for audio illustrations was transcribed by ,anne ,celnick1 ,sarah ,thomson1 and the ,,dp ,music ,team4 file which includes the original lines of music and audio illustrations4 ,see #dajac-;h4htm or #dajac-;h4zip3 7https3_/_/www4gutenberg4org_/cache_/epu b_/#dajac_/pg#dajac-;images4html7 or 7https3_/_/www4gutenberg4org_/files_/#da jac_/dajac-;h4zip7 ,images of the original pages are available through ,internet ,archive4 ,see http3_/_/archive4org_/details_/,advice,t o,singers ,transcriber's note3 ,text enclosed by underscores is in italics 7italics74 ,text enclosed by equal signs is in bold face 7bold74 ,text enclosed by plus signs is ,greek transliteration 7example3 epi-gltta74 ,any ranges or simple exercises that have been depicted on a staff in the original have been represented in this volume using ,scientific ,pitch ,notation4 ,in this system1 ,c#d represents middle ,c and is set at #bef ,hz4 ,,advice ,,to ,,singers by ,,frederick ,j4 ,,crowest ,author of ,the ,great ,tone ,poets ,musical ,groundwork ,editor of ,the ,master ,musicians ,series1 etc4 ,since singing is so good a thing ,i wish all men would learn to sing ,illustration3 ,publisher's ,device ,seventeenth ,thousand ,london ,frederick ,warne and ,co4 and ,new ,york #aijd ,,preface4 ,singing cannot be learnt from a book1 and so far from attempting any such impossible feat as writing a book which might be called ,singing without a ,master1 the author's object--frequently insisted upon herein--is to point out the impossibility of overcoming the difficulties of singing without a teacher4 ,at the same time1 there are points upon which a master would not feel called upon to speak2 nor would he 7except1 perhaps1 in the course of a very long period of training7 be likely to touch on many matters which1 though closely connected with the life or business of an accomplished singer1 yet lie rather outside the province of the voice-trainer4 ,in a work consisting of detached paragraphs1 and not being a continuous essay1 it is not always possible to enter into full explanations of the reasons for certain statements2 and 7for the want of such explanation7 one paragraph may appear to contradict another4 ,however1 ,i can assure the reader that such paragraphs are only apparent contradictions2 and if he will take the trouble to think such points out for himself1 he will find that they are easily reconcileable4 ,there is no subject1 perhaps1 on which opinions are so divided1 and prejudices run so high1 as the proper method of training and using the voice2 nor is there perhaps one more wrapped in mystery than is the art of singing4 ,this is probably the result of that readiness with which almost every music teacher has hitherto undertaken to teach ,singing4 ,this book will not1 ,i am sure1 add to the mystery4 ,a careful perusal of its contents should clear away many misconceptions1 and place the student on the right road to that end which he or she has in view4 ,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,fourth ,,edition4 ,that another large edition of this little ,manual should be called for in so comparatively short a time is sufficiently encouraging testimony of the worth of the book and the favour it has found at the hands of students of singing and others--a result the more gratifying to the publishers since hitherto it has been issued with an anonymous title-page4 ,often has the authorship of the little volume been industriously defended and disputed--not by myself--both in this country and ,america2 but1 on the whole1 the identity of its originator has been well maintained4 ,for my part matters might have remained so1 especially as ,i am not insensible to the fact that there is much preaching herein--as indeed there must be in such a work1 and some of the advice is of such a nature that its giver runs the risk of being placed upon an exceeding high pinnacle of moral excellence1 or of being accounted the personification of all the virtues--both of which distinctions might scarcely be merited4 ,the appearance of my name upon the title-sheet is the result of no wish of mine1 and ,i have consented to it only out of deference to the pressing request of the publishers4 ,a chapter on the ,physiological ,surroundings of the ,voice has been added to this edition4 ,,frederick ,j4 ,,crowest4 ,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,seventh ,,edition4 ,once again my publishers have informed me of the necessity for reprinting this ,manual1 which has been so successful both here1 in ,america1 and in the ,colonies4 ,i have nothing to alter in the work1 but ,i must express my thanks for the marked support that has been given to this straightforward advice4 ,did space permit1 much might be said relative to that growing complaint1 ,teachers' 7or ,board ,school7 ,laryngitis as it is called4 ,for some time past ,i have been authorized to make observations at the chief ,throat ,hospitals in connection with this constantly increasing mischief1 arising from an injurious use of the voice in ,teaching1 and which only proper ,voice ,production will remedy4 ,while ,i cannot give advice here1 ,i shall be happy to answer any communications of sufferers from this complaint4 ,,frederick ,j4 ,,crowest4 #bd ,,ampthill ,,square1 ,,london1 ,n4,w4 ,,contents4 ,page ,,preliminary ,,remarks #i ,,on ,,habits1 ,,diet1 c4 #ac ,early ,rising--,cleanliness--,the ,hair--,the ,teeth--,exercise--,dress-- ,diet--,smoking--,late ,hours--,general ,morality4 ,,pronunciation ,,and ,,study ,,of ,,words #ba ,nervousness--,pronunciation--,vowel-,so unds--,consonants--,english-- ,emphasis--,position of ,lips--,study of ,words--,general ,education--,dramatic ,study4 ,,voices ,,and ,,their ,,various ,,qualities #bh ,voices and their ,names--,compass--,soprano--,mezzo-,sopr ano-- ,mezzo-,contralto--,contralto--,alto--,t enore-,leggiero--,tenore-,robusto-- ,barytone and ,basso-,cantante--,bass--,buffo--,qualit ies of ,voices4 ,,instruction1 ,,books ,,and ,,masters #dg ,schools of ,singing--,masters--,institutions--,a ,first ,opinion--,bad ,lessons--,bad ,teachers--,books of ,exercises4 ,,practice #ec ,individuality--,perseverance--,facial ,expression--,self-,accompaniment-- ,position of ,body1 ,arms1 ,hands1 ,throat1 ,tongue1 ,larynx-- ,head-,singing--,throatiness--,clearing the ,throat--,high ,notes--,the ,scale--,forte1 ,mezzo-,voce1 and ,piano--,tone--,chest1 ,falsetto1 and ,head--,scale ,practice--,first ,exercises 7with ,examples7--,duration of ,practice--,singing in ,tune--,how to ,begin--,variety--,chorus ,singing--,humming--,studying ,songs--,imitation--,general ,musical ,study4 ,,on ,,style ,,and ,,expression #ga ,traditional ,styles--,modern ,german ,lieder--,the ,cathedral ,school--,oratorio 7with ,examples7--,opera--,ballads--,recitativ e 7with ,examples7--,slurring--,sentiment--,deci sion--,imitation--,public ,singing--,holding an ,audience--,mistakes in ,public4 ,,on ,,time ,,in ,,singing #hg ,the ,metronome--,accent--,exercises3 four beats to the bar2 three beats to the bar2 two beats to the bar4 ,,on ,,the ,,choice ,,of ,,music #ajc ,music to ,suit the ,voice--,original ,keys--,execution--,fashion-- ,forming a ,repertoire4 ,,physiological ,,surroundings #aji ,the ,larynx--,the ,thyroid--,the ,pharynx--,the ,voice2 ,a ,wind1 ,reed1 or ,string ,instrument4 ,,exercises #aae ,exercises #a1 #b1 for ,uniting ,notes--,exercise #c1 for ,flexibility1 c4--,exercise #d1 on ,intervals of ,thirds--,exercise #e1 on ,intervals of ,fourths--,exercise #f1 on ,intervals of ,fifths--,exercise #g1 on ,intervals of ,sixths--,exercise #h1 on ,intervals of ,sevenths4 ,,index #abf ,,advice ,,to ,,singers4 ,,preliminary ,,remarks4 ,whatever be the actual difference between the professional and the amateur singer1 if a person is worthy of the name of singer at all1 there should be no difference in their views of ,art1 and in their devotion to practice4 ,singing is an art1 and one of the most difficult of the arts to master2 and any one who attempts to learn it must be prepared to give the same devotion to it as is demanded by the sister arts of painting and sculpture4 ,i do not mean exactly devotion of the whole time and energy of life to it2 because1 however necessary that may be for the professional1 who has to make his living by it1 such entire devotion to an accomplishment or an amusement 7for such singing is to the amateur7 would1 for a non-professional1 be frequently impossible1 and very often wrong1 as it would lead to a neglect of the duties of life4 ,but1 while the entire devotion of time and energy of a professional singer is demanded to master the various styles1 and the immense mass of music1 with which he or she will have to deal in the exercise of the profession1 the amateur should bear in mind that such time and energy as he can devote to singing must be firmly restricted to doing what he undertakes thoroughly well--as well1 in fact1 as a professional4 ,the amateur's position1 which forbids him to make singing the work of his life1 limits the range of his work1 not the quality of it4 ,he cannot1 even if he have the voice of a ,rubini or a ,braham1 master the difficulties of opera1 oratorio1 and ballad alike4 ,circumstances forbid him to conquer the world1 but there is no reason why he should not be a king in his own special realm4 ,to be that he will have to follow the same rules as though he were able to attack the whole universe of vocal music2 for he should feel that the only difference between him and the professional singer lies in the sphere of their work4 ,the same remarks apply to many professionals4 ,very few can excel in all styles1 and few in more than one4 ,to attempt all is a great mistake1 and will probably lead to failure1 or at least mediocrity in all4 ,but the first point that ,i would insist upon is the necessity for earnest devotion and regular work1 both in professional and amateur1 so that the term ,artist may apply to both4 ,i shall be at no great pains to avoid occasional repetitions of incidental remarks4 ,in a book intended for constant reference rather than for one perusal1 and one divided1 as this is1 into short paragraphs1 words may attract attention in one place1 while in another they may have been overlooked4 ,if1 therefore1 ,i err in this respect1 ,i shall do so deliberately1 my sole aim being to help and impress the student as much as possible4 ,remember that the human voice is the most delicate of all instruments1 susceptible to more and more varied influence than any other4 ,the singer has to combine in himself the instrument and the performer2 and while all the artistic and intellectual qualities necessary for the instrumentalist are required by him1 he is compelled beyond that to realize that he is a living instrument1 and to exercise over himself all the care--and indeed far more than all--that players exercise over their most cherished weapons4 ,he has not only to learn how to sing1 but how to be and to remain fit for singing4 ,he1 more than any other musical artist1 will find that he is affected by moral as well as physical and intellectual causes1 and he must face this fact boldly4 ,in writing down the brief hints which this little work offers to singers1 ,i shall therefore take in a range of subjects and enter into many details which may seem to have little to do with the practice of ,do1 ,re1 ,mi4 ,i do this advisedly1 and ,i believe that such hints as those on general culture and habits of living are by no means the least important part of my work4 ,i do not profess to teach my readers how to sing--7any singer knows1 and ,i should like the public to know too1 that singing cannot be taught by a book7--but to give hints to singers1 and many of those hints are on such subjects as it would be an impertinence on the part of a singing master to allude to4 ,if the student takes offence at the book1 it happily does not reach the author4 ,following out the previous thought1 ,i shall try to turn the intending singer's attention to several other subjects1 before ,i touch upon that of strictly musical interest4 ,and if ,i here seem to preach occasionally1 ,i shall never do so without cause1 and never1 ,i trust1 in any spirit but that of the warmest sympathy with the aspirations and the peculiar trials and difficulties of those who are still in full vigour of youth and health4 ,remember that ,i give hints1 not rules4 ,it is quite impossible to lay down rules of living which shall apply alike to male and female1 or to variously constituted natures4 ,but ,i hope ,i may trust to the common sense of every individual to draw sound conclusions1 and to form his or her own rules1 by the help of these hints1 and1 the rules once formed1 to adhere to them resolutely4 ,if singing is to be done at all1 it is worth while to do it well1 and to spare no pains to that end4 ,there is a good deal to be done by the student of singing before he attacks the strictly musical part of his difficulties4 ,general education1 if deficient1 must be attended to2 habits of living must be formed and followed out2 faults of character1 such as laziness1 ill temper1 slovenliness1 impatience1 and want of perseverance1 must be bravely fought2 for the study of singing1 perhaps more than of any other art1 will test the character severely in these respects4 ,the student must be prepared to exercise a good deal of self-denial2 to put aside all notions of self-merit for a long time to come2 and to be humble1 and ready to take a hint from any source4 ,whatever merits he may have at starting are certainly not due to his own skill2 they are simply natural gifts1 and the better they are1 the more is there for him to learn in doing justice to them4 ,let him not waste time in admiring what he is1 or has done2 but let him keep all his energy for what he may yet be and for what he yet has to accomplish4 ,,on ,,habits1 ,,diet1 c4 ,the following paragraphs contain hints on various matters apparently little connected with singing1 yet all of more or less importance to the singer4 ,the voice1 and the power of using it1 depend so greatly upon general health1 and health is so easily affected by habits of living1 that ,i offer no apology for entering into some details which1 though easy enough to write down1 and read when written1 would be difficult for a singing master to allude to or suggest without giving offence4 ,early ,rising4--,practise early rising1 and1 if possible1 take a short walk before breakfast4 ,this tends to keep the circulation of the blood in a good condition1 and that is1 of course1 of great importance to the lungs1 and all the organs which singing requires to tax somewhat severely4 ,cleanliness4--,strict cleanliness is of the greatest importance4 ,take a cold bath every morning directly you get out of bed4 ,do not stand pottering about1 or you may catch cold1 but go to your bath while the skin is moist with the perspiration which the warmth of bed has drawn out4 ,if you let the perspiration dry1 and then plunge into cold water1 you run a great risk of giving yourself a severe chill4 ,sponge yourself well1 and rapidly1 all over1 especially the chest1 throat1 back of the neck1 and all round the loins2 and dry the body thoroughly and briskly with a rough towel4 ,let no fear of damaging the complexion deter young ladies from this most healthy and necessary operation4 ,in winter1 if the circulation is naturally sluggish1 it is as well not to take the bath perfectly cold1 but merely add enough hot water just to remove the extreme chill4 ,the bath ought to feel cold to you1 even though it be not the coldest possible4 ,it is well to take a warm bath once a week--if possible1 just before going to bed4 ,do not have it hot1 but simply warm1 and1 of course1 use soap with it4 ,do not dawdle over it1 but have it and have done with it1 and then get to bed at once4 ,if you find the effect of it to be enervating or relaxing1 take it less warm in future4 ,the object of it is simply to open and cleanse the pores of the skin--a matter of great importance4 ,the ,hair4--,the same rule of extreme cleanliness applies to the hair1 and for the same reason1 viz41 its intimate connection with the circulation of the blood and the pores of the skin4 ,keep the hair well brushed1 and have it frequently cut and shampooed4 ,avoid pomatums1 washes1 and greasy messes of every kind3 their smell is objectionable and their effect is generally to dirty the head4 ,moreover1 the public have the good taste to object to the appearance of an artist before them who is evidently got up with pains for the occasion4 ,a person who is habitually as clean as he can be1 need never fear to appear in public1 and may spare himself the disgusting application of grease to his head to make himself fit to be seen4 ,if a moustache is worn1 let it be kept within bounds1 and not allowed to fall over the mouth1 where it would affect the tone of the voice4 ,do not cut it straight along the lip1 but train it right and left1 allowing it to grow naturally and uncut4 ,the advantages of the moustache are two3 it acts to a certain extent as a respirator1 and protects the mouth and throat as the eyelash does the eye1 and it helps to conceal any slight distortion of the mouth in singing4 ,this1 ,i confess1 is a doubtful advantage3--there ought to be no distortion1 and if any were seen1 it might1 perhaps1 be corrected4 ,however1 ,i give the opinion for what it is worth4 ,the ,teeth4--,the teeth play such an important part in the production of the voice that every care should be taken to preserve them sound and in good condition--to say nothing of the part which they play in facial expression1 a point to which every singer should attend4 ,a bad state of the teeth at once affects the stomach1 and that again the voice1 so that no apology is needed for drawing the student's attention to this matter4 ,clean the teeth the first thing in the morning1 and the last thing at night4 ,use a moderately hard brush1 better too soft than too hard1 with cold water1 or better still1 just lukewarm4 ,avoid all dentifrices and advertised nastinesses in the way of powders and fragrant washes4 ,a mixture of powdered 7not prepared7 chalk and orris-root1 in the proportion of about three to two1 is the best thing to use1 and any chemist will make that up for you4 ,remember to brush the teeth inside and along the top1 as well as outside2 and if you find this difficult with the ordinary-shaped brush1 get one of those which are sold for the purpose4 ,if you find1 in spite of your care1 that your teeth become discoloured1 the cause is probably that your stomach is out of order4 ,in that case1 go straight to a doctor1 for the consequence of such derangement is that tartar is formed on the teeth1 and this grows1 and pushes back the gums1 altering the form of the cavity of the mouth1 and so affecting the tone of the voice4 ,exercise4--,be as much as you can in the open air4 ,take moderate walking exercise1 but of course do not tire yourself before singing or practising4 ,for male singers1 rowing1 riding1 football and cricket 7but without the shouting so often incidental to these games71 racquets or tennis1 and above all an hour or two weekly in a gymnasium1 are excellent things2 while for ladies1 walking1 riding1 lawn-tennis1 la grace1 and calisthenics are equally useful4 ,if you live in a town1 always walk in preference to taking a conveyance1 when time and weather permit it4 ,never breathe through your mouth in walking1 especially at night1 or on coming out into the open air after singing4 ,keep the lips closed1 and inhale the air through the nostrils4 ,this is easily acquired1 and to be able to do this will be found of great service in taking breath for singing2 but out of doors it is most important1 for the immediate rush of cold or damp air to the delicate organs of the throat1 especially when the latter have been excited by the exertion of singing1 is dangerous4 ,it is a good plan1 and a profitable use of the time1 to practise breathing when walking1 by filling the lungs1 and utilizing each inspiration for as long a distance as possible4 ,dress4--,nothing can be said in favour of our climate for singing4 ,with proper precautions1 however1 a great deal of trouble arising from this cause may be averted4 ,in summer1 as well as in winter1 for instance1 the writer would strongly urge the wearing of moderately thick-soled boots or shoes4 ,then1 again1 the neck and chest should never be exposed alike to a ,june sun and a ,december frost2 but1 instead1 it should be moderately and reasonably covered4 ,great care should be taken never to get wet1 especially wet or damp feet4 ,in going out of hot rooms into the open air much pains should be exercised to keep the chest and throat covered up with an overcoat or cloak--however warm the weather may be4 ,in very severe winter weather the singer will derive much comfort by wearing a flannel chest-protector4 ,sitting about in gardens1 and on lawns1 in the evenings on even the warmest days1 is not a safe indulgence for the student who is in earnest in the pursuit of his art4 ,one caution is necessary as to wrapping up1 however4 ,do not over-do it4 ,the constant use of a comforter renders the throat delicate and susceptible4 ,all you have to fear is damp1 not cold1 in the atmosphere4 ,a comforter1 closely wound round the throat1 promotes perspiration1 and the risk of chill in removing it is greater than in not wearing it at all4 ,common sense must guide every one4 ,it is impossible to make a rule for all4 ,diet4--,as to diet3 avoid everything that is at all indigestible4 ,live well1 and take plenty of varied nourishment4 ,the singer's system must be well nourished4 ,chocolate and coffee are better than tea2 the latter is too astringent1 and affects the nerves too much1 if taken in abundance4 ,sugar1 in moderation1 should always be used with those beverages1 and they should never be taken very hot4 ,bread is better than toast1 but avoid hot or very new bread4 ,eggs and butter are good4 ,meat should be plainly cooked and not too well done4 ,pork tries the digestion too severely to be a desirable food for a singer1 and the same may be said of veal4 ,fish is good for the singer1 and he should if possible let it form a part of his daily menu4 ,creams and pastry are simply poison1 and cheese should only be taken in great moderation4 ,fruit is an excellent thing if judiciously used4 ,but here1 again1 hard and fast rules are impossible1 because constitutions vary4 ,only remember the old proverb1 ,we must eat to live1 and not live to eat4 ,never practise or sing upon an empty stomach1 or soon after a meal3 either of these habits will unfairly tax your digestive organs1 and in so doing damage your voice4 ,after a meal1 all the energy of the body is required for the stomach2 in a healthy person the extremities will generally be cold after a full meal1 and the reason is that the digestive organs are using all the heat and blood that the body can give for their special work4 ,nature thus points to a rest of every other organ at that time1 and you must not fight against ,nature by attempting any such severe physical