The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1886-12-23
ENGLISH AS SHE IS SUNG.
WHY so MANY AMERICAN SINGERS
FAIL TO PRONOUNCE DISTINCTLY.
Singers who Look Well and Act Well,
but Whose Words Are Unintelligible.
Difficulties OF the English Language.
Singing for Health.


The singers looked well and acted well,
but not word that they uttered was in
teEigible.
The programme was printed in English
and the composers had spoken English in
their day, but to the unadvised listener the
medium through which the artists were
striving to interpret the composers
thoughts might have been cuneiform,
''tea box" or that of the society woman's
afternoon reception.
Why is it that SO large proportion Of
American singers fail TO pronounce their
words distinctly
Let the professor" answer: Because
they study singing in Italian. Hundreds of
people in England and America, who are
studying by what are known as the Italian,
French and German methods, expect to
make their living by singing in English.
81 refer TO the want of definite and suffi-
Gent study Of the vowel forms and conson-
antal sounds OF the English language"
adds the professor as he entwines his
sinewy legs about each other; "to articula-
ton. pronunciation, etc. Every singer
should study the Italian language in song,
but he should first master his mother
tongue. The English language in song is
becoming more popular every day, and
when mastered is as easy and beautiful as
any other.
"Why is the English language more diff
cult of mastery in singing"
1.-THE English language is more difficult
to master than the Italian, for the reason
that the natural or physical formation of
the Italian language constantly aids and
no 10
study of Italian will not make easy the
correct use of the English, but makes 1t
more dicffiult, as it has a tendency to
broaden all vocal formation, and thus rem
ders the correct formation of the close Eng
lish sounds physically impossible to those
who do not understand them, which is the
case with all who study Italian only.
1.-THE abnormal condition in which the
adult voice is usually found is due to mis-
use or abuse, to power misapphed. a right
system then, must be a corrective study.
When you see a singer get red in the face
and the veins in his neck seem ready to
burst, you can rest assured that it is the re-
suit of power misapplied. All that work
should be borne by the muscles of his
body If it were the custom TO sing with
out words we might have many beautiful
singers.
THE PERCENTAGE OF SUCCESS.
"What is the percentage Of success
among Americans who study vocal music''
''It is a sad fact that large majority Of
those who study vocal music, aided by mu-
steal sense, ambition, application, and even
stern necessity, are total or comparative
failures This is true not only of those who
study in America, but of those who study
in foreign countries The truth is, there
are but few who know or understand the
human voice As a rule the voices of little
children are right, or in natural cOndi-
ton, while the voices of unframed adults
are wrong, or in an unnatural condition.
1t is great mistake to suppose that right
voice culture is an artificial process, in the
sense of which the word artificial is gen
orally accepted. No doubt much of that
which is called voice culture is, for it results
in affectation and mannerisms. A right
system of voice training simply restores the
voice to its first or normal condition by
eliminating all defects. "
II should imagine that the human voice
was not easy to train"
"The human voice is the most difficult OF
all instruments to understand, hence 1t Is
the most difficult to correctly play upon.
There is another great reason which &C
counts for the fact that while there are
many good pianists there are so few good
singers. Most parents, in the study of the
pianoforte recognize the Importance or
having their children commence at an early
age in order to acquire that flexible action
necessary for the complete mastery of the
keyboard Years are thus spent In the
study of the pianoforte. On the othe!
hand, for some unaccountable reason, the
idea prevails with the majority Of people
that a year or two is sufficient TO make
singers, and that, too, after they have
grown up and gone all astray, so far as the
correct use of the voice is concerned The
way to become great singers is to begin by
training the child voice. The child voice
is nearer right; it is more flexible, more
pliable, more musical"
DIFFICULTIES TO BE OVERCOME.
"What are the chief difficulties you meet
with in training the voice to sing English%'
''The greatest difficulties to be overcome
in the English singing voice are the con-
sonants. They should never be sustained
or prolonged i'll song, as is often heard, but
should always be spoken with quick,
flexible movement of the articulating or
gans, and without interfering with the
vowel form or the sound of the word A
consonantal sound is the result of an inter
ruption of the air current, and sudden ex-
plosion whereby raise is produced is called
a consonantal sound F"
Nine Clara Brenkerhoff says: "The vi
brations aroused by the singing voice pass
through the entire form of the singer, COM
municating to the floor where one stands, as
an electcric current seeks the ground
This is an undeniable fact, for l have sung
sseveral times for deaf mutes who were
standing. They expressed their pleasure
at hearing me sing When we questioned
them to explain we found that they had
received the vibrations through the soles
Of their feet from the vibrations conveyed
by me to the floor while singing, also stand
ing testifying to the fact that it is the
whole vibrating body which is the singing
instrument, not the throat alone. The hui
man tissue has subtle force, and is as vi
brant as drum head"