Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-05-26
SINGING IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Theodore Thomas indorses, in the June
Century, VIM. l. Tomlin's views ION the
Training of Children's Voices" Mr.. Tom.
lin says in part When the study of sing
ing was first introduced into the public
schools of Boston, the most utopian antici-
pations were INDUCED in with regard to the
degree and value of the musical culture
that would then become the acquisition of
every child. Two advantages, In particu-
lar, were counted upon: That fluent sing
ing by note would become common, and
that foundation would be laid for gen.
uine appreciation of good music. To some
extent these expectations have been real
lied. A certain very moderate knowledge
of musical notation has become general
among the younger people-not only Of
that city but of almost all other cities
throughout the country, for into nearly all
of them music has been introduced. Even
this moderate facility in reading music has
served as means of enlarging the pupils
practical acquaintance with musical litera-
ture, and to that extent the school instruc-
tion has done something to advance must
cal taste. But, on the other hand, it is
very far from the truth, that the ability
has become general to sing accurately by
note any but the simplest music, even
among the more musical of the students in
these schools. Il is equally doubtful
whether the wider dissemination of must
cal taste is to any considerable extent re-
lated to the public school instruction in
music. There is, however, more serious
question which deserves to be considered.
1t is, whether the exercise of singing as
commonly conducted in the public schools
is not positively harmful to the voice and
destructive to future ability to sing artist
cally. Briefly mentioned, the faults of
current instruction are these Everything
is sacrificed to knowledge of musical nota-
ton. The voice is developed only in re-
spect to power, and this, unfortunately,
in way which must be entirely undone
whenever the study of artistic singing is
begun. Instead OF soft, pleasant, express
i've voices, one hears in school almost uni
versally hard, shouty tone, unsympa-
thetic and inexpensive. This tone is pro-
duced by an improper action of the throat
which absolutely prevents the production
of an emotional tone, In this way is
formed a bad habit which must be entirely
undone before an expression can be &C
quired. Singing thus conducted is not
even healthful exercise, for it engenders
vocal habits which react unfavorably upon
the throat. Nor do the musical text
books exhibit real progressiveness toward
higher and nobler ideas. How far this is
the case will appear as soon as we compare
the singing. books with the ordinary school
readers. In the latter the child begins
with easy words and very simple thoughts.
=. l. e, III 10
involved sentences and more mature ideas.
The progress does not stop short OF Shakes
peare and Milton. Instead OF such a pro-
gressive course in music, the pupil is held
to the lower grade. Even where the diff
culties of musis-reading are gradually in
creased, the musical ideas are not CORE
spondiugly raised. All of these short
comings finally reduce themselves to two,
namely: Ignorance of or indifference to
the physiological relation between sing
ing and the vocal organs; and second,
apathy with regard to all kinds of musical
relations beyond the simplest and most OBJ
vious. This state of things, which prevails
for the most part throughout the country,
is to be accounted for, or at least has been
influenced, by two or three circumstances.
The music teachers are chosen mainly for
their knowledge of notation and the sight
reading of music. They are generally
earnest, practical teachers, with perhaps a
turn for music, but with no systematized
training in the physiology of the vocal or
gans, and without practical acquaintance
with the technic of vocal culture. They
are precentor-like singers, with loud, un-
sympathetic voices, and with low grade
of musical ideas.