Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-12-24

tFrom Warren Davenport's ''vaearies of V
CuitGre."l


mas method" and every student is acquiring
method. The term Is applied TO ali sorts
and KIDS or vocal efforts. aud is most haady
substitute when the critic lacks the knoWlad re
necessary for an intelligent explanation of a
performer capabilities; Tor what is easier than
10 say that so and so has a good method, a
pad method" or mo method whatever" IL
they DO or DO not sing 10 suit ones fancy.
III is the most absurd and til-apDIied word In
the whole vocabulary OF technical terns
employed in the vocal science.
In most cases the persons using the term
could give you no technical explanation or the
difference between good and bad method
III tbey pretended 10 explain, no two OF them
would agree as 10 what ID their mind constituted
q method"
Again, communication with another at
DISTANCE may De oy telephone, telegraph. or the
various mall conVeyanceS, each controlled by a
gained is the same
In voice production there is but one result to
! De gained, and only one mechanical action or
Heth0d' 10 De employed. Pure tone is the
result desired, and this is gained through the
normal, mechanical action OF the vocal appa-
fatds This mechanical action Is governed by
! laws That are the same Ia both sexes OF all
! races OF the human family. The motive power
ar. is one and the same thing in every iudi
| yidual and climate.
| There is and can be but one true method for
emitting the voice, the germ Of winch existed in
| Adam. and has been inherent with every
! human being since, possessing a mUscii ear
| and the faculty OF using the voice in SIN gin :.
Because abnormal or cratic actions have
oeen lntu1tlye with large number OF vocalists.
or nave oeeu taught by equally ignorant and
| enthusiastic teachers under the impression that
! they constituted a "method, IT, does Il 1t 10 the
| east argue In their FAVOR or delract from our
assertion that there is or Can be but one norm IL
| mechanical action or method, In voice pro-
| ducJion.
We hear of the Italian method, the "French
| metHod and the German method" just as il
! method, properly speaking. could be national
we have heard numerous singers, some OF them
/ famous, who have been educated some In one
!
! methods, each one protesting 10 be an exponent
| OF lhelr choice, who, although claiming u have
nImeien ns Lnethods, sang ia every respect
| ever IN dispensing their vocal vagar1es We
| can recall singer who claims to have studied
! and acquiring The German method" whose
efforts were The result of exactly the same
| vocal movements employed Dy another, wno
! Scohed al the German method and claimed
that The Italian method was the only method
! TO live and die by.
| Everybody must admit the marked differ
| ence In the schools OF music Identical with
| Italian. German ana French composers but
Ihe manipulation OF the voice in executing the Sc
| different schools, as regards production or tone,
| IS Que and the same, II normally employed.
| Many OF the most renowned singers OF the
! standard Italian works are OF The pureSC Saxon
| origin. and never studied the claimed Italian
| method. Nevertheless, their production OF
! tone and rendition OF tue music Is exactly SINH
| lar 70 that or singers VINO were born and bred
| Ia Italy. The former lay no claim TO having
| acquired the italian method while the latter
|
| ef its principles. ON the other baud, singers
! who are Jealous advocates OF the Italian method
! VII! render with the greatest effect the grand
! araS or the German operas aud be equally
| successful in the Interpretation of the German
! lled, rtvalling in every particular the singers
| who boast That they excel in such music be,
! German method.
| The least critical could observe that each of
| TIE aaoVe- mentioned singers employed Tue
same method" OF voice production 10 all their
"A ar
italian, their versatility being 4 matter purely
| tFsthetteai and having nothing TO do with
! method or VOcalKation.
The iPstheJical nature of some singers en-
/ braces all schools OF music" In the perform
! ance or which, respectively the same method
/ OF voice production Is employed. The char
| acter OF the music marks the different effect
/ not the. action OF the vocal organs. IL a singer
hOWlS or screeches in one school of music ha
Will do the same in all he attempts. IL tie sings
correctly IL one school, ne will in all. 1t is easy
! enough for singer 30 Jtaianfze or Germantze
/ his name and sing in the Italian Ian
! guage. but his vocalVation remains the same
! Hence the folly or talking about Italian Ger
man or French methods" Say. rather that one
! studied IN Italy, Germany or France or with
an Italian, German or French teacher: or
has taste for Italian, German or French
music. IL ones associations are with Italian
music they will fall into that style which the
''a%t OF singing requires tor the performance
OF the cantible. S0sLenut0 character of Italian
arias, II their associations have been with GER
man E2usic they VIII be inclined 70 the declam.
( ART or singing, not voice production.
Vocal method" has 10 deal only with the
! production and control OF the voice To contra
dlstlncuo0 TO the art OF singing" wnic1 en-
braces pRraSing. expression and all the otn.r
accomplishments that come under the general
head OF style by which means the singer gives
| characteristic distinction feSJhetiGalIy % a
composition. Ii is the art OF singing thar
writers eXpatiate upon, imagining all the
While ii is vocal method. The former Is what
| Is taught by scores OF teachers under The delu-
sion that they are giving their pupils vocal
AS for vocal method" judging from the ev,-
dence that offers itself for observation through
the medium OF the theorists pen, the efforts OF
public singers. The work OF teachers and the
results gained ny pupils. it is most asSure1y
lost art. The requirement Of a vocal method
is analogous to the requirement OF a flexible
and finished &c unique IN the study OF the
piano. With what great care does the intelli-
gent and honest piano teacher proceed through
the progressons OF i've finger exercises, scales
and expeggt0S Ia order to fern the pupir5
hand and secure flexible and firm touch
With what caution does the thoroughly.
| sch0oed violin teacher work with his puplI TO
gain flexible bow arm. good tntonattCn and
perfect facility Ia all the positions OF the
fnger-b0ard before he allows him to attempt
10 phrase aud give expression to a romance,
rondo, senate or other concert piece.
The instrumental teacher knows that all me
cRanlcai movements must be brought to that
dfgree OF perfection that Ehey Shall have be-
soh9 lntultlve with The pupil, before he Is TO
Il he rendering or composition. The more
intense his emotional nature the more thor
oughly schoOle1 must he be IN order that he
does GoL ''scrapeT INSTEAD Ct play his violin or
"hamrler" instead Of touch hts piano; for the
effect must be made upon the listener and not
upon himself. Years are willingly spent In
acquiring finished technique upon an tnstru-
meDt.
Vocal pupils grumble because at the end OF
SIX months or one years Study they are not
transformed into full-bloWn artist, Then.
again. the instrumentaist can obtain az once a
perfectly finished instrument, which is
scarcely subject TO injury from an erroneous
method" Of practice. II It should happen 10
become injured, burned. broken or otherwise
destroyed, another one equally good can be
purchased. With the voice 1t is quite differ
ent. The instrument may Independent OF
dioeaSe} through the bad usage attendant upon
erroneous practices become Injured or ruined
In the latter case 1t cannot be restored, and In
the former case only after the most careful and
intelligent vocal treatment
How Important then co proceed In the right
direction and with the greatest caution In the
cultivation OF the most delicate OF all instru-
mentS-the voice.
How important that the instrument should
be employed normally In order that its preser-
walton may be insured in the at tempted per-
lection OF the mechanical movements callet
''vocal culture
Alas, for the nonr sfnc-nr destruction tO r,oro