99,,how ,,to ,,become                   
,a ,,successful ,,singer99              
,,by                                    
99,,madame ,,clara ,,butt               
,,madame ,,melba                        
,,signor ,,caruso                       
,,mr4 ,,ben ,,davies99                  
,,london3 ,,george ,,newnes1 ,,limited1 
,,southampton ,,street1 ,,strand1 ,w4,c4
                                        
99,,contents499   ,how to ,become a     
,successful ,singer4  ,by ,madame ,clara
 ,butt  ,the ,gift of ,song4  ,with     
,practical ,advice on ,voice ,culture4  
,by ,madame ,melba  ,hints on the       
,cultivation of the ,voice4  ,by ,enrico
 ,caruso  ,how to ,attain ,success in   
,singing4  ,by ,ben ,davies             
99,,how ,,to ,,become                   
,a ,,successful ,,singer499             
99,by ,,madame ,,clara ,,butt499   ,the 
question of how to sing a song involves 
touching upon a variety of points that  
might not at first sight be associated  
with the subject4 ,four distinct factors

 play prominent parts in the singing of 
any song1 however simple4  ,these are   
the ,voice1 the ,singer1 the ,master1   
and the ,song4  ,of these1 of course1   
the voice is of primary importance2 for 
unless an individual possesses in some  
degree the gift of song it is impossible
 for him or her to become a singer4  ,in
 very many cases1 needless to say1      
correct training1 by showing how the    
vocal organs can be used to the best    
advantage1 may achieve some sort of     
result4  ,but the voice so produced is  
often of an artificial character1 which 
can never approach the purely natural   
voice4  ,it is1 ,i believe1 held by a   
great many people that only those can   
sing who possess a throat and vocal     
organs suitable for the production of   
the voice1 but my own views on the      
subject do not coincide with this idea  
at all4  ,my point of view is that if   
you are meant to be a singer you will   
sing4  ,god sent ,his singers upon      
earth1 etc4  ,one often hears of        

operations upon the throat being        
performed with the object of improving  
the voice1 but here again ,i find myself
 in entire disagreement4  ,i think that 
if one is born with a deformity of the  
throat1 and has always sung easily with 
it1 any attempt to interfere with1 or   
alter1 that deformity1 may end in       
destroying the power of song altogether4
  ,when ,i was at the ,royal ,college of
 ,music ,i was constantly being urged to
 have my tonsils cut4 ,for a long time  
,i held out against it1 but at last     
consented4  ,however1 while ,i was      
actually seated in the operating chair1 
the doctor asked me to sing the vowel   
sound ,e on a high note1 and remarked   
upon the way my tonsils contracted while
 ,i sang it4  ,all at once ,i recalled  
the case of a girl ,i knew1 with a true 
soprano voice1 who had lost the ability 
to sing in tune after her tonsils had   
been cut4 ,might it not be the same in  
my own case8 ,this decided me in an     
instant4 ,i refused to let the operation

 be performed1 and from that day to this
 have never allowed my throat to be     
interfered with surgically in any way4  
,yet ,i have had every sort of throat   
that a singer would wish to avoid       
without my voice being affected in the  
least6  ,i started life1 almost1 with   
diphtheria1 have suffered from adenoids1
 and have experienced several attacks of
 quinsy4  ,among myself and my three    
sisters1 all of us being singers1 my    
throat is the worst of the lot1 and not 
in the least like a singer's throat4    
,the sister whose voice most nearly     
resembles mine is the one whose throat  
is most like mine2 and the sister who   
has a throat and vocal organs which are 
ideal from an anatomical point of view  
possesses a soprano voice which1 though 
particularly sweet1 is not strong6  ,one
 thing that ,i think exercises an       
enormous amount of influence upon the   
quality of voices is climate4  ,review  
the climatic conditions of the various  
countries1 and you cannot help remarking

 upon the number of natural voices that 
are met with in ,italy and in           
,australia1 in both of which countries  
the climate is unusually fine4  ,i      
believe that the brilliance of the      
,australian climate must be reckoned    
with very seriously in accounting for   
the peculiar brilliance which is a      
characteristic of ,australian singing   
voices1 while that ,italy is a country  
of singers is well known to everybody4  
,at the same time1 climatic conditions  
do not seem to affect the speaking      
voice1 which ,i imagine is more a       
question of language4  ,i have always   
thought that the ,english speaking voice
 is the best of any4 ,there is none of  
that nasal1 sonorous accent about it    
which1 for instance1 makes the speaking 
voice of the ordinary ,italian so       
unpleasant4  ,i was never so struck with
 this quality in ,italian speaking      
voices as upon one occasion when staying
 at an hotel in ,venice1 where there was
 a cafe almost beneath our windows4     

,even the beauties of ,venice hardly    
compensated for the nerve-racking nasal 
chatter that continually floated up to  
us from below4  ,it goes without saying 
that the voice needs a great deal of    
training and care if it is to be brought
 to the best development1 and one of the
 first faults that must be cured is in  
the taking1 and use of1 the breath4     
,this must be done in an entirely       
different way from that usually employed
 when speaking4 ,it would be impossible 
for me to deal fully in such an article 
as this with the question of how to take
 breath1 and as it is one of the first  
lessons that a singing master should    
teach1 ,i will confine myself here to   
saying that the main difference lies in 
the fact that1 when speaking1 the breath
 is usually taken from the chest1 but   
that when singing it must be controlled 
by the abdominal muscles4  ,when        
singing1 the muscles of the throat must 
be relaxed1 and not contracted4         
,self-consciousness often does more to  

mar a good voice than anything else1    
since it leads to the contraction of the
 muscles4 ,have you never noticed how   
pleasantly some people sing or hum to   
themselves when they imagine they are   
not overheard1 compared with the        
indifferent or even unpleasant manner in
 which they perform publicly8  ,here we 
have a direct example of the result of  
self-consciousness4  ,never mind your   
audience4  ,allow the song to carry you 
away1 so that you sing easily and       
naturally4  ,to acquire perfect control 
over the throat muscles1 so that they   
may be relaxed at will1 is one of the   
most difficult points in voice training4
 ,and one of the most common mistakes   
made in this respect is in              
over-practice4  ,the muscles of the     
throat are among the most delicate of   
the whole body1 and ,i am convinced that
 it is a fatal error to overtax them1   
especially during the early training of 
the voice1 by too much practice4        
,personally1 my training was very       

gradual1 and the greatest care was taken
 not to impose too much strain upon my  
throat at first4  ,i am confident that a
 number of short practices of ten or    
fifteen minutes' duration1 with         
intervals of rest between1 are better   
than a few long periods1 since the      
throat is thus less liable to become    
tired4  ,every expert in physical       
development will tell you that for the  
proper development of any set of muscles
 a gradual exercise that does not       
involve over-exertion is the best1 and  
,i would particularly emphasise the     
importance of this where the throat is  
concerned4  ,another point in connection
 with the voice which is too often      
overlooked is the question of general   
health4  ,my gardener sometimes         
complains that the flowers do not come  
to perfection owing to the poorness of  
the soil4 ,the simile is a very good    
one4  ,the vocal organs are like        
delicate flowers1 capable of the best   
development when the soil in which they 

are planted--the body--is in perfect    
condition4  ,it must be the object of   
all singers1 therefore1 to take the     
greatest care of their health4          
,over-exercise of the body generally    
should also be avoided1 just as much as 
over-exercising the throat4  ,it is     
easier to sing when the rest of the body
 has not been over-tired4  ,general     
exercise1 though essential to health1   
can be overdone just as much as vocal   
exercise4  ,these remarks apply         
particularly to the student4  ,it is    
while the voice is being formed1 more   
than after it has been formed1 that it  
is likely to be affected by such        
considerations as those just mentioned4 
,the mind plays a prominent part where  
the voice is concerned4  ,worry1        
unhappiness1 and mental strain of every 
description may lower the whole tone of 
the body1 and1 by lessening the         
inclination to sing1 make singing more  
difficult4 ,unfortunately1 one cannot   
take mental worries in small doses1 but 

must put up with them as they come2 and 
,i only mention this to impress upon my 
readers the more forcibly how important 
the general health of mind and body is  
where the voice is concerned4  ,after   
all1 the effect of mental or bodily     
strain upon the voice depends entirely  
upon the individual4 ,personally1       
whatever may be the state of my mind or 
my body1 ,i am able to sing in a sort of
 subconscious state4  ,it would hardly  
be possible to hit upon a more striking 
illustration of what can be done when   
one is in a subconscious condition than 
what ,i am about to relate4  ,at one    
time and another ,i have had to have    
operations performed--for appendicitis1 
for instance--which have necessitated my
 being put under ether4  ,on every      
single occasion ,i have sung in full    
voice while under the influence of the  
anaesthetic6  ,this was most remarkable 
perhaps on the occasion when ,i was     
being operated upon for appendicitis1   
for then the abdominal muscles1 which   

control one's breathing1 must naturally 
have been interfered with4  ,the fact is
 that trouble1 worry1 and ill-health    
have no effect upon the voice itself4   
,the voice is always there4  ,it is only
 the power of using it that may be      
impaired4  ,as ,i have already pointed  
out1 it is in the early stages of vocal 
training that the effects of ill-health1
 mental worry1 or overwork are most     
likely to be felt4  ,when the voice has 
been properly trained1 and the vocal    
organs fully developed1 they are less   
likely to suffer by the rest of the body
 being out of tune1 and it is therefore 
of particular importance for beginners  
to bear my remarks in mind4  ,here is   
another point which beginners should    
take to heart1 and follow as far as they
 are able4 ,try to avoid over-anxiety4  
,students often make the mistake1       
through over-anxiety1 of over-working   
their voices just before a concert1 with
 the result that they are not at their  
best when on the platform4  ,it is a    