strain as the practice of the voice demands4 ,all acids and astringents are bad for a healthy throat and stomach4 ,vinegar1 highly-flavoured sauces1 almonds and raisins1 nuts of every kind should be avoided4 ,some of these are useful as remedies in relaxed throat1 or congestion of the throat1 no doubt2 but ,i am speaking simply of what is desirable for a person in a state of health4 ,in cases of cold1 hoarseness1 or indisposition of any kind1 my prescription is1 ,don't doctor yourself1 but 7as ,abernethy said7 ',take advice4' ,be very careful and abstemious in the use of spirits4 ,brandy is decidedly injurious1 it heats and inflames the throat1 and tends to constipate the bowels4 ,gin or whiskey is the most wholesome spirit1 but take as little as possible of either4 ,if you drink beer or stout1 take draught and not bottled1 and always in great moderation4 ,all effervescing liquors are objectionable2 therefore eschew champagne1 ,moselle1 bottled ale and stout1 et hoc genus omne4 ,the fluids called port and sherry are cruel foes to singing4 ,a glass of good port is a fair medicine in certain cases1 and the same may be said of very dry ,amontillado1 but if you have nothing the matter with you1 avoid port and 7so-called7 sherry--especially the hideous compound of alcohol and molasses known as brown sherry--as you would poison4 ,the best drink for singers is claret1 or any light wine1 ,french1 ,german1 or ,italian4 ,i myself find the latter on the whole the best1 and such wines as ,barolo ,secco or ,chiant are pure and cheap1 and contain all the properties necessary for a singer's beverage4 ,but in this as in all else1 moderation is a sine qu non4 ,fluids are apt to produce congestion or mucus in the throat and glands of the mouth1 and that of course interferes with the free action of the muscles in singing4 ,smoking4--,as a general rule it may be laid down that smoking is a bad habit for the singer1 male or female 7for there are females who are proud of being able to smoke cigarettes nowadays674 ,with many instances of great singers who have also been great smokers before us1 it is impossible to say decidedly that singers must not smoke2 but the habit is one to be very cautiously indulged in4 ,if smoking in any case induces expectoration1 it should at once be given up1 for the habit of spitting1 to which some smokers allow themselves 7quite needlessly7 to give way1 is1 in reality1 the greatest evil of smoking2 it weakens the throat1 lungs1 and chest4 ,if a man can smoke without spitting or drinking1 ,i confess that ,i am no great enemy to tobacco2 but the if is a big one4 ,a cigarette is certainly a safeguard against taking cold in coming out of a hot room into the open air1 especially after singing2 but strong cigars or strong tobacco in pipes are to be avoided1 because of their effect on the nerves4 ,late ,hours4--,avoid late hours4 ,you require1 not only a certain amount of sleep1 but to take that sleep before the body and mind are at all overtaxed4 ,from many causes1 it is well known1 the human frame is always at its lowest from about #b a4m4 till #e a4m41 and the nearer you approach those hours in going to bed1 the less able are you to derive all the benefit which you require from sleep4 ,twelve o'clock is late enough for any one4 ,another reason why late hours are bad is connected not with physical facts so much as with morals4 ,it is true1 you may come to no actual harm1 or get into no positive mischief1 by being out late at night1 but you place yourself in a position of risk--risk of cold1 over-fatigue1 inhaling vitiated atmosphere1 c41 as well as risk to moral character1 which latter1 in its way as delicate as the voice1 is injured not only by actual violation of right1 but by all society1 conversation1 and literature which tend to dim its brightness1 or 7to use another metaphor7 to spoil the purity of its outline by roughly knocking off its corners4 ,at all events1 as to the night side of ,life1 you are better out of it4 ,morality4--,nothing can act more prejudicially upon a singer than those influences which are understood by that very inclusive term1 a fast life4 ,i would1 therefore1 urge upon the student the necessity of a religious avoidance of those influences4 ,they dull the purity of thought which marks all true art2 they deaden the intellect which art requires2 and they injure the physical powers1 without which all a singer's study may be suddenly rendered useless to him4 ,all excess is bad1 and self-restraint and self-control are of the greatest importance both to character and health4 ,many an anxious student has mastered the musical side of his art1 but has failed under the rigid demands which the moral code makes upon an intending singer4 ,it is of no use for a singer to be strong musically1 and weak morally3 the two preparations must go hand-in-hand2 and while building up a structure of vocal greatness1 his care must always be that the moral foundation will always support the weight of persistent study1 and leave him favourably placed in the stern competition going on around him for a front place in the race for singing fame1 and the inevitable honours4 ,keep these hints in mind1 think them carefully over1 and be your own moral doctor4 ,that will be better than following any code of cut and dried rules4 ,if you err at all1 let it be on the side of self-denial1 the hardest and probably the highest of all virtues4 ,,on ,,the ,,study ,,of ,,pronunciation ,,and ,,words ,,in ,,singing1 c4 ,the singer has to combine the arts of the musician1 the public speaker1 and1 to a certain extent1 the actor4 ,clearness of pronunciation and correctness of emphasis are included in the range of his study4 ,nor are these so easy of acquirement as many persons suppose4 ,to a novice1 the almost inevitable nervousness inseparable from the prominent position which a solo singer necessarily holds in the company1 or before the audience to which he is singing1 is very apt to render the enunciation less distinct and more rapid than is natural to him4 ,his ear guides him less safely2 and1 in fact1 every sense1 influenced by the abnormal state of his nerves1 is apt to play him more or less false4 ,it is only by having carefully studied and mastered every detail of manner1 posture1 and speech1 as well as of the music to be performed1 that a singer can rise superior to the treachery of his nerves1 in whatever form that treachery may show itself4 ,nervousness4--,a few words as to nervousness4 ,you will often hear persons boast that they are not the least nervous in public2 and1 perhaps1 will feel inclined to envy them4 ,get rid of any such notion at once4 ,if by nervous is meant frightened1 that is another thing altogether2 and it is perfectly true that there are hundreds of persons who are not in the least afraid of appearing in public1 nor affected by timidity when so appearing4 ,but fear is only one form of nervousness4 ,i firmly believe that it is impossible for a real artist ever to appear in public without being nervous4 ,but the nerves act in many ways3 the fervour of an eloquent speaker carried away by his subject2 the abandon of a fine actor thoroughly entering into his part and identifying himself with it2 the sustained energy of a declamatory singer2 the faultless and unerring agility of a florid soprano1 who astonishes her hearers by wonder on wonder of execution--all these things are due1 in their subtle charm1 to nervousness--i4e4 to delicate nervous organization in active play4 ,these artists are not frightened1 it is true1 but excited1 stimulated1 roused from the normal state of eating1 walking1 and sleeping2 something of the spiritual kindles the mere physical forces in them--some breath of inspiration sustains that living power which so influences the hearers4 ,in some way or other every great artist is always nervous2 were it not so1 the essence of their power would vanish4 ,persons of cold and phlegmatic temperament lack the very life-breath of art2 and though they may train themselves into fair imitations of some great artists1 they will generally be detected with ease1 by any hearer of true sensibility1 as imitations1 not the real thing4 ,therefore do not be ashamed to admit that you are nervous1 if it be so4 ,nerves are a cruel master1 but a splendid servant2 instead of letting them overcome you1 force them to do your bidding2 and instead of nervousness meaning fear1 you will find that it means courage and power to do your best4 ,pronunciation4--,study correctness of pronunciation and propriety of emphasis quite apart from singing4 ,remember that in speaking or singing in a large space and to a number of persons1 every sound must have not only additional force1 but additional volume4 ,and that comes to mean that every vowel-sound in the words sung must be intensified1 and every consonant be delivered with more accuracy than is necessary in ordinary speaking4 ,if you were to pronounce the syllable die 7for instance71 in singing1 exactly as you do in speaking1 you would produce on the notes or note to which that word belonged a thinness of tone which would be very ugly1 and probably would not carry far4 ,and the same with any vowel-sound--even ,ah1 or ,oh1--which1 though not producing a thin tone1 would certainly produce a coarse one1 if sung exactly as spoken in ordinary conversation4 ,vowel-,sounds4--,the reason of the need of this slight change is as follows4 ,every vowel-sound1 like every musical sound 7for vowel-sounds are nothing less than musical sounds7 is composed of two sounds4 ,combined with the prominent and chief sound which first attracts the ear is a second1 which1 though not prominent1 lends point and force to the other4 ,thus our ,english vowel-sound ,a is really h-2 ,e is ,e-2 ,i is ,ah-2 ,o is ,o-o1 or even ,aw-oo2 ,u is e-o4 ,of course1 ,i do not mean to say that those absurd-looking syllables really express exactly the sounds which we produce in speaking the vowels1 for no combination of letters can do that1 or can bring within reach of the eye the subtleties of sound in human speech2 but if you attempt to pronounce those syllables1 you will find that you are really pronouncing the vowels from which ,i translated them4 ,now1 in conversation or rapid speaking1 the subordinate sound of the vowel is scarcely noticeable1 while the more prominent sound is heard for the short interval of time required4 ,but in singing or public speaking1 where the production of tone is more deliberate1 the space to be filled with sound larger1 or1 in other words1 the column of air to be set vibrating is greater and heavier1 the complex sound of the vowel must not be ignored4 ,it is impossible to lay down any set of rules by which the student may overcome this difficulty2 but every one1 by bearing in mind the absolute necessity of attention to this point1 may easily accustom himself to the slight change of pronunciation 7as it will at first appear7 which is required to give vowel-sounds when sung1 or spoken ore rotundo1 the same tone1 to the hearer's ear1 as they have in ordinary speaking4 ,as a general rule this is done by keeping the throat more open1 the larynx 7or ,adam's apple7 as low down as possible1 and the root of the tongue flat1 depressed1 even hollowed like the bowl of a spoon4 ,the truth of all this may easily be tested by singing any short passage deliberately and distinctly1 with the exact pronunciation of ordinary speaking1 and then repeating it with attention to the above hints4 ,in the first instance the result will be meagre1 hard to be heard at a moderate distance1 and very likely extremely ludicrous to the hearer4 ,in the second1 you will find that the tone of the notes gains in roundness and fulness1 while the words are clearly heard in every part of the room with the exact effect belonging to them4 ,i purposely refrain from attempting to write down the difference discernible in any words so sung1 because1 as ,i have already said1 letters cannot accurately express distinctions so delicate1 yet so all-important to the singer1 speaker1 and hearer4 ,consonants4--,in pronouncing consonants1 be careful to give each its due value1 but without exaggeration4 ,be especially particular to sound the last letter of each word distinctly4 ,but take care to avoid adding a slight sound 7as of an e mute7 after the final letter3 for instance1 do not say ,when other- lips1 c41 or bright- days1 and so on4 ,do not over-aspirate the letter ,h4 ,n1 ,l1 ,m1 ,b1 ,p1 and ,v1 are all letters requiring care in firm pronunciation4 ,avoid prefixing a slight sound of ,n to the first word of a song or passage in singing4 ,it is a common trick with beginners to do this1 and they frequently do it without being in the least conscious of it4 ,it is produced by a kind of nervous feeling of the teeth with the tongue1 as if to make sure that all is right for the start6 ,i have heard an aspiring youth actually begin a well-known song thus3 ,nwaft her ,rangels ,nthrough the sky1 c4 ,english ,words4--,the ,english language is not the most suitable one under the sun for singing purposes2 nevertheless1 it is not nearly so intolerable and unfavourable an one as it is the fashion to make out4 ,the grand old ,scripture passages which ,handel1 ,mendelssohn1 and others have set to music testify to this4 ,yet musical care is needed when singing ,english words1 and especially in pronouncing the sibilants1 as ,s1 c4 ,these sibilants must never be enunciated rapidly1 or their ill effects will soon be found in a series of hissings4 ,let it be your study1 then1 to avoid this ill effect in singing ,english words1 and to utter such sounds slowly and carefully1 with the endeavour to produce a soft and agreeable effect2 for it is1 indeed1 unpardonable to hear an ,english singer unable to render perfectly the words 7if not the music7 of his native country's songs and ballads4 ,emphasis4--,having accustomed yourself to carefulness over each letter in your pronunciation1 the next thing is to study correctness of emphasis1 c4 ,all this is apart from the strictly musical portion of your studies1 and1 while you can work at this without music1 you will certainly spoil the effect of your singing 7however good your voice and voice production may be71 unless you do so study your words4 ,i should recommend you to practise reading aloud for not less than a quarter of an hour at a time1 say once a day4 ,read standing2 place your book on a desk1 on a level with your eyes1 and speak out deliberately1 and with full tone of voice1 and as much variety of intonation as the matter read requires4 ,shakespeare is your best author for this study4 ,you will feel at first as if you were doing a very absurd thing1 but never mind that--do it1 and do it as well and as carefully as you can4 ,position of the ,lips4--,in speaking and reading aloud during your preliminary training for singing1 be very careful that there be no change in the aperture of the mouth or position of the lips while uttering any one sound1 however prolonged4 ,if the lips move from their first position1 however slightly1 the tone immediately changes1 and the pronunciation ceases to be pure and refined4 ,study of ,words4--,the words of a song are as much worthy of the singer's study as the music1 that is1 if the song is worth singing at all4 ,i do not mean to say that in themselves they must necessarily be of equal merit1 but that they require as much attention on the part of the singer to bring out their meaning4 ,study the text1 therefore1 apart from the music4 ,read the words aloud deliberately2 master the sentiment of them1 and note the prominent words and phrases1 so as to be able to give them their due value when you have to combine them with the music4 ,avoid giving prominence to such words as of1 for1 the1 and1 in1 c41 c41 but yet let each be distinctly pronounced1 and not slurred over in an indefinite murmur4 ,learn the words of your song by memory4 ,master the text1 and consider the whole from an elocutionist's point of view before you attack the musical side of the matter4 ,a singer when singing in public should not be troubled with his words and music too4 ,general ,education4--,an important branch of study is that of giving expression to the passions1 and of communicating your conceptions and emotions to the minds of your listeners4 ,no better training could a young singer have for forming such ideas than the earnest perusal of the works of ,shakespeare1 ,dante1 ,goethe1 ,milton1 ,lytton1 ,george ,eliot1 c42 or in watching carefully and intelligently the acting of our best stage performers4 ,for a singer to be successful1 he or she must be in a position to express1 and bring home to an audience1 such emotions as love1 hatred1 anger1 fear1 grief1 and pity2 all these1 and many other such feelings1 have constantly to be transmitted by the singer1 and it is to the most natural and faithful exposition of these1 and that most consistent with the other equally important points of the art of singing1 that the student's attention should for a long while be patiently and perseveringly directed4 ,the singer should be a well-educated man1 and he should know at least one other language beside his native tongue4 ,he should be well read1 too1 in the best literature of these two languages4 ,on questions of all the arts he should seek to make his views sound and true4 ,he should seek to travel1 and so enlarge his mind1 for all this training will reflect itself in the work of an artist so liberally educated4 ,an inferior education has been the bane of many a student1 who has had the organ and all the necessary musical ability4 ,dramatic ,study4--,to be a successful public singer1 even in the concert-room1 one must be more or less an actor2 and1 therefore1 the time and money bestowed in acquiring a sound knowledge of dramatic action and elocution will be well spent4 ,for the lyric stage1 such a study is imperative2 but its utility to artists who aspire no higher than to ballad or oratorio singing cannot be too highly estimated4 ,,voices ,,and ,,their ,,various ,,qualities4 ,the life of the singing voice is so comparatively short1 that the study of singing is rendered more difficult than that of any other art4 ,you may buy a violin or a pianoforte1 ready-made and perfect1 in your childhood1 and nothing remains for you but to study the instrument diligently under a good master4 ,but the vocal instrument cannot be said to exist at all1 for purposes of singing study1 before the age of eighteen or twenty in males1 and 7in our climate7 sixteen in females4 ,even at those ages the organ is necessarily immature and undeveloped4 ,consequently the study of the art has to be carried on during the progress of the instrument to maturity4 ,to counterbalance this disadvantage1 however1 we must bear in mind that that very study materially helps to perfect the instrument4 ,singing is by no means all style1 and the study of it includes the formation of the voice and production of a good tone1 and it is1 of course1 easier to manipulate an unfinished article than a finished one--to educate youth and suppleness than to bring maturity and stiffness into subjection to new conditions4 ,therefore begin your study in the youth of your voice2 but1 recollecting that its life is the most short-lived of your faculties1 let your study be most earnest and painstaking4 ,especially if singing is to be your profession1 act upon the wise advice of ,dr4 ,burney1 and ,never go to bed till you have learned something which you did not know the previous night4 ,voices4--,what is your voice8 is a very common question1 sometimes expressed in the rather less polite but more intelligent form1 ,what do you call your voice8 ,the answer almost invariably is either ,soprano1 ,contralto1 ,tenor1 ,bass1 or ,barytone4 ,here is a warning for you at starting4 ,do not limit your notions of what voices are to those four or five generic names4 ,because choral music is generally written in four parts1 for soprano1 alto1 tenor1 and bass1 the non-musical public1 and a great many musical people 7some composers included7 seem to think that those names are an inclusive description of every human voice4 ,this would be of very little consequence if it were only a question of names2 but it is of no use to say ,what is in a name8 if the result of a wrong name is to lead to mischief4 ,the misfortune of wrongly naming your voice is that it will lead you to practise wrongly1 and to choose the wrong style of music for study and performance4 ,for instance1 a young lady may call herself a soprano because she can sing up to ,c1 and may therefore fancy that the whole repertoire of a ,tietjens or a ,clara ,novello is within her reach2 and acting on this notion1 she may fatally damage a naturally bright and pleasing voice by giving it work to do which belongs of right to a voice of totally different calibre1 the mezzo-soprano4 ,naming the ,voice4--,remember always that the character of a voice is determined not by compass or range of notes1 but by quality1 or body and timbre1 of tone4 ,two ladies may have voices ranging from ,a to ,a--two octaves--and yet one might be a pure light soprano1 and the other a genuine contralto2 while in length of compass a mezzo-soprano may even beat them both4 ,and so with male voices 7the variety in which is even greater than in female71 you may have a voice of pure tenor quality1 and yet of such limited compass that your energetic barytone friend next door may make your life miserable with jealousy of the ease with which he bellows high ,gs1 ,g sharps1 and even on great occasions an ,a or so4 ,but compass has nothing whatever to do with the name of the voice3 it may limit the quantity of music which can be performed1 but it should have no influence on the choice of the style of music to be studied4 ,this is a point of the greatest importance1 therefore ,i repeat it briefly once more--,your voice must be described and used with reference to its quality1 or volume and timbre1 and not with reference to the number of notes which you can sing4 ,male and ,female ,voices4--,the actual varieties in tone and quality in different voices cannot1 of course1 be expressed on paper2 but a careful use of your ears in listening to good public singers will soon teach you to discriminate4 ,female voices are of at least four kinds3 soprano1 mezzo-soprano1 mezzo-contralto1 and contralto4 ,male are of five or six1 or even more4 ,alto2 tenore-leggiero or light tenor2 tenore-robusto or strong heavy-voiced tenor2 barytone--basso-cantante 7erroneously identified with the barytone by some persons72 basso-profondo or bass4 ,beside all these divisions or species1 voices must be again classed according to their power4 ,any one who has ever heard an opera singer in a moderate-sized private drawing-room1 will readily appreciate the difference between a voce di camera1 or chamber voice1 and a voce di teatro4 ,compass4--,the respective compasses of the several voices may be roughly set down as follows1 but it should be borne in mind that it is by no means a matter of course that a singer of any particular voice should