Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1835-05-21
WHOLE NO. 26S.
VOCAL MUSIC.

4
ut an Examination OF the Female School in
! Boston, under his CARE
J II has always been my opinion that the
capacity for Music had been as libernls
iy impaired to every rational being as a
capacity for anything else "a different
amount OF talent to every one, but to ev-
cry one, something. ] never believed
TINT high sttainnents in this science or
in any other, were to be expected from
all nor did believe that such attain,
ments were necessary to happiness
Excellence in science is the lot of lewj
and the excellent in Music are not less
numerous than those in Painting, Ar
chitecture, Mathematics, or Poetry.-
Why then has there been so prevalent A
notion, that no one must try 10 sing but
the gifted few Certainly this notion
does not owe its origin 10 the fact, that
none but the gifted are pleased with mu,
sic. lfthere is any thing intellectual in
the science Of music, why is it, that
while the popular theory Of mind main.
tains that every mind possesses every
power, in an equal degree, and that 10
become painter or any thing else, ap.
plication and practice only are necessas
ry--wby is it, say, that the opinion ~
so general, that The greater number new
er can learn to sing !
shall not attempt n labored answer
to this question, but may be allowed to
express an opinion that the constituents
of musical talent have been mistaken.
What is requisite to form good mus
sicianl Is il voice? This is one condi.
tion, but only one Of several The ors
gan Of taste is the only external sense
that seems to perform any office not ex.
,clusively confined to its peculiar funcA
tion. The eye sees, the ear hears, tho
nose smells, but thev do nothing else
The tongue tastes, and it also performs
an important office in the formation of
those sounds which, 80 far as they are
natural, are common to all animals, and
SO far as they are artificial, are a distin~
gushing characteristic Of man.
But al! men have tongu all men
have the other apparatus for producing
sounds, if they are not deformcd all met
speak; all men would sing, If il depend
ed only on the voice. Voice is only one
requisite. Lest my remark should seems
to need support, let me ask, why is il that
every bird of species is singer. A
nightingale that could not sing, would be
a wonder. We never see these little
animals kept at home, and forbidden to
sing, because they have no voice, no
musical ability. There is as much dif-
ference between the vocal organs of ca"
nary birds as of men; but they all sing.
They do not believe the common notion.
They no doubt have their Webers, and
Mozarts, but they all sing. Why should
it be otherwise with mani If it be said
that singing IS their natural language,
and speech is ours, deny the position.
They have a language distinct irons
singing; and use singing as man does
for amusement, solace, excitement, SC.
All who have voice then may sing, il
they may not excel.
But what else is necessary! Hearing,
some one will say. Hearing will ena-
bic person to leavn by imitation. But
many have sung, after losing this sense,
and i, is well known that the deaf can
understand the effects Of certain comhis
nations of tones; that they can, in fact,
compose music, which is delightful IT,
others, but which they never hear them~
selves. Hearing alone, will not, how.
ever, make musician. lfit would, tho
hare, or some other quick-eared animal
would excel our race. Hearing is less
essential than voice TO singer. Ii il
useful; and all men hear enough to dis
tinguish, not only words, but the tones
OF Joy, kindness, anger, SC. All met
have voice, all men have hearing; why
then may not all men be singersi What
further is necessary
1t was not until lately tha, any satis-
factory answer was furnished TO this
question. A new science has dared to
teach men, that the movements Of the
vocal organ, and Of the ear, are controls
led by distinct faculty of the mind
The old philosophy never dared plainly
to assert this and the reason why two
persons with equally good ears and vois
ces, could not sing equally well, was
never explained. Ii is now no longer q
mystery TO those who have examined tho
facts which support the new theory.
They believe that every mind posses,
ses every faculty, perhaps in different
degree, but still that the Creator has
said TO no faculty, "thus far and no FAR
Their" Exercise Of a faculty, like exer.
else Of muscle, gives il force, and
skill, and facility Of action. Action il
the condition Of growth; inaction, the
certain commencement Of decline.
| do not intend to 20 into the details
| Of the new science OF mind / only wish