Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-11-18

Ihomas ana Carl Lerrahn at the head
of it. Let them select the best teach
ers Europe has, and import them here,
IN precisely the same way that foreign
operatic artistes are brought over.
Young girls could then study in
America at a comparatively small cost,
under the care of their parents, fami-
lies or friends, instead of going to
Italy to be deluded. As proof of
the statement that Italy has of late
years produced no great singers, may
state that Patti, Gerster, Albani, Nils
son, Lucca, Titiens, are not Italians,
and have never studied in Italy, but
simply studied the Italian school in
the place where they were born. In-
deed, none of these artistes had the
means Of going to Italy, so that money
or rich friends are not sine qua non
to artistic success, but often positive
detriment. 1t is really surprising the
amount of time and money there is
wasted by beginners who want to sing,
in consequence of their not going to
some competent person capable Of ad,
vising them what to do. Because a
teacher happens to be a musician, they
suppose he must Of necessity know
how to teach singing. There never
was greater mistake. Students of
the voice should be as careful about
their singing master as they ought to
be about selecting a doctor for the
voice, which, to a prima donna, is her
life, which depends upon the wisdom of
this choice"
ADVICE TO BEGINNERS.
"What can you tell me about the
best methods as regards the practice in
vocal culture"
"Well first of all, it is of the great
est Importance to bear in mind that
no two voices are precisely the same.
Some singers have quality, while 9TH
ers possess quantity of voice, and for
each separate and distinct treatment
is necessary. The proper training of
large and small voices is equally diff
cult, as the possessor of the former is
apt TO think power is right, while the
latter is likely to force the voice sim
ply to make it appear large.
Hence the necessity of a competent
teacher, who will, by judicious advice
and training and carefully selected ex-
ercises for the pupil, remove the many
obstacles in the beginners way Small
voices may be trained to travel as we'll
as large ones. Delicacy of expression
and 'savoir faire' in singing will al
ways win the appreciation of an intel
ligent audience. Let me also add that
the way to obtain quality of voice is
to constantly Y practice 'mezzO voce' and
rs constantly think of what you are
doing when you are practicing. Above
all, the students should thoroughly
study everything they propose to sing.
have heard young ladies say they
knew twenty operas by heart, yet when
| called upon them to sing an air from
any one, | discovered they knew not
one perfectly. For practicing the
best book published is 'Vocalises Pan
Okla, published by Brandus IL Co., of
Paris, which can be obtained for So ;
it is for soprano and mezzo-soprano or
contralto. The best means of i'm
proving and strengthening the voice
is by constantly practicing it-never,
however, for more than half an hour
at a time. The voice of the beginner
is delicate and should not be submit
ted to any harsh or fatiguing process
"Auber, my master, would only let
me practice for fifteen minutes when
first began to study, but then | was
only fifteen years of age. While tax
ing my lessons he always made me
sing with a looking glass in front of
my mouth, so that | might learn to
control the expression Of my face
while singing, for he said, "Marie il
taut etre jolie quand tn chantes" Git is
necessary TO be pretty when thou sing
est. The beginner has a tendency to
make grimaces, or look too severe or
serious, and in some instances, as while
singing love passages, their looks in
dicate horror rather than tenderness.
All practice should be done standing,
and young ladies should beware Of
tight lacing, as by this habit they pre-
vent the free action of the lungs, and
consequently retard the development
of the voice. 1t is a good plan to
hold a piece of music in your hands
while singing. This position is calcu-
lated to give the hands and arms not
only a graceful position, but also free
dom to the body, which is most essen
tial.
FIRST PRINCIPLES.
Zone of the first principles of sing
ing is to have the throat open, the
tongue down, with its root we'll de-
pressed, and when approaching a piano
passage keep the throat as open as for
forte passages, leaving the mouth and
| lima N rno1nlota tbo to.o