possess or cultivate the whole range of notes supposed to belong to that voice4 ,he or she may be none the less a tenor or a soprano because the one cannot produce an ,ut de poitrine1 or the other ,f in ,alt4 ,there is a special individuality in every voice1 as in every face1 and therefore every voice must be treated1 by a good teacher1 on its own merits1 as a thing in some respects unique4 ,perhaps it will be best1 therefore1 instead of saying that the compass of any given kind of voice is from ---- to ----1 to say that music for such and such a voice is generally written between such and such limits4 ,the range allotted by composers to the various voices is about two octaves to each--for solo work1 of course--and is as follows1 it being understood that the male voices are an octave lower in pitch than the female3-- ,soprano1 and ,tenore-,leggiero1 and in operatic music a certain kind of ,tenore-,robusto4 from ,music3 ,c#d to ,music3 ,c#f ,mezzo-,soprano and ,tenore-,robusto from ,music3 ,a#c to ,music3 ,a#e ,mezzo-,contralto and ,barytone from ,music3 ,g#c to ,music3 ,g#e ,contralto and ,bass from ,music3 ,e#c to ,music3 ,e#e ,the basso-cantante is a low barytone1 or high bass with a lighter quality of tone than the basso-profondo4 ,the alto voice1 or counter-tenor as it used to be called1 is not a natural voice at all1 but is artificially produced by training the falsetto to the exclusion of the other parts of the voice4 ,it is totally distinct from the contralto voice of a female1 in quality1 average compass1 and the style of music best suited to it4 ,it is of more use in part-singing and cathedral music than for solo work1 although in some oratorios solo parts have been allotted to it4 ,it is rarely pleasing when heard alone1 for very few alto singers are able to avoid the appearance of singing with effort2 and the whole performance1 except in some instances1 appears unnatural and forced4 ,the alto voice ranges generally from ,music3 ,g#c to ,music3 ,c#e but its best notes are confined to the octave of ,b flat4 ,soprano4--,the soprano is generally clear1 bright1 and penetrating in tone2 capable1 if rightly produced1 of carrying far without any appearance of force or effort4 ,its lower register is often weak and ineffective1 and the forcing of those notes by a bad singer often damages the voice1 and spoils the evenness of tone1 which is of far more importance than power and noise in singing4 ,low notes1 even if naturally weak1 may be trained to take their proper share of the work of the voice1 and every year will add to their natural power4 ,most soprano voices have a break on ,music3 ,g#d and another1 and more difficult one to deal with1 on ,music3 ,e#e or ,music3 ,f#e ,the lower notes are the 7so-called7 chest register2 the middle ones1 between the breaks1 the falsetto1 and the upper ones the head notes4 ,i shall speak of these often-used and frequently-misapplied words presently2 ,i merely mention them now for the sake of pointing out to soprani1 what many young lady amateurs utterly ignore1 that they have these breaks1 and possess chest1 falsetto1 and head notes1 as well as male singers4 ,soprano voices are frequently capable of great flexibility1 and passages are easy to them which tax the powers even of a light mezzo-soprano severely4 ,the high notes1 especially1 are in many cases easily produced in a staccato manner1 like notes of a piccolo flute1 and an effect is thus made1 which1 though pretty and pleasing if judiciously employed1 becomes a great snare to many singers1 who for the sake of astonishing their audience work the upper part of their voices unfairly1 and1 neglecting steady use and practice of the lower registers1 will very soon find that they have weakened the power and thinned the tone of the whole voice4 ,but there are many voices of pure soprano tone which lack this flexibility3 let the fair owners console themselves with the recollection that good sostenuto singing is quite as pleasing1 in the long run1 as displays of vocal gymnastics4 ,you may not be able to attempt the ,dinorah ,shadow ,song1 or the ,rejoice ,greatly in the ,messiah1 but you will find that you have plenty of good work left for you in such music as ,dove ,sono1 ,deh vieni1 non tardar 7,figaro71 or ,jerusalem 7,st4 ,paul74 ,moreover1 you may possibly have what is a much rarer gift 7in a pure soprano7 than flexibility--you may have a tone of voice capable of executing declamatory music with fine effect4 ,music of this kind is generally appropriated by some mezzo-soprano of high compass1 and more properly belongs to voices of that class2 nevertheless1 the effect of sustained declamatory music1 well executed by a real soprano1 is unrivalled in its way4 ,mezzo-,soprano4--,the mezzo-soprano voice is perhaps the commonest of all female voices1 and yet one of the rarest met with in perfection4 ,it is fuller and rounder in quality than the soprano--less flexible1 and more adapted to a sostenuto or declamatory style4 ,mezzo-soprano voices vary so much that it is difficult to name any note on which the break will be found4 ,sometimes it is on the same notes as a soprano--sometimes on the same as a contralto--on the average1 perhaps1 nearer the former4 ,wherever it may be1 however1 a judicious teacher will soon point it out1 and put the student into the way of rightly treating it4 ,teaching1 and good teaching1 is especially necessary for voices of this class1 for their fortunate possessors are generally ignorant of the value of the treasure which they possess in a good mezzo-soprano2 and if it be of light quality1 they fancy themselves soprani1 and force the upper register of the voice in trying to stretch their compass2 or if their low notes develop first1 they think that with practice they are to be contralti2 and by over-exercise and fondness for displaying those deep notes1 they run the risk of widening the break1 and rendering the quality of the whole voice hopelessly uneven4 ,what lies within the sphere of a good mezzo-soprano has been shown in late years by a ,grisi and a ,tietjens1 the latter of whom will live in the recollection of all who ever heard her1 as the perfect model for every mezzo-soprano in the production of the pure tone and even quality4 ,mezzo-,contralto4--,the name mezzo-contralto speaks for itself4 ,it is by no means an uncommon voice1 and if used with discrimination is an effective and useful one4 ,both in compass and quality it lies between the contralto and the mezzo-soprano4 ,heavier in tone1 less resonant1 and less flexible than the mezzo-soprano1 it is yet lighter than the contralto4 ,pure contralto voices are so rare that many mezzo-contralto singers appear as exponents of contralto music1 and by paying chief attention to the lower register of their voices1 they become fair imitations1 and more than passable substitutes1 for the real article4 ,the possessor of this voice must be guided by the advice of a good teacher as to the direction in which her voice should be trained4 ,sometimes the natural quality of the voice renders it advisable to attempt rivalry with the mezzo-soprano1 rather than with the contralto2 sometimes the reverse4 ,it is a question for decision by a competent adviser in each individual case1 and therefore ,i shall not attempt to lay down any decided rule1 except my oft-repeated one1 ,,go ,,to ,a ,,master1 ,,and ,a ,,first ,,rate-,,one1--a point on which ,i shall have more to say further on4 ,how impossible it is to lay down rules for a mezzo-contralto is shown by the fact that an eminent living mezzo-contralto is gladly accepted on our opera stage as a leading contralto1 and yet succeeds admirably in such a part as ,rossini wrote for a mezzo-soprano of the most florid kind--,rosina in ,il ,barbiere4 ,contralto4--,the quality of a true contralto voice is so peculiar that it is impossible to mistake it for any other voice1 although other voices may be mistaken for it4 ,of course1 there are exceptional cases in which the contralto and mezzo-contralto are combined in one voice3 the lower range being of full and pure contralto quality1 while instead of the somewhat limited upper notes of the contralto1 a rich mezzo-contralto range of notes may develop themselves2 and in such a case careful training will be able to soften these two into each other1 so that a complete voice of peculiar charm and great usefulness will result4 ,but such cases1 if not rare1 are certainly the exception and not the rule1 the deep and powerfully resonant tone of the true contralto being comparatively seldom met with4 ,there is generally an awkward break between the low ,b and the ,d above it in this voice1 and ,e flat or ,e are the highest notes within reach of the average contralto4 ,voices of this class are better adapted for a species of ballads1 for solemn declamation1 or music of a calm and flowing character1 than for elaborate execution or lively melodies4 ,but here again exceptions must be made in favour of those who have the physical means1 as well as the artistic skill1 to study such music as that of the ,page in ,les ,huguenots1 ,arsace in ,semiramide1 or ,la ,cenerentola4 ,for an average ,english contralto1 however1 the best line of study is in good songs and ballads1 and1 chief of all1 oratorio music4 ,alto4--,the alto1 or counter-tenor voice1 is said by a well-known ,english alto singer to be simply a development of the falsetto--generally the falsetto of an inferior bass voice4 ,it is said to be almost peculiar to ,english singers1 and to that fact is ascribed its extensive and effective use in the fine works of the ,english ,cathedral ,school of composers4 ,of course1 in a voice which is so artificial1 there must be expected a worse break than usual--the break in this case being the point below which the falsetto cannot be extended1 and where the natural chest quality of tone has to be used4 ,this break generally lies near the same place as the contralto break--if anything1 rather higher--say between ,c and ,e in the middle of the voice4 ,the effective notes of an alto usually lie in the octave of ,b or ,b flat1 and the repertoire of music for which this voice is suited is comparatively limited4 ,that repertoire1 however1 includes the greater number of oratorios1 a good deal of fine old ,italian music1 and a few old ,english songs2 while a singer of cleverness and cultivation will find many ballads which he may make his own by the help of transposition and style of delivery4 ,great pains must be taken by the possessor of an alto voice in the formation and production of a good tone4 ,the voice must be made to sound as natural as possible2 and1 if necessary1 power must unhesitatingly be sacrificed to sweetness4 ,there is great danger of producing a harsh1 reedy1 or nasal tone1 which1 to the hearer1 is simply distressing or offensive4 ,above all1 let him be content to develop his own means1 and to keep to music suited to or written for his voice4 ,a good alto will make no effect1 and will do his voice and style harm1 if he poaches on the preserves of other voices--tenors1 for instance1 or basses--7singing the songs of the latter an octave higher74 ,i once heard an alto--a fair singer so long as he stuck to his own work--make an absurd exhibition of himself by attempting the great song ,love ,sounds the ,alarm1 in ,acis and ,galatea1 at a public concert6 ,let him also beware of the snare of contralto music4 ,the alto in a man is totally distinct from the contralto in a woman4 ,the tone is utterly different--the best notes of the one are certainly not the best notes of the other2 and although in certain cases a contralto may sing with good effect music written for a male alto 7e4g4 in some oratorios71 yet the converse is scarcely ever true4 ,the low notes1 which are so fine in a contralto1 and so unlike any other tone except perhaps a few notes of some tenors1 are utterly wanting in charm1 and generally in power1 in a male alto2 while the sweet and ringing middle notes of the latter are far more effective in alto music than the 7frequently7 weak and uncertain middle notes of a contralto4 ,choose your music as you name your voice1 by the quality of tone you can produce1 and not by the range of notes4 ,tenore-,leggiero4--,the tenore-leggiero or light tenor1 is the male voice corresponding to the female soprano2 it is perhaps the most delicate and difficult to manage of all human voices4 ,in the present day1 when fashion is all in favour of noise1 it is difficult for any but the strong-minded to stand firm against the tendency to shout and bawl1 which appears to be the highest aim of many singers1 and the highest admiration of most audiences4 ,now for a light tenor to attempt this style of singing is simply suggestive of the old fable of the frog who tried to make himself as big as the bull1 and burst in the attempt4 ,there is a modern school of singing which1 though it may be suitable enough for heavy voices such as basses and robust tenors1 is fatal to light and delicate voices4 ,the style of singing1 and of music to be sung1 by this voice1 is quite different from that appropriate to strong and full organs2 and1 if you are the possessor of a light tenor1 you must at once rid yourself of the common amateur fancy 7a fancy1 too1 by no means confined to amateurs7 that you must imitate a certain ever-popular living tenor1 whose name has passed almost into a proverb as typical of the perfection of ,english singing4 ,you cannot be a ,reeves or a ,braham1 therefore it is only waste of time and strength for you to try4 ,but there is a great deal of music which neither a ,reeves nor a ,braham could sing1 which is well within your reach2 and more than that1 there is a great deal of excellent music which1 though you cannot sing it like them1 you may render very effective in a totally different style4 ,very often a pianissimo is quite as expressive as a fortissimo1 and grace and sweetness are frequently an excellent substitute for power and force4 ,you must be content to recognize that the latter are out of your reach1 and that the effects which you can produce are to be attained by other means4 ,however1 while assuring you that power and force are not given to you1 ,i do not mean to say that voices of your class need be at all inaudible in a space however large4 ,the tone of a light tenor is generally clear1 resonant1 and penetrating2 sometimes there is a metallic ring about it which is extremely pretty1 if not forced4 ,i have heard a light tenor1 singing at the back of the ,covent ,garden stage1 send his voice clearly out into the great theatre1 with apparently more ease than his robust friend1 who was shortly afterwards vociferating at the footlights4 ,a light tenor must be careful not to force up the lower register of his voice beyond its natural and easy limit4 ,the charm of the voice is in the perfect blending together of the lower1 middle1 and upper registers1 and to do this the upper notes of each register should be equally at command1 as the upper notes of that register or the lower notes of the one above it4 ,in order to attain this1 the change from one register to another should generally be made considerably lower than the place where the real break in the voice comes4 ,for instance1 supposing the break to be on ,e flat1 the singer should be able to change his register as low as ,b or ,b flat1 and to take all the notes between those two places1 either in the upper or lower register1 with equal effect4 ,in voices of this character there is often one note which requires to be made--i4e41 which is so naturally defective in tone and quality that it can only be produced effectively by imitating as nearly as possible the quality of the register above or below it4 ,this note is generally ,e1 ,f1 ,f1 or 7sometimes7 ,g1 between the middle and upper registers2 and if you find that you unfortunately have such a refractory note1 remember not to try and force the tone of it from the next note above or below2 e4g41 if your bad note is ,f1 do not try to improve it by singing ,e well and then passing on to the ,f2 but try and form the note from the fifth above or below 7whichever it happens to resemble most in tone74 ,rounden the refractory note--give it a full tone in practising1 and produce it well from the chest1 letting the sound reverberate from the centre of the roof of the mouth--neither too far back towards the throat1 nor too much on the teeth4 ,your teacher1 if he knows his business1 will soon put you into the way of this4 ,voices vary so much that these very general remarks must suffice here2 but each voice1 if it has its peculiar difficulties1 has also1 doubtless1 its peculiar charm2 and for light tenors1 rich in both charms and difficulties1 the rule is all-important3 ,do not try to imitate anybody else1 but let your aim be to do the best that can be done with such natural gifts as you may have1 aided by the best training that you can procure for them4 ,tenore-,robusto4--,the robust or strong tenor is the male voice corresponding to the mezzo-soprano of a female4 ,it is not an uncommon voice1 but is rarely met with in anything like perfection4 ,a robust tenor voice of large compass and round full tone is a treasure of the utmost value4 ,the fact is1 that too frequently the possessor of a good voice of this kind1 instead of taking care of it and training it for the future1 begins using it too soon1 strains and forces it into coarseness1 and spoils it for ever4 ,people do not realize that a voice may be strong in quality and powerful in tone1 and yet in itself be an excessively delicate thing to keep in order4 ,moreover1 voices of this kind in their youth frequently resemble barytones1 and their owners1 fired with ambition to rival some popular barytone singer1 mistake their vocation1 and shout and bellow on the very part of the voice--the upper chest register--which requires the tenderest nursing to fit it for future difficulties4 ,consequently1 when the voice develops with age1 and the singer finds that barytone work is too heavy for the lower part of the voice1 and that he can without much difficulty extend his compass beyond the barytone limits1 he discovers that what he has been using as the top of his voice is nearer the middle of it1 and that the mode of using those notes which he has practised is excessively difficult1 if not impossible1 with those which now lie above them4 ,the result is either the creation of a very awkward break1 which even time and practice can never entirely remove1 or else 7and this is a commoner case7 the same process of forcing which has been employed hitherto is applied to the upper notes1 as far as strength can take it6 ,this is the reason why so many tenor singers are utterly unable to produce the real tenor tone1 and sound like barytones forced up to a higher compass4 ,there is no sweetness in the upper notes so produced--nothing but force and noise2 while the hapless perpetrator of the howls which represent high notes turns scarlet in the face1 and quivers all over with his exertions4 ,i therefore give to tenors of this class exactly the same warning that ,i gave to soprani3--,do not ignore the fact that you have three1 or at all events two1 distinct registers of the voice1 the 7so-called7 chest1 throat1 and head4 ,do not suppose1 when you hear a great singer produce on a high note exactly the same quality of tone as he produced on a low one1 that he did it exactly the same way1 or got it from the same place1 as some people say4 ,the perfection of his training and the diligence of his practice have enabled him to assimilate the quality of one register to that of another so completely as to deceive your ear4 ,the proof that this is true may be found in inspecting a great deal of music written for and sung by the most famous operatic tenors of the past--the singers of that pure ,italian school of which so few disciples now remain4 ,there are notes and passages in that music which no chest register could by any physical possibility execute1 but some of which have been sung within the recollection even of the rising generation with all the effect intended1 and with the very tone that critical slang calls chest notes1 7simply because it so closely resembles the tone of chest notes that few1 if any1 can detect that they are differently produced from the low notes47 ,for obvious reasons ,i abstain from mentioning the names of any living singers1 but ,i can name one1 not very long since dead1 who attained the highest reputation here as a tenore di forza--whose chest notes were chronicled by the newspaper critics1 and were the envy of aspiring youths--and yet who has ever been heard distinctly to deny that he ever produced those notes in the same way as the lower ones1 and to laugh at the idea that such a thing was possible2 and this was ,mongini4 ,i have entered into this at some length because it is a point which is more and more ignored by the singers and teachers of this generation4 ,i might almost say that a school of singing exists the whole aim of which is to abolish the natural upper part of the voice1 in order to stretch and force the one lower register up beyond its natural compass4 ,i do not deny that in certain cases a voice results from this treatment which is powerful1 effective1 and capable of executing a good deal of music with much success and satisfaction to the performer2 but for one case where this treatment so far succeeds1 it fails in twenty to produce a voice both pleasing and useful2 it is1 moreover1 in singers trained on this method that we most commonly hear the odious 7and involuntary7 trembling of the upper notes commonly called the vibrato4 ,therefore1 to sum up those who find1 when their voices begin to form1 that the natural quality of their voice is lighter than that of a bass1 had better make up their minds at once to give the voice fair play1 and let it alone for a time2 then consult a good master1 or one really experienced in hearing singers1 as to what the future of the voice is to be4 ,it is by no means easy always to decide at that early period whether the permanent quality of the voice will be tenor or barytone1 and therefore it is folly to try and settle the question for yourself by singing1 in untaught style1 music which may prove to have been all along unsuited to you4 ,your patience in waiting till the voice really declares itself will amply repay you afterwards by the absence of the difficulties which too early a use of the voice would have created for you to overcome4 ,barytone and ,basso-,cantante4--,the barytone voice is thus described in ,stainer and ,barrett's ,dictionary of ,musical ,terms3 ,a voice of fuller quality than a tenor1 and lighter than a bass1 having a compass partly included in both4444 ,this voice has only been distinguished by name as being of a separate character within the present century4 ,early writers indicate its existence by the use of its special clef4 ,the term barytone is unmeaning unless it be looked upon as a corruption of barytenor2 but it is quite possible it was borrowed from the instrument barytone or bardone1 which occupied a place