The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-08-16
HERE'S A REMEDY.

6lonaIIy IN more or less degree from This
sickness of today?
HERE'S A REMEDY.
What is the remedy, or rather the pre-
ventive? The most dangerous enemy of
health is tight lacing. 1t is not expected
that young girl should at once recognize
the far reaching and destructive effects of
this most pernicious abuse, but their
mothers should use all their influence to
! check danger so serious to future gener-
atoms.
Lacing congresses that part of the lungs
so necessary to easy breathing and singing.
If the lungs are so tightly compressed that
they cannot expand at the sides they must
find relief by going to the upper or lower
part.
Every one knows, or should know that
the upper part of the lungs is the weakest,
and most of the irritations of the lungs be-
gin there. 1t is by no means an edifying
sight to see a lady singing with her shout
ders," as l heard it called. The opposite,
the abdominal breathing, is well enough
for man, but it can become very danger
Gus for a woman.
In spite of this well known fact many
renowned singing teachers make this kind
of breathing the Alpha and Omega of their
method for men and women alike.
There are some voices which have re-
sisted every training and could not be
killed in spite of their masters. These
voices, although they exist in a small mi
nority, will make the reputation of a
teacher, whether deserved or not. But if a
teacher is enabled to choose his material
and to discard voices he does not think
worth cultivating he ought to have sue
cess with every single pupil. The voice is
like delicate plant; the gardener cannot
produce it, but he can nurse and cultivate
it with most careful love. If the voice
meets all the requirements in the early
days of training there is no need to worry
about progress later, for success is assured.
SECRET OF THE ART.
The most difficult part of voice culture
should be taught first, viz, the free and
easy development Of the tone and equal
izing of the registers. If a singer acquires
these they will enable him or her to reach
the highest point in art. The old singing
master, Porpora, used to say that one
might be able to write upon one piece Of
music paper all that singer needed for in
struction.
In spite Of renowned Conservatives the
mere tone development is still the wonder
full secret" Generally the greatest at
tention is paid, not to tone development,
but to a musical education in all directions
and branches. How shall a singer succeed
who has not been taught right in the first
place? We know good many succeed
who are taught wrongly, but that is be-
cause they have voices that defy all at
tempts to kill them. He or she will have
to learn for himself or herself what to do,
and do it.
Great allowance should be made for
those who do not study singing for the pur-
pose of making it their profession. The
system that l advocate makes principal
point of the hygienic benefit TO be derived
therefrom, as it combines voice and body
culture. As / said before, healthy voice
exists only in a healthy body. Overheated
rooms are conducive to all the physical ills
and aches known TO man. No matter how
many heavy wraps are put on before
leaving a superheated room, it is almost
impossible to preserve the lungs. The dan
gers are too sudden, and not even the most
robust can stand them. The body should
be so hardened that it does not require
warm rooms.
TEACHING CHILDREN.
Should children be taught siuging1 The
development OF the ear is one OF the slow
est but most fundamental parts OF instruc-
ton. A child is more apt to catch the
sound of different dialects and idioms. l
know this from experience, because my IA
Their. being IN the German army, was often
transferred to different places in the en-
pire, and although | was in my childhood
years l rapidly picked up the dialect in
each province, and the result was that |
spoke all so fuently no one could tell where
was born.
Now, this is an example for my claim
that the ear and taste of a child ought TO
be trained early 10 avoid that tiresome
work OF undoing in later years many faults
and bad habits
/ cannot imagine the feeling Of becoming
tired from singing. Unfortunately | am
acquainted with the agony Of feeling a
voice fade away aud becoming only a sad
echo. When / was eleven years old did
too much. OH If only could have stopped
great many tears might have been saved
me. There was a silver lining 70 the cloud
that came, because then went through
careful musical education. Including meth
cd, theory and anatomy Of hand and arm
However, ny love for singing had not
ceased, and ! began again. tsougn most
umidIy, my vocal studies, and gained back
by arduous study what was formerly a
gift OF nature. This taught me much. and
to my misfortune attributed ny ability
70 work against every fault n the voice OF
q slnger-Bsroness Anna Won Asy e.Iuck