The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-18
A SINGER ON SINGING.
An Essay by Madame Christine Nilsson on
the Art of Public Singing.
From Article in North American Review.

From Article in North American Review.
To the public singer, more perhaps than to
any other artist sympathetic appreciation,
quickly and naturally manifested by the
audience, is everything, The painter and
the poet, if they have the courage that comes
from complete consciousness OF their pecu-
liar gifts may work on in the solitude of
their studies confident that what one genera
ton refuses to consider another may give a
rlghtful place among the immortal achieve
ments OF human genius aud skill. The COM
poser may be misunderstood, msin terpreted,
neglected; but his score survives him, and
may yet be rendered to an admiring world by
some musician who had not begun the rrst
music OF the cradle when its author became
silent In the grave. Even the actor, though
ms success depends largely upon sympathy
IN ms audience, is not under so great obliga-
tons to it as the singer, by as much as the
dramatlst and the scene-painter play more
important and observable part than the COM
poser. words may express an idea, however
clumsily or coldly spoken; but the express
SION OF the more delicate and fleeting emo
tlons and suggestions of song must be crea-
ted almost entirely by the singer. who is all
the while conscious that unless they fall
upon sensitive and sympathetic ears they
pass AOlCNCl OuI VI 6AlSJtHCe WIN Lll6lf own
brief echoes A great English poet tells us
that
'Music, when soft voices die, vibrates In the
memory"
But 1t IS only in the memory of such souls
as have some responsive music of their own.
The audience that exhibits the most sym
pathetic appreciation gets the best music.
1here is no power in mechanical singing, and
the hearers will always feel its lifelessness,
whether they understand its cause or not.
Singing may be said to find It's level. 1t can
not 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
certain amount of tediousness or WEAKNESS
IN singing the same pieces many times over.
Yet song which gives fitting expression to
any genuine emotion of the 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 literature. And it must be remem-
bered that each public rendering is an ex-
perlence more or less peculiar to itself
Different audiences, different auspices differ
ent stage companionship, different arrange
ments for sound and light and ventilation
above all the ever-varying experiences of
ones own private life, which may be wildly
present to the singer, while hidden from the
upon the performance. Sometimes a singer
is able, for no apparently adequate reason,
TO Guido, in a marked degree, her efforts at
other times. At the least une expected event,
especially if ii be anything in the nature of
a disappointment, she may become hoarse,
and her vocal organs refuse to respond. 1t
has been found absolutely impossible to
train the voice sufficiently to enable it to
overcome such causes of depression. Any
measure of sadness immediately makes
itself felt in the effort, aud mars the execu-
ton.
In my judgment, the American people,
during the past twelve years have made
wonderful progress in the power to appre-
ciate good music. They no longer accept
foreign artist without question, solely on the
strength of a European reputation. 1t is
true they VIII go once to see or hear person
who has made noise abroad because they
have money. and probably quite as much
curiosity as other people. But they will not
continue to pstronze that which does not
suit their taste or commend itself to their
Judgment. So far as my observation goes,
the appreciation of good music in
the principal cities of the United States is
fully equal to that of the European
capitals, 1t is eyinced by deep sympathy
which is felt at the very beginning of a
performance In the Eastern and Middle
States the audiences appear to have more
deliberate Judgment a disposition to con-
slider and compare before committing them
selves to full approval, but the response is
hearty and cheering when it comes. In the
West and South it is quicker in its express
sion. The musical cultivation and Judgment
of the Americans are shown in prompt rec
ignition OF the best passages they appear to
realize what is generally fine in the art. Mo-
Zart Beethoven, Meyerbeer and Wagner are
as thoroughly understood here as in Euro
pean cities, and the expression OF appreca-
10 i.,C I.,In I
been agreeaby surprised at the manilesta-
tons of an intelligent enjoyment OF classical
music.
This state of things is probably owing to
the fact that, in one sense, there is so little
provincialism in America. The Americans
are great travellers, and have unequaled facil-
tiles for travel They think nothing of going
from one end OF the country to the other
whenever business, health or pleasure de-
mands 1T. And they remove their homes
from one section 10 another with almost
equal ease. They are at home everywhere
Brothers and sisters live in the most distant
parts of the land, and scarcely realize that
they are not near neghbors. The conse-
quence is that one finds substantially the
same society, the same Institutions the
same education and the degree of
refinement in Chicago or st. Louis
or San Francisco as in New York,
Philadelphia, or Boston. 1t may also be said
lilul t1tre - no iIllelteCJual metropolis, ana
those differences in dialect which make sharp
distinctions between people of neighboring
counties and provinces in Europe are here
entirely wanting.
The abundance of wealth in the United
States, and the spirit OF enterprise that does
not fear to invest it on 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 effects of
the rooms in which have sung in America
as with those OF European cities. II was a
surprise and delight to find perfect gem of
an opera-house so far West as Denver The
Academy OF Music, in Philadelphia | con-
slider second only, in acoustic properties, to
to the Grand Opera-bouse at Vienna, which
is the finest in the world.