The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-06-17
ON SINGING.
An Essay by Madame Christine MI"
son ON n Art OF Public singing.

american kecieic there appears an nue.
ing paper on the art Of public singing
w ritten by Madame Christine Nilsson.
Her acknowledged and striking fitness TO
discuss the topic makes the paper one OF
unusual inter est. She says:
To the public singer, more perhaps than
TO any other artist, sympathetic apprecla-
ton, quickly and. naturally manifested by
the audience, is everything. The painter
and the poet, il they have the courage that
comes from a complete consciousness OF
their peculiar gifts, may work on IN the
solitude OF their studies, confident that what
one generation refuses TO consider another
NAV give a rightful place among the immor-
tai achievements OF human genius and
skill. The composer may be mlsunder-
stood, mIsinterpreted, neglected; but his
score survives him, and may yet be rem
dered to an admlring world by some mtlsl-
clan who had not begun the first music OF
the cradle when It's author became silent
in the grave. Even the actor. though his
success depends largely upon sympathy IN
his audience, Is not under so great obliga-
tions to it as the singer, by as much as the
dramatist and the scene-paintcr play a
more important and observable part
than the composer. Words may eX-
press an idea, however clumsily or
coldly spoken; but the expression OF the
more delicate and fleeing emotions and
suggestions Of song must be created almost
entirely by the singer, who is all the while
conscious that unless they fall upon sensl-
tive and sympathetic ears they pass forever
ont OF existence with their own b1iei
echoes. A great English poet tells us thai
a. Music, when soft voices die, yibrates In the mem
ory."
But it Is only i'm the memory OF such o
as have some responsive music OF their
own.
The audience that exhibits the most
sympathetic appreciation gets the best mu.
sic. There il no power in mechanical
singing, and the hearers will always
feel its li~felessness, whether they under
stand its cause or not. Singing may be
said to find its level. II cannot stir the
nature OF the nearer to any deeper depth,
or exalt his enthusiasm to any higher height.
than the depth and height OF the singers
own heart and soul.
From the nature OF the case, there must
be a certain amount Of tediOusneSs or
WEAKNESS in singing the same piece many
times over. Yet a song which gives littlng
expression to anv genuine emotion OF the
human heart, which IN any way arrives
at that touch Of nature that makes the
whole world kin, is one OF the most
durable OF all things in art or lit
erature. And it must be remem-
bered that each public rendering IS an
experience more or less peculiar 10 itself.
Different audiences. different auspices, dill
ferent stage companionship, different ar
fragments for sound, aud light. and ven
t~ilatiOn-abOye all, the cycr-yarying CXpc-
ricnces OF ones own private life, which
may be wildly present To the singer, while
hidden from the aIdiencc-all these
| things have their effect upon the per-
Torrance. Sometimes 4 singer Is able. Tor
no apparently adequate reason, 10 Guido.
In a marked degree, her efforts at other
times. Al the least unexpected event, eS-
pccially il il be anything OF the nature Of %
disappointment, she may become hoarSc.
and her vocal organs refuse To respond.
Ii has been found absolutely impossible 10
train the voice sufficiently TO enable il 10
overcome such causes Of depression. Any
measure Of sadness Immediately makes IT.
self felt in the effort, and mar the eXecu-
lion.
In my Judgment, the American people,
during the past twelve years, have made
wonderful progress in the power to apprc-
ciate good music. They no longer accept
a foreign artist without question. solely on
HE strength of a European reputation. II
ii is true they will 60 once TO see or hear i
person who has made noise abroad; be-
cause they have money, and probably quite
as much curiosity aS other people. But
they will not continue TO patrOuize that
which does not SUIT their taste or commend
itself to their judgment. so far as my OBJ
seryatiOn goes, the appreciation OF good
music in the principal cities OF the United
States is fully equal TO that OF the Euro
pean capitals. 1t is eyinced by a deep
sympathy which is felt at the very begin
ming OF a performance. I'm the Eastern
and Middle States the audience appear 10
have a more deliberate Judgment, Il disp0-
sition to consider and compare, before
committing themselves To full approval;
but the response j. hearty and cheering
when it comes. In the West and south, n
is quicker i'm its expression. The musical
cultivation and judgment Of the Americans
are shown in a prompt recognition OF the
best passages; they appear 10 realize what
is generally fine in the art. Mozart, Bee
thoven, Meyerbeer, and Wagner are a.
thoroughly understood here as in European
cities, and the expression Of appreciation is
stronger. Even i'm small places | have
been agreably surprised at the manifesto
ton OF an intelligent enjoyment Of CLASH
cal music.
This state Of things is probably owing 10
the fact that, in one sense, there j. 50 little
prOyincIalism in America. The Ameri-
cans are great travellers. and nave unequal
led facilities for travel. They think moth
ing Of going from one end Of the country
to the other whenever business, health, or
pleasure demands it,. And they remove
their homes from one section to another
with almost equal ease. They are at home
everywhere. Brothers and sisters live I'm
the most distant parts Of the land. and
scarcely realize that they are not near
neighbors. The consequence j. that one
finds substantially the same society, the
same institutions. the same education. and
the same degree OF refinement in Chicago |
or ST. Louis or san Francisco, as in New
York, Philadelphia, or Boston. Ii NAV
also be said that there is no intellectual
metropolis; and those differences in dialect |
which make sharp distinctions between
people Of neighboring counties and pro-
Ninces in Europe are here entirely want |
Ing.
The abundance OF wealth i'm the United
States, and the spirit OF enterprise that does
not fear to invest il on a large scale in any |
worthy undertaking, may be seen in the
great number OF excellent halls and opera
houses, where musical performances may
be rendered to the best advantage. have
been as well satisfied with the acoustic ef-
fects OF the rooms in which | have sung in
America as with those OF European cities.
1t was a surprise and delight to lind a per-
feet gem Of an opera-house so far west rs
Denver.