The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-12-23
VOICE CULTURE.
MRS. HARDING'S LECTURE AND
PIANO REC ITAL AL THE
BLIND ASYLUM

scarcely more than six months. When she came
mere enc was suffering from throat affection
which had almost entirely deprived her of the use
OF her voice, and speaking in tones above whis.
per was to her very difficult The climate of the
Hill City has wrought wonderful cure for her for
IN Tue snort space OF time mentioned, she has not
only recovered her voice, but is again able to sing
thlng she never again expected to be able to do
rs Harding is an accomplished musician and
vocalist, and since the recovery of her voice. has
formed aclass for the promotion of the art of music
and song Wednesday evening at the Institute TO
TIE Blind, MIe. Harding gave piano recital and
Glare IN music to the pupils and large number
OF assembled guests The musical programme
consisted OF several vocal selections by Mrs Hard
ing, among which were "The ightiH gae'' oval z
spng), "Twickenham Ferry" "The Daisy (polka
cauahils) and others. Mrs. Harding's thorough
knowledge of music, her sweet-toned voice, and
her clear, distinct enunciation both in singing and
speaking, m de the entire programme unusually
interesting and ENJOYABLE
During the evening, by special request
the orchestra, composed of pu lis of the institute,
and consisting of piano, cornet, violin, bass yo,
piccoo and flute, gave several WE l-ren0ered selec
tons. Tbs song, "a Warrior Bold" by one of
the pupils, accompanying himself on the plan:
"MendelsohD's Wedding March," and one other
selection on the large pipe organ, by another pu-
pill, were ais hi$hly appreciated and completes
the musical POI ION of the exercises. Mrs. Har-
diug's lecture IN the
The DIVINE ART OF SONG,
wsp, II sut STAGE, as follows:
Should We attempt to give some history of vocal
art we muet begin with the earliest ages. One of
England great men has made this remark: 'SOng
is oidrT than -Acr nee. an IL IS likely that Adam,
eupreme IN the paradise of Eden, sang of the goOd-
nese of his Creatur before the mercy ut Re-
deemer was made known" Choral singing was
CuuDt, 80 the earliest style OF music used and both
sacred aui ~r''4,ar INST ~ SHOW how much the
ancents appreciated choral effects
The Eg. ptlans had fl ,urishing schools of music,
and iD their chorrsps there were certain persons
set apart to mark the rhythm by clapp ny of hands
IL was not until the hrsllan era, however, thai
the old Greeks and Romans made improvement i'll
the stndy the voice. About one hundred years
Def e Chist, one named GaIliemus wrote
treatise OF the voice, and com.
pared It to reed instruments. But
BY examii ing carefully the wonderful manner
in which the vocal organ perflrms its part,
come eadily to believe that there is no me ;han al
instrument IL compare to il, for not o e is sus-
cept,ble to the infinite muduiations to which the
vocal organ leuds itself.
Not NUT the eleventh injury did music receive
any vital impetus. Gnidl' d. Arrezzo. an Italian
monk, ityeiited tie syllables of spfgGio, from
which rt the Ittin scale o. DO, ~. mi e'c
yistochi, (another ItalianD was the father OF the
ltaiian nctnuu of singlhS lie schonl ot B1iogua
was the first school of Italian singing He wa
followed by two other singers and teachers, per
nachi and Porpora, famous, not only iof thel
own singing but for their teaching, which pro
duced singers of peculiar sweetness. ! he method
became world renowned and is now known by the
name of the "Old Italian School"
method of dol g a thing, to he method at an,
must be founded on natural laws. 1t is, in other
words an absence Of ali artiiclaity, and is some
thing done in obedience to natural principles
Singing is vucalized talking. Every idea ex-
pressed in spe,c h may be expressed in song But
what are the principles of this most famoue
method of vocal art? To do that which 10 mo
natural and what is natural may be established as
law lie principles of the old Italian method,
says a hish authority, are founded on Ger am
natural laws Singing speaking shouIu oe
identical When correctly done one 10 as easy a3g
natural as the other. Try &c speak the Wora
90 ~ TN in
ualIy ascend vocal SCALE ana you VIII hhd we
action of throat and voice as easy in one as tne
other and certainly as natural head a line Oh
poetry-then -ihg it in monotone up tne scae,
making no effort, but letting the words flow with
the breath II will be light sound, perhaps, put
will not tire the voice, and this is or me lrsl
consideration, and upon this idea Is founded 'ne
sold Italian method. -, &c ;oo
There are many and various methods OF voice
culture Some are re or less plauslnle' ouV
that which haa stood the test OF tline anu pIu
ducad the best practical result must naturally RANK
One characteristic by which singers OF the ia
ian method ma, be easily recognized, Is the eAcen
tiona deliracy of head-tones. ne lea9 tolie 10
he gold n thread running through the Ice, len,-
mo ssweetness TO every tone, If properly used.