good plan to rest both the body and the 
voice before singing in public4  ,i     
should like to emphasise the importance 
of this very fully4  ,young singers seem
 to lose sight1 half the time1 of the   
fact that they should be at their very  
best when on the platform4  ,personally 
,i always keep1 and have always kept1   
this clearly before my mind4  ,it is the
 greatest possible mistake to waste your
 efforts at the last moment in private4 
,rest before you sing in public1 in     
order that when you go on to the        
platform you may give your              
audience--who1 after all1 have paid to  
be entertained--of your best4  ,remember
 that while polishing is highly         
desirable1 there is such a thing as     
over-polishing1 and this1 instead of    
improving1 only wears out4  ,i am a     
great believer in the quiet study of a  
song without the aid of a piano4  ,not  
only does this avoid tiring the voice1  
but it enables the singer to fully grasp
 all the beauty and the meaning of the  

words and the music1 and so to enter    
into the spirit of the subject when upon
 the platform4  ,when on tour ,i        
frequently adopt this method of         
studying4  ,it enables one to be doing  
something useful when in the train1 or  
elsewhere1 when actual practice is      
undesirable or impracticable4  ,this    
resting of the voice before singing in  
public applies not only to vocal        
exercises1 but to all kinds of          
over-exertion of the throat4  ,even     
those who are aware of the danger1 and  
who are careful to refrain from         
singing-practice just before an         
appearance in public1 very frequently   
forget that speaking may tire the voice 
every whit as much as singing4 ,it is   
most important not to do too much       
talking for some hours before a public  
appearance is made4 ,in this way the    
throat will be thoroughly rested4  ,in  
singing1 as in everything else1         
experience teaches1 better than any     
amount of instruction1 what an          

individual is capable of1 and how the   
full power and merit of the voice may   
best be acquired and preserved4 ,when   
students have found their feet          
sufficiently to understand the best way 
to manage their voices1 they will be    
able to regulate their practice         
according to what leads to the best     
result in each individual case4  ,some  
may be best suited by morning practice1 
others by afternoon practice4           
,personally1 ,i put in most of my       
practice between the hours of eleven and
 one each morning4  ,the next factor to 
be considered is the ,singer4           
,temperament1 individuality1 force1     
dramatic ability1 perseverance1         
industry1 keenness1 and ambition all    
play a part in the making of a          
successful singer and in the singing of 
a song successfully4  ,it is in the     
earlier stages of the singer's career   
that some of these qualities are most   
necessary1 for many years of hard and   
constant study have sometimes to be     

faced4  ,it is during this time that    
perseverance1 industry1 keenness1 and   
ambition1 if they are possessed1 will   
help the student on so enormously2      
indeed1 while ambition and keenness will
 do most perhaps in the early stages1   
industry and perseverance are required  
all the time1 for it is impossible to   
reach a stage where there is nothing    
left to learn4  ,singing is but one     
branch of art1 and a singer can learn   
something from every other branch4 ,from
 the ,actor may be gleaned hints for    
dramatic effect2 from the ,painter may  
be acquired an appreciation of breadth  
and colour2 from the ,orator may be     
picked up many useful hints as regards  
enunciation1 modulation1 and emphasis2  
while the ,writer may inspire those     
beautiful thoughts which1 taking root in
 the singer's mind1 help towards that   
mental health which is as important to  
the perfect voice as physical fitness4  
,it will be seen1 therefore1 that one   
may never have done studying2 for there 

are constantly new actors1 new speakers1
 new painters1 or new writers from whom 
something may be learnt1 while in       
painting and literature alone there are 
great masterpieces to such number that  
no one singer could ever hope to study  
them all4  ,it must be remembered1 also1
 that what satisfied the public ten     
years ago does not satisfy them now1 and
 as a singer must keep pace with every  
advancement that is made1 there is      
constant study to be done4  ,the first  
thing the possessor of a voice looks out
 for is naturally some one to train it1 
and this brings us to the question of   
the master4  ,it is not my intention to 
give advice as to the selection of      
master or masters2 indeed1 it would be  
impossible to do so1 partly because     
there are so many masters between whom  
it would be invidious to make           
comparisons1 and partly because such an 
article as this is intended more to     
assist the general run of students1 who 
are spread over so large an area that   

they could not all reach the best-known 
masters1 but are obliged to study       
locally4  ,in ,england and in the       
,colonies there are many very good      
schools and colleges for vocal training1
 and there are competent teachers1 most 
of them emanating from our great        
,colleges and ,academies1 within reach  
of almost every district4  ,while ,i do 
not wish to appear unpatriotic1 however1
 it must frankly be admitted that       
students must study on the ,continent if
 the best results are to be achieved1   
since only on the ,continent can they   
study in that ,musical ,atmosphere which
 is so essential a surrounding for one  
who essays an artistic career4  ,even if
 prolonged study on the ,continent is   
out of the question1 it is advisable1 at
 all costs1 for ,continental musical    
centres to be visited4  ,no musical     
education can otherwise be complete4    
,you must not think that ,i wish to run 
down ,english masters4  ,quite the      
contrary3 ,i think you can get just as  

good masters here as abroad4  ,it is    
simply the question of                  
,atmosphere--surroundings4 ,there is no 
city in ,england where the pupil can    
study amid such surroundings that music 
and artistic ideas and ideals hem him in
 on every side1 so that they meet him   
whichever way he turns1 and so that the 
feeling that music is the only thing in 
the world remains with him1 waking and  
sleeping1 during the whole period of his
 study4  ,only when surrounded by such  
an ,atmosphere can the student be       
properly developed where his musical    
ideas are concerned1 for only these     
surroundings can develop that artistic  
temperament which is so essential4  ,and
 apart from the question of ,musical    
,atmosphere1 seeing that a singer is    
frequently called upon to render songs  
in ,french1 ,german1 and ,italian1 it is
 necessary that those languages should  
be studied in ,france1 ,germany1 and    
,italy1 if perfection is to be acquired4
  ,it is a very grave fault of our      

musical colleges and academies that they
 employ1 as a rule1 ,english teachers to
 give instruction in foreign languages4 
,if in one's student days one had a good
 master for these languages--a          
,frenchman to teach ,french1 a ,german  
to teach ,german1 and so on--it would be
 of the greatest possible assistance1   
and would save a considerable amount of 
time and labour1 since so much less     
would have to be unlearned4 ,it is not  
too much to say1 ,i think1 that our     
musical institutions will never reach   
the highest point of their utility till 
they do this4  ,but before learning to  
sing in foreign languages at all1 it is 
essential that pupils should learn to   
sing in their own language4  ,masters in
 this country teach their pupils to sing
 passably in ,french1 ,italian1 and     
,german1 but directly they attempt to   
sing in ,english one is horrified to    
find that their enunciation is so bad   
that it is impossible to understand the 
words they sing1 and almost out of the  

question to tell what language they are 
singing in6  ,surely it should be the   
first object of the teacher to instruct 
his pupils in the singing of their own  
language4  ,i verily believe that the   
reason why our language is looked down  
upon for singing in is because so many  
of our native singers do not know how to
 sing it properly4  ,there are much     
harder sounds in the ,german language1  
for instance4  ,yet ,german songs are   
constantly sung by singers of every     
nationality4  ,how often does one hear  
of ,english songs being sung in ,france1
 ,germany or ,italy by ,french1 ,german1
 and ,italian singers8 ,even when they  
give recitals over here their programmes
 seldom include an ,english song1 and   
one is even more struck by so many of   
our own vocalists giving recitals at    
which often not a single song in        
,english is included6  ,when ,english is
 properly sung1 it is as easy to sing   
in1 and as beautiful to listen to1 as   
any other language1 and if students were

 taught how to sing it1 its popularity  
among singers would1 ,i feel convinced1 
quickly spread4  ,i remember very well  
indeed singing on one occasion to       
,madame ,marchesi in ,paris4  ,i boldly 
chose an ,english song1 and upon coming 
to the end of it1 was much pleased by   
the tribute ,madame ,marchesi paid to   
our language when she said to me1       
,english is beautiful when sung like    
that6  ,it should emphatically be the   
first duty of a master to teach his     
pupils how to use their native language1
 and no other should be attempted till  
they can do this perfectly4  ,the       
slipshod methods so frequently met with 
now would then soon disappear1 and ,i am
 sure it would not be long before other 
countries began to appreciate the many  
beauties of the ,english language for   
singing in1 and we should get more songs
 written by good composers to some of   
our beautiful ,english poetry4  ,before 
,i leave this question of the master    
there is one other point for me to touch

 upon4  ,although1 when once they have  
mastered the singing of their own       
language1 pupils should seek the        
,musical ,atmosphere of the ,continent1 
it must be remembered that there is one 
branch of music which is peculiarly our 
own1 and which must accordingly be      
studied here4  ,i refer to ,oratorio4   
,england is the home of ,oratorio1 and  
consequently this style of singing      
cannot be studied abroad4  ,and for any 
singer who looks forward to entering the
 musical profession1 careful study of   
this branch is absolutely indispensable4
  ,oratorio is very popular here1 and   
,english audiences will not for a moment
 tolerate singers who fail to acquit    
themselves well when they undertake it2 
and as most professionals have to do    
,oratorio work at one time or another1  
care must be taken that the public are  
not given renderings which fail through 
lack of proper study and application4   
,oratorio entails much study and        
research that is unnecessary where other