between the tenor and bass viols4 ,the derivation of the name from barytenor is slightly absurd1 considering that half that extraordinary word is ,greek and the other half ,latin2 whereas the name barytone is a ,greek word1 used by ,aristotle1 and meaning deep-sounding4 ,the distinctive character which this voice has assumed within the present century is due1 ,i believe1 to the great change in the pitch of musical instruments which has taken place4 ,in the last century the pitch was so much lower than that at present in use1 that a high barytone was much the same as a robust tenor4 ,consequently1 music was not written exclusively for the barytone voice1 its existence as a separate class of voice not being sufficiently recognized4 ,gradually1 as the pitch was raised1 the barytone separated itself clearly from other voices1 and has now a repertoire of music and a style of singing of its own2 and instead of appropriating tenor music1 it1 if anything1 has stolen away some of the property of the bass2 for the raising of the pitch which placed tenor music beyond the reach of a barytone has also rendered a good deal of music originally written for a bass far more suitable for a barytone1 or at all events for a basso-cantante4 ,i am well aware that by many musicians the basso-cantante is identified with the barytone4 ,the distinction is so slight that it is not worth while to quarrel over names2 but that the two voices are distinct ,i am persuaded4 ,the basso-cantante is of fuller and rounder quality than the barytone proper2 less flexible1 less metallic in tone1 and generally rather lower in compass4 ,but the method of using both voices is the same1 and for all purposes of amateur singers no distinction need be insisted upon4 ,professionals1 however1 who have to deal with heavy work on a large scale1 will soon find that there is a good range of music more suited to the rich voice of greater volume and less flexibility 7which ,i distinguished as the basso-cantante7 than to the bright1 flexible voice which has something of the tone of a full tenore-robusto1 and which is the barytone proper4 ,neither of these voices is much troubled with a break1 although there is a perceptible difference between the natural quality of the lower and upper octaves of the voice when quite uncultivated4 ,this difference1 however1 which makes itself felt in the region of these notes1 is got rid of in practice without any of the same difficulty which is encountered by tenors or contralti in managing the decided breaks in their voices4 ,the possessors of barytone voices may therefore be looked upon as having comparatively easy times of it4 ,there is a large repertoire of music at their disposal1 including much of the most popular ballad music of this century and the last2 the voice is generally a favourite with an audience2 the style of barytone singing is undisputed1 and the singer will not find himself violently criticised by the partizans of a rival school of singing to that in which he himself has been trained1 which is inevitably the fate of tenors6 ,music3 ,f#c ,g#c ,a#c ,only let him avoid the temptation to shout1 and to sing up to the very top of his compass at full pitch4 ,unfortunately1 an ,english audience does like a noise1 and appreciates plenty more than beauty of tone4 ,it is tolerably easy for a barytone to be a showy singer1 and therein lies the greatest danger to his chance of ever being a really good one4 ,he must be content to go through his training quite as self-denyingly and perseveringly as any one else who is gifted with fewer natural advantages4 ,bass4--,of the bass voice less need be said here1 not because it is a less important voice than any of the others1 but because it is more generally known and better understood4 ,a perfectly pure bass voice is1 however1 a rare thing4 ,this voice has no upper register1 properly speaking2 the whole voice consisting of chest notes1 and not admitting of even the process of developing upper notes of extraordinary quality1 which is part of the training of a barytone or a basso-cantante4 ,power and richness are the chief qualities of charm in a bass1 while flexibility and true intonation are the qualities most rarely found in that voice4 ,the young singer who finds that he certainly is not meant by nature for a tenor1 and also that with all his efforts the upper notes of a barytone are quite out of his reach1 need not be discouraged by any lightness or thinness of quality in his voice from the hope that he may develop into a good bass4 ,the full and rich quality of this voice is later in showing itself than is the case with any other voice1 and the young singer must be content to study for some time with the compass of a bass and the quality of a kind of barytone1 till ,nature puts him in full possession of his powers4 ,only he must study bass music1 and not try1 because his voice is of barytone quality1 to sing barytone music4 ,let him1 on the contrary1 avoid trying to extend the compass of his voice in the upper notes1 and give his best attention to the lower ones4 ,the upper ones will be well within his command in time1 and if he will be content to let them alone at first1 he may become a truly celebrated bass2 but1 if he persists in shouting at them now1 he will never have anything but coarse upper tones1 only fit to be heard behind a costermonger's barrow1 or in comic songs at the ,music ,halls4 ,buffo4--,the last remark reminds me that ,i have said nothing about a class of bass singers very useful in certain ,italian and ,french operas--the buffo1 or comic bass4 ,the development of voice with these singers is of less consequence than the study of a peculiar style1 a good deal of the point of their songs consisting in the entire elimination of anything like musical tone from many notes and passages4 ,a clever and good buffo singer may very likely be able to sing other music well1 but the style is so entirely dramatic and so utterly out of place anywhere except on the stage1 that no amateur should ever attempt it1 and no professional should appear in a concert-room as the exponent of such music4 ,therefore1 for those who wish to sing1 any remarks on the peculiarities of a buffo bass would be superfluous2 those who wish to study that line as a profession1 for stage work1 must learn all that they need from a regular dramatic teacher2 while those who wish to execute ,english comic songs1 may spare themselves any anxiety as to their voices3 if they have any voice naturally1 comic singing will soon destroy its charm1 and that will not matter to them1 for the last thing necessary to sing a comic song is the possession of a voice of any kind4 ,therefore1 if you have a bass 7or any other voice1 indeed71 avoid comic songs1 and leave the buffo business to those who can do nothing better4 ,qualities of ,voice1 ,good and ,bad4--,it may not be unwelcome to the student to have pointed out to him those qualities of voice which are to be aimed at or cultivated1 and also those which are to be avoided or overcome4 ,the charms of a voice are found among the following qualities3 clearness1 sweetness1 evenness1 flexibility1 power1 extent of compass1 variety1 brilliancy1 firmness1 persuasiveness4#a #a ,it used to be said of ,rubini that he had tears in his voice4 ,on the opposite side must be ranked roughness1 huskiness1 feebleness 7or want of power71 shrillness 7or want of depth71 hardness and want of flexibility1 dulness1 or want of ring1 c4 ,it is1 of course1 impossible for any one voice to unite in itself all these merits or all these defects2 and you cannot give yourself merits which ,nature has withheld2 but you may marvellously improve what natural merits you have1 and do wonders in overcoming any difficulties which ,nature has placed in your way4 ,,on ,,instruction1 ,,masters1 ,,and ,,singing ,,tutors4 ,the voice1 and how to use it1 is a subject which has troubled many minds1 and no doubt this will continue to be the case2 but the difficult problem will not be solved by running to pettifogging teachers1 who advertise to teach all that is known of singing1 and a little more1 in twelve easy lessons1 without previous knowledge or practice at home1 for the small fee of one guinea6 ,let it be stated once for all3 singing cannot be taught in twelve easy lessons1 and can scarcely be acquired in one hundred very severe lessons4 ,therefore distrust at once any one who holds out so tempting a bait to you2 remember that there is no royal road to singing1 any more than there is to the acquirement of any other art2 and the person who tells you that he can teach you to do without trouble that which costs great artists the study of a lifetime1 proclaims himself1 ipso facto1 to be a humbug4 ,schools of ,singing4--,there are several so-called ,schools of ,singing4 ,there is a ,french ,school1 which for any language but ,french is bad1 and which very seldom turns out a pleasing singer4 ,there is a ,german ,school1 which is worse1 being simply the production of coarse noise4 ,some people say that there is an ,english ,school4 ,i hope there may be some day1 but at present its existence is rather doubtful1 unless those who talk of an ,english school of singing mean the ,cathedral style--which for solo work is detestable--or the old school of ,oratorio singing1 with its ,handelian traditions1 which was not an ,english1 but an ,italian1 and the best ,italian1 school4 ,in fact1 there is but one school of singing in the world1 and that is the ,italian4 ,whatever language you wish to sing in1 whatever style of music you wish to study principally1 you must train your voice1 produce it1 and learn to use it in the ,italian method1 if you hope ever to deserve the name of a singer4 ,masters4--,of course1 in a work of this sort1 it is impossible1 and would be wrong if it were possible1 to mention the names of living teachers3 therefore ,i can only give general hints4 ,if possible1 study only under a master whom you know to have lived in ,italy1 and to have studied there for some years under some good master or in some good ,conservatoire--,naples1 ,milan1 and ,florence generally supply the best4 ,possibly1 for an ,english singer1 an ,english master who fulfils these conditions may be better than even an ,italian1 as he should understand better the peculiarities of ,english voices and temperaments1 and would know at once where the chief difficulties would lie4 ,let me1 however1 correct a popular error4 ,a good singer is not necessarily a good teacher1 nor is it necessary for a first-class teacher to be able to sing at all4 ,nor need you necessarily look for your master among foreigners with fine sounding names4 ,there are two or three good teachers of singing in this country who are foreigners2 but there is also some native talent equally capable of teaching singing1 as it is accepted in this country at the present time4 ,these know the ,english style better than any foreigner can teach it1 and after all1 style is the chief consideration4 ,institutions4--,as we have no real ,english ,school of singing1 it is perhaps fortunate that we have no ,conservatoire4 ,there are1 however1 ,institutions accessible to those who cannot afford to have masters at home or to place themselves under a private teacher4 ,of these1 the chief is the ,royal ,academy of ,music1 in ,tenterden ,street1 ,hanover ,square4 ,there is also the ,national ,training ,school of ,music1 the ,london ,academy of ,music1 also the ,guildhall ,school1 and there is ,trinity ,college1 ,london1 where ,i believe singing lessons may also be obtained4 ,to all these establishments singing masters1 more or less good1 are attached1 and it is open to any one to obtain admission to the concerts given from time to time at the institutions themselves1 and to form some kind of opinion as to the teachers from the performances of the pupils4 ,it would be well for an intending student to do this1 for of course at any institution where there are several professors1 one might suit you and another might not2 it is even conceivable that one professor might do all for you that you could possibly require1 while another professor might be an ignorant charlatan4 ,therefore1 hear their pupils and judge for yourself1 making inquiries at the same time of musical people who are qualified to express an opinion on singing4 ,i must not1 however1 withhold from my readers my conviction that private lessons are better and more effectual than those taken in schools and academies4 ,the terms at these public institutions are such that they preclude the possibility of more than twenty or thirty minutes being devoted to each pupil1 and that is not a sufficient time to bestow upon a lesson4 ,forty-five or sixty minutes are needed to give a good lesson2 and the pupil who pays fifteen shillings or a guinea for this1 does a wiser thing than the one who pays a fourth of that sum for1 say1 twenty minutes' attention4 ,a ,first ,opinion4--,the actual successful teachers of singing in ,london may be counted on the fingers of one hand1 and those who are qualified to teach singing1 but who are not specially successful1 may be found on the remaining five fingers4 ,each of these professors would probably not take less than one guinea the lesson1 and it would1 honestly1 be far cheaper in the long run to pay this sum for one good lesson in singing than it would be to have fifty lessons founded upon wrong principles1 even for nothing4 ,and for this reason3 teachers of this calibre will not trouble themselves about you or your guineas unless you have a promising voice1 some general musical talent1 and show signs of becoming1 to some degree1 a credit to your teacher1 for to these men guinea pupils are very plentiful1 and it is only reasonable that a guinea from a clever pupil should be worth considerably more to a sensitive artist than the same amount from a fool4 ,therefore1 a first opinion from one such teacher may save your spending money1 time1 and energy on a pursuit in which you can never succeed4 ,bad ,lessons4--,never take a bad singing lesson till you know how to sing4 ,you may then do so 7if you care to71 and learn the how not to do it of singing4 ,it is commonly supposed that the earliest singing lessons may be administered by any dabbler1 and the last touches given afterwards by a finishing master4 ,never was there a greater error4 ,pay your guineas first1 and your shillings afterwards4 ,if you cannot afford to have good instruction in beginning to sing1 you will be still less able to take it afterwards1 for artistic reasons4 ,remember that every bad singing lesson which you take hardens old faults and creates new ones1 and1 moreover1 takes you farther and farther away from your original starting-point4 ,so1 when you begin under the right man and the right method1 you have to undo all this that you have expended toil and money to acquire4 ,bad ,teachers4--,it is astonishing how much money is wasted by people who want to sing1 through not going at once to the fountain-head for the necessary training4 ,because a man is a musician many people conclude that he must necessarily be able to teach singing6 ,such an idea is scarcely less monstrous than that of a man being a good physician and consequently competent to amputate a limb1 or to take out and reset an eye4 ,do not follow this multitude to do evil4 ,be as careful in inquiring about your singing master as you would be about your doctor4 ,both in ,london and in the country there are professors whose knowledge of singing stops at professing--the class of people who 7very likely7 keep a music-shop1 tune your piano1 play polkas and waltzes for your evening parties1 and have a brass plate on their doors to this effect3 ,,mr4 ,,handel ,,moscheles ,,ignazio ,,jones1 ,,professor ,,of ,,the ,,pianoforte1 ,,harmony1 ,,the ,,violin1 ,,italian1 ,,and ,,singing4 ,all honourable professions1 no doubt2 but to profess to combine them all is dishonourable1 and insulting to the common sense of those who know anything of any one of the subjects professed4 ,a singing master1 if he is worth anything1 must be a man of one trade--singing4 ,for the teaching of singing is a specialty1 and the man who can teach it properly is not likely to be a man of all 7musical7 work4 ,books of ,exercises1 c4--,there are numerous ,singing ,tutors published1 giving rules1 exercises1 solfeggi1 c4 ,many of these are excellent1 and some nearly perfect4 ,but all alike are useless or worse than useless to the tyro1 without a master4 ,you might as well suppose that a child could learn to be a carpenter by having some fine wood and a box of good tools4 ,i have before observed that voices vary as faces do2 no two are exactly alike1 each voice having its peculiar merit and its peculiar defect4 ,now1 a good master will treat each voice on its own merit1 and not place it at first on the ,procrustean bed of a book of rules and exercises4 ,he will probably write down his own exercises expressly for his pupil1 and if not that1 he will select certain exercises from the book1 and forbid others to be attempted for a time4 ,you must also let your master select such a book for you1 so that you may have one in which the rules do not contradict those which he has already given you verbally1 or else you will be perplexed with a multitude of counsellors4 ,it is not till a certain stage in singing has been reached1 under the training of a master1 that any book of exercises can be of service to you4 ,when that stage is reached1 you will find such a work of great use in a part of your labours4 ,among such books may be named as especially good1--,concone's ,exercises1 ,righini's1 ,guercia's1 ,nava's1 ,lablache's1 and ,lamperti's2 but1 again ,i say1 do not choose for yourself4 ,there are some excellent rules1 as well as some good exercises1 in an old work of the kind by ,crivelli1 and also in ,singing ,exemplified1 a work by ,t4 ,cooke4 ,if you can meet with these1 secure them--although ,i fear they may be long since out of print--for in the literature of singing the new is by no means certain to excel what was written in the days of our best composers and singers of operas and oratorios4 ,,on ,,the ,,practice ,,of ,,singing4 ,remember that the voice is of all instruments the most difficult one to study1 and to bring perfectly under control1 especially for the first year or two4 ,do not attempt to cultivate it with the view to professional remuneration1 unless you can set apart at least two hours daily for most careful study1 and can also afford to wait at least eight or ten years for any substantial pecuniary reward for your labours4 ,individuality4--,it is of great importance to bear in mind that no two voices are exactly alike4 ,to some singers is given quality of voice1 to others quantity4 ,and for each alike1 steady1 well-aimed1 and well-ordered practice is indispensable4 ,but1 whatever you sing ought1 like your voice1 to have some touch of individuality3 the song should seem to come naturally from you1 and to be the spontaneous expression of your thoughts4 ,at the same time you must not lose sight of the all-important guide which you have in the composer's intentions and wishes4 ,remember that a small and delicate voice may be made to go as far as1 if not farther than1 a voice of large volume and long compass4 ,by judicious management1 by touching expression of the softer feelings1 by careful selection of music to be performed1 the obstacles which are placed in a singer's way by want of power may be effectually removed1 because the audience will irresistibly feel the influence of the singer's individuality4 ,the difficulties of the singer who has the gift of quantity rather than quality of voice1 are in some respects greater1 because the necessity for thus impressing on his audience a sense of his own individuality is not so strongly forced on him by circumstances4 ,not only has he to labour to attain a good quality of tone1 but he must also resist the temptation to fancy that might is right1 and that the sensation caused by a powerful voice is all that he need aim at4 ,and here let me say1 the way to get quality is to listen as often as possible to some leading singer of your own kind of voice4 ,try and imitate his tone2 but above all practise with a medium tone--a mezzo-voce--listen for the beauty in your tone1 and think of what you are doing when practising4 ,perseverance4--,the surest means of improving and strengthening the voice is by constantly exercising and practising it4 ,just as the muscles and fibres of the legs of a pedestrian are increased and made capable of great exertion by careful training1 so is it with the nerves and muscles of the throat4 ,with judicious training1 the compass of the voice is extended1 its quality is improved1 its tones grow rounder and firmer2 and1 if the master is a good one1 and the pupil is willing to study patiently for some time1 never resting content1 but always aiming at further progress as year succeeds year1 he may not unreasonably hope to attain a well-earned place in his profession1 and its attendant reward4 ,facial ,expression4--,a looking-glass should form a part of the furniture of a singing student's study1 for it is most important to watch the face--its features and expressions--when singing2 and it is none the less useful for insuring the constant right position of the mouth4 ,in respect to the facial expression when singing1 there is a very great tendency to look too serious1 too severe1 and too hard when earnestly studying4 ,now1 a cheerful and good-humoured expression does not necessarily imply carelessness1 and it is far more agreeable to the audience than an anxious and troubled look4 ,some people look quite savage when singing2 and when rendering passages of love and tenderness1 their features are far more indicative of rage1 revenge1 and murder6 ,and this very common fault is generally quite an unconscious habit4 ,it is only to be remedied by constant care1 and to this end practice before a looking-glass will be found very helpful4 ,position of the ,body4--,how to stand when singing has been explained by a great number of writers on the subject1 and most of the explanations given have been chiefly remarkable as being entirely erroneous and false4 ,the body should not be kept in a perfectly upright position1 as it is 7too popularly7 believed that it should4 ,the best position is when the body is well collected1 with its chief weight upon the right leg and foot1 with the head gently leaning forward1 and the arms and1 indeed1 the whole carriage disposed in that manner which would indicate to the audience a sort of desire on your part to persuade them and bring them over to your feelings and sentiments4 ,when the right leg begins to tire with the weight of the body1 the left leg can take its duty1 when the right may be gracefully drawn back as in dancing4 ,the best lesson on this subject1 however1 can be gleaned by carefully watching the pose of a good ,italian singer during singing4 ,self-,accompaniment4--,a sitting position is a very bad one in which to practise4 ,all singing should be done in a standing