This thOu ht brings us to speak or the REGISTERS
of the voice The theory OF registers Is que liI
over which musicians and teachers uave Miana' :; II
~ little II is question of great importance as IL
most directly aft CITE the euncanoil
Of the voice and the art of singing wen Oelole
guiuu further however, Will Say, IN oIuer !" ~
q clear idea of what is meant ny 'rrSlstrs, Iudi
AZ ynn sbonld examine the voice OF an INDIVIDUAL
having him run t entire lengih OF the Vocal
SCALE listening Tor looking carefully you WIN se5
that when certain degree eleva'," rd tba mali
there is a movement of the laryhX, anu tue q'a,t
tias of eunnd vary These changes nave Deth
called REGISTERS. Thay occur AZ I inv ,o'i,e
,,ssetl fou the chest tones to lover iheultn .
tsenersllv on e or F. and from lover nltuluii ~
Nrere- ~ LIN, or n or C.: again from upper me
dihn tD read the heat register brglhhiHs a'
The upper head is an eGcepIiollal ,,ocas
rarely possessed by any OuC pi,,st ha estah.
Many theorists insist that registers n,us, os his
i,t,d "A 4 .areful And scientific study proves tni
10 he mistake: the registers are tileIe aed t.
n ia tho prnyince of the teacher W tquaIno
s,,,,,th.n v,,ice so to shape II that these chan
s ~ ,;co l. ne smooth as elsewhere, ana no
49,, VI ronThne-s mars its purity or marks Vie
mont once weak. rendering u 80 s'hJ rD,,t sea1
ndcIpar from chest to adj L mlsn alnp 1sIinc
~ ona uniform register This IS one gIeas U.s. Il
~ teattire in I e vocal teachers work ana tGele *
NJ, anartmpn; more interesting TO the carelu'' W."
ecieuti Us teacher -. 4;r
There are three things to be done III foi'0 'i"'H
ig; o,oo correct form or shape
IT, Nj o. m everything else, the methou aPP11"n'
Ia nature aud is based upon natural ia" ..ra mn
a tre- Tor example, and see now la ~ t hougb,
ward from the massive Tuh i W y, Zee broad ant
A., 4, Inc chest register, passed granualY ~,
inc ii hf atd licate head tone ;s ,or az IL
we're az broad and deep in the upper IL inrned into
tie enrst tnen Singing wonlu DC 81 ~" the daiica
s sss ana exSs te ghtDess Of heE head tones me-,
There Is ten times more art in soIuy SUM- hn; onl
nate. than loudly Anybody can ss!eA treTfv 81
an artist eau sing panissimo. Whele 49, ton,
s 81, io,,d tome on high B-two can sing ton
OF pianissimu softness.
The voice must alN aye be throws i91" az rsnd
mouth You cannot articulats clearly W n
ihe,,,is. Sing ay-la, noticing the position =
the tongue both the tp and the middle. e,fset
dIe viii oe against the '1olars TINS Is , a M
easy aud natural position sno y sS lat aud 20
soIze on he hieher grade A, your tone VII y
nnee and clear had ton i the sure re. a ~, 81
Ginger thinks only Of reaching nole, spo ~ set
strg;pis ~ the drst Importance Tue hauS' N h
Certain process, called lingering, MN ~ IN, I
ains his notes Whst would YOU tinS y; III" ,har
he neglected that process and ifieu u E''A 49,