Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-05-02
AMERICAN woMENs VOICES.
A Young English Diplomats Remark
Throat Gymnastics.

Throat Gymnastics.
Considerable discussion bas been caused
by a remark Of young diplomat belong
ing TO the English fisheries commission.
lie said that he was much struck with
the facial and physical loveliness Of
American women. but that his sense of
the harmonious was Jared when they
spoke. "Englishwomen' intonation is
musical, low. sympathetic, while that Of
the typical daughter Of America is high.
somewhat harsh, and not grateful" He
added that in repose the American
woman is more attractive than her
English sister; but that the latter is more
agreeable in conversation.
Throughout the debate which this
candor has started their is no denial of
the assertion that American women 8
voices are often disagreeable and that
English women's intonation is more
melodious But there is no proper effort
to get at the cause of the difference
There is an error in admitting that the
difference is due TO higher pitch in this
country than in England. Any one who
has heard English women speaking with
total sclf-unconsciousneSs in their own
homes knows that they run 10 quite as
high note as women Of any other c0un-
try; and that, in proportion as the spirit
is amiahle, the voice rises as naturally in
the glmut as the tbermomehr ascends
when the icy fetters loosen the mercury.
Miss Terry's voice Is perfectly natural on
the stage and when she is not tragic il
is in high key. Sontag was noted for
talking as flutes lisp and nightingales
warble, and both are at their best in
high pitch.
The trouble lies not in the pitch, but in
the quality OF voice. When Lear said of
Cordelia. "Her voice was over soft,
gentle and low, an excellent thing in
woman" it was quality, not pitch, he
correctly described. When Potrucmo
says Of Katherine, in Tanning Of the
Shrew," Think you q little din can
daunt mine earsi" be describes again the
oifensiveness in womans voice, its noisi-
ness, not It's pitch. Chaucer knew that
''small voices, sweet entuned, were
'the sweetest melody he ever heard;"
and once again II is quality, not pitch,
that is referred 10. II is undeniable that
in the American air all voices are more
or less roughoned by the ca -rhal mala-
dies, more disagreeable than dangerous.
We can count too easily the singers we
have produced; and the moment q voice
As discovered there is feverish anxiety 70
get II out of the country before our
winds crack ii In the throat. Few sing
ers born or bred in Europe return, unless
In extraordinary cases Of great laryngeh
pliabillty, with as even or suave a tonal-
ity es thy bring out here
The voices that are bred among W we
do our best 30 destroy for musical quail
ity In either singing or speaking by the
elocuhonary antics Of our schools, In
England, except among thoee who are
latterly patrons OF the public primary
schools, tuition outside the home In
childhood is all but unknown. The gov.
erness is tradition as immovable rs the
house of lords or the Judges wigs. The
children study and recite In an ordinary
room. The dow voice Is naturally and
sweetly developed. because the lining Of
the throat ia not scrnped by voice forcing.
When singing lessons begin the special