,english language1 it does not require careful study4 ,galli-,curci remarks3 ,the singer can always be considered fortunate who has been brought up to more than one language4 ,i learned ,spanish and ,italian at home4 ,in school ,i learned ,french1 ,german and ,english1 not only a little smattering of each1 but how to write and speak them4 ,rosa ,raisa speaks eight languages1 according to her personal statement4 ,russian1 of course1 as she is ,russian1 then ,french1 ,italian1 ,german1 ,spanish1 ,polish1 ,roumanian and ,english4 ,the duty is laid upon ,americans to study other languages1 if they expect to sing1 says ,florence ,easton4 ,i know how often this study is neglected by the student4 ,it is only another phase of that haste which is characteristic of the young student and singer4 ,,breath ,,control ,following the subject of requirements for a vocal career1 let us get right down to the technical side1 and review the ideas of artists on ,breath ,control1 ,how to ,practice1 ,what are the ,necessary ,exercises1 ,what ,vowels ,should be ,used1 and so on4 ,all admit that the subject of ,breath ,control is perhaps the most important of all4 ,lehmann says3 ,i practice many breathing exercises without using tone4 ,breath becomes voice through effort of will and by use of vocal organs4 ,when singing1 emit the smallest quantity of breath4 ,vocal chords are breath regulators2 relieve them of all overwork4 ,mme4 ,galli-,curci remarks3 ,perhaps1 in vocal mastery1 the greatest factor of all is the breathing4 ,to control the breath is what each student is striving to learn1 what every singer endeavors to perfect1 what every artist should master4 ,it is an almost endless study and an individual one1 because each organism and mentality is different4 ,marguerite d',alvarez3 ,in handling and training the voice1 breathing is perhaps the most vital thing to be considered4 ,to some breath control seems second nature2 others must toil for it4 ,with me it is intuition4 ,breathing is such an individual thing4 ,with each person it is different1 for no two people breathe in just the same way4 ,claudia ,muzio3 ,every singer knows how important is the management of breath4 ,i always hold up the chest1 taking as deep breaths as ,i can conveniently4 ,the power to hold the breath and sing more and more tones with one breath1 grows with careful1 intelligent practice4 ,frieda ,hempel3 ,the very first thing for a singer to consider is breath control--always the breathing1 the breathing4 ,she thinks of it morning1 noon and night4 ,even before rising in the morning she has it on her mind1 and may do a few little stunts while still reclining4 ,then1 before beginning vocal technic in the morning1 she goes through a series of breathing exercises4 ,david ,bispham3 ,correct breath control must be carefully studied and is the result of understanding and experience4 ,when the manner of taking breath and the way to develop the diaphragm and abdominal muscles1 is understood1 that is only a beginning4 ,management of the breath is an art in itself4 ,the singer must know what to do with the breath once he has taken it in1 or he may let it out in quarts when he opens his mouth4 ,he learns how much he needs for each phrase2 he learns how to conserve the breath4 ,oscar ,saenger3 ,the management of the breath is a most important factor1 as the life of the tone depends on a continuance of the breath4 ,the student must cultivate the power of quickly inhaling a full breath1 and exhaling it so gradually that she can sing a phrase lasting from ten to twenty seconds4 ,this needs months of arduous practice4 ,in all breathing1 inhale through the nose4 ,yeatman ,griffith3 ,breath control is indeed a vital need1 but should not be made a bugbear to be greatly feared4 ,most students make breathing and breath control a difficult matter1 when it should be a natural and easy act4 ,they do not need the large amount of breath they imagine they do1 for a much smaller quantity will suffice4 ,when you open the lips after a full1 natural breath1 do not let the breath escape2 the vocal chords will make the tone1 if you understand how to make a perfect start4 ,,specific ,,exercises ,great singers are chary of giving out vocal exercises which they have discovered1 evolved1 or have used so constantly as to consider them a part of their own personal equipment1 for reasons stated earlier in this chapter4 ,however1 a few artists have indicated certain forms which they use4 ,mme4 d',alvarez remarks3 ,when ,i begin to study in the morning1 ,i give the voice what ,i call a massage4 ,this consists of humming exercises1 with closed lips4 ,humming is the sunshine of the voice4 ,one exercise is a short figure of four consecutive notes of the diatonic scale1 ascending and descending several times2 on each repetition of the group of phrases1 the new set begins on the next higher note of the scale4 ,this exercise brings the tone fully forward4 ,lehmann counsels the young voice to begin in the middle and work both ways4 ,begin single tones piano1 make a long crescendo and return to piano4 ,another exercise employs two connecting half tones1 using one or two vowels4 ,during practice stand before a mirror4 ,raisa assures us she works at technic every day4 ,vocalizes1 scales1 broken thirds1 long1 slow tones in mezza di voce--that is beginning softly1 swelling to loud1 then diminuendo to soft1 are part of the daily rgime4 ,farrar works on scales and single tones daily4 ,muzio says3 ,i sing all the scales1 one octave