Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-12-17

Ths importance Of singing in relasion 70
ins1umsntal perfoFna1cs hos never been
lsd much sesess On By nssieisns. Bst the
knowledge thereof 10 Of the most practical
vslue 10 tie interpretation Of ins1Tuneusai
music. The voice u the Foundation Of No.
sic, snd without the proper understanding Of
the voice and ifs use In music the instfumen-
tsiiss cannot DO full jasssce 70 his perform
ancs- The smoothly. even. advance Of .
melody played upon IN instyument - II
should be played must be marked by its
singing quality. The mind must haze con-
troll over the voice, and, BY . similar man
neT. the instrumentaiiss must have con-
troll over the music which be 10
performing on his instrument Nor
10 IL In soft passages alone that the singing
style applied to instrumental performance Is
% necessary. for in loud and In rapid passages
the balance Of the parts or melodies mast be
evenly preserved and their vocal character
must be we'll under control Of the performer.
All Of Bach's contrspunfai work for instsu-
msnts, for instance, IL peculiarly vocal in
character esch part has iss individuality.
and that individuality 10 undisturbed by iss
relation - . Complementary part TO the com
plets competition. II is important that the
instFumentaIist should be . good singer.
though he may not possess more than ofdi-
nary voice. But ii 10 not SUFFICIENT that he
should have . mere theoretical knowledge Of
singing, because only By the practical study
Of singing with his own voice can be gain
that knowledge TO apply to instrumental per-
torrance which 10 so Indispensable. With
out this vocal know ledge and essence, instru-
mental performance must always be insipid
and mechanical.
The orchestra 10 . series Of instruments va
rioasly voiced in imitation of the human
voice therefore the human voice. il 10 need
less to say, 10 not an imitation Of nature when
rightly used. but 10 strictly natural The
musical conductor needs 10 have, above all,
. thorough knowledge Of the voice and sing
ing aid ne eds also. ~ matter of course. To be
= good practical vocal artist himself before
he can adequately interpret any instrumental
or vocal composition. Besides, In conduct
ing or playing accompaniment for vocal ar
lists, he must have . thorough practical
knowledge Of singing, or else he will be alto
gether out Of sympathy with tho vocal artist.
and thus spoil the correctness and beauty OF
the singing.
Vocal execution. to be artistic, must al
ways be mechanically correct; not with
correctness that 10 mechanical alone, but
With . correctness which 10 mental as we'll
The science Of vocsiism. in the interpreta-
ton OF music. is necessarily 3 more delicate
and exact. and for that reason Q more pow
erful science in its effect than the science Of
instrumental execution. The precision and
mechanical justness with which Patti sings
10 a. rare, remarkable and forcible, IL not
more so, than the beautiful tones Of her
voice, because it 10 the method of execution
which makes her singing remarkable, and
stamps 1t with an indiyuaiity all its own.
SO, knowledge Of singing, in its relation to
instrumental performance, really means .
knowledge not only of correct instru-
mental technic, but of correct and
beautiful phrasing in the interpre-
tAtion of music either by voice or
by instruments. II Is needless to say that
no teacher should dare to give vocal instruc-
ton before he has thoroughly studied singing
theoretically. and by practically becoming a
good singer himself. IL is equally Of impor-
lance that the instrumentslist or the conduc-
tor should have a thorough or complete
knowledge Of voice production and singing,
and fully and infinitely study the application
of that knowledge to all instrumental per-
formances. While instrumental technic Is
of vast Importance. technic which lacks
the indispensable quality Of vocal execution
is practically of no value whatever.
The voice itself is natural production
and is one of the highest gifts given to NOR
tails, but the misuse and distortion of it by
the contrary mind Of man is unfortunately
far more general than the proper of it.
Moreover, just so much as the instrumental
ist lacks knowledge of voice production and
singing just so much will he lack the power
of properly interpreting any instrumental
work or properly understanding music
BcLLISe IN Phiiadetphia Musical Journal.