 branches of singing are concerned4     
,not only must the whole work be studied
 so that the singer may become          
acquainted with the full intention of   
the composer1 but a special study must  
be made of the character which the      
singer is to perform1 in order that all 
the feelings and emotions he or she     
would have felt in real life may be     
properly understood before an attempt is
 made to reproduce them4  ,if the best  
results are to be achieved1 the life1   
habits1 failings1 aims1 and ambitions of
 the character to be interpreted must1  
as far as possible1 be carefully studied
 and thought about1 in order that the   
singer may better appreciate the        
situations which occur1 and know how the
 character portrayed would have felt and
 acted in them4  ,the ,bible throws     
considerable light upon the life and    
character of most of the personages who 
have a place in ,oratorio1 and it is    
therefore useful1 when studying some    
particular work1 to examine carefully   

that portion of the ,bible which may    
throw light upon the subject4  ,lastly1 
we come to the song1 and this is a      
question upon which ,i hold very decided
 views4 ,the object of singers should be
 to give the greatest amount of pleasure
 to their audiences1 as well as to use  
all that is best and highest in their   
art to inspire good thoughts1 and raise 
the mental standard of their hearers4   
,the larger proportion of every audience
 can only follow the words of the song  
in ,english4  ,they can fully appreciate
 the beauty of the music1 ,i admit1 and 
for this reason every artist should have
 some of the most beautiful songs of    
other countries in his or her           
repertoire1 but it is a lamentable fact 
that good translations are very rare4 ,i
 like to choose as many songs as        
possible in ,english1 so that their     
meaning and their message can be readily
 understood and appreciated by my       
audience4  ,i believe that it is within 
the power of an artist to actually      

lessen1 or1 at any rate1 to temporarily 
relieve1 the cares and worries of which 
each member of an audience has a share2 
and ,i am sure that the easiest way to  
do so is to sing songs whose meaning1   
and whose message1 is immediately       
understandable4  ,in conclusion1 ,i     
cannot insist too strongly upon the     
necessity for hard work and perseverance
 for those who are to succeed in the    
world of music4 ,too many people imagine
 that the gift is everything4 ,but1     
indeed1 this is not the case1 for though
 the gift is1 of course1 indispensable1 
much application and hard work are      
necessary before it can be made use of  
to the best advantage4  ,given a voice  
and some dramatic instinct1 there still 
remains careful and laborious training  
to be gone through before a singer can  
know how to sing a song and be able to  
put that knowledge into practice4  ,the 
great thing is to be sincere1 to be     
individual1 and to grasp at the         
beginning of one's career the           

impossibility of pleasing everybody1 and
 the necessity of being true to oneself1
 and if others see the truth            
differently1 be deferential1 and not    
servile1 to their alien point of view4  
99,,the ,,gift ,,of ,,song499           
99,,with ,,practical ,,advice ,,on      
,,voice ,,culture499                    
99,by ,,madame ,,melba499   ,during the 
years immediately preceding my first    
and1 for me1 my most memorable visit to 
,europe1 the late ,marquis of ,normanby 
was ,governor of ,victoria4  ,at that   
time ,i was regarded in ,melbourne as a 
very good amateur pianist1 much in      
request for private parties1 at which ,i
 always played1 and on very rare        
occasions also sang4  ,at one of these  
functions1 given at ,government ,house1 
,i gave some songs between the          
pianoforte selections1 and the          
,marchioness of ,normanby1 in thanking  
me1 said1 ,child1 some day you will give
 up the piano for singing1 and then you 
will become famous4  ,that was the      

simple comment that set me seriously    
thinking of a career as a singer4  ,i   
had always felt that ,i would become a  
professional in music--pianist1         
organist1 violinist1 perhaps1 but       
something in music1 at any rate2 but    
from that moment ,i knew in an          
irresistible way that ,i was to be a    
singer4  ,that remark of the            
,marchioness made me understand1 and    
determined me to grasp the skirts of    
happy chance4  ,i courted every         
semblance of opportunity1 and ,i see    
now1 as then1 how fateful a factor      
opportunity must be with all who aim at 
a public career4  ,even the born singer 
may waste divine gifts for want of      
opportunity1 and the possessor of highly
 developed vocal talent may entirely    
sink into obscurity without it4  ,among 
students of similar talent and health   
she who succeeds is the one with alert  
mind1 who is ever on the qui vive for   
her chance4  ,the girl who fails is     
generally lacking in mental and physical

 energy--too prone to believe that      
opportunity on ready foot trips unsought
 even to the laggard's door4  ,the born 
or inspired singer always sings1        
although in isolated cases want of      
opportunity may limit the sphere of     
those rarely endowed people4  ,while it 
is true that the present time offers    
extraordinary scope for art by reason of
 a wide-spread knowledge on all         
subjects1 ,i think the increased chances
 of success which the growing popularity
 of music offers have been largely      
discounted by the numbers of performers 
and professors who1 without proper      
qualifications have set themselves up as
 apostles of music1 and unfairly and    
recklessly overcrowded a profession     
which should be exceptionally difficult 
to enter4  ,no doubt many aspirants--,i 
speak solely of women--are encouraged   
and flattered by the fact that in the   
profession of music women fare better   
than in any other walk of life1 and the 
monetary reward of great singers and    

teachers may be said to have reached a  
stage of almost extravagant             
appreciation4  ,in my opinion the great 
singers of our day would not be so few  
if there were more competent teachers   
and a more complete realisation of the  
greatness of the task4  ,it is not that 
lovely voices are rarer than formerly1  
or talent more sparingly given of ,god4 
,the piano or violin student will devote
 ten years to the technique of his      
instrument1 while the vocalist or the   
teacher too often regards research at an
 end after studying a year or two1 or   
even a few months only4  ,just here1    
however1 ,i should like to make it plain
 that the student who cannot give a     
promising account of herself after      
eighteen months' thorough study is1 to  
my mind1 never likely to do really great
 things4 ,i do not mean for a moment    
that she should then be a full-fledged  
singer1 but that she should be able to  
give clear indications as to future     
possibilities4  ,the real study actually

 begins after one has come before the   
public1 and it is to subsequent         
development that the most earnest       
attention should be paid4  ,year after  
year the artiste will make striking     
progress if music be really in her soul1
 and from life and its varied           
experiences she will learn              
interpretative nuances which no other   
teacher can bestow4 ,let me say1 too1   
that in this life-long study the singer 
must not be too rigidly bound by the    
tenets of technique4  ,she must think   
and feel for herself1 and to a great    
extent be guided by her individuality4  
,in too many cases the vocal student has
 only the merest smattering of knowledge
 about the marvellous and delicate      
mechanism that produces the singing     
voice4  ,languages and travel1 too1 are 
neglected for one reason or another1    
chiefly through the spirit of haste1 the
 desire to reach ends by short cuts such
 as were unknown to the old ,italian    
masters1 who taught on physiological    

principles that were1 on the whole1     
marvellously accurate2 although in many 
respects we have greatly progressed     
since their day4  ,in every country with
 which ,i am familiar--and they are     
many--,i have been struck by the voices 
maimed or entirely ruined by ignorant   
tuition4 ,of course it is not possible  
for me to hear more than a few of the   
students who seek my opinion on their   
voices1 for ,i frequently have thirty or
 forty such applications in a single    
day2 but almost without exception ,i    
find those ,i can hear following methods
 which are causing positive injury to   
the delicate vocal chords4  ,in all     
learned and mechanical professions      
certain technical tests are insisted on 
before a person is accepted as an       
authority2 but in music it is not so4   
,any charlatan1 whose only              
qualifications may be confidence and    
casual observation1 may set up as a     
teacher and persistently trick the      
public1 which is only too easily        

deceived4  ,i speak strongly on this    
subject1 having in mind the cruel vocal 
havoc to which ,i have just referred4   
,just as the engineer must know the     
structure and parts of his engine1 or   
the architect the nature and relative   
values of material as well as the       
principles of design1 so must the       
would-be singer understand the easily   
injured structure and delicate functions
 of voice mechanism4  ,a knowledge of   
the structure of the larynx1 and the    
general muscular mechanism of           
voice-production1 unequalled in delicacy
 anywhere in the human body save perhaps
 in eye and ear1 will be a revelation1 a
 very helpful revelation1 to the        
student4 ,and unless the structure of   
the larynx be understood1 the attack1 or
 application of the air blast to the    
vocal strands1 cannot be perfect4  ,if  
the student seeks the best1 she must get
 a complete understanding of the methods
 of the old ,italian masters1 as        
sculptors turn to the ,greek for what is

 soundest and noblest in the plastic    
art4 ,together with this recommendation1
 ,i join my condemnation of the tremolo 
and white voice so dear to many ,italian
 singers4  ,i cannot too forcibly insist
 that the mere possession of a lovely   
voice is only the basis of vocal art4   
,nature occasionally startles one by the
 prodigality of her gifts1 but no       
student has any right to expect to sing 
by inspiration1 any more than an athlete
 may expect to win a race because he is 
naturally fleet of foot4  ,methods of   
breathing1 attack1 and the use of the   
registers must all be perfectly         
understood by the successful singer1 who
 should likewise be complete master of  
all details relating to the structure   
and use of those parts above the voice  
box1 and be convinced of the necessity  
of a perfectly controlled chest         
expansion in the production of tone4    
,for perfect singing1 correct breathing1
 strange as it may sound1 is even more  
essential than a beautiful voice4  ,no  

