The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-05-02

That ner ACCOMPLISHMENTS Were smut IN Dy
narrow limits. 1t is not so with Patti,
however. l remember she one day told
me what she was going to do to coax her
voice up to n point beyond its present linn
its, and she did it. Then, two weeks after
that she drew her voice down for a speci-
men performance which she was
determined TO accomplish / do
not believe in the narrow-imit idea. You.
as a writer, might as well throw a dozen
letters out of the alphabet and say you can
get along better with the rest; that YOU
need only a few letters to express what
you want to say, and that you don't wish
to learn to say anything that cannot be
expressed by these few. An artist should
know all sides of his art. The more of
those sides he knows the more he is mas
ter of that art.
Then you think it is possible for a
songstress to train her voice ND and down
at will?"
81 certainly do. Indeed, | am begin
ming to think all things are possible. /
know that five or six years ago | had to
transpose almost everything down to suit
my voice, but one day L determined not
to DO that any more, but to draw my
voice, so to speak, up to the music. 1t
took lots OF drilling and some pluck, but /
did it."
Miss Abbott has now one OF the highest
soprano voices in the world.
But" she said, 81 am sure that could
and would if my art demanded it
change my voice to q contralto."
Without injuring the quality of it ?'
asked.
Eyes, sir; without the least injury TO its
quality. This may be a startling declara-
ton, but believe it is true Why, twelve
months ago l would have said it was ut
terly impossible TO reach the low tones that
now sound without the least effort. That
is why / say ann beginning to think moth
ing is impossible. Study and patient effort
will accomplish was going to say-will
accomplish anything
"Of course you have some well-defined
ideas of methods of voice culture. Miss
Abbott"
''Yes, sir; and like to talk about them,
too. | have one pet idea that ] wish /
could drive into every young singers
mead. 1t relates to the preservation OF the
quality of freshness in the voice. it is
saddening to see so many good young
voices ruined by the hammer-and-tong
method of some of the teachers They
force all the freshness and beauty out of
a voice and call that cultivation. CultiVa-
ton indeed, II is running the voices OF
many persons whom nature intended to
he beautiful singers. There is nothing in
the world more pleasing to hear than the
natural voice. Let child burst forth in
song and it sounds as if he were singing
because he couldn't help it. 1t carries
with it a JOY which no amount OF cultiva-
ton can increase, save that cultivation re-
fines rather than Obliterates that quality.
This childish freshness should always be
preserved, and it may be rs easily rs
not, II young singers cease 10 have
their voices forced beyond the proper
limits. The voice should be treated with
the same delicate care that a fond mother
bestOws upon her babe; and l was glad,
on my recent trips to Europe, TO see that
the most celebrated teachers there have
agreed that this butchery OF the voice
should cease; that bowling is DO give way
to singing, and that the mezzO voice, or
half-voice, method is to be adopted; that
instead of hammering the natural fresh
ness and sweetness out OF a voice they
propose now to begin developing that
charming quality, unfolding the voice
little by little and strengthening it only as
it can bear it, The voice should never be
fatigued. 1t should always have a re-
served force-a force always to be there
but never to be used. The eloquent
speaker knows that the surest way to i'm
press his audience with his power Is never
To use all his force. He is powerful in
proportion to the reserve power he seems
to have. The artistic singer knows the
same thing. Therefore the voice should
never be urged to its utmost bounds"
Speaking OF the critics, Miss Abbott
said "They have been in many instances
my best friends They have sometimes
hurt my feelings, but every time they
have pointed out 4 real fault they have
performed a service for me and | have
profited by il"