position1 and the student is strongly urged to adhere to this rule4 ,instead of sitting at the pianoforte1 and accompanying an exercise or solfeggio1 it is far better to sound the first note of each passage therein1 and master the same without any accompaniment4 ,the advantages of this mode of practising must be obvious2 but one of the most important is1 that the attention is not divided between the pianoforte and the voice1 while it leaves the singer free to give all his attention and care to the production of the notes which he is endeavouring to sing artistically4 ,position of the ,arms4--,i would urge upon the student to hold a piece of music in his hands while he practises4 ,there is a place for the hands when singing in public2 but this place is neither the trouser-pockets1 nor on the hips1 nor behind the back1 nor across the chest1 but rather that position which is secured by leisurely holding the music-sheet1 not as if actually singing therefrom1 but as though it were merely intended for reference1 if required4 ,this easy attitude not only gives the hands and arms their legitimate position1 but also lends a grace and freedom to other parts of the body1 all which points must be attended to in singing4 ,remember to keep the arms well away from the body4 ,some singers stick the elbows into the waist1 as though to give support2 instead of doing which1 they hinder the free action of the lungs1 besides giving an awkward look to the whole figure4 ,position of the ,hands4--,do not let your hands hang down1 but keep them well before you1 in some position which allows of your turning the palms uppermost4 ,in this way you 7as it were7 lock the joints of the shoulders1 and put a check on the tendency to raise the shoulders1 which is an invariable consequence of taking breath wrongly4 ,keep your shoulders well back1 your elbows depressed1 and your hands with the palms uppermost1 and you will find it difficult1 if not impossible1 to indulge in the vice of heaving the chest and shoulders up and down1 like the piston of a steam-engine6 ,position of the ,throat4--,one of the first conditions of singing well is to keep the throat open4 ,to have the throat in its proper position the tongue must be kept down1 and hollowed like the bowl of a spoon1 its root being well depressed4 ,nor must the throat ever be allowed to screw itself up small1 a common failing of many singers whenever they approach a high note4 ,most of my readers have yawned once or twice in their lives3 if they will do it once more1 in front of their looking-glass1 and watch the inside of the mouth as they yawn1 they will see and feel the exact position in which the throat should be during good singing4 ,it will be useful to repeat this proceeding until the mind is thoroughly impressed and the memory familiarized with the feeling of the mouth and throat in this1 the correct position for singing4 ,position of the ,throat1 c41 in ,soft ,singing4--,when singing softly1 or piano1 as it is called1 take great pains to keep your throat as open as you would for singing loudly1 leaving it entirely to the mouth and lips to keep the tone soft1 yet steady and firm4 ,do not forget1 too1 that in soft singing it is a great advantage to keep the mouth in a smiling position4 ,position of the ,tongue4--,the tongue1 while being so useful1 is nevertheless a very unruly member in singing4 ,it has so great a tendency to get out of its place4 ,its legitimate office is to rest quite flat1 or even hollow1 in the bottom of the mouth1 with its root well down1 as this keeps the throat-passage clear1 and with the tip of it just touching the lower teeth4 ,get a looking-glass1 and continually watch the position of the tongue4 ,never allow it to roll up or turn about when singing1 or the effect produced will be scarcely worth repeating4 ,the tongue should occupy the least possible space in the mouth1 and this is the case when the directions here given are carried out4 ,position of the ,larynx4--,the larynx1 or upper part of the wind-pipe1 plays a most important part in singing4 ,upon it depends all the beauty1 and quality1 and richness of the voice4 ,the singer will do well to constantly think about the larynx1 to watch it1 to feel that it is well down below the mouth before commencing the first note of a song1 which note must1 under such circumstances1 be rich1 round1 and penetrating4 ,then the larynx must never be allowed to rise above this fixed point4 ,it may be deepened1 and must be1 for the higher notes1 but it must never ascend1 or nearly approach the roof of the mouth1 or the sound-passage is closed1 and the sounds become at once impure1 vitiated1 and without body or foundation4 ,try and guard against the bad habit of pushing forward the chin when singing1 otherwise the tone cannot fail to be faulty4 ,the chin should be well down on the chest1 and the larynx quite low1 to lead to an easy and pure production of tone4 ,to be constantly moving both the jaws for every note1 continually displaces the larynx1 impairs the purity of the tone1 spoils the articulation of the words1 and1 what is worse than all1 produces a hideous expression of the features1 which latter fault would alone be sufficient to prejudice seriously the chances of any singing artists4 ,the lower parts of the jaws1 not the upper ones1 should do the work2 and when a high passage or note is before the singer1 the lower parts of the jaws should be exercised to drop as the notes increase in height4 ,the singer's face should be controlled1 if no other member can be so regulated4 ,singing in the ,head4--,there is1 in all beginners1 a tendency to sing too much in the head1 that is1 to have the foundation of the tones too high up in the throat4 ,this fault is due to the difficulty experienced by beginners in keeping the larynx sufficiently below the mouth4 ,the fulness of tone1 the rich1 round1 and mellow quality which is so much admired in all good singers1 is almost entirely owing to the voice being pitched low down1 and not high up in the throat1 towards the back of the head 7as it appears to be74 ,a few trials of this will soon convince the student of the vast difference in the character and timbre of the tones of these two ways1 and also of the economy of the plan here recommended1 so far as regards the wear and tear of the voice in practice4 ,throatiness4--,throatiness1 or singing in the throat1 is the common enemy of all ,english singers4 ,our language is the chief cause of this disagreeable habit1 which we begin to acquire as soon as we learn to talk4 ,still1 by diligence1 the evil can be cured1 and no better plan can be followed than to constantly practise singing the vowel-sounds ,ah1 ,a1 ,e1 ,o1 throughout the compass of the voice1 taking every possible care--and this is the point--never to allow the tone to vary1 nor to leave the teeth1 and not to screw up the throat1 especially in high notes4 ,it is impossible to produce a throaty quality of voice if the throat is well open1 and the tone is firmly directed1 and kept on the upper teeth and front of the mouth4 ,on the other hand1 if the student screws up the throat1 rolls the tongue1 or practises singing without being constantly on the look-out for the voice on the teeth1 the result must be a throatiness1 which is most disagreeable to all people who have any real knowledge of what singing should be4 ,clearing the ,throat4--,singers1 good and bad1 are often troubled with an apparent stoppage in the throat1 and this inconvenience seems to be at its worst just at that moment when they wish to sing4 ,to displace or to cure this stoppage1 they begin hacking and coughing 7clearing the throat as it is called71 which proceeding1 however1 only makes bad worse for the time being1 and finally grows into a habit1 till at last such people cannot venture to open their mouths without first subjecting the throat to a series of these irritating hacks4 ,a good master will soon cure this complaint by refusing to continue the lesson whenever the pupil gives way to the bad habit4 ,it is in many cases simply a nervous trick1 and if the singer will accustom himself to swallow instead of coughing1 whenever he feels the sensation of which we are speaking1 he will soon get rid of it4 ,if it results in any case from real weakness of the throat1 it may be beneficial to gargle three or four times a day with moderately strong salt and water1 especially before singing4 ,this does no harm to the voice1 and by bracing and strengthening the muscles of the throat renders them more obedient to the singer's will4 ,high ,notes4--,many people find great difficulty in counting1 with any degree of certainty1 upon the top notes of their register4 ,i know of no greater assistance towards bringing these out than that of well contracting the mouth and lips at the beginning of the passage in which these high notes occur1 dropping the lower jaws1 and securing a good play of the mouth as the highest note is reached1 at the same time keeping the throat as open as possible1 ejecting the sound to the audience with as much lip-force as can be secured1 being careful that the tone is safe on the teeth before the note is opened4 ,the ,scale4--,there can be no doubt whatever that the grand groundwork of all singing is the diatonic scale4 ,on it is built all the graceful forms and figures which belong to the great artist4 ,yet how few seem to know and to appreciate this fact6 ,to excel1 the diatonic scale must be practised most seriously and assiduously in its plain and simple form2 nor must it be left until the student can sing every note therein purely1 without wavering or flutter1 and with precision1 in the soft1 medium1 and loud voices4 ,forte1 ,mezzo-,voce1 and ,piano4--,the singer will derive much advantage by bearing in mind that the voice has three main gradations which the ,italians class as the forte1 the mezzo di voce1 and the piano4 ,the management of these three is of vital importance1 and the singer should certainly practise the scales in all three voices1 and have each at command for every exercise and passage which he studies4 ,tone4--,the tone of the voice must never be vitiated or rendered impure from any cause whatever4 ,there is always a danger of this in passages of great energy and passion1 but it should be remembered that whatever be the effect aimed at1 it cannot be attained by any means which involves a change in the tone of the voice4 ,the first and chief consideration must always be to produce a good tone in the right manner4 ,if the tone be not good1 the singing cannot be agreeable2 and if it be not produced in the right manner1 you have no security that it will be equally good throughout the voice1 or in passages of all kinds4 ,chest1 ,falsetto1 and ,head ,voice4--,i have already said that there is a good deal of confusion existing as to the use of the terms chest1 falsetto1 and head voice4 ,and this is scarcely to be wondered at1 seeing that nobody has yet decided how the three qualities of sound are produced1 while everybody knows that the names are so far misleading1 in that no sound whatever is really made in the chest or in the head1 but that all are due to the passage of air through the larynx1 in which are placed the vocal cords upon which the air plays4 ,the changes of sound which are spoken of as chest1 falsetto1 and head voices are due to changes in the position of the larynx and its surroundings1 and in the action of the vocal cords4 ,what those changes are1 and how or why they cause the results which we hear1 has yet to be discovered3 there are several theories1 but no one has yet ventured to claim the certainty of truth for any one of them4 ,there is an excellent article on ,the ,larynx in ,stainer and ,barrett's ,dictionary of ,musical ,terms1 to which ,i would refer those who wish to understand these various theories4 ,for my present purpose it is sufficient to point out that each of the names is an utter misnomer4 ,the chest voice is probably so called because the vibrations of the notes in that register may be distinctly felt in the chest2 and because the breath passes directly from the chest1 as it seems1 without any opposition in the throat1 producing the sound on its way4 ,the falsetto1 or range of notes above the chest1 is so called 7and rightly so7 because in that register of voice the tone feigns1 or imitates1 the tone of the chest notes below1 although it is certain that the sounds are not produced in the same way1 for the position of the vocal cords and their attendant parts is different1 and changes suddenly on the passage of the voice from the chest to the upper register4 ,a falsetto1 rightly trained and used1 is one1 therefore1 which is true to its name1 and so well imitates the chest1 that the hearer cannot distinguish the false from the real chest tone4 ,the head voice1 which many people persist in confusing with the falsetto1 is so called because to the singer it feels as though the notes so produced came from the head4 ,this is due to the larynx itself rising up in the throat and approaching the back of the head4 ,it comprises1 in reality1 all that part of the voice which lies above the chest register1 all the lower part of it being shared by the falsetto1 exactly as the falsetto shares the greater part of the chest register4 ,the falsetto1 therefore1 belongs to both1 and its use is to carry1 by its power of imitation1 the tone of the lower or chest register into the upper or head register1 so combining them that no audible change of quality1 or break1 is perceptible4 ,scale ,practice4--,it cannot be too strongly impressed upon1 or too frequently pointed out to1 the singer 7no matter what may be the stage of his or her artistic development7 how desirable and advantageous it is to be constantly singing exercises and solfeggi in preference to songs4 ,it is a popular fallacy1 especially among amateurs1 that the practice of scales and intervals should be left behind as soon as possible4 ,pray do not be mistaken4 ,the never-failing daily practice of singing open chords in solfeggi1 scales1 and exercises1 is fraught with advantages which cannot be gained by the study of yards1 or even miles1 of song tunes4 ,as an instance of how much may be done in the study of scale practice1 the writer would point out that this particular exercise should not be left until the student can sing the diatonic scales throughout the whole extent of the voice in one unbroken breath1 and with one quality1 character1 and volume of voice4 ,when this point has been reached1 its peculiar efficacy will be so apparent as not to require any recommendation or advice for its daily continuance4 ,first ,exercises4--,this is a book of advice1 not of exercises1 nor do ,i profess to teach you1 but only to point out to you1 how you must prepare to be taught4 ,i cannot too often repeat that no book by itself can teach you singing1 and my object is not to supersede a master1 but to induce you to place yourself under a good one4 ,however1 it may happen that circumstances of time1 place1 or pocket prevent your doing so as soon as you would wish1 and it is far better even to learn from a book what you can in the way of rules and exercises1 than to go on singing by the light of nature1 or under a cheap and inefficient master1 or working at exercises too advanced for a beginner 7which is as bad as not working at any at all74 ,i therefore give here a few simple but most important exercises1 which you may work at until you are able to place yourself under the care of a good master4 ,bear in mind1 first1 all that has already been said here about taking your breath1 the position of standing1 the form of your mouth1 and place of throat1 tongue1 teeth1 c41 and study the following exercises daily say to the extent of thirty minutes three times a day1 with full attention to all the above points3 ,music3 ,c major scale1 beginning at ,c#d1 in semibreves ,sing this fully and firmly4 ,it should be begun and ended with the same quality and thickness of sound1 as suggested by the even line over each note4 ,you should be able to hold each note out in one breath for twenty seconds without the slightest alteration being perceptible in the tone1 any more than there would be if it was a note proceeding from an organ-pipe4 ,practise it on each of the following sounds consecutively3 ,a in ,bard1 ,a in ,fate1 ,e in ,steel1 ,i in ,life1 ,o in ,pole1 ,u in ,rule1 prefixing each sound by ,l1 and so singing ,lah1 ,lay1 ,lee1 ,li1 ,lo1 ,loo4 ,in singing this first exercise1 which for basses and barytones will be1 of course1 an octave lower1 be careful not to force the lower notes1 and do not seek to get a powerful tone thereupon4 ,the tone does not need to be full and heavy on these notes1 but rather should be a ,,well-,,produced1 light1 and thin quality of note4 ,the way to proceed is3 7#a7 ,to inspire the breath from the bottom of the lungs as it were--not raising the shoulders4 7#b7 ,steady the breath for a second or so in the chest while you ,,think the note you are about to sing1 and while you prepare your throat and mouth for singing by lowering the larynx and opening the throat4 7#c7 ,then begin to sound the note--not from the back of the mouth1 but from the tip of the tongue and the front teeth--thus taking the whole of the tone out of the mouth1 which is what is required to be done4 ,sustain the note till you have only a little breath left--then finish off in a clean manner1 and allow the remaining breath to leave the lungs and body in an orderly way4--,repeat the same operation for every note1 and if you desire to make progress1 give a minute's attention of this kind to every single note4 ,music3 #b--;,broken ,c major triad in semibreves beginning and ending on ,c#d1 then raising a semitone to continue the pattern4 and so on1 rising by semitones until you come to this3 ,music3 ,broken ,g major triad in semibreves beginning and ending on ,g#d4 which is certainly the highest that you ought to attempt at present4 ,exercise ,no4 #b is a first step towards joining notes1 and is another difficulty in the matter of production4 ,the object to be aimed at is to sing the two notes which are bound 7or tied7 together with the same breath1 and the same body and quality of tone4 ,to step from ,c to ,e1 the first movement in the exercise is to raise the voice a major third2 but the student must pass from his mind any notion of raising the throat in order to sound the higher third4 ,as the note ,e is higher than the ,c1 the tone of the former must be generated lower in the chest than had been the case with the ,c4 ,the higher the note to be sung1 the lower must be its generating-point in the chest4 ,this is the only way to ,,open the voice1 and ,i need scarcely say that it produces an entirely different tone and method than are secured by the common habit of screwing and tightening the throat1 in proportion as the notes ascend in pitch4 ,another good exercise which may be combined with the last-given is the following3 ,music3 #c--;,broken ,c ,major ,triad in semibreves beginning and ending on ,c#d1 followed by a broken ,f ,major ,triad in semibreves beginning and ending on ,c#d4 ,broken ,g minor triad in semibreves beginning and ending on ,c#d1 followed by a broken ,a minor triad in semibreves beginning and ending on ,c#d4 ,this exercise 7#c7 must be sung in the same manner as indicated with ,no4 #b1 care being taken as each note gets higher to pass under the preceding note1 and not as it were to generate a high note over a lower one4 ,after which you may take this3 ,music3 #d--;,c major arpeggio in semibreves1 beginning on ,c#d and landing on ,c#e4 ,c#e is held for six beats prior to descending in crotchets in a ,c major scale1 and holding the bottom ,c#d for four beats4 but sing it very slowly and deliberately1 bearing in mind the production of the high notes4 ,as you begin to get all these notes firm and round1 you may take these same exercises in ,d1 ,d flat1 and ,e flat1 but be very careful not to force the upper notes4 ,music3 #e--;,interval practice by holding ,c#d for four beats and slurring to ,d#d4 ,after breathing1 slur ,c#d to ,e#d4 ,after breathing1 slur ,c#d to ,f#d4 ,after breathing1 slur ,c#d to ,g#d4 ,continue this pattern until ,c#e is reached4 ,then1 begin on ,c#e and slur to ,b#d4 ,after breathing1 slur from ,c#e to ,a#d4 ,continue this pattern until ,c#d is reached4 ,exercise #e is one where the question of the breath and its proper management becomes of vital importance4 ,the reader will observe the notes are bound together1 and the student's attention should be turned towards passing from one note to the other1 without any appreciable difference in the quality--,i do not say pitch--of the tone4 ,having inspired in the manner already explained1 the singer will sound the ,do with a pure1 sympathetic1 not harsh or forced sound2 and by pressing down the breath1 will lift the voice on to the ,re4 ,when he has succeeded with the step of a second1 he can go on to the step of a third1 fourth1 c4 ,the care must be to utilize the breath1 always supporting the tone with the breath4 ,if the sound wavers1 then there is something wrong with the breath4 ,you are either singing with too little1 or are forcing the breath4 ,music3 #f--;,beginning on ,c#d and holding each note for two beats1 go up by semitones until ,e#d is reached and held for four beats4 ,begin pattern again1 but begin on ,d#d flat4 ,continue until ,a is reached4 ,and so on4 ,music3 #g--;,beginning on ,c#e and holding each note for two beats1 go down by semitones until ,a#d flat is reached and held for four beats4 ,begin pattern again1 but begin on a ,b#d4 ,continue until ,g#d flat is reached4 ,and so on1 descending the scale by semitones4 ,music3 #h--;,in minims1 sing ,c#d1 ,e#d1 ,g#d1 ,c#e1 ,b#d1 ,g#d1 ,f#d1 ,d#d4 ,begin the pattern again starting a semitone higher on ,d#d flat4 ,practise ,no4 #h slowly and steadily1 with perfectly even tone throughout1 without any crescendo or diminuendo4 99 99 99 99 99 ,let all the above exercises be taken successively1 forte1 a mezzo-voce1 and piano1 preserving exactly the same amount of tone throughout each passage1 and holding the notes with the same force with which you attack them steadily to the end1 not letting them die away4 ,the trick of letting notes die away is easily learnt afterwards1 but at present you have to master the far greater difficulty of holding notes firmly with unvarying tone4 ,practise these exercises on all the vowel-sounds already given4 ,all such exercises are of course only variations of the diatonic and chromatic scales1 so arranged as to prepare the voice for executing those scales evenly and perfectly1 with equality of tone on every note2 for till you can sing scales1 you are not fit to sing songs of any kind4 ,duration of ,practice4--,always guard against over-straining and over-working the voice4 ,do not sing or practise for a longer time than half an hour without allowing the voice rest for some time4 ,if you have three hours at your disposal daily to devote to singing1 the most economical use of the time is to divide it equally