matter how exquisite the vocal organ may
 be1 its beauty cannot be adequately    
demonstrated without proper breath      
control4  ,here is one of the old       
,italian secrets which many singers of  
to-day wholly lack1 because they are    
unwilling to give the necessary time for
 the full development of breathing power
 and control4  ,phrasing1 tone1         
resonance1 expression1 all depend upon  
respiration2 and in my opinion musical  
students1 even when too young to be     
allowed the free use of the voice1      
should be thoroughly taught the         
principles of breathing4  ,indeed1 the  
science of taking breath is a study     
peculiarly suited to the years of       
childhood and adolescence2 for apart    
from other considerations1 there are few
 things so conducive to good health as  
good breathing4 ,and1 owing to the      
greater elasticity of the human frame in
 the time of youth1 the chest is then   
more easily developed and expanded4     
,any exercises that give strength to the

 diaphragm are of special value1 since  
this is the principal muscle of         
inspiration4  ,expiration1 however1 is  
not so easily controlled as inspiration1
 and on that score calls for the most   
careful practice4 ,faulty or hurried    
breathing always interferes with the    
true vibration of the vocal strands1 and
 all circumstances that tend toward     
either should be scrupulously avoided2  
more especially at the time of a        
singer's first entrance on the stage or 
concert platform1 which is always a     
moment of nervousness and doubt4  ,it is
 an excellent practice for a nervous    
singer to take a few deep breaths on    
entering1 and the inexperienced should  
avoid numbers with exacting opening     
bars4  ,few people1 by the way1 realise 
how much even the most famous of singers
 is at the mercy of the audience1 and   
how a wave of indifference or apathy    
borne from the serried thousands of a   
theatre or concert-hall can often take  
all the colour out of the loveliest     

voice1 and all the necessary abandon out
 of an interpretation4  ,i have known   
some of the greatest singers of our     
day--and myself1 too--to fall incredibly
 below their normal standard for no     
other reason than that of               
irresponsiveness on the part of their   
audience4 ,in this respect ,i confess ,i
 am myself extremely sensitive4  ,i can 
almost always give my best when ,i feel 
that the heart of the audience bids me  
excel4  ,even a good general knowledge  
of music does not imply knowledge of    
scientific voice production4 ,correct   
vocalisation is only possible on strict 
physiological principles4  ,i insist    
upon this1 because it is rational and   
logical4  ,in this way faults are better
 recognised and explained2 the student  
may the more surely guide her own       
development or effectively restore an   
injured voice1 and generally advance her
 physical welfare1 which is a vital     
point4  ,therefore those who do not     
believe in attainment through patient   

and intelligent labour would do well to 
abandon an art career1 for that way lies
 disappointment4  ,hasten slowly applies
 supremely in the highest voice culture2
 but1 unhappily1 this is not the note of
 our age4  ,according to my idea1 the   
student of singing can best learn this  
subtle and complex art in those centres 
where music has been longest established
 and most generally practised2 where it 
is1 in a word1 part of the daily life of
 the people rather than the recreation  
or luxury of the few4  ,for this reason 
,i consistently recommend study in      
,italy1 ,france1 and ,germany1 and      
particularly for ,american1 ,canadian1  
,english1 and ,australian students4  ,i 
put my own country last1 in the spirit  
of courtesy2 but as a producer of voices
 it really ought to come first in       
consideration4  ,as ,i have said1 ,i am 
opposed to every girl with a little     
knowledge of music embracing the art as 
a profession merely because she         
considers it more genteel than other    

avenues to earning a livelihood4 ,a girl
 should have some real qualification    
before she looks forward to becoming a  
professional singer4  ,kindly and       
necessarily biassed compliments from    
relatives and friends on the singing of 
a few ballads in the home-circle or at  
an amateur concert should not be        
sufficient to thrust her upon the       
patience of the musical public4  ,high  
and unprejudiced authority should be    
sought for her guidance1 preferably from
 a singer who knows the conditions and  
atmosphere of the world's greatest      
musical centres4  ,in this regard a     
person who has had only local experience
 cannot possibly be a good judge of what
 is needed for the career of a great    
singer4 ,an invaluable factor in musical
 success is the study of foreign        
languages4  ,these are always most      
successfully acquired in the countries  
where they are the native tongue4       
,thus1 residence in the established     
centres of music in the ,old ,world and 

intimacy with their language and        
traditions give the student a surety and
 authority in her work that cannot      
possibly be gained in any other way4    
,of course1 robust physical health is of
 paramount importance4 ,without it a    
great vocal career is absolutely barred4
  ,i admit that there is much in a      
singer's life conducive to this physical
 robustness2 as1 for example1 the       
vigorous use of the breathing apparatus4
  ,but this may be more than            
counteracted by late hours1 much        
travelling by night1 concentrated       
efforts1 and disappointment resulting   
from the caprice of public taste or     
other causes4  ,plenty of fresh air1    
plain food1 a reasonable amount of      
exercise1 and eight or nine hours' sleep
 are all necessary to the young singer1 
whose larynx is quick to reflect the    
general physical condition4  ,at the    
same time1 common sense and individual  
temperament should be the best of all   
health rules4 ,i myself always suffer in

 a steam-heated apartment2 ,i consider  
the general overheating in ,america a   
menace1 and never allow the temperature 
of my rooms to rise above #fj degrees2  
while at the same time the whole range  
of my apartments is continually         
freshened with pure air4  ,the singer   
should aim at becoming a hardy plant    
rather than a hot-house flower4  ,i know
 that a girl with a voice receives a    
painful revelation of the delicacy of   
her vocal organs when she passes from a 
superheated room to the low temperature 
of a winter's day outside4  ,but ,i     
consider dry feet far more important    
than the muffling up of the throat on   
raw1 slushy days4  ,a singer's diet     
should include plenty of fresh fruit and
 vegetables4  ,i myself take for        
breakfast only a cup of tea and a little
 toast4  ,at luncheon ,i have a cutlet  
or a little chicken1 some stewed fruit1 
with a light salad1 but no rich food4   
,my chief meal is1 of course1 dinner1   
which ,i take rather late at night1     

generally at #g4de1 unless ,i am        
singing1 when ,i take a light--very     
light--meal about five in the afternoon4
  ,a question often asked me is1 ,how   
early should a girl begin the more      
serious business of voice culture8      
,never before she is seventeen4 ,even a 
limited study before that age will      
interfere with the development of the   
vocal organs1 and perhaps do them       
serious injury4  ,among my daily letters
 are many from girls of fifteen and     
sixteen asking for a hearing2 but ,i    
always tell them they are too young1    
however promising4  ,as to the age limit
 the other way1 ,i feel it would be     
impossible to give any good general     
advice4  ,i would point out1 in this    
connection1 that some artists of        
world-wide repute are singing as well   
today as they did twenty years ago1     
while others have broken down in a few  
short years1 or have become hopelessly  
defective in their vocal results4  ,it  
is all a question of correct or         

incorrect methods4  ,apropos of the need
 for foreign languages1 ,i recall an    
amusing episode4 ,not long after my     
debut in ,brussels as ,gilda in         
,rigoletto1 ,i began to study the opera 
of ,lakme under the direction of        
,delibes1 its composer4 ,but my         
pronunciation of ,french at that time   
was evidently considered by the         
directors of the opera as the ,french of
 ,stratford-atte-,bowe1 and they doubted
 whether ,i ought to sing in ,lakme at  
all4  ,one day1 much perplexed in       
council1 they sent for the composer1 and
 told him their troubles4  ,qu'elle     
chante en chinois1 si elle veut1 cried  
,delibes1 pounding the table with angry 
fist1 mais qu'elle chante mon opera6    
7,she may sing in ,chinese if she likes1
 so long as she sings my opera47 ,but ,i
 was really backward in ,french1 and on 
that account set to work and studied no 
less than six hours a day under a       
thoroughly competent ,brussels teacher4 
,at the same time1 ,i should warn the   

student to be careful not to overdo her 
work1 in her enthusiasm for all the     
musical advantages she sees about her4  
,i think music should be thoroughly     
known before it is sung4 ,it is a       
serious tax on the voice to sit down at 
the piano and try to sing an aria with  
which the singer is not familiar4  ,half
 an hour's practice is enough1 unless   
the student has exceptional physique2 in
 that case ,i should say half an hour   
every morning and afternoon4  ,i have   
met scores of students abroad whose     
mistaken diligence impels them to       
practise for hours at a stretch4  ,such 
an error may do irretrievable harm to a 
voice4  ,it is well to realise that the 
entire vocal mechanism is an exquisitely
 delicate instrument1 capable of being  
played upon by its owner in a way almost
 impersonal1 so that ignorance may mean 
fatal injury4  ,for this reason no      
enthusiasm would induce practice to the 
extent of tiring the voice4  ,as to how 
long this foreign study should last1    

this1 of course1 depends upon the mental
 capacity of the student4  ,young       
singers of many nations cite to me my   
own case2 for after nine months' study  
in ,paris1 ,i came out as a full-fledged
 prima donna at the ,brussels ,opera    
,house4  ,but ,i may say at once that   
mine was an exceptional case1 for ,i was
 born with a natural trill and an       
absolute control of breath1 so that as a
 child of seven ,i was as far advanced  
naturally as some mature students are   
after years of patient study4  ,in      
connection with the natural trill1 my   
fellow-pupils at college in ,east       
,melbourne1 ,australia1 used to gather  
round me and say curiously1 ,nellie1    
make that funny noise in your throat4   
,it amused them4  ,but to assume that   
the bel canto of perfect technique is to
 be acquired after nine months' foreign 
study would be unwise4  ,on the other   
hand1 as ,i have already stated1 if a   
girl cannot give good account of herself
 after eighteen months' serious study1  

