Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-05-20
A MUSIC LESSON.
a Few Valuable Hints from Chris
tine Nilsson.

My DEAR FRIEND.-It gives me great
pleasure to comply with the wish you
have expressed that l should give you
a few hints which may help YOU in
carrying out the musical education and
vocal training of your daughters. l
should first suggest that unless a child
shows some natural aptitude for music,
it seems mistake to devote much
time to the attainment of the art. Such
an aptitude generally manifestS itself
in early childhood. as when it exits,
the child will evincc pleasure and at
tention in listening to music. and viii
try to initiate the sounds it hears If
successful in this attempt, there C; be
no doubt of its being gifted with q
musical ear.
If l had the musical training OF
child, should adopt the system of call
ing the seven notes constituting the
scale according TO their Italian names,
viz: Do, Re, Mi. Fa. So, LIZ, ST. and
by striking each one of these notns on
some musical instrument. CT singing it
out. Associate at once. from the ve.'y
beginning, the sound of every noGt
with its proper name, jus: rs the
alphabet is taught before spelling or
subsequent reading is cmpt-d. Then
the child's eye must get usei t. the
five lines forming the staff IN the tgeble
'clef, AMI each note must he taught by
its pos ton on the sad staff.
After this. the same proc SIS mu be
gone through with the paS, cl.:. 50 That
in due cours Of time tn" Study of The
piano-forte may ce pursued. but i Is.
in my opini n. Very great mistake to
teach a beginner music by the help of
the kcybo: r., or Glacier, as it is called
in French, o. the piano-forte. Such
teaching does not tend to the fOrma-
lion OF Il musical ear, or help the stu
dent TO read easily at 81 ght, which is
one of the chief objects to be attained
by the musician. The appellation of
the notes, their respective value or dil-
ration, the rests, division of time-thc
theory of music. in fact. should be well
taught 1t is a work of time and pa
thence, but when thoroughly attained,
is never forgotten, and is Indispensable
TO the requirement of instrumental and
vocal talent.
iSOLtcgc, which is the first kind of
singing taught TO children on the con-
tinent of Europe. consists in singing
out the notes by their apellation: Do,
Re, Nj. Fa, Sol, La. ST, and simultane-
ously beating time with the right hand.
in order to designate the proper division
of each bar. and mark the rythm, which
is of the utmost Importance. The study
of Solfege is absolutely Indispensable
to a vocalist, and ought to be pursued
in childhood, when it is not fatiguing.
1t will thus establish a good and solid
foundation to the subsequent vocal
studies. The age at which girl may
begin to learn singing must depend
upon her health and physical strength.
and also on the natural development of
her voice. Some voices being much
stronger than others, may be exercised
early in life without injury; such was
Patti case and mine; but these being
exceptional instances. one can not pre-
sent them as examples.
From sixteen to eighteen would be
about the average age. when easy ex-
-ercises should be taught TO the student,
carefully avoiding straining the voice
in any way.
The proper way of drawing breath,
which should be from the diaphragm
or waist, is study in itself; also the
opening of the throat and mouth, in
order to insure. from the first, good
emission of the sound. Garcia, Bor-
dogni, RaEdegger and other celebrated
masters in the art of singing, have
written excellent works on the subject.
with clear and practical observations
and instructions. and also exercises
and vocalizes, admirably adapted for
the study of the art they so thoroughly
understand; nevertheless, students can
not teach themselves singing even
with the best of written methods: and
without the assistance of an expert
-enced and capable teacher, directing.
watching and guiding the student, bad
habits are formed which are most diff
cult, and sometimes impossible, to cor
rect.
As there are different kinds of voices.
some being naturally high, such as the |
soprano, some low-pitched, as the con-
tralto. or others varying between the |
two, more of the mezzo-soprano kind, |
it is important that they should be |
guided according to their natural |
tendency in order not to force or strain |
them; and of this the teacher must |
Judge aud direct the studies of his pu- |
pills accordingly. 1t therefore requires |
an experienced professor, particularly |
at the commencement
Singing must not be practiced too
long at a time, so as to fatigue the |
voice. A period of twenty minutes to- |
gether is sufficient; but may be repeat
I'D twice or three times day, when |
snce the pupil has understood how to |