between the morning1 afternoon1 and evening4 ,singing in ,tune4--,correct intonation is of the greatest possible importance in singing4 ,every singer should pay especial attention to this point4 ,the heavier the voice1 the more necessary becomes such attention1 and therefore contralti and basses are strongly advised to lose no time in facing this 7to them7 considerable difficulty4 ,deep basses1 indeed1 are rarely perfectly in tune for any long time together1 and some of the most famous bass singers have left behind them recollections of this painful defect4 ,therefore1 whatever be your voice1 do not take for granted that even the possession of a good ear will always ensure your singing in tune4 ,sometimes excellent singers1 and good musicians too1 will sing out of tune1 perfectly aware that they are doing so1 but1 for a time1 unable to prevent it from physical causes--relaxation of the throat1 fatigue1 indisposition1 c41 under which conditions the muscles are unable to obey the will as usual4 ,do not1 then1 make too light of this matter1 because you may think yourself quite incapable of singing out of tune2 it is at all events wiser to be on the safe side4 ,therefore1 never practise 7nor sing1 if you can help it7 with a pianoforte which is not well in tune and well up to pitch4 ,and be very constant in practising intervals1 such as major and minor sixths and sevenths1 so as to be able to strike them as perfectly in tune and as unvarying in quality as the notes of an organ diapason4 ,how to ,begin4--,many people never make a good start when beginning to sing any piece4 ,now a very good remedy for a part of this evil is not to prepare yourself too soon4 ,use the bar immediately preceding that in which your part commences to gather up your faculties1 and1 to use a common phrase1 to pull yourself together2 then let the muscles of the body gently settle down4 ,the ease and freedom acquired by this momentary call upon the system is very remarkable2 and for the singer especially the hint cannot be too often acted upon4 ,variety ,indispensable4--,an unchanging volume of sound is very soon wearying to the ear2 and therefore a singer who scarcely ever varies the pitch of his voice will find that however loudly he may sing1 his audience will have a feeling of dissatisfaction1 as though they could not hear him distinctly--the fact being that their ears1 being fatigued with the uniformity of the noise1 cannot do their proper work1 and the attention therefore flags4 ,one great secret of being agreeably heard by an audience is to vary the body of tone 7not the quality of it1 observe74 ,as a rule singers are left tolerably free to do as they like in this respect4 ,composers of songs rarely give them any help in the matter4 ,in fact1 nowadays so many people compose vocal music without knowing anything about the vocal instrument for which they compose1 that it is not wonderful that they ignore their power of helping the singer by properly combining duly marked forte1 piano1 and mezzo-voce passages1 so as to ensure a variety of effect4 ,therefore1 in most modern music1 a singer has to take his own reading of a song1 and to make it as effective as he can by varying the power of his voice4 ,it might even be taken as a rule that every forte passage should be succeeded by a soft one4 ,the voice should rise and fall1 and be varied in its inflexions in that agreeable manner which is so marked in good orators and dramatic elocutionists4 ,chorus ,singing4--,if you are studying seriously for solo singing1 you must discontinue all chorus singing1 especially during training4 ,singing in church choirs and choral societies must be abandoned4 ,and this not because there is no good to be learned there1 but because the little good is by no means commensurate with the great amount of harm which is acquired along with the good4 ,to enumerate here all the evil habits so easily learnt would be impossible4 ,not the least of them1 however1 is the tendency to shout louder than your neighbour1 to use yourself to the bad habits of those on each side of you2 to produce a bad tone2 to chop the passages instead of phrasing them2 to attack notes carelessly2 to sing coarsely2 to depend on others2 to get into a machine-like regularity of rendering the music4 ,all these evil habits are the result of chorus singing2 and while many of them are detrimental to the voice itself1 it may be safely said that any one of these habits is fatal to good solo singing4 ,humming4--,some people have a wretched habit of continually humming tunes4 ,pray do not get into this habit of singing unconsciously--than which nothing is more prejudicial to the voice4 ,you should never sound a note without being perfectly aware of what you are doing1 and that it is being done in the right manner4 ,the faults acquired by humming over1 as it is called1 are of the worst kind1 and1 moreover1 they are far sooner acquired than eradicated4 ,studying ,songs4--,be careful1 in studying a new song1 not to waste either time or strength by a trifling and superficial treatment of it4 ,whatever is worth doing at all1 is worth doing well4 ,first of all1 sol-fa the melody a few times in a full mezzo-voce4 ,then study it with rather stronger tone1 paying attention to lights and shades1 yet at the same time being chiefly occupied with the melody itself4 ,then make your breath-marks1 and adhere to the same unfailingly4 ,then sing the melody once throughout1 in order to find the weak places2 having found which1 you need no more practise the whole of the melody1 but give all the attention to these latter phrases4 ,having mastered these1 the melody will be complete4 ,it will then be necessary to determine where the notes shall be made to bend into each other1 to add the nuances1 a few graceful figures and effects which belong alone to the true artist4 ,imitation4--,by no means the worst lesson which you can have will be gained by imitation of some acknowledged first-rate singer1 whose voice is of the same kind as your own4 ,before going to a concert at which any such artist is announced to sing1 procure copies of his songs 7if possible71 and make yourself acquainted with the compositions first of all4 ,then go and hear how those works are rendered by the singer who is to be your model2 listen with your copy in your hand2 make notes of any points which strike you1 and while the impression made upon you is still fresh1 go home and imitate them as closely as you can4 ,general ,musical ,study4--,if you want to be a good singing artist1 many more things besides singing should be studied4 ,you should be sufficiently acquainted with the pianoforte to play your own accompaniments1 even of the most difficult songs1 well enough to get an idea of them4 ,then a knowledge of harmony1 counterpoint1 and orchestration is of the greatest value4 ,the study of the best scores1 orchestral and vocal1 should not be neglected1 and further1 the student should make himself or herself otherwise familiar with the rise and progress of the art1 by reading all the best books on the subject1 whether historical1 critical1 or biographical4 ,,on ,,style1 ,,expression1 c4 ,the study of language1 articulation1 and deportment1 the gradual formation and building-up of the singing voice1 and the incessant practice of scales and exercises1 are in reality only the necessary preliminaries to singing itself4 ,singing1 or the proper use of the voice combined with the due enunciation and expression of the words1 is nothing unless due attention be also paid to style1 to the fit and effective execution of the music selected1 due regard being paid both to taste and tradition4 ,traditional ,styles4--,although the groundwork of all good singing is the same1 the music to be sung varies greatly in style4 ,there is church music1 oratorio music1 and opera music1 as well as ballad music2 and a certain nondescript--half recitative1 half declamation--which is of modern growth1 gives pleasure to many people 7both performers and audience71 and comprises the greater number of modern ,german songs4 ,modern ,german ,lieder4--,this latest development of vocal performances1 of which ,i desire to speak with all due respect1 has no traditions whatever1 but it has a style1 decided1 though 7in my opinion7 bad4 ,it has1 however1 one merit3 it imperatively demands that the singer should understand the meaning both of words and music1 for the whole thing depends on expression and modulation4 ,the composers of these works generally do their part fully in the way of modulations and accompaniment2 but as they frequently forget to supply anything in the shape of a melody1 the singer must do his best to touch or move his audience by his expressive delivery of the words in the musical inflections which 7with this class of composers7 occupy the place of a tune4 ,however1 if you admire this kind of music1 and have been properly taught to sing before you attempt to execute it1 ,i have not a word to say against it3 so long as you use your voice legitimately1 this style of music can do you no harm1 and if you study dramatic expression and elocution properly1 you may doubtless produce an effect very pleasing to others who admire it4 ,but the danger of such music to the untrained voice and untaught singer is very great indeed2 and ,i do not hesitate to say that the frequent performance of it by such an one must result in the ruin both of voice and style4 ,the ,cathedral ,school4--,the one point in music wherein ,england has just reason to boast of her past1 is the existence of a distinct class of music composed for her church service1 and that music of a high order of merit4 ,distinctive in character1 this church music--services and anthems--has created for itself a distinct school of singers1 and1 by tradition1 demands a distinct style of performance4 ,i have elsewhere stated that the ,cathedral ,school of singing is detestable for solo work1 and so it is for any solo work except cathedral solo work1 where the operatic or oratorio style of singing would seem to us1 who have always been familiar with the traditional and one accepted style1 out of place1 and irreverently suggestive of the concert-room4 ,it is difficult to describe upon paper the peculiarity of this style of singing1 and it could only be learnt by imitation in its own home1 the cathedral4 ,its chief characteristics are a sort of passionless statuesqueness1 a steadiness of tone akin to the notes of the organ1 which is its only fit accompaniment1 an absence of all attempt at personal display on the part of the singer4 ,its faulty tendencies are towards deficiency of expression and slowness of attack2 these are apparent1 generally1 when a cathedral singer appears in the concert-room2 but in church1 the pervadingly reverent character of the performance takes off the impression of coldness and tameness in the individual singer1 while the ear1 accustomed to the slight difference in time with which the various organ-stops answer1 does not notice in the singer that want of crispness in the time which the accompaniment of an orchestra reveals at once4 ,unless you are really intending to sing professionally in a church or cathedral choir1 the study of this style will not be of much use to you2 you will find its good points equally insisted on in the oratorio school of singing1 while its defects should be avoided in any4 ,for ,english part-singing there is1 however1 no training so good1 its traditions being exactly those of the finest old ,english secular part-music--the madrigals of ,wilbye1 ,weekes1 and ,purcell1 c4 ,oratorio4--,by oratorio singing--speaking of it as a distinct style--,i may say at once that ,i mean the school of ,handelian singing1 of which the traditions are distinct1 and which has only been slightly modified to suit the more modern oratorios of other composers4 ,of course1 ,mendelssohn cannot be sung exactly like ,handel or ,bach1 but the general style of delivery should be the same1 and till you can sing ,handel1 you cannot hope to be able to sing ,mendelssohn4 ,the ability to sing ,handel1 ,bach1 and ,glck1 ,i believe to be the sole foundation for a pure style of singing either in opera or ballad music3 the music is such that it cannot be trifled with--the difficulties cannot be evaded1 but must be mastered--while the exquisitely smooth and vocal character of these great masters' music trains the singer to an evenness and solidity of style which is most valuable in any music that may be afterwards attempted4 ,moreover1 the songs of ,handel form an admirable school for the training of individual taste and judgment in the introduction of ornaments1 the variety of phrasing1 and other minute details of finish4 ,not that you may exercise your individual taste in introducing ornaments into ,handel or ,bach--far from it2 but the songs are written with the express intention that certain ornaments should be introduced in particular places1 and the style 7and in many cases the notes7 of these ornaments has been accurately handed down to us2 therefore1 in learning this traditional manner of singing such music1 the student is trained to a knowledge of the appropriate place for the introduction of ornamentation and grace--the appropriate character of such embellishments1 and the appropriate opportunities for introducing them4 ,for instance1 most of ,handel's songs commence with a movement which is intended to be repeated at the close of the song1 the middle part being generally a movement in some relative key1 which is not repeated4 ,the traditional style of giving such songs is to reserve ornamentation for this repeated first part1 and thus to avoid the effect of sameness which would result from adhering in the repeat to exactly the same rendering of the music with which the singer gave it at first4 ,such ornamentations were taken for granted by the composer1 and it was only because of a tasteless abuse of this privilege of adornment on the part of foolish singers1 an abuse which became an unbearable nuisance1 that in after years ,rossini adopted the plan of writing into his music florid passages which should supply the singer with ornaments which were good of their kind and which were put in in appropriate places1 rather then trust his airs to the mercy of inartistic decorators4 ,handel1 and the composers of earlier times than ,rossini1 omitted the ornamentation1 so as not to hamper the singer1 for1 as has been well said by an old writer on the subject3 ,the same execution that would from one singer afford pleasure1 might from another excite disgust3 the compositions of old masters have no written cadences to a repeated passage1 for this very reason1 no doubt4 ,but it is understood1 and indeed expected1 that the singer of talent should display his own taste by the introduction of such fanciful and graceful ornaments as may be best calculated to exhibit his voice to advantage1 and thereby heighten1 instead of lessen1 the effect of the composition4 ,the same writer1 in explaining the reason for the introduction of such ornaments and changes1 goes on to remark3 ,in conversation1 though we frequently repeat words and even sentences1 in expressing any particular subject1 yet we might as naturally expect to see a person laugh without a smile1 as give such repetitions without some variation in voice and manner4 ,the first part of an air is often written to be repeated4 ,in justice to the author1 when that is the case1 simplicity of style should be inviolably preserved2 but1 on repeating the strain1 free scope may be given to the imagination1 taking it for granted that no person would be vain enough to attempt the introduction of his own fanciful graces1 unless sufficiently master of the science to feel the propriety of going so far and no farther4 ,perhaps ,i may make the meaning of all this clearer by giving a few specimens of these traditionally accepted adornments in repeated passages4 ,music3,first time4 ri - mem - - bran - za1 ,puoi di nuo - vo1 c4 ,music3 ,second time4 ri - mem - bran - za1 ,puoi di nuo - vo1 c4 ,music3 ,first time4 dol - ce ri - mem - bran - za1 c4 ,music3 ,second time4 dol - ce ri - mem - bran - - za1 c4 ,music3,first time4 ,puoi di nuo - vo1 di nuo - vo av - ve - len ar 4444444444444444444 mi4 ,music3 ,second time4 ,puoi - di nuo - vo di nuo - vo av - ve - len ar 4444444444444444444 mi4 ,the above are taken from a fine song by ,cesti 7#affj71 ,tu mancavi a tormentarmi4 ,the following are the adornments taught in the ,paris ,conservatoire1 as traditionally correct in the famous old song by ,lotti1 ,pur dicesti1 where1 it will be observed1 one simple phrase1 which occurs so frequently that it would be monotonous if unadorned1 is made to yield a charming variety to the song by some elegant change at each recurrence4 ,music3 ,first time4 quel so - a - ve 444 car - o 444444 si ,music3 ,second time4 quel 444 so - a - ve car 444 o - si ,music3 ,third time4 quel 444 so - a - ve car - o - si ,music3 ,fourth time4 quel 444 so - a - - ve car - - o si ,music3,first time4 pia - cer 44444444444444444 44444444444444444 il mio pia - cer ,music3 ,second time4 pia - cer 44444444444444444 44444444444444444 il mio pia - cer ,the following are from ,handel3 ,music3 ,first time4 ,while re - sign'd to ,heav'n 444 a - bove ,music3 ,second time4 ,while re - sign'd to 444444 ,heav'n 44444444 a - bove 7,guardian ,angels47 ,music3 ,first time4 ,trees where you sit1 c4 ,music3 ,second time4 ,trees where you sit1 c4 7,where'er you walk47 ,and of course the list might be almost indefinitely prolonged4 ,certain of these ornaments1 once highly popular1 have wisely been allowed to drop1 and that is why ,i lay stress upon the importance of accepted traditions4 ,you may get hold of copies of many songs of this kind which have the names of great singers attached to them1 and yet give variations of the text which have never been accepted or generally approved4 ,the great ,braham himself was a terrible offender sometimes in this respect4 ,for instance1 in singing ,comfort ye1 instead of the passage ,music3 that her in - i - qui - ty is par - don - ed he would sing thus3 ,music3 that her in - i - qui - ty is par - don - ed4 ,and ,i have seen an old copy of ,holy1 holy1 in which the melody is so overlaid with little black notes1 semi-quavers1 demi-semi-quavers1 and semi-demi-semi-quavers1 that it is difficult to distinguish the notes of ,handel's music at all6 ,the admissible changes are all very slight1 and any elaborate cadenza1 or considerable addition1 is pretty sure to be wrong4 ,final high notes are a frequent snare to aspiring singers2 the traditions of the old school of oratorio singing are not in favour of them1 and they generally vulgarize a song if introduced where the composer has not clearly opened a way for them4 ,i have heard a tenor singer conclude the famous ,thou shalt break them1 thus3 ,music3 pot - - - - ter's ves - sel and a soprano finish off ,he shall feed ,his flock1 thus3 ,music3 ye shall find rest 44444444 un - to your souls4 --both of them pieces of vulgar display1 bringing the personality of the singer before the audience instead of the beauty of the music1 the sense of the words1 or the merit of the composer4 ,no such abominations are permissible in good oratorio singing1 the rule of which is utter submission to the composer's intentions1 and a conscientious endeavour to interpret his mind clearly to the audience2 a pure and chaste delivery of words and music alike2 a sustained excellence throughout1 avoiding an attempt to astonish by bursts of power or brilliancy2 and an entire absence of all claptrap or vulgarities to please the gallery4 ,opera4--,a great deal of what has been said about oratorio singing applies also to operatic singing4 ,but ,i strongly advise you against attempting opera music until you have studied the more severe and solid style of the oratorio4 ,the declamatory passages in opera are doubtless more brilliantly impassioned1 just as the florid airs are more startlingly elaborate1 than in oratorio1 and the recitatives less stately and sustained2 but the style of good opera singing is only to be founded upon good oratorio study 7or its equivalent71 inasmuch as it was out of the oratorio that the opera grew4 ,operatic singing allows more license to the singer than does oratorio2 but the singer should have been taught first by the severer style not to misuse that license4 ,at the same time when 7as is not infrequent in operas of a certain kind7 the composer has introduced airs for the express purpose of showing off a singer's voice1 a well-trained singer may be accepted as interpreting the composer's intention rightly1 when he or she elaborates fioriture far beyond the limits of which any hint appears in the score4 ,even here1 however1 traditional usage must have its weight3 cadenzas must be strictly in character1 and only introduced in songs to which such passages are appropriate4 ,i once heard a florid cadenza interpolated at the close of ,spirto ,gentil1 by an aspiring young tenor1 too full of conceit and modern ideas to take a hint from ,mario's marvellous rendering of that song4 ,and it must be borne in mind that it is only in operas of the ,bellini1 ,donizetti1 and early ,rossini and ,verdi school that such extreme license is granted4 ,no such tricks can be played with the operas of ,mozart1 ,glck1 ,weber1 or ,meyerbeer1 or with the later works of ,rossini and ,verdi1 while the notion of altering a note1 or omitting even a demi-semi-quaver rest1 in those of ,wagner1 would be1 to his admirers1 flat heresy4 ,in reality1 the style of singing opera music is easily acquired by any one who is sufficiently advanced to be fit to attempt opera music at all4 ,there are certain niceties to be acquired1 and endless beauties of variety in the rendering of even small passages2 but these things cannot be taught on paper4 ,ballads4--,there is no greater mistake than to suppose that any one can sing a simple ballad4 ,good ballad singing is one of the rarest accomplishments1 and demands qualities in the singer which may be wanting even in a person who can sing well both in opera and oratorio4 ,to suppose that an untaught singer can do justice to any ballad that is worth the trouble of singing at all1 is simply a mark of ignorance on the whole subject of singing4 ,ballads do not always require power or compass of voice1 it is true1 nor do they tax the singer on the score of flexibility or physical strength2 but they are the severest test of enunciation1 mezzo-voce singing1 neatness and readiness in producing tones of any gradation1 and perfect control over the voice4 ,to sing a ballad well demands a really cultivated taste1 a certain dramatic power1 suppressed it is true1 but influencing the whole delivery2 a sympathetic voice1 and a manner which will enlist the interest and sympathy of the audience4 ,ballad singing is neither declamation nor recitative3 there is no chance of surprising or astonishing your audience2 but you must contrive to please them1 you must touch them somehow2 and1 for an ordinary person in the costume of the nineteenth century1 to