,i think she is not destined to         
illuminate vocal art4  ,still1 any      
ordinary term spent in vocal study      
cannot be regarded as wasted1 for no    
system of physical exercise is so       
beneficial to a woman as that involved  
in the higher branches of vocal culture4
 ,at least the disappointed one carries 
back with her a pleasing and expressive 
voice for ordinary conversation4  ,here 
is a matter to which little attention is
 paid1 yet how much pleasure does a     
beautiful speaking voice convey6 ,it is 
surely a valuable asset all through     
life4  ,as to extraneous aids to vocal  
study1 there is none so beneficial as   
the constant hearing of great singers in
 the roles which have secured them fame4
 ,indeed1 no matter what branch of music
 a girl selects for her special study1  
,i should strongly urge her to hear all 
the fine music possible1 whether opera1 
orchestra1 concert1 or oratorio4  ,she  
can learn something valuable from all4  
,let me emphasise this point1 for in    

this way the student will see theory put
 into practice4  ,it is as if a young   
painter should visit the marvellous     
,tribuna of the ,uffizi ,palace in      
,florence1 where the supreme examples of
 the great masters are hung2 or the     
young sculptor should study ,michel     
,angelo in the vast galleries of the    
,vatican4  ,thus no opportunity of      
hearing accepted interpreters should be 
lost4  ,the student who goes to ,europe1
 of course1 has exceptional             
opportunities all the year round2 but   
the ,american or ,english girl can hear 
in ,new ,york or ,london during the     
musical season a combination of singers1
 conductors1 and instrumentalists that  
is the best of the entire musical world4
  ,in addition1 she should read         
everything authoritative on music and   
musicians1 at the same time not         
confining herself to musical subjects4  
,for a wide and wise reading of         
everything that broadens the mind and   
gives one a truer knowledge of art and  

nature is of supreme importance4        
,nothing so helps the interpretative    
sense as a fine and cultivated          
imagination1 and an appreciation of     
nature's beauties1 great paintings1     
statuary1 and the best literature gives 
one an artistic grasp not possible to   
the student who is merely well informed 
on musical matters4  ,while ,i am a     
strong advocate of foreign study1 ,i    
think it a pity that so many ,american  
and ,british students elect to swell    
permanently the over-crowded ranks of   
the musical profession on the continent 
of ,europe instead of returning to the  
less crowded centres of their home      
lands1 and giving their compatriots the 
benefit of their experience and example4
  ,it is given to few of us to attain   
world prominence1 and those to whom such
 fame is manifestly impossible should   
not fear to try for the best their own  
country offers1 which may be a great and
 dignified meed4  ,adequate study in    
,europe requires a good deal of money4  

,for most young girls a chaperon or     
companion is essential2 although there  
are a number of places where a solitary 
young student may find the comfort and  
the protection of a home4 ,where this is
 possible the expenses are naturally    
much less4  ,the leading professors on  
the ,continent charge from a guinea to  
two guineas a lesson1 with a certain    
reduction of an extended term4  ,three  
lessons a week are usual4  ,as to the   
expenses of living1 even on the most    
moderate scale they cannot be reasonably
 estimated at less than five guineas a  
week for board1 dress1 allowance1       
concert and opera tickets1 and general  
expenses4  ,this1 with lessons extending
 over eighteen months or more1 runs into
 a considerable sum4  ,to the student   
with wealth as well as voice the way    
would appear smooth2 yet ,i would offer 
a word of warning4  ,first1 the flattery
 of friends and possibly unscrupulous   
advisers is dangerous4 ,besides1 the    
fact of affluence tends to diminish the 

sense of responsibility4  ,money1 it    
must be borne in mind1 cannot buy purity
 of tone1 temperament1 or correct       
breathing4  ,these entail hard work1    
even with natural gifts4  ,one cannot   
buy brains with money1 or even the      
ability to appreciate the brains of     
others1 and the loveliest voice that    
ever charmed the world must be guided   
and used through the intellect2         
otherwise it must fall far short of the 
highest standard4  ,the point is that a 
wealthy student may become slack1 and   
forget how wide must be the culture of a
 great singer4  ,a complete study of    
piano1 counterpoint1 and harmony are as 
necessary as grammar to the spoken      
language2 and all that is best in this  
big1 busy world must be seized upon and 
brought into service1 for divine music  
is an exigent goddess4  ,the poor       
student with an exceptional voice is    
unfortunately placed1 and advice to her 
must be of a negative kind4  ,she may   
fall into the mistake of thinking that  

if she can get into choir or chorus she 
will be advancing to some extent4  ,but 
while a well-trained voice may be used  
in a chorus without serious harm1 the   
girl who knows nothing about placing her
 voice1 and is prodigal in the use of   
it1 may find chorus work most injurious4
  ,many ambitious young women save money
 with the aim of attending a musical    
college4  ,this is an education ,i never
 advocate1 for ,i believe in individual 
training4  ,no student can attain the   
best results in a class where personal  
supervision is a matter of perfunctory  
duty4 ,certainly good singers have come 
from musical colleges1 but they have had
 temperament and personality such as    
rise above the system4  ,and to work at 
any trade or profession while           
cultivating the voice is a questionable 
arrangement1 for the student takes      
vitality from the voice and places it in
 another direction4  ,i doubt if one    
could with correctness summarily assign 
characteristics to the vocal students of

 the different nations2 and1 besides1   
one likes to think of music as          
cosmopolitan--universal in its          
inspiration and influence4  ,the        
,italian girl is perhaps the readiest to
 help her song by facial expression1 the
 ,french girl the first to master the   
poetic message1 and the ,german the most
 thorough in all-round pursuit of       
musical knowledge4  ,many ,american and 
,british students are too easily        
satisfied1 and often1 on securing a     
certain measure of success at their     
first public appearance1 refrain from   
further study at the very time that     
their work should be regarded as        
beginning in real earnest4  ,as to the  
voices of the different nations with    
which ,i am familiar1 it is a difficult 
and thankless task to summarise them    
within the inadequate limit of a few    
lines4  ,i should say1 however1 that the
 voices of ,italy are the most natural4 
,they are the voices of the sun2 just as
 in my native land1 ,australia1 the     

,italy of the southern hemisphere1 the  
voices seem to glint and vibrate as it  
with liquid sunlight4  ,there is in     
these ,southern voices a resonance      
rarely found in voices of the ,north4   
,as to ,germany1 ,i should say that the 
singing voices are more the result of   
science than of nature--less buoyant1   
less responsive1 yet superb in their own
 way4  ,the great singers of ,france1 to
 my mind1 could be more accurately      
described as great diseurs1 so          
exquisitely are they practised in the   
art of diction4  ,no singers so         
effectively show the beauty or          
importance of the words sung4  ,the     
cosmopolitan conditions of ,america seem
 to me to have so far militated against 
the development of any particular voice 
or school that could be accurately      
labelled ,american1 while the ,english  
voices are particularly adapted for     
concert and oratorio singing4  ,owing to
 the characteristic reserve of the      
,english people1 they are1 as a rule1   

slow to commit themselves to that       
temperamental abandon which is essential
 to operatic interpretation4  ,i am1    
however1 glad to be able to say without 
any reserve that ,i consider the        
,english choruses the finest in the     
world4  ,i refer more specially to the  
great choirs heard at the ,english      
musical festivals4 ,what volume and     
beauty of tone1 what precision and light
 and shade1 are embodied in their work6 
,personally1 if ,i can be said to       
dislike any form of music1 it is        
oratorio2 but when ,i hear an ,english  
chorus at a festival in ,birmingham1    
,leeds1 ,bristol1 or ,worcester1 ,i am  
almost persuaded to become an oratorio  
enthusiast4  ,this paper would not be   
complete without some reference to      
personal appearance as an asset in a    
singer's career4  ,there is much        
suggestion1 expression even1 in the turn
 of a curl4  ,the woman who knows how to
 make up effectively is more of an      
artist than the one who does not4 ,the  

whole thing makes for artistic          
completeness4  ,i have known handsome   
women appear unattractive on the stage  
or platform merely because they relied  
entirely on their natural physical gifts
 without considering how these were     
affected by the space1 and structural   
and lighting conditions1 of the building
 in which they sang4  ,there are cases  
where good looks are the main reason for
 the exploitation of a singer2 but such 
favour is bound to be short-lived1 and  
no artistic reputation can be long      
maintained on so false a basis4  ,as to 
securing an introduction to the public1 
,i have little to say beyond the fact   
that ability will surely find its way4  
,in my own path great obstacles were    
placed1 but ,i do not think anything in 
this world could have hindered me from  
becoming a singer4  ,i have sung to an  
audience of two1 and such was my girlish
 enthusiasm that ,i have even acted as  
my own billposter1 with a pot of paste  
procured from a hotel kitchen4  ,the    

occasion was a chanty concert at an     
,australian seaside resort for the      
purpose of repairing a neglected country
 cemetery4  ,later ,i had to abandon    
proposed concerts because there was not 
enough support to pay for the lighting  
of the hall4  ,yet ,i persevered1 and my
 chance came4  ,it is well to aim at the
 highest1 yet in my heart of hearts ,i  
believe that every really great singer  
is born rather than made4  ,no teacher  
living can impart temperament and an    
infallible ear for music4  ,a perfect   
chest1 larynx1 and resonance chambers   
are also gifts of ,god2 and so1 too1 are
 the musical intuition1 the ravishing   
voice1 the industry1 the ambition1 and  
the perfect physical health1 which are  
all attributes of vocalists who have    
become really great4  ,but below that   
heavenly gifted circle there are many   
niches which should be filled1 not by   
casual observers1 but by qualified      
musicians1 to whom hard and patient work
 has brought attainments second only to 