each1 once slow and once fast--all in one breath4 ,then ,i sing triplets on each tone1 as many as ,i can in one breath4 ,another exercise is to take one tone softly1 then go to the octave above2 this tone is always sung softly1 but there is a large crescendo between the two soft tones4 ,kingston says3 ,as for technical material1 ,i have never used a great quantity4 ,i do scales and vocalizes each day4 ,i also make daily use of about a dozen exercises by ,rubini4 ,beyond these ,i make technical exercises out of the pieces4 ,de ,luca sings scales in full power1 then each tone alone1 softly1 then swelling to full strength and dying away4 ,bispham3 ,i give many vocalizes and exercises1 which ,i invent to fit the need of each student4 ,they are not written down1 simply remembered4 ,i also make exercises out of familiar tunes or themes from opera4 ,thus1 while the student is studying technic1 he is acquiring much beautiful material4 ,oscar ,saenger3 ,we begin by uniting two tones smoothly and evenly1 then three in the same way2 afterwards four and five4 ,then the scale of one octave4 ,arpeggios are also most important4 ,the trill is the most difficult of all vocal exercises4 ,we begin with quarter notes1 then eighths and sixteenths4 ,the trill is taken on each tone of the voice1 in major seconds4 ,werrenrath3 ,i do a lot of gymnastics each day1 to exercise the voice and limber up the anatomy4 ,these act as a massage for the voice2 they are in the nature of humming1 mingled with grunts1 calls1 exclamations1 shouts1 and many kinds of sounds4 ,they put the voice in condition1 so there is no need for all these other exercises which most singers find so essential to their vocal well being4 ,duval asserts3 ,long1 sustained tones are too difficult for the young voice4 ,one should sing medium fast scales at first4 ,,length ,,of ,,time ,,for ,,daily ,,practice ,it may be helpful to know about how much time the artists devote to daily study1 especially to technical practice4 ,it is understood all great singers work on vocalizes and technical material daily4 ,caruso is a constant worker4 ,two or three hours in the forenoon1 and several more later in the day1 whenever possible4 ,farrar devotes between one and two hours daily to vocalizes1 scales and tone study1 ,lehmann counsels one hour daily on technic4 ,galli-,curci gives a half hour or so to vocalizes and scales every morning4 ,martinelli practices exercises and vocalizes one hour each morning2 then another hour on repertoire4 ,in the afternoon an hour more--three hours daily4 ,easton says3 ,it seems to me a young singer should not practice more than an hour a day1 at most1 beginning with two periods of fifteen or twenty minutes each4 ,anna ,case says3 ,i never practice when ,i am tired1 for then it does more harm than good4 ,one must be in good condition to make good tones4 ,i can study and not sing at all1 for the work is all mental anyway4 ,muzio states she gives practically her whole day to study1 dividing it into short periods1 with rest between4 ,frieda ,hempel says3 ,i do about two hours or more1 though not all of this for technic4 ,i approve of a good deal of technical study1 taken in small doses of ten to fifteen minutes at a time4 ,technic is a means to an end1 more in the art of song than in almost any other form of art4 ,technic is the background of expressive singing4 ,sophie ,braslau is an incessant worker1--at least six hours a day4 ,of these ,i actually sing three hours4 ,the first hour to memory work on repertoire4 ,the second hour to vocalizes4 ,the rest of the time is given to repertoire and the things that belong to it4 ,barrientos states she gives about three-quarters of an hour to vocal technic--scales and exercises--each day4 ,duval advises the young student to practice two half hours daily1 two hours after eating1 and rest the voice one day each week1 during which she studies other subjects connected with her art4 ,oscar ,saenger says3 ,one should practice in fifteen-minute periods1 and rest at least ten minutes between4 ,sing only two hours a day1 one in the morning and one in afternoon4 ,,what ,,vowels ,,to ,,use ,there seems a divergence of opinion as to what vowels are most beneficial in technical practice and study4 ,galli-,curci says3 ,in my own study ,i use them all1 though some are more valuable than others4 ,the ,ah is the most difficult of all4 ,the ,o is good2 ,e needs great care4 ,i have found the best way is to use mixed vowels1 one melting into the other4 ,the tone can be started with each vowel in turn1 then mingled with the rest of the vowels4 ,mme4 d',alvarez often starts the tone with ,ah1 which melts into ,o and later changes to ,u1 as the tone dies away4 ,bispham has the student use various vowel syllables1 as3 ,lah1 ,mah1 ,may1 and ,mi4 ,with ,oscar ,saenger the pupil in early stages at least1 uses ,ah for vocalizes4 ,duval requires students to use the vowel ,ah1 for exercises and scales1 finding the others are not needed1 especially excluding ,e and ,u as injurious4 ,griffith uses each vowel in turn1 preceded by all the consonants of the alphabet1 one after another4 ,,half ,,or ,,full ,,voice8 ,shall the young singer practice with half or full voice seems a matter depending on one's individual attainments4 ,de ,luca uses full power during practice1 while ,raisa sings softly1 or with medium1 tone1 during study hours1 except occasionally when she wishes to try out certain effects4 ,martinelli states he always practices with full voice1 as with half