touch others of the same species is not easy4 ,sometimes1 no doubt1 the words of a good song are in themselves so touching and charming that1 so long as the music be not positively hideous or destructive of the sense of the words1 the singer has only to let them be clearly heard1 and the battle is won2 but more frequently he has to trick his audience into interest in a song where the words in themselves are either hopelessly silly1 or too obscure in sense for their full meaning to appear at a first hearing or reading4 ,all that he can then do is to deliver it in such a way that they shall feel that there is a meaning to it all1 though they have not fully caught it yet1 and so they may wish to hear it again4 ,i do not1 of course1 mean any allusion to the ridiculous fashion of encores1 but simply that the feeling at the end of such a song should be one of liking it sufficiently to wish to understand it entirely4 ,many songs would tell their own tale and produce their own effect well enough1 if the singer would let them1 and therefore the ballad singer must only be sufficiently self-conscious to keep himself out of the way4 ,however good his singing1 however original his reading of the song1 while he is singing it should all go to the credit of the song1 and the hearers be charmed into forgetting him till he is silent4 ,recitative4--,good recitative singing is of great importance1 and requires careful attention and study4 ,recitative is midway between speaking and singing2 it is a sort of modulated intoning1 that is1 that in delivering it the note and the word that belongs to it should be given with equal intention1 and appear to belong to each other so completely that the musical sound should seem to be the natural intonation which the reciter would give to the word4 ,recitative is 7or was7 practically an attempt to express1 in musical notation1 the inflexions of the human voice in speaking2 and how accurately1 in some cases1 musical notation can do this1 will be seen at a glance by the following illustration3 ,music3 ,who are you8 ,music3 ,who are you8 ,music3 ,who are you8 --where the question is asked in the same words1 but the musical notes express clearly three different sentiments1 or degrees of sentiment4 ,this should be taken into consideration by the student2 and he should strive to give his recitative with as natural a delivery as he can1 placing himself mentally in the position of a dramatic reciter4 ,steadiness of tone1 clearness of enunciating consonants1 and full round delivery of vowel-sounds are indispensable to good recitative singing4 ,every note must be distinct1 and not the faintest suspicion of a slur or portamento can be allowed4 ,recitative singing is not a thing which a student should try to teach himself1 as he may not only waste his time1 but gain notions which are erroneous and difficult to cure4 ,for instance1 take the recitatives in ,the ,messiah1 as these are printed for the ,british public4 ,nothing could be more ludicrous than for a singer to appear in public and sing the recitatives faithfully as printed in the editions of this oratorio which are continually being disseminated throughout the land4 ,handel1 let it be borne in mind1 was not well acquainted with the ,english language2 and though he may have written good music1 he was often very far from reaching good literary sense4 ,thus1 as regards this latter1 this specimen passage occurs in ,handel's ,acis and ,galatea1 ,music3 ,where shall ,i seek the charm-ing fair8 ,yet no one in his senses would think of rendering it other than ,music3 ,where shall ,i seek the charm-ing fair8 inasmuch as there is some doubt of the chord #f_/d which forms the grace note being ,handel's music1 and because the sense of the words demands that no break shall be made between the words seek and the4 ,as ,handel failed in his ,english1 it is surely allowable to make good his deficiencies in this respect4 ,the following paragraphs relate to certain minor details of style in singing1 and apply to singing of every kind4 ,they must be taken in conjunction with much that has already been said under the head of ,practice4 ,slurring4--,slurring up to a note is a very disagreeable and common evil to be guarded against4 ,it matters not how far distant the note to be sung may be from the preceding tone2 it should be attacked fearlessly and cheerfully1 but with an open throat4 ,the note to be attacked must not be prepared in the throat4 ,the course should be this4 ,the tone of the preceding note must not be moved1 but the one required--say a very high one--must be obtained by the joint process of lowering the larynx1 of sounding the note from exactly the same spot as the lower note1 in a soft but fine tone1 and thirdly1 by getting such a ring in the note as it can only have in conjunction with the feeling that while the root or foundation of the note is in the chest1 yet it owes much of its penetrating character and power to a sort of reflecting power which is given it from the extreme end of the spine bone1 where it joins the head4 ,certainly no high note is properly produced1 nor to be relied upon for a crescendo1 unless the student has this feeling that it springs from the back of the neck2 and1 in rising to an upper note1 the aim should be not at length to approach the upper note from beneath1 as it were1 but to come down upon it--to strike it from above instead of from below4 ,sentiment4--,always try to convey the sentiment of what you may be singing through the tone of the voice4 ,love and anger cannot both be expressed with the same quality of voice4 ,for the former1 a delicate light tone well on the lips is desirable1 while for the latter the voice should be produced lower in the stomach2 yet the tone should still be kept on the lips2 its character should be darker1 more round1 and sonorous4 ',tis this that racks my brain3 such words as these should never be sung in the same character of voice as ,waft her1 angels1 to the skies4 ,it is good practice to take any piece and sing the melody on an open vowel throughout1 with the object of showing the meaning of the song without the aid of words4 ,then1 when this can be done1 the words may be employed1 and the result will be doubly happy4 ,decision4--,indecision is a very serious fault in singing4 ,do well and thoroughly whatever you decide upon attempting4 ,if you have a staccato passage to sing1 render it firmly in that style2 if you have one that is legato1 take care that this character is strongly seen from your rendering4 ,when you slur1 make it strong enough to be felt4 ,if you bend as it were from one note to another1 let your intention to do so be clearly apparent4 ,let a forte passage be loud1 and let a piano one be really soft4 ,any half measures in singing are fatal4 ,precision and certainty are qualities which the student must always aim at attaining4 ,without them1 singing becomes tame and unattractive1 not to say tiresome4 ,imitation4--,imitation1 which in many other arts becomes plagiary1 in singing is most desirable2 for singing1 more than any other art1 rests on tradition2 there is even very little doubt that the peculiar charm and quality of a true tenor voice 7for instance7 is more due to imitation in a singer than to nature2 that is to say1 that it is the result of a transmitted culture--such imitation being the only means in which singers can reap the harvest of the experience of the great singers now to be heard no more1 who have left their imitators to pass on to others what they themselves obtained by imitating and improving on their predecessors4 ,therefore do not be afraid of being set down as a mere copyist1 if you study and attempt to imitate the style of the best living singers4 ,you will always have enough of your own merit or defect to distinguish your performance1 if you are really a conscientious student1 and you may learn a great deal by listening to the best public singers which can be taught you in no other way4 ,watch their stage deportment2 their treatment of the weaker parts of their voices2 their method of breathing2 their manner towards the public2--in fact1 every point which occurs to you1--and make some use of what you see and hear in your own studies4 ,public ,singing4--,if you have to sing in public1 remember always to take a rapid but searching glance round your stage4 ,this is a great point gained4 ,as you step on to the boards1 notice 7unobserved7 the dimensions of the stage 7if it happens to be new to you74 ,note the height of its ceiling1 its surroundings1 its draperies1 its distance from your farthest auditor2 then take up your position accordingly--bearing in mind that all your tone is wanted by your listeners1 which requirement can never be met unless you yourself take the precaution to prevent the sound being held or carried back by the stage decorations4 ,in a concert salon or theatre1 then1 do not forget to get well to the front of the platform4 ,at the same time you must not be too close upon your stall occupants1 or you may give them the very undesirable impression that at any moment you may fall over4 ,holding an ,audience4--,the singer should carefully watch an audience so as to gauge its attention and sympathies4 ,if it seems impatient1 restless1 and indifferent1 the singer may be quite sure that he or she is exciting no interest4 ,the best course then for one to do is to immediately change the style1 alter the tone1 give forth his or her best energies1 and use every effort to become ingratiated into the good favour of the listeners4 ,if such effects as these fail constantly in their turn1 then the aspirant for vocal fame should give up1 and devote both time and attention to further study1 or to some other means of a livelihood2 for a future great singer will not be failing constantly1 and to be only a second-rate singer while there are so many is a thing not to be devoutly desired4 ,mistakes in ,public4--,if you make a mistake in singing1 do not add to the mischief by allowing it to alarm or disconcert you4 ,proceed onward as if nothing had happened4 ,you may be quite sure that each one of your audience will not have detected the slip1 for they cannot all be critics4 ,but bear in mind that such confidence as your adviser here suggests is not to be too often called into requisition4 ,no great artist will ever make a serious mistake in public4 ,how much more careful then should the young student be6 ,,on ,,time ,,in ,,singing4 ,i need perhaps scarcely remind my readers who are or who wish to be singers that time concerns them quite as much as the conductor1 the pianist1 the violinist--in short1 the whole orchestra4 ,it behoves the student in singing to give early and careful attention to this important feature in his artistic training4 ,you may have the voice of a ,rubini1 you may be a second ,tamburini in quality and extent of voice1 but unless you can sing in time yourself1 and are able to do so with others1 and with the counter-acting influences of an orchestra1 you can never hope to rise in your profession4 ,it may be argued that you have no desire to lay yourself out for a career on the lyric stage4 ,then1 however1 you shut yourself out from some of the largest prizes in the profession2 beyond which there comes the question of oratorio business1 and the growing taste for band accompaniments to songs4 ,and if you restrict your ambition to a pianoforte accompaniment1 time is needed even with that in order to produce anything like a satisfactory rendering of the piece you may be singing4 ,the accompanyist may be a ,sir ,julius ,benedict1 or a ,signor ,randegger 7than whom there is no better in this country1 so neglected has this species of musical art-work become72 but a perfect rendering depends not so much upon the pianist as the vocalist4 ,if the singer flounders about with neither rhyme nor reason1 it is scarcely reasonable to expect the accompanyist1 clever as he may be1 to be always at his heels1 like a cat after a mouse4 ,i would therefore advise the student to invest his money in a ,metronome--the most useful thing with which he could provide himself4 ,they are not dear1 bearing in mind their utility1 and one will1 ,i am sure1 save the student much time and many a fiasco4 ,learn the working of this useful machine1 and practise all your exercises with it4 ,if you go to a good singing master1 you should ask him to time your exercises to the pace at which you should sing them1 and in this way you will not only be growing in a good habit1 but your singing will be characterized by a crispness and a certainty of attack1 which will be apparent to all musicians and amateurs with good taste4 ,your singing master will1 no doubt1 impress upon you the necessity of singing your songs in time1 and especially of slightly accenting the first and third beats in the bar if it is common time1 the first and fourth beats when it is compound common or #f_/h time1 and the first beat when it is triple or #c_/d time4 ,in this way there will be meaning given to your singing1 and those who may be accompanying you will be able to feel where you are1 and to keep time with you4 ,in singing a passage like this from ,cowen's charming song ,aubade1--the master1 if he knew his business1 would instruct his pupil to slightly accent the words as ,i have indicated with the mark ,v1 and to preserve strict time throughout the passage1 and especially in the taking up of the words after the long note on the word sleep4 ,the accompanyist would1 we may assume1 do likewise with his pianoforte part1 and in this way a perfect ensemble would be secured4 ,music3 ,sleep1 love1 sleep1 the morn is wak - - ing1 ,with this brief introduction to the subject1 ,i will proceed to give the student a few exercises in keeping and beating time1 the assiduous practice of which will1 ,i hope1 soon place him in the desirable position of being able to sing in time4 ,music3 ,ex4 #a4 ,four beats in a bar4 ,do ,re ,mi ,fa ,sol ,la ,si ,do ,do ,si ,la ,sol ,fa ,mi ,re ,do ,music3 ,ex4 #b4 ,do ,do ,re ,re ,mi ,mi c4 ,music3 ,ex4 #c4 ,do ,do ,do ,do ,re ,re ,re ,re c4 ,music3 ,ex4 #d4 ,do ,do ,do ,re ,re ,re c4 ,music3 ,ex4 #e4 ,do ,do ,re ,re ,mi ,mi c4 ,music3 ,ex4 #f4 ,do ,do ,do ,do ,do ,do ,re ,re ,re ,re ,re ,re c4 ,music3 ,ex4 #g4 ,do ,do ,do ,re ,re ,re ,mi ,mi ,mi c4 ,music3 ,ex4 #h4 ,do ,do ,do ,do ,do ,re ,re ,re ,re ,re c4 ,music3 ,ex4 #i4 ,do ,do ,do ,do ,re ,re ,re ,re c4 ,music3 ,ex4 #aj4 ,do ,do ,do ,do ,do ,do ,re ,re ,re ,re ,re ,re c4 ,music3 ,ex4 #aa4 ,do ,do ,do ,do ,re ,re ,re ,re ,mi c4 ,these exercises may be timed as slow as you like on your metronome--the slower the better--but #gf is a good pace to begin with2 when you have thoroughly mastered them at #gf1 take them a little quicker until you can sing them accurately up to a good brisk time4 ,no #a has but one note in the bar1 and this must be held on steadily for four beats of the metronome--care being taken to leave each note in sufficient time to take a fresh breath1 and attack the second note and syllable in precise time with the metronome beat4 ,i need1 perhaps1 scarcely point out that much good will be obtained if the student can accustom himself to feeling in his mind the rhythm and beating1 so as not to acquire the habit of trusting to mechanical appliances1 which are dispensed with at public performances4 ,the sol-fa-ing must be strictly adhered to1 and in ,exercises #b1 #c1 etc41 it will be seen that the syllable must be sounded twice and four times respectively4 ,with ,exercise #e the dotted note comes in2 but ,i will not stay to explain that1 as ,i assume that my readers will have acquainted themselves with the elements of musical theory before taking up singing4 ,especial care should be given to ,exercise #g1 as that is the first step in the difficult matter of syncopation1 carried out elaborately in ,exercises #h and #i4 ,with ,exercise #aa the question of ,rests comes in1 but the same remark that ,i made as to the dotted notes applies here4 ,everything that it is necessary to know about them should be found in any elementary musical grammar4 ,having mastered the above exercises1 the reader may take the following with two beats in the bar--taking the precaution to set them at a slow time on the metronome1 say #gf1 not singing them quickly until he is thoroughly acquainted with them4 ,music3 ,ex4 #a4 ,two beats to a bar4 ,do ,do ,re ,re ,mi ,mi ,fa ,fa ,sol ,sol ,la ,la ,si ,si ,do ,do ,do ,si ,si ,la ,la ,sol ,sol ,fa ,fa ,mi ,mi ,re ,re ,do ,music3 ,ex4 #b4 ,do ,re ,mi ,fa ,sol ,la ,si ,do ,do ,do ,si ,si c4 ,music3 ,ex4 #c4 ,music3 ,ex4 #d4 ,do ,do ,do c4 ,music3 ,ex4 #e4 ,do ,do ,do c4 ,music3 ,ex4 #f4 ,do ,do ,do c4 ,music3 ,ex4 #g4 ,do ,re ,mi ,fa ,sol c4 ,music3 ,ex4 #h4 ,after which he may take the following with three beats in the bar3-- ,music3 ,ex4 #a4 ,three beats in a bar4 #a #b #c ,do ,re ,mi ,fa ,sol ,la ,si ,do ,do ,do c4 ,music3 ,ex4 #b4 ,do ,do ,do c4 ,music3 ,ex4 #c4 ,music3 ,ex4 #d4 ,music3 ,ex4 #e4 ,music3 ,ex4 #f4 ,music3 ,ex4 #g4 ,music3 ,ex4 #h4 ,music3 ,ex4 #i4 ,,on ,,the ,,choice ,,of ,,music4 ,there are1 of course1 no rules to be given to guide the student in the choice of music1 except the general ones1 to choose good music1 pleasing music1 and music suited to his voice and powers4 ,but those general rules touch incidentally on a few points on which it may be well to offer a few remarks4 ,music must suit the ,voice4--,your music must not only be appropriate for your voice in compass1 but it must be such as has been written for a voice of your kind4 ,this is a most important thing to remember4 ,nothing is more provoking to a person of good taste and musical knowledge than to hear songs composed for a voice of one class sung by a voice of a totally different character2 and yet this is a vice which even good artists will sometimes weakly succumb to4 ,the popular song of ,gounod's1 ,quand tu chantes bere1 for instance1 has been sung to death by many soprani and contralti1 in various keys4 ,one would have thought that the words alone would have shown them the utter absurdity of what they were doing2 but no1 for the sake of producing an effect 7upon an audience who naturally supposed that public singers of high standing knew what they were doing1 and why they did it71 these good ladies committed what ,i do not scruple to call a vulgar and inartistic blunder4 ,the song is a man's song1 and no woman should attempt it4 ,this fault is one which amateurs are very apt to fall into1 and a long list might be made of songs which have suffered this unfair treatment4 ,soprani sing tenor songs--7,i have often1 in the early days of the popularity of ,il ,trovatore1 heard a soprano sing ,ah1 che la ,morte6--tenors1 those written for soprano--7e4g41 ,i know an amateur tenor whose crack song is ,iphis' ,farewell in ,jephtha74 ,contralti and mezzo-soprani steal bass and barytone songs1 as ,but who may abide1 from the ,messiah1 and basses and barytones return the compliment by appropriating ,what tho' ,i trace1 or ,o rest in the ,lord47 ,there is a reason1 quite apart from the question of taste1 which renders this practice objectionable4 ,a composer of any skill writes his accompaniment as well as his melody with reference to the voice which he wishes to sing it4 ,now1 if that voice be--we will say--a soprano1 the accompaniment will be written for a voice of that pitch1 as well as of that character and compass2 the progressions of harmony will be written with due regard to the actual place of the vocal notes in the scale4 ,but directly the song is sung by a tenor--a voice which pitches every note an octave lower than the soprano--the relation of the vocal notes to the accompaniment is changed2 notes that were intended to be fourths above the accompaniment will become fifths below1 and progressions which were correct in the composer's intention become wrong in the effect produced by the singer4 ,that is an extreme case1 ,i grant1 but it is only a fair instance of the sort of result which follows on such changes1 and it is sufficient to show that the rule rests on reason and not caprice4 ,original ,keys4--,do not bind yourself1 as some think it necessary to do1 always to sing your songs in the original keys4 ,remember that opera and oratorio music1 and a large number of modern ballads1 were composed for performance in large buildings1 theatres1 and concert-rooms4 ,the keys1 therefore1 were chosen with due reference to that fact1 and to the 7in many cases7 exceptional voices of the singers4 ,the raising of the pitch in later years also affects the question4 ,now1 if you have to sing in a drawing-room1 the pitch1 volume of tone1 and style of delivery must be appropriate to chamber music1 and not to the stage of ,covent ,garden1 and the keys which are necessary for due brilliancy and effect in a concert-room are frequently unsuited to a drawing-room1 giving an appearance of strain and noisiness to the singing4 ,a good deal of opera music is as unfit for singing in a drawing-room as would be a grand symphony for performance there2 and an artistic singer should bear in mind this principle of fitness in his selection4 ,at the same time1 if it is considered desirable to transpose a song1 let it be only for that reason1 and let the aim be to produce the same effect1 relatively1 in the drawing-room1 as the song in its original key is intended to produce in the concert-room4 ,do not transpose recklessly1 merely to suit your voice3 if you are a barytone1 for instance1 do not sing tenor songs a few notes lower2 or1 if you are a soprano1 do not transpose contralto songs to suit your register4 ,for the character of the music 7if the music is good7 suits the voice for which it was intended1 and there is a risk of destroying that character by giving it to a voice of another kind4 ,this has been proved over and over again on the stage in several notable instances4 ,execution4--,do not be too ambitious in selecting florid songs for performance either in public or private4 ,fireworks in a drawing-room rarely please1 while in a concert-room they must be very perfect and first-rate in execution to do so4 ,of course1 if you are a professional artist you must include such work in your studies1 and even for the amateur the practice of florid music1 under a master1 is most desirable as an exercise4 ,but where the choice of a song for a concert rests with yourself1 sacrifice ambition to prudence1 unless your voice is naturally a very flexible one1 and your training in that style of music very complete4 ,i give1 on this subject1 a quotation from an old and experienced writer on music and singing3 ,execution is certainly one of the most difficult parts of musical science4 ,young singers are desirous of attaining it without reflecting whether1 from the formation of the throat and various physical causes1 they may ever be able to accomplish their wishes4 ,few1 indeed1 possess the power of execution in a pre-eminent degree4 ,it is in part a gift of nature3 those who have ever delighted as well as astonished us by their rapid manner of running through divisions must have been naturally