those fortunate creatures who have      
sprung into the musical arena1 like     
,minerva1 fully equipped4               
99,,hints ,,on ,,the ,,cultivation ,,of 
,,the ,,voice499                        
99,by ,,enrico ,,caruso499   ,it has    
often struck me1 in a lengthy experience
 as a singer1 that there is one point in
 particular about the human voice which 
is far too little appreciated by the    
rising generation of aspiring vocalists1
 and that is its wonderful reciprocity4 
,tend it1 nurse it1 feed it on a proper 
diet1 and it will invariably comport    
itself in the most amiable manner       
possible4  ,but neglect it1 treat it as 
an organ which is best left to look     
after itself1 and the voice will at     
once1 in revenge for this callous       
behaviour1 retaliate by behaving itself 
in a manner which is perhaps best       
described as of the hooliganistic order4
  ,and yet1 as an actual fact1 but a    
very small percentage indeed of would-be
 singers ever really seem to think it   

worth their while to bear in mind this  
axiom1 for axiom it surely is1 that the 
voice requires proper care and proper   
exercise to keep it in its best form    
just as much as is a certain amount of  
exercise necessary to the maintenance of
 good health in every human being4      
,unfortunately1 however1 there would    
seem to be a prevalent impression among 
many amateur and not a few professional 
singers that singing is an art which can
 be acquired in quite a short time4     
,thus1 is it not curious that while many
 students of the piano or the violin    
will willingly devote years of strenuous
 and conscientious practice to the study
 of the technique of these instruments1 
would-be singers frequently seem to     
expect to learn how to use their voice  
to the best advantage after a period of 
vocal practice extending1 maybe1 over a 
year or so1 but more often even over    
only a few months8 ,this policy1 ,i need
 scarcely remark1 is absolutely ruinous 
to the future careers of young singers1 

for no matter how naturally talented any
 individual vocalist may be1 he or she  
cannot possibly produce the best results
 as a singer unless the particular      
organs brought into play in the process 
of singing have been subjected to a     
proper and sufficiently long course of  
training4  ,since the days of the old   
,italian masters there can be no shadow 
of doubt that1 musically1 we have       
advanced considerably2 but sometimes1   
when ,i think of the rather slipshod    
methods of cultivating the voice        
advocated by many so-called professors  
to-day1 the thought impresses itself on 
my mind that the detailed principles of 
the old ,italian masters who1 above all 
other considerations1 insisted on a long
 course of voice training as being the  
only possible means to the attainment of
 the best art1 possessed more to        
recommend them than do many of the      
modern artifices of voice-cultivation   
proffered by many teachers of singing   
to-day4  ,in a short article1 of course1

 it is obviously impossible to go in    
detail into all the rules which should  
be observed by singers who are prepared 
to undertake the task of cultivating    
their voices on a conscientious and     
sound basis4  ,at the same time1 ,i hope
 to be able to suggest various hints and
 wrinkles which should prove of real    
value to aspiring singers4  ,in the     
first place1 therefore1 let me say at   
once that it is the most fatal of all   
errors for a singer to make too much use
 of the voice1 for the muscles of the   
larynx are so delicate that they cannot 
possibly stand the strain of the        
learn-to-sing-in-a-hurry methods of     
those who hope to attain the highest    
point of proficiency without devoting   
sufficient time to that drudgery which  
is absolutely essential to the real and 
perfect cultivation of the voice4  ,for 
this all-important reason ,i would      
counsel singers to see to it at all     
times that in the early days of their   
training they do not devote too much    

time to practice4  ,if they will take my
 advice1 until they become thoroughly   
proficient in managing the voice--a     
happy state of affairs which can only be
 acquired after long practice--they will
 at first never devote more than fifteen
 minutes a day--in the early morning is1
 perhaps1 the best time--to practice4   
,i can readily realise that this must   
seem a very short time to enthusiasts   
who are willing to give up all their    
spare time to the study of voice        
cultivation1 but it is1 nevertheless1   
quite long enough1 for the slightest    
strain put upon the voice may retard a  
singer's progress by months1 while1 on  
the other hand1 as ,i pointed out at the
 beginning of this article1 if the      
singer will only bear in mind that the  
voice requires the most careful nursing 
of perhaps all the organs1 and must on  
no account be strained1 he will soon    
find that1 though he may not be aware of
 any improvement in it1 his voice is1   
nevertheless1 slowly but surely         

improving and gaining in strength       
through his gradually-growing knowledge 
of technique4  ,another point in the    
cultivation of the voice which ,i often 
think is not sufficiently strongly      
emphasised to-day is the fact that young
 singers can improve their methods in   
the most extraordinarily rapid manner by
 studying the methods of other and more 
experienced singers4  ,in singing1 as in
 the cultivation of the other arts1 in  
time the student will get what he works 
for1 but it is surely unreasonable for  
him to expect to sing effectively by his
 own inspiration4  ,he will be wise1    
therefore1 to seize every opportunity of
 studying as closely as possible the    
methods of those who have thoroughly    
mastered the technique of singing4  ,for
 true art1 of course1 there must be more
 than technique1 but ,i would point out 
that in singing there is no art without 
sound methods of execution1 which1 after
 all1 to all intents and purposes       
constitute technique4 ,in the           

cultivation of expression1 technique1   
and sympathy in the voice1 there is no  
better teacher than a visit to the      
opera4 ,still1 ,i make no doubt that of 
the hundreds of aspiring singers who    
visit the opera during the season but   
very few indeed would care to go through
 the years of drudgery as               
conscientiously as have those who seem  
to sing so easily and to combine the art
 of acting and singing at the same time 
with equal facility4  ,after all1 the   
highest art lies in the concealment of  
that art1 and ,i take it that it is     
because a really proficient opera singer
 accomplishes his performance with such 
apparent ease that the difficulties of  
operatic singing are so little          
appreciated4  ,still1 as ,i have said1  
,i am strongly of the opinion that young
 singers can learn much from studying   
the methods of operatic vocalists1 that 
is to say1 when they have mastered the  
rudiments of voice cultivation1 into    
which ,i need not enter here1 for my    

object is rather to show singers various
 methods by which they can attain the   
highest art when they have served a     
sufficient apprenticeship under masters 
whose duty it is to teach them the      
elementary rules of singing4  ,for my   
own part1 ,i find that a singer's life1 
with its constant rehearsals and        
performances1 is such a busy one that   
not much opportunity is allowed him for 
indulging in outdoor exercise4  ,many   
other enthusiastic singers doubtless    
find themselves situated in very similar
 straits1 not perhaps on account of     
their public engagements1 but through   
the calls made upon their time by       
business1 social1 or domestic duties4   
,in the cultivation of the voice1       
however1 a certain amount of exercise is
 essential to good health1 as1 by the   
same token1 is good health a sine qua   
non to the attainment of the highest art
 in singing4  ,it may be of service1    
therefore1 if ,i explain the rules ,i   
observe when ,i find the calls upon my  

time too numerous to enable me to get as
 much exercise as ,i should otherwise   
like4  ,no matter how busy ,i am1 when  
,i rise in the morning ,i invariably    
indulge in a few simple physical        
exercises1 similar in character to those
 ,i used to practise when1 as a young   
man1 the time came for me to serve my   
king and country as a soldato1 or1 if ,i
 feel that these are becoming           
monotonous1 for a few minutes ,i find   
practice with a pair of dumb-bells--not 
too heavy1 by the way--very beneficial4 
,but save these mild forms of relaxation
 ,i have1 as a rule1 to rest content    
with1 in the way of outdoor exercise1 an
 occasional motor drive4  ,nevertheless1
 ,i would point out that1 in itself1    
singing1 with its constant deep         
inhalation1 is by no means              
inconsiderable exercise1 though1 to be  
sure1 ,i am well aware that it cannot be
 so health-giving in its effects as     
actual exercise in the open air4  ,yes1 
past a doubt1 young singers can learn   

much about the highest art of the       
cultivation of the voice from watching  
the knowledge of technique of our best  
operatic artists1 and from observing    
their methods of managing the voice4    
,still1 to thoroughly grasp the progress
 of the opera-singer's art1 it will be  
necessary for students to appreciate the
 fact that ,italian singing has had two 
important culminating periods1 each of  
which was illustrated by a group of     
great singers1 the first of which was   
made up of pupils of ,bernacchi1        
,pistocchi1 ,francesca ,cuzzoni1 and    
other contemporary teachers4  ,these    
great singers brought the art of bel    
canto to as near a state of perfection  
as has ever been known4 ,but one has to 
remember the conditions under which they
 sang4  ,thus ,victor ,maurel           
writes3--,in the days of the schools of 
the art of bel canto the masters did not
 have to take truth for expression      
7l'expression juste7 into account1 for  
the singer was not required to render   

the sentiments of the dramatis personae 
with verisimilitude2 all that was       
demanded of him was harmonious sounds1  
the bel canto4 ,in other words1 all that
 the singer had to do was to sing1 for  
the emotions themselves had not to be   
portrayed1 the psychical character of   
the dramatis personae not being taken   
into account4  ,in consequence1 the     
perfection of the singer's voice was but
 slightly interfered with1 as1 at most1 
he had little or no acting to do1 a     
conventional oratorical gesture or two  
being considered quite sufficient for   
the fashion of the period4  ,and it is  
scarcely necessary to remark that the   
great singers of this period were       
skilful enough musicians to prevent such
 unimportant gestures1 which hardly     
deserve the dignity of the name of      
acting1 from being an obstacle to the   
high quality of their singing4  ,in the 
second period of ,italian singing1      
however1 the period which coincides with
 the ,rossini-,donizetti-,bellini period