voice he would not derive the needed benefit4 ,mme4 ,easton admits she does not1 as a rule1 use full voice when at work2 but adds1 this admission might prove injurious to the young singer1 for half voice might result in faulty tone production4 ,anna ,case says when at work on a song in her music room1 she sings it with the same power as she would before an audience4 ,she has not two ways of doing it1 one for a small room and another for a large one4 ,mr4 ,duval advises the young pupil to sing tones as loudly and deeply as possible4 ,singing pianissimo is another fallacy for a young voice4 ,this is one of the most difficult accomplishments1 and should be reserved for a later period4 ,oscar ,saenger3 ,the tone should be free1 round and full1 but not loud4 ,,hearing ,,yourself ,does the singer really hear himself is a question which has been put to nearly every artist4 ,many answered in a comparative negative1 though with qualifications4 ,miss ,farrar said3 ,no1 ,i do not actually hear my voice1 except in a general way1 but we learn to know the sensations produced in throat1 head1 face1 lips and other parts of the anatomy1 which vibrate in a certain manner to correct tone production4 ,we learn the feeling of the tone4 ,i can tell just how ,i am singing a tone or phrase1 says ,de ,luca1 by the feeling and sensation2 for of course ,i cannot hear the full effect2 no singer can really hear the effect of his work1 except on the records4 ,the singer must judge so much from sensation1 for she cannot very well hear herself1 that is1 she cannot tell the full effect of what she is doing1 says ,anna ,case4 ,mr4 ,witherspoon says3 ,the singer of course hears himself and with study learns to hear himself better4 ,the singer should depend more on hearing the sound he makes than on feeling the sound4 ,in other words1 train the ear1 the court of ultimate resort1 and the only judge1 and forget sensation as much as possible1 for the latter leads to a million confusions4 ,,vocal ,,mastery1 ,,from ,,the ,,artists' ,,viewpoint ,farrar3 ,a thing that is mastered must be really perfect4 ,to master vocal art1 the singer must have so developed his voice that it is under complete control2 then he can do with it what he wishes4 ,he must be able to produce all he desires of power1 pianissimo1 accent1 shading1 delicacy and variety of color4 ,galli-,curci3 ,to sum up3 the three requirements of vocal mastery are3 ,management of the ,larynx2 ,relaxation of the ,diaphragm2 ,control of the ,breath4 ,to these might be added a fourth3 ,mixed ,vowels4 ,but when these are mastered1 what then8 ,ah1 so much more it can never be put into words4 ,it is self-expression through the medium of tone1 for tone must always be a vital part of the singer's individuality1 colored by feeling and emotion4 ,to perfect one's own instrument1 must always be the singer's joy and satisfaction4 ,raisa3 ,if ,i have developed perfect control throughout the two and a half octaves of my voice1 can make each tone with pure quality and perfect evenness in the different degrees of loud and soft1 and if ,i have perfect breath control as well1 ,i then have an equipment that may serve all purposes of interpretation4 ,for together with vocal mastery must go the art of interpretation1 in which all the mastery of the vocal equipment may find expression4 ,in order to interpret adequately one ought to possess a perfect instrument1 perfectly trained4 ,when this is the case one can forget mechanism1 because confident of the ability to express any desired emotion4 ,homer3 ,the singer must master all difficulties of technic1 of tone production in order to be able to express the thought of the composer1 and the meaning of the music4 ,werrenrath3 ,i can answer the question in one word--,disregard4 ,for if you have complete control of your anatomy and such command of your vocal resources that they will always do their work2 that they can be depended on to act perfectly1 then you can disregard mechanism and think only of the interpretation--only of your vocal message4 ,then you have conquered the material and have attained ,vocal ,mastery4 ,kingston3 ,vocal ,mastery includes so many things4 ,first and foremost1 vocal technic4 ,one must have an excellent technic before one can hope to sing even moderately well4 ,technic furnishes the tool with which the singer creates his vocal art work4 ,then the singer must work on his moral nature so that he shall express the beautiful and pure in music4 ,until ,i have thus prepared myself1 ,i am not doing my whole duty to myself1 my art or to my neighbor4 ,griffith3 ,vocal ,mastery is acquired through correct understanding of what constitutes pure vowel sounds1 and such control of the breath as will enable one to convert every atom of breath into singing tone4 ,this establishes correct action of the vocal chords and puts the singer in possession of the various tints of the voice4 ,when the vocal chords are allowed to produce pure vowels1 correct action is the result1 and with proper breath support1 ,vocal ,mastery can be assured4 ,duval3 ,what is ,vocal ,mastery8 ,every great artist has his own peculiar manner of accomplishing results--has his own vocal mastery4 ,patti had one kind1 ,maurel another1 ,lehmann still another4 ,caruso may also be said to have his own vocal mastery4 ,in fine1 as every great artist is different from his compeers1 there can be no fixed and fast standard of vocal mastery1 except the mastery of doing a great thing greatly and convincingly4 ,,the ,,end