endowed with flexible organs4 444 ,some voices may be compared to gems which in their original state are dull1 and1 to those unacquainted with their worth1 of no value4444 ,it frequently happens that singers1 from timidity or want of proper knowledge in exercising their voices1 remain ignorant of their own qualifications4 ,the hinges of a door which have continued for years undisturbed1 will1 when the door is re-opened1 grate harshly on the ear2 but every effort renders the harshness more tolerable1 until1 from frequent use1 they move easily4 ,thus it is with the voice3 on the flexibility of the uvula and the muscles connected with it depend both the perfectibility of the shake and execution4 ,but still it must be acknowledged that acquired execution should never be exercised by the side of nature otherwise than sparingly1 even where necessity requires it1 for the latter possesses an easy velocity which can playfully sport with its subject at will2 but1 however gratifying the power of execution may be considered by those who possess it1 ,i recommend them not to be indiscriminately lavish1 lest they cloy by too great a profusion1 and1 as ,voltaire remarks1 'shine in trills and divisions1 at the expense of poetry and good sense4' ,fashion4--,the songs which are the rage at any time are always great snares for amateurs4 ,aspiring young singers hear a ballad charmingly rendered by some great singer1 and straightway go home1 send for it1 and on the first available opportunity treat their friends to their version of it4 ,this is really unfair to themselves1 as it throws them into unwise contrast with the public singer who has made the song popular1 and whose well-known rendering of it forbids ordinary hearers to judge the rendering of an amateur on its own merits1 or by any rule but that of comparison4 ,moreover1 popular songs--,i mean songs whose popularity is largely due to their having been sung by favourite public singers--are by no means always good in themselves2 or1 if fairly good1 by no means easy2 or if good and not difficult1 by no means always sufficiently so to make it worth while for an amateur to spend time and study on them4 ,in very many cases the public singer has to sing these songs because he is paid for doing so1 and gets a royalty on every copy sold2 it is simply one development of the hydra-headed art of advertising1 and such productions are known by the vulgar name of pot-boilers1 i4e41 compositions hastily thrown off to bring in a little money to keep the pot boiling4 ,if composers who are capable of better things are reduced to making money in this way1 we may be sincerely sorry for them2 but speaking from an artistic point of view1 the practice is reprehensible1 and pot-boilers are not the kind of music which a young singer1 anxious to improve1 should waste time or money upon4 ,i am far from saying that there are no good songs to be found among new music1 but ,i think they seldom lie on the top of the pile4 ,forming a ,repertoire4--,in gradually forming your repertoire1 or collection of properly studied songs for drawing-room or concert singing1 do not be in haste to make it a large one4 ,it is better to know only a few songs and do them really well1 than to sing a large number indifferently4 ,if you are studying for the profession1 there is a considerable number of songs which you will be expected to know as a matter of course1 but over and above such1 every singer should have a special repertoire of his or her own1 and it is of this that ,i now speak4 ,your selection of songs1 like your singing1 should have the stamp of your own individuality upon it4 ,you should have a little stock of songs1 with which your singing is in a way identified1 and which you must be able to sing in a manner that at once stamps those songs as your property1 so that another person might say1 ,i could not sing that song before you1 it is one of your own4 ,to form such a repertoire1 you may have to go a little out of the beaten track of what is best known at the time4 ,if opera music suits you best1 look at the operas1 never performed now1 of ,glck1 or the less known of ,mozart's1 or earlier works of ,rossini1 ,auber1 c42 or else try and get hold of works not yet known in ,england1 such as ,macfarren's1 ,wallace's1 ,purcell's1 and a few other such native dramatic composers4 ,in a word1 do not limit your notions of operatic music to what you hear year after year at ,covent ,garden or ,her ,majesty's4 ,so1 too1 in oratorio3 search in the less familiar oratorios of ,handel1 and such of his operas as you can get access to1 and carry the same idea out in examining the works of other composers1 ancient and modern4 ,good work has been done of late years by various publishers in publishing many works of this class1 and there are plenty of these which are still unfamiliar and unhackneyed4 ,the same with your songs and ballads3 before you rush into the modern fashionable ballad1 see if you cannot find a few that you can appropriate among the stores of old ,english music1 or the detached songs of old ,italian masters 7many of which are magnificent as songs1 and utterly unknown at present1 except to the few74 ,,physiological ,,surroundings4 ,it is highly expedient that singers themselves1 and intending students of the art1 should make some acquaintance with the physiological surroundings which are brought into play in the process of voice production4 ,a knowledge of the technical terms for the various organs directly involved is very essential1 and the intelligent student will see the necessity not only for distinguishing such names as larynx and diaphragm1 but also of possessing some idea of their whereabouts in the human frame4 ,no better course could be adopted for the acquirement of such a knowledge than attendance at the classes and lectures at the musical colleges and other institutions1 which1 from time to time1 secure the assistance of qualified specialists to speak upon this very important branch of the singing art4 ,no other mode of teaching is so well calculated to enlighten the uninitiated in the wondrous mechanism of the human voice1 and to inspire him or her with an adequate sense of the watchful care and delicate treatment which a voice worthy of systematic training demands1 as well as deserves1 at the hands of students of both sexes4 ,as a preliminary to a fuller inquiry into the subject1 the following few notes may be fixed upon the mind3-- ,the ,larynx 7larynx7 constitutes the upper part of the wind-pipe4 ,it is the seat of the voice1 and essential parts of it are the vocal cords 7chord vocales71 two membranes in a horizontal position across the larynx4 ,it is popularly called ,adam's apple 7pomum ,adami71 the protuberance so often recognizable in the throats of bass singers1 but a more correct use of pomum ,adami is when it is applied to a projection in the thyroid cartilage--a part of the laryngeal structure4 ,the ,thyroid 7from ,thyreos7 is a shield-shaped cartilage1 and that part of the larynx which1 in the case of both sexes1 develops suddenly at the period when they pass from youth to mature age4 ,other important cartilages are the cricoid 7from krikos71 a ring-shaped membrane2 the arytenoids 7from harytaina a pitcher72 the epiglottis 7epi-gltta71 situated at the back of the mouth2 and the cartilages of ,santorini1 or cornicula laryngis4 ,the trachea1 or wind-pipe1 is capable of rising or falling1 and thus is produced the perceptible movement of the larynx in the throat when speaking or singing4 ,it is by lowering the larynx1 and so commanding an expansion of the throat that the best tone is possible in the voice1 and it is this open throat production which some teachers are aiming at when they charge their pupils to sing from the chest4 ,a more sensible request would be to lower the larynx1 since such a lowering of this organ places the throat in the most favourable position for emitting sound2 as well as for enabling the lungs1 or wind-chests1 to act most advantageously upon the true vocal cords4 ,moreover1 this lowered larynx production leads to the best results from the vocal cords themselves4 ,the natural tendency is to sing as we talk1 a process which involves a demand upon the upper fringes of the vocal ligaments only1 but no long-sustained singing could be maintained by this means1 nor does it requisition any art-knowledge or principle4 ,directly1 however1 we begin to utilize the lower edge of the vocal cords1 we are verging upon the art of producing the voice2 i4e41 creating a something which will not manifest itself without the first application of some art principles4 ,here lies the whole secret of singing1 viz41 the utilization of the lower portions of the membranous folds popularly called the vocal cords1 instead of working merely their topmost fringes1 as do the innumerable tenors who sing throaty1 and as we all do up to a certain point1 in the ordinary process of speaking4 ,the singing voice and the speaking voice are two totally different productions1 the former never to be acquired except at the hands of a capable master1 who1 himself1 has been properly taught the principles of voice production4 ,the lungs1 or bellows1 or air-chambers lie1 as is well known1 on each side of the chest1 resting upon the diaphragm1 and performing a very important function in singing4 ,they supply the air which acts upon the vocal cords1 and in true singing are the first organs for consideration by a vocalist1 since so much depends upon the way the wind1 or breath1 is brought to bear upon the vocal cords4 ,for this reason the abdominal method of breathing--the filling of the lungs from their bases--becomes the best method for inspiring the breath in singing4 ,doubtless1 in breathing1 the lungs are replenished from above downwards1 but it requires something of the sensation of these air-supplying substances being filled from their bases in order to requisition the full help of the diaphragm1 a great muscle which separates the lungs from the abdomen1 and which may be called the fundamental basis on which all voice production rests4 ,the ,pharynx 7pharynx7 is situated behind the mouth1 between the tongue and the arch forming the circumference of the palate4 ,its province is to reflect the voice on its issue from the glottis4 ,it is an elastic aperture1 and may be well styled the reflecting organ of singing4 ,it can take various forms1 and bears a great part in giving character to the sounds originated in the larynx4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,voice--a ,wind1 ,reed1 or ,string ,instrument8 ,much discussion has spent itself in settling the question of family to which the vocal instrument properly belongs4 ,the vocal chords are known to be composed of a yellow elastic fibrous tissue in their anterior parts1 the posterior portions consisting of a tougher muscle or cartilage4 ,many maintain them to belong to the string family1 since the sounds generated are produced as on a violin--the higher notes by increased tension1 the lower tones by a reduction of the strain4 ,in this process1 the muscle1 popularly known as the epiglottis-cushion--a fat mucous membrane--presses on to the vocal cords1 modifying their vibrating length4 ,thus1 in an extreme high note1 the cushion presses intensely upon the cords1 considerably shortening their one inch length4 ,in reverting to a low note1 this tension becomes withdrawn1 and the whole length of cord is at play to produce its lowest tones4 ,an unfortunate objection to this theory--that the vocal cords can be styled a stringed instrument1 is the fact that no string of the small extent of the vocal cords could be capable of sounding either so many1 or such low notes2 moreover1 the mathematical treatment of their vibrations1 as governed by the tension1 is not correct1 as they are in the case of a violin4 ,it is a useful theory1 and method of reasoning1 however1 for those teachers of singing who maintain that to get high notes1 a light and thin style of singing1 and the use of the upper fringe of the vocal cords 7the production point71 is preferable1 in contradistinction to those who declare that no really good chest note with any telling power worth considering is possible1 unless the vocalist sings deep in his chest and gains the idea1 as he goes for his note1 of requisitioning with all effort the lowest depth in the cord4 ,surely this point presents the greatest difficulty for singers with whom compass1 especially at the top of the voice1 is an imperative necessity1 albeit that people go on talking to the contrary2 and it is a matter which needs settling among voice specialists and singing masters4 ,we are told1 and it is generally known1 that the tension of the epiglottis-cushion produces a higher note just as the shifting of the finger on the violin string affects its tone--a process which may produce falsetto sounds1 but which surely is not the basis upon which great ,italian singers of the ,mongini and ,tamberlik type secured the great chest ,cs1 which1 with their resonance and brilliancy1 were wont to make our opera houses ring again4 ,is it not a fact that in voices of this calibre1 as well as in those trained on what is known as the broad lines of the true ,italian production1 the whole surfaces of the vocal cords become more or less requisitioned1 and that they vibrate the whole of their length and breadth1 not merely the sides1 rather than that any upper portion is mainly utilized while the lower parts are resting8 ,the answer to this question would seem to indicate that the human voice is of the nature of a reed instrument4 ,these membraneous organs1 which we term vocal cords1 are such that their whole surfaces must vibrate when brought into contact with a current of air from the lungs4 ,the voice reed1 in fact1 vibrates freely backwards and forwards1 and so corresponds with what are known as free1 not beating reeds--such as are found in concertinas1 and the like4 ,that the voice is something of an organ pipe 7a flue pipe7 is an illusion only indulged in by writers and teachers prone to descriptive language1 which they do not stay to inquire into1 either for their own edification or for the enlightenment of other people4 ,there is absolutely nothing to maintain such an idea4 ,it is important that the nature of the matriel of the vocal cords should become widely known1 since such a knowledge1 elementary as it might be1 would1 at the outset1 enable students to get at once upon the right road to singing4 ,to grasp the idea that the initial sound-producing means are these bits of semi-lunar membranes1 acted upon by the breath from the lungs1 and that they vibrate violently or orderly in proportion to the care with which the breath is brought to bear upon them1 is to master the first great difficulty in singing4 ,this once grasped1 it is not hard to realize that the sound emitted is moulded and shaped1 modified and beautified by other organs of the laryngeal machine and its surroundings1 as well as by such variable conditions as the state of the human frame generally1 and the particular condition of those organs of the body most directly concerned in supporting the work of the larynx may happen to be in4 ,it will save the student much time if1 before he 7or she7 begins to study singing1 some first acquaintance be formed with the physiological surroundings of the human voice1 and it is worse than useless to go to a master who teaches singing in blind ignorance of1 and doubtless contempt for1 these physiological principles4 ,the student who has familiarized himself with the structure of the vocal organs will have made a much more intelligent progress in his art than the one who has not1 and will be competent none the less readily to understand the instruction of a qualified master than to detect the shameful pretence and humbug of the quack4 ,board ,teachers' ,laryngitis--,clergyman's ,sore ,throat--,throat ,exhaustion1 etc4--,among the greatest evils of this competitive teaching age is the mischief arising from the constant and at the same time injurious use of the voice4 ,all who use the voice constantly must learn how to breathe1 and produce the voice4 ,failing that1 serious mischief1 which even the specialist of throat hospitals cannot cope with1 must inevitably follow4 ,the only advice that can be given here is1 immediately that voice exhaustion sets in1 to consult not a doctor1 but a throat or voice specialist4 ,the best institution in the world for throat troubles is the ,throat ,hospital1 ,golden ,square1 ,london1 ,w4 ,,exercises4 ,this first exercise is a most useful one in the uniting of notes and in gaining facility4 ,the student should at first practise it very slowly1 mastering four bars at a time4 ,although ,i have divided it into fifteen examples1 it is really but one exercise1 with a minim rest between each phrase of four bars2 and it is in this example form that ,i wish the student ultimately to sing it with the metronome1 at say #gf1 taking breath only at the rest-mark1 and making the crescendo--not1 be it observed1 by forcing the tone and breath1 but by a gradual pressing down of the breath4#b #b ,the ,exercise should be a crescendo from piano to forte4 ,music3 ,ex4 #a4 ,music3 ,a4 ,music3 ,b4 ,music3 ,c4 ,music3 ,d4 ,music3 ,e4 ,music3 ,f4 ,music3 ,g4 ,music3 ,h4 ,music3 ,i4 ,music3 ,j4 ,music3 ,k4 ,music3 ,l4 ,music3 ,m4 ,music3 ,n4 ,music3 ,ex4 #b ,,nava4 ,music ,exercise #b is a further one for the practice of joining notes with the aid of the breath1 without the least resemblance to a jerk with either the sound or the breath4 ,to sing the exercise with advantage requires a very careful management of the respiratory organs1 and its continuous practice is one of the best means of managing the breath4 ,having inspired the breath after the manner already indicated herein1 proceed to sound the note ,f in a thin but firm and steady tone1 which you must gradually swell1 by pressing down the breath1 as it were1 into the following note ,g1 which you will continue to hold steadily by keeping down the breath as long as you can4 ,though you raise your tone of voice in passing from ,f to ,g1 you must dispel from your mind all notions of raising your breath or your larynx2 it is just the reverse2 you must lower these4 ,remember a golden rule--the higher your note the lower must it be generated in your chest1 and your breath must be under the note supporting it1 or there cannot possibly be any tone there4 ,on reaching the highest limit of this exercise1 the student will repeat the same operation down the scale1 which ,i need scarcely say is less difficult4 ,music3 ,ex4 #c4 ,,nava4 ,music ,music ,exercise #c may be timed #gf on your metronome4 ,it is a study to give freedom and flexibility to your voice4 ,none of the notes should be forced1 and the upper notes should be rendered with the mouth well open1 and with a quality of tone as similar as possible to that of the lower notes4 ,breath should be taken 7without losing time7 at the rest-marks4 ,there should be no break or jump in the tone1 but rather it should be one unbroken stream of melody1 as marked in the first phrase4 ,the voice1 in this exercise1 should be constantly moving3 no sooner should you be sounding the first note of the phrase than you should be moving to the second1 from the second to the next1 and so on4 ,be careful to sing the intervals exactly in time1 and in descending to notes satisfy yourself that you are singing the exact tone1 and that with certainty4 ,indecision is a grave fault in singing4 ,music3 ,ex4 #d4 ,intervals of thirds4 ,do ,re ,mi ,re ,do ,re ,mi ,fa ,mi ,re ,mi ,fa ,sol ,fa ,mi c4 ,music3 ,ex4 #e4 ,intervals of ,fourths4 99 ,here take breath4 ,music ,music3 ,ex4 #f4 ,intervals of ,fifths4 ,music3 ,ex4 #g4 ,intervals of ,sixths4 ,music3 ,ex4 #h4 ,intervals of ,sevenths4 ,,index4 ,page ,alto1 #cf ,bad ,lessons1 #ej ,bad ,masters1 #ej ,ballads1 #hj ,barytone1 ,basso-,cantante1 #db ,bass1 #dd ,board ,teachers' ,laryngitis1 #aad ,books of ,exercises1 #ea ,buffo1 #dh ,cathedral ,school1 ,the1 #gb ,chest1 ,falsetto1 and ,head1 #fj ,chorus ,singing1 #fi ,cleanliness1 #ac ,clearing the ,throat1 #ei ,compass1 #cj ,consonants1 #bd ,contralto1 #ce ,decision1 #hd ,diet1 #ac ,dramatic ,study1 #bg ,dress1 #af ,duration of ,practice1 #fg ,early ,rising1 #ac ,education1 ,general1 #bf ,emphasis1 #be ,english1 #bd ,execution1 #aje ,exercise1 #ae ,exercises1 #aae ,exercises1 ,first1 #fb ,books of1 #ea in ,beating ,time1 #hi ,expression1 ,facial1 #ed ,facial ,expression1 #ed ,falsetto1 #fj ,fashion1 #ajf ,first ,opinion1 ,a1 #dd ,forming a ,repertoire1 #ajg ,forte1 ,mezzo-,voce1 and ,piano1 #fj ,general ,education1 #bf ,musical ,study1 #gj ,german ,lieder1 ,modern1 #ga ,hair1 ,the1 #ad ,head1 ,singing in the1 #eh ,high ,notes1 #ei ,holding an ,audience1 #hf ,how to ,begin1 #fh ,humming1 #fi ,imitation1 #gj1 #he ,individuality1 #ec ,institutions1 #dh ,larynx1 ,the1 #aji ,late ,hours1 #ai ,lessons1 ,bad1 #ej ,lips1 ,position of1 #be ,masters1 #dh ,mezzo-,voce1 #fj ,mezzo-,contralto1 #ce ,mezzo-,soprano1 #cd ,mistakes in ,public1 #hf ,modern ,german ,lieder1 #ga ,morality1 #ai ,music to ,suit the ,voice1 #ajc ,musical ,study1 ,general1 #gj ,names of ,voices1 #bi ,nervousness1 #ba ,oratorio1 #gc ,original ,keys1 #ajd ,opera1 #gi ,perseverance1 #ed ,physiological ,surroundings1 #aji ,pharynx1 ,the1 #aaa ,position of ,arms1 #ee ,body1 #ee ,hands1 #ef ,larynx1 #eg ,throat1 #ef ,tongue1 #eg ,pronunciation1 #bb ,public ,singing1 #he ,public1 ,mistakes in1 #hf ,qualities of the ,voice1 #de ,recitative1 #ha ,repertoire1 ,forming a1 #ajg ,scale1 ,the1 #fj ,practice1 #fb ,schools of ,singing1 #dg ,self-,accompaniment1 #ee ,sentiment1 #hd ,singing in ,tune1 #fg ,slurring1 #hc ,smoking1 #ah ,soprano1 #cb ,study of ,songs1 #bj ,study of ,words1 #be ,styles1 ,traditional1 #ga ,teachers1 ,bad1 #ej ,teeth1 ,the1 #ae ,tenore-,leggiero1 #cg ,tenore-,robusto1 #ci ,throatiness1 #eh ,thyroid1 ,the1 #aaj ,time in ,singing1 #hg ,tone1 #fj ,traditional ,styles1 #ga ,variety ,indispensable1 #fh ,voices and their ,names1 #bi ,voice1 ,the2 ,a ,wind1 ,reed1 or ,string ,instrument1 #aaa ,vowel-,sounds1 #bc ,words1 ,study of1 #be ,printed by ,,ballantyne1 ,,hanson ,,co4 ,london ,edinburgh 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's note3 ,punctuation and formatting have been made consistent4 ,apparent printer's errors have been retained1 unless stated below4 ,page #fb1 disirable changed to desirable4 7,it cannot be too strongly impressed upon1 or too frequently pointed out to1 the singer 7no matter what may be the stage of his or her artistic development7 how desirable and advantageous it is to be constantly singing exercises and solfeggi in preference to songs47 ,page #gc and #gd1 shool changed to school4 7,you will find its good points equally insisted on in the oratorio school of singing1 while its defects should be avoided in any47 ,page #ajf1 divisious changed to divisions4 7,those who have ever delighted as well as astonished us by their rapid manner of running through divisions must have been naturally endowed with flexible organs47