 of opera in its heydey1 the conditions1
 we find1 were greatly altered4  ,the   
music at this time was at once more     
dramatic and more scenic1 and although  
the singing was still bel canto1 the    
opera singer of the period was called   
upon not only to sing well1 but to sing 
dramatically1 though it must be said    
that the music itself provided larger   
scope for the actor's art1 in that it   
gave more favourable opportunity for    
specialising and differentiating the    
emotions4  ,in ,the ,opera ,past and    
,present we find the following intensely
 interesting allusion to these two great
 culminating periods of ,italian        
singing3--,a comparison of these two    
periods of ,italian singing indicates   
the direction matters have taken with   
the opera singer from ,handel's time to 
our own4 ,from then to now he has had to
 face an ever-increasing accumulation of
 untoward conditions2 his professional  
work has become more and more           
complicated4  ,from ,rossini's time down

 to this the purely musical difficulties
 he has had to face have been constantly
 on the increase--complexity of musical 
structure1 rhythmic complications1      
hazardous intonations4  ,he has to fight
 against the more and more brilliant    
style of instrumentation1 often pushed  
to a point where the greatest stress of 
vocal effort is required of him to make 
himself heard above the orchestral din2 
more and better acting is demanded of   
him1 he finds the vague generalities of 
histrionism no longer of avail2 for     
these must make way for a highly        
specialised1 real-seeming dramatic      
impersonation2 intellectually and       
physically his task has been doubled and
 trebled4 ,above all1 the sheer nervous 
tension of situations and music has so  
increased as to make due self-control on
 his part less easy4  ,the opera        
singer's position to-day is verily no   
joke2 he has to face and conquer        
difficulties such as the great bel      
cantists of the ,handel period never    

dreamt of4  ,it has ever been my        
contention that the conscientious artist
 should carefully read and re-read the  
whole libretto1 so as to inform himself 
of the poet's purpose and meaning in the
 construction and development of the    
plot1 as well as to ever bear in mind   
his conception of the composer's idea of
 how the poetry and the various aspects 
of mind of the characters should be     
aptly and effectively musicked and      
interpreted so as to awaken a kindred1  
or appreciative1 feeling in the minds of
 his hearers4  ,besides this1 the opera 
singer who aspires to rise to great     
heights must possess a keen nervous     
susceptibility1 for only a man or woman 
of high nervous temperament can         
reasonably hope to succeed as a         
lyrico-dramatic artist4  ,again1 in the 
great operas a most severe strain is    
placed upon the leading singers1 for    
while they are portraying various       
emotions---,love1 ,hate1 ,rage1 or      
,laughter--they have1 at the same time1 

to watch the conductor with most minute 
care lest they fail in time and rhythm4 
,in fine1 though ,i think but few other 
than really conscientious students of   
singing entirely appreciate the fact1   
the opera-singer of to-day is called    
upon to possess a far greater knowledge 
of vocal technique than was ever        
demanded of him before in the history of
 singing1 as those good and golden      
days--golden only to the moderate       
performer with but little ambition--when
 the singer who perhaps scarcely knew   
more than a few notes of music could1   
nevertheless1 still arouse the plaudits 
of the public are gone--never to return4
  ,i hope1 by the way1 that it will not 
be thought that ,i have entered too     
technically into the requirements       
demanded from an aspirant to operatic   
fame to-day4  ,i scarcely think1        
however1 that ,i can have done so1 for  
,i feel sure every really aspiring      
vocalist would prefer to know the exact 
heights to which he must cultivate his  

voice either on the operatic stage or   
concert platform1 or even for the       
drawing-room1 that is to say1 if he is  
ever to make a great name for himself in
 preference to resting content to remain
 one of the moderates1 of which the     
musical profession is altogether already
 too full1 not because there is a lack  
of singers with good voices1 but        
largely1 as ,i have always maintained1  
because there is a far too prevalent    
tendency amongst singers these days to  
shirk the real hard work which must be  
accomplished before lasting success can 
be attained4  ,in conclusion1 in order  
to allow singers' voices to develop in a
 satisfactory manner1 let me counsel    
them never to attempt those selections  
in public the range of which taxes and  
strains them to the utmost1 for when a  
singer exceeds his proper range injury  
to the throat is always liable to       
follow4 ,better rather1 therefore1 is it
 that a song should be transposed to a  
lower key if a singer is determined to  

attempt it than that the voice should be
 unduly taxed4  ,and now ,i will say    
addio1 though ,i would add that it is my
 sincere hope that some of the few hints
 ,i have given on the cultivation of the
 voice and of the heights of excellence 
to which ambitious singers should aspire
 may prove of real value to those with  
sufficient pluck to face the task of    
studying the art of the cultivation of  
the voice in a really conscientious     
manner4  ,hard work accomplishes wonders
 where the voice is concerned4  ,let me1
 therefore1 counsel singers never to    
despair of attaining a state as near to 
perfection as possible1 for it is those 
who are most alive to their own         
imperfections who will assuredly go     
farthest in the singing world4          
99,,how ,,to ,,attain ,,success ,,in    
,,singing499                            
99,by ,,ben ,,davies499   ,to a certain 
extent it must be admitted at once that 
it is undoubtedly true that there is no 
royal1 infallible road to success in the

 acquirement of perfect mastery over any
 art4  ,at the same time1 however1 ,i   
would lay particular stress on the fact 
that it is equally true that there are  
not a few hints and wrinkles which1 if  
studiously borne in mind and practised1 
must inevitably prove of real value to  
all who will apply themselves to these  
said words of advice in a thoroughly    
whole-hearted manner4  ,and1 in         
particular1 this somewhat trite aphorism
 applies with great force to the art of 
learning to sing1 for the human voice1  
as every conscientious student of music 
must be well aware1 is an exceptionally 
responsive organ4  ,neglect it1 and it  
will assuredly run to seed2 tend it     
carefully1 cultivate it in a            
common-sense manner1 give it time to    
grow up1 and it will reward you for your
 pains a hundredfold4  ,let me1         
therefore1 try and give a few hints     
based on an experience extending over   
more years than ,i sometimes care to    
think about1 which ,i trust will prove  

of real value to aspiring singers4  ,i  
have already said that there is no royal
 road to success in the art of learning 
to sing1 but1 nevertheless1 the         
possessor of a moderate voice can       
improve his or her voice in a most      
gratifying manner by studying in the    
right way4  ,bad habits in singing are  
peculiarly difficult to rid oneself of2 
it is well to avoid the risk of         
acquiring those bad habits by setting   
out on the right road at once4  ,and    
having started1 push forward with       
unfailing energy and courage4  ,in the  
first place ,i would counsel the        
ambitious singer1 before proceeding with
 the development of the voice to        
ascertain its real character and        
quality4 ,thus1 some voices1 to the ear 
of the trained expert1 although they may
 be actually untrained and undeveloped1 
nevertheless possess a decided and      
marked quality when still uncultivated1 
while1 on the other hand1 there are     
other voices whose positive nature it is

 far from easy to determine4  ,i would  
therefore emphasise the fact that it is 
not upon its range and extent that the  
real character of any individual voice  
depends1 but rather upon its quality and
 timbre4  ,i would lay stress1 too1 on  
another point--namely1 that the real    
power of expression is found in the     
middle quality of every voice1 and that 
it is not force which tends to make this
 middle quality full and resonant1 but  
the cultivated ease and steadiness by   
which the vocal sounds are produced and 
sustained4  ,there is nothing more      
painful to the ear of an expert musician
 than to hear a singer forcing his voice
 in an effort to produce an effect of   
expansion and vibration4  ,would-be     
artistic singers should thus nurse their
 voices with unfailing care1 for ease   
and steadiness are infinitely more      
artistic than forcing the voice4  ,i    
will not here enter into the question of
 what particular exercises the student  
should follow in his or her early days1 

for such matters are too elementary a   
kind and can safely be trusted to any   
competent teacher4 ,at the same time ,i 
would point out that the careful vocal  
student will be wise to adopt the style 
of music best adapted to his or her     
voice1 for1 obvious though this point   
should be1 it is none the less true that
 many singers overlook the fact that to 
give the voice an adequate chance of    
developing it should be cultivated and  
fed upon the particular style of music  
for which ,nature would seem to have    
given it birth4  ,again1 ,i am taking it
 for granted that the singer has safely 
weathered the storms inseparable from   
the initial or drudgery side of voice   
cultivation--particular care should be  
exercised in the selection of songs1 for
 ,i have frequently noted that many     
singers who should surely have known    
better1 have1 nevertheless1 frequently  
failed to give their voices a chance of 
showing their real merit by selecting   
songs utterly unsuited to them4  ,thus1 

maybe1 a male singer has gone out of his
 way to select a song especially        
intended for a lady1 while the latter   
has shown a pronounced predilection for 
singing songs intended solely for men4  
,the result of such an unwise selection 
is surely best left to the imagination4 
,and now let me say a few words about   
the manner in which students should     
study their musical compositions4       
,almost every singer possibly possesses 
some small peculiarity in this respect1 
but ,i think ,i cannot do better than   
quote the system of study followed out  
by those two great artists1 ,grisi and  
,mario2 for1 frankly1 to a great extent 
their methods may1 among future         
generations1 well become standard       
methods4  ,in studying any new          
composition1 whether the most important 
opera1 or the simplest ballad1 they     
followed a set plan4  ,it was this3 the 
words were first considered1 and when   
the intention and meaning of the text   
had been clearly ascertained and fully  

