The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-28
MEN AS SINGERS.
The Difficulty Of Keeping Baritones
From Becoming Tenors.


From Becoming Tenors.
z. II is avery difficult matter topreventbari-
tones becoming tenors, says writer in Mur-
ray Magazine. The temptation to the high
notes is great, and the difficulty OF fixing
baritone into choir makes him anxious to
throw in his lot with that part where his
voice is most effective. He feels himself
swallowed up in the bases, and his is
power among the tenors. But let the bari
tone avoid the temptation as he would the
plague. II means ruin to the quality OF
the voice, unless his chest be made OF iron.
Let him take his place among the first
BASES and, as soon as possible, get his voice
"placed" by some competent master.
With increase OF years will come CORE
spending depth Of tone, and, after all, the
solo voice is the first consideration. But
baritones are not Of one quality; some-
times the voice will verge on tenor,
and we then get the tenore robusto. He is
nothing more than high baritone; but,
tenors being scarce, he docs tenor's duty.
How many OF these voices have succumbed
OF the tenor properl How many get worn
out at the end OF an evenings work.
recollect two such occasions. The first was
the performance OF Gade's Crusaders"
in which the tenor broke down, after hay
ing got through the rehearsal splendidly.
The second was the performance OF Bar
nett's "Ancient Mariner" The newspa-
per account was about as unintentionally
satirical as il could be. 1t spoke OF the
tenor as evidently suffering from severe
cold-which he was not. The tenore ro-
| busto may have most useful voice, but
he should never forget that he is more OF
| a baritone than a tenor, and that II he
wishes TO preserve his voice he must c.
chew high tenor parts. -
Many singers, especially young singers.
fall into the habit OF using the "trem0lO"
| or "vibrato." Tho former IL, as the uord
implies, trembling OF the voice, and may
be dismissed us simply vulgar and often
sive. The "vibrato" stands on different
footing II Is impossible TO pass sweep
ing condemnation upon IL, seeing that II Is
adopted by nearly the whole Italian school
that school to which we are accustomed
10 look for the proper production OK the
voice. Where II does not arise from an
unsteadiness due 10 straining the open
tones in large theaters and music halls, it
would appear, upon analysis, TO be an ex-
aggeration OF the ordinary vibration, which
is essential 10 every well produced note.
II enables the singer 10 obtain much great
or power, desidemtum In opera singing
and in the large concert halls, and II kept
within bounds, is not an objection. But
some singers use IL TO such an exaggerated
extent that IL Is sometimes difficult 70 tell
on what note the singer intends to dwell.
The voice isswayed backward and forward
instead Of resting on the note, and this OK
aggeration produces most unpleasant
sensation on a sensitive ear. There Is one
Of our leading sopranos at the present day
who will make nervous person with q
sensitive ear fidget on his chair from the
irritation her singing causes; and yet her
singing IL always spoken OF with onthusi-
asm by the entire press.
IL is not In my opinion true, rs has been
alleged, that professionals must be zone
thing or the other" by which Is meant
one OF the four usual voices. Taking male
voices, there Is such quantity VI music
written for the intermediate voice, tho bar
itone, that have no hesitation IN saying
there are many more parts for him, than
for tho bass proper. For instanco, tho
Elijah part In written for q barritone-the
low part in ''The Messiah" these parts arc
rarely taken by other than the voices for
which they are written. In OPENS there
are sometimes two baritone parts for one
Of bass, and often, rs in "faust," the
crack song is baritone. Therefore | say
, that, when n man possesses baritone
voice, there In no occasion for him 10 pose
ms a tenor or bass; and not only no occa-
sion, but n high baritone who thinks
himself a tenor and works rs such literally
kills his voice, and II In mere question Of
physique how long he can continue the
| strain. And even nj his best, those who
I understand tho voice do not appreciate
, him at all.
The same with mczzo-sopranos, IL has
lately been the fashion 10 write music
high. and pitch In England has been hor'
ribly high. All the same thero has been
: plenty Of legitimate work for meuo-so-
! pranos.