The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-21

theme. have said that thought the American
voices ,sopranil were indicative Of strong men
tally. rather than OF strong vitality
They luck color and that impulse that we call
heartiuess. Our female singers preserve the
voices 81 maids through all their experiences.
while in other countries the girls como upon
the scene with the voices OF matrons. Aud by
that mean that there is a richer. rOunder lie
in them. md thai mdescrihable quality Of vi
hrstion which is lntrinscally womanly. There
can be no doubt that this ripencss Of tone il
vital Inheritance. In musical slang 1t il called
sympathy magnetism and fire. But these terms
find no place in u purely physical examination
OF means.
What our American women's voices. as n rule.
excel In is cold flexibility. Their gamut has
length. but not breadth. as is 80 often tho case
with their bodies. They possess nmble alac-
rity that climbs all difficulties and cxults in
climbing. but there Is nearly always the poig-
nancy OF determination the defiance Of will.
ana the consciousness Of knowledge lurking in
the sounds and If 1t is your vital nature that
the music appeals to. it will detect the quality
though your intelligence may not be able to ex-
plain H. Such voices are like the Jets d'eau
that spring to heaven with Rlittcrng beauty.
but they are without the momentum or the re-
ireshment OF the mountain stream that brawls
along the bosom Of the earth.
Am depreciating intellectual culture in vocal
ar2 No. am not. Art OF any kind Is impos-
sible without intellectual culture. But have
not discussed art at all. only natural function.
upon which it should be built.
But | may say that think 1t IL quite possible
for US to rob singing of its sweetest flavor and
most sovereign power by making 1t the self
conscious expression Of an intellectual effort.
when 1t should preserve the spontaneity Of a
natural language.
II the question OF art must be raised II may be
said that many Of our singers are only virtuosi.
They have Lost the eloQuence Of song in the ex-
travagance Of rhetoric. Our hearts do not care
10 pick the buried sentiment out OF their fort
turf II the palid face of sympathy looks ut us
at all through the bars Of their music. we know
that il II u prisoner.
Sooner or later the question that | asked last
week will force itself upon the attention Of
thinkers. 1t is whether the intense cerebral
unrest Of our life is not fatal to the best express
sion OF physical condition. Art uses. II cannot
make material II may be that our art abuses
II at times. For we cannot overlook the fact
that the intellectual application of some Of our
women has been positive injury 10 their voices.
An indomitable will. joined to a lofty ambition.
has ruined respectable singers TO make notable
instruments. But all the mental effort Of WI. IN
vigorous mind is capable and all the art that
can be supplied. will not impart quality to the
voice. That Is the INTERCHANGEABLE indvd-
ualty which remains undsturbed. You cnn
strength en-. develop. and enlarge. but the crab
will never wear the bloom Of the peach. And
your piccoo play you ever SO many TIE Deums.
will not grow 10 an organ.
II is the effort to make the instrument do that
for which 1t is not fitted that oftenest iangies IT,
And then we must not forget that intellectual
effort IL always made NJ the expense Of physical
function. You cannot develop your metnphy
stefan into an athlete. and IL II were possible
you would lose your metaphyscian. Nature
does not as a rule provide fuel enough to run
the mind and the body Mt the same rate OF
speed.
We find ourselves always running one part 81
the machine at the expense Of the other
Let US not forget that when we desire the
freest and fullest expression OF the vital func-
tons.
And now that I have gone all over this un-
worked field again. let me come back to the
| original text. Miss Thursby. II only 10 say tina,
80 far rs one hearing authorized me TO express
an opinion that accepted her as an artist with
far more brilliant possibilities In her voice and
method than any Of the singers who have re.
| Gently preceded her.
may add 10 this that she has had the bcs
teachers and has caught the public ear.
Tint she will touch the popular heart and re
viye the old and simplo efficacy Of song. can
not say with certainty any more than you car
yourself until have heard her where she is en-
titled to be- heard before We judge hcr-ln tn,
concert room. NYM CRiNKLE.