understood1 then1 and not till then1 the
 music with which it was associated1 was
 learnt by heart--every salient feature 
and opportunity for effect being most   
carefully thought over and decided upon4
  ,it was one of ,mario's maxims1 that  
unless a singer had all he was singing  
about thoroughly in his head1 as well as
 in his throat1 he could never do       
himself justice4  ',but1' he used to    
say1 'if you get as familiar as you     
should be with your work1 then1 when you
 are in the humour1 and in good voice1  
you can let yourself go1 with the       
certainty almost of producing the effect
 you intend upon your audience--that is 
to say1 if you ever have any moments of 
inspiration4'  ,whether in considering  
the dramatic effects to be made by      
',raoul and ,valentina1' or in taking in
 hand ',good-bye1 ,sweetheart1' or ',the
 ,minstrel ,boy1' the plan they followed
 was the same4  ,the words were thought 
of first1 then the music1 and1 with the 
words and music combined1 particular    

attention was given to the points to be 
dwelt on and made prominent4  ,these    
latter were not allowed to be too       
frequent1 but were so chosen as to make 
the deepest impression4  ,the importance
 of such a plan as this can hardly be   
overrated4  ,it seems not only to ensure
 singing with intelligence1 but to save 
a singer very much unnecessary exertion1
 by marking down the intervals where    
energy has to be used1 as well as those 
where the voice may1 so to speak1 be    
nursed and kept in reserve4  ,speaking  
of a pianoforte accompaniment1 ,mario   
used to say1 ,the art of accompanying is
 displayed in the following1 aiding1 and
 supporting the singer2 not in hurrying 
him1 nor in drowning his voice4  ,an    
accompanist1 in his opinion1 should     
never be timid2 but1 if uncertain of the
 notes to be played1 should1            
nevertheless1 strike them firmly and    
courageously1 otherwise the singer gets 
confused1 loses confidence in himself   
and the accompaniment1 and the effect   

intended to be produced suffers         
irretrievably in consequence4  ,i would 
commend a study of this system to the   
aspiring singer1 with every confidence  
that1 if he follows out the said        
methods1 he will be assuredly pursuing a
 policy than which there can be few     
better4  ,it may not now be out of place
 if ,i say a few words on the act of    
production of the voice4  ,many         
beginners thus make the mistake of      
imagining that to give the voice a      
proper chance of expanding to the full  
it is necessary that the mouth should be
 opened wide in the act of singing4     
,this1 however1 is quite an erroneous   
idea1 for1 as a matter of actual1 hard  
fact1 the mouth should not be too open  
when the act of singing is taking place1
 though ,i would point out that when it 
is opening the jaws should be allowed to
 fall in a natural manner--in other     
words1 by their own weight--while1 if   
the lips are1 at the same time1 pressed 
gently against the teeth1 the mouth     

naturally assumes a pleasant form4      
,there is nothing more appalling than to
 watch a singer indulging in exaggerated
 facial contortions which may perhaps   
impress a musical tyro as imposing1 but 
which1 nevertheless1 are actually more  
often than not nothing but a species of 
absurd affectation4  ,the management of 
the breath1 of course1 is to a great    
extent a distinct and separate study in 
singing1 though ,i may perhaps be       
allowed to say that absolute control of 
the breath is a sine qua non to perfect 
enunciation4  ,it will be well1         
therefore1 for every really ambitious   
singer to see to it that his or her     
master possesses a thoroughly sound     
knowledge of managing the breath2       
otherwise1 all too early in their       
careers1 they may acquire habits which  
they will find extremely difficult to   
break1 for experience has taught me     
that1 as far as singing is concerned1   
bad habits are possessed of unpleasantly
 tenacious qualities4  ,as far as the   

position of the body in singing is      
concerned1 the old-time rule that the   
shoulders should be thrown back firmly  
and naturally is as in order to-day as  
it was thirty years ago1 while that the 
chest should be steadily and not        
hurriedly expanded is also an equally   
sound policy to pursue4 ,manual ,garcia 
recommended the following exercises as  
of great value in increasing the power  
and elasticity of the lungs4  ,i make no
 apology for quoting these1 as they     
cannot fail to prove worth diligent     
study1 though1 especially at first1 they
 will be found distinctly exhausting1   
for which reason young singers should   
make a point of practising each exercise
 separately4  ,gently and slowly inhale 
for a few seconds as much air as the    
chest will contain4  ,after taking a    
deep breath1 exhale again very gently   
and slowly4  ,fill the lungs1 and keep  
them inflated for the longest possible  
time4  ,exhale completely1 and leave the
 chest empty as long as physical powers 

will conveniently allow4  ,in a short   
article it is obviously impossible for  
me to go as deeply into the art of voice
 production as ,i should like1 though   
there is one aspect of singing on which 
,i would lay great stress--and that is  
the value of colour in singing4  ,in a  
study of all the great composers and    
their works1 to the true student of     
music1 it must be patent at once that   
their methods of colouring vary as      
greatly as do the chefs-d'oeuvre of     
masters of the brush4  ,and yet1 somehow
 or other1 ,i do not think that ,i am   
wandering away from the straight road of
 ,truth when ,i say that1 as a general  
rule1 the mediocre singer but seldom    
realises that there is such a thing as  
colour in singing4  ,what is the result8
  ,it is the natural result of cause and
 effect4 ,the interpretation of the     
ordinary singer resembles to no small   
extent the work of an artist who        
sketches out an outline drawing which1  
in detail1 no doubt is accurate and     

thoroughly praiseworthy in every way2   
but when compared to a painting with its
 appealing richness of tone and colour  
it seems a puny thing indeed4  ,yes1 it 
is colour that the average singer       
utterly lacks4  ,but let me hasten to   
say at once that for this sin of        
omission he or she1 as the case may be1 
merits no real discredit1 for the simple
 reason that those who have only limited
 time to devote to the study of singing 
naturally find that their training does 
not1 as a rule1 reach the point when    
they are sufficiently able exponents to 
be able to paint pictures with their    
voices1 much in the same way as does the
 artist paint his pictures on canvas4   
,and in no small measure this sin of    
omission is as much due to the methods  
of instruction of the teacher as it is  
to the pupil's lack of advancement4     
,yes1 there can be no doubt that it is  
through lack of study of these finer    
details in the art of singing which     
causes many vocalists never to rise     

above the mediocre4  ,technically1 they 
may be thoroughly capable exponents1 but
 unless they realise the incalculable   
value of tone and colour in music1 they 
fail to extract from it its real        
poetical worth4 ,thus1 when listening to
 ,schumann--to revert to pianoforte     
playing for a moment--they fail to      
wander hand in hand with the composer   
into some glorious garden full of       
gaily-coloured flowers1 through trim    
paths lined by tall1 stately trees4     
,they fail to see in ,schumann's music  
gaily-plumaged birds flitting here and  
there beneath a blue sky with the warm  
rays of the sun toning everything into  
summer as if by fairy hand4  ,it was an 
ardent student of pianoforte playing who
 once thus described to me a composition
 of ,schumann's as played by a real     
master4  ,and with singing it is much   
the same4  ,for some curious reason your
 moderate singer will persist in        
cherishing an utterly erroneous notion  
that every song should be treated in one

 way--in other words1 that when framing 
his composition1 the composer mentally  
decreed that1 to be rendered as he      
intended it should be1 every singer must
 sink his individuality and render it in
 one way--and one way only4  ,was ever  
notion more unreasonable8  ,surely it is
 the most glaring error possible to     
imagine that because a melody is simple1
 because it can be rendered by the      
average singer after but comparatively  
little practice1 it must be impossible  
to imbue it with beautiful effects2 for 
no matter how technically simple a      
composition may be1 provided a singer   
possesses real soul and a sense of      
poetry he or she can bring out an       
exquisite beauty and colour from the    
music which a mere mechanical vocalist  
who merely regards a simple piece as an 
easy piece to sing invariably fails to  
recognise4  ,it is the thoughtless and  
mechanical practice of a really musical 
subject which undermines the musical    
sense1 for the practice of purely       

mechanical matter should never be dry so
 long as the singer thoroughly grasps   
the real objects to be attained from    
that practice4  ,in other words1 every  
exercise1 every piece of music that is  
sung1 ought to be rendered with a       
clearly-defined object4  ,it seems to me
 that one of the most powerful reasons  
why the results of years of study are so
 often unsatisfactory lies in the fact  
that many singers are far too early     
occupied with the study of compositions 
of every sort1 adding continually to    
their stock without devoting sufficient 
time to the introspective study of each 
and every piece4  ,what is the          
inevitable outcome of this hasty and    
wholesale method of learning to sing8   
,interpretations which1 as ,i have said1
 are like outline drawing1 accurate     
enough in detail but comparatively      
lacking in real soul and wanting        
altogether in tone and colour4  ,i admit
 at once1 as among artists we all have  
our favourites1 so among song-writers   

the works of some appeal to us more than
 do others1 in that we respond to one or
 other of them more readily than to the 
rest4  ,but1 at the same time1 ,i would 
lay special emphasis on the fact that   
every song1 however simple1 should be   
dealt with by the singer like a separate
 picture in which specially beautiful   
effects may be produced1 according to   
the quality and variety of tone and     
colour4  ,and not until singers realise 
that the composition is but the raw     
material waiting to be imbued with      
expression at their hands1 waiting1 in  
fine1 to be given life1 personality1 and
 real being1 can they thoroughly grasp  
the innermost meaning of music which1   
rendered by the true artist1 expresses  
more clearly than any words ever        
written1 the true emotions of the soul4