The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1893-12-30
cu1rIvArINe VOICE..
Methods OF the European Training
Schools.

One OttNn nN0fea n SlnEhI thNt "a WISH
knew tho correct way OF producing the
voice. . students wander from ono toachcr
20 another mud find iha, each has his own
theories and methods and each calls his
own the c,,ly correct and proper way.
Teachers abroad complain Of the major.
fly OF American girls, saying that they
come for q few lessons, expect wonders
aud arc very naturally disappointed az the
meagcr results. Nor docs this disappuint-
ment end with themselves, for fond par
cnts mud interested FRONTS expect some
thing grand ns tho result and often say
the singer had no voice or ability WHOM
such Is not the case With mediocre abil-
lty time and perseverance, viii cpuhle any
one TO sing
Through tho influence OF pupil Of Frau
Knula had the pleasure OF attending two
OF her afternoon classes aud one concert OF
hor picked voices, ! was electrified and
amazed ut the rich dramatic quality OF
voice which her pupils almost without
exception, possessed Although middle
tones were carried in high sopranos mp 10
high c, the voices were elastic, and the
soft tones were very satisfactory, Only In
few cases did the method seem a tnN on
the voice, aud these cases were those OF
girls in delicate health At Frau kaula'a
concert the style "a well as the rich, ring,
lug quality OF the v,.0cS made thcm seem
more that amateurs and Gaye promise Of
grent things
Frau lIaula said good health was ALSO.
lutely necessary for success IN voice train
ing Often voices were said 10 be broken
or gone when such was net tho ease ut all
Az was later proved 10y the perfect cOndi
~ IL 4. i
AS 90 the safety OF allowing tho loud
strong, middle tones TO run 30 high, she
said pupils came TO her for dramatic, stage
and concert singing, and that this was
the only way German opera and the ma
iorlty OF modern songs could DO rendered
with effect She believed that the old
Italian method was utterly inadequate
to All the WANTS Of the present style OF
music. All voices, however. could not
stand dramatic training, and some must
be contented with parlOr and salon singing.
Another interesting school which we
visited was In Frankfort on the Main,
where Professor StockhBusen, tho former
great oratorlo and liedersuger OF Ger
many, now lives, engaged in training
voices for concert and stage Our lotters
were sufficient to secure a very pleasant
interview The professor expressed him
self AK opposed 20 the modern methods of
screaming as he called II, and could
not understand "how meister could en-
gage ouch voices" His tenors aud bari
tones were mellow and clear, and without
that forcing and strniuiuR so noticeable
In many teuors, His sopranos were clear
and sweet hut none seemed very high or
VERY dramatic One or Two mezlos were
especially delicious and satisfactory, and
there was an exquisite quality IN nearly
all tho voices that WIS lacking in tho
voices of Iiaula - pupils. In conversation
with girl pupil 10 was remarked that
StockhNusen's voices all seemed small
Yes. she replied that they were not big
voices. but wonderfully pure aud sweet
II is certain thnt the most delicate girl
could sing ia this method with 10 dctri-
mcnt 20 voice or physique, and the effect
in parlor would be very beautiful, but
unless she possessed a phenomenal voice
she would never naknH startling or thrill
ing concert or stage singer
Chance favored us IN Paris. a liter
ary woman appeared one afternoon at tho
hotel and said Come we win call this
afternoon on Mime Mnrchesi II she il
nniable, we viii have a most charming
time, II She Is not we may leave ~ sud
denly Hs we cgme,
Once across the charming little Pare
Mnrceau. few turns brought us to tho
house. a plain, two story, white
stone structure, with tho entrance at ono
side
Madame WINS IN an amiablc mood, She
left mt once the beyy Of pretty girls who
were standing around tho piano ia the
back parlor, and with nrms outstretchod
came toward my friend, a kindly face
smiled from under the iron gray hair, and
the tail figure straight ne ma arrow, bent
20 greet Us with winning ggscc.
VII speak English, since your friend
Is American, said Madame "Ahl you
have just visited Professor Stool,hnusen
and want to talk Ubput my school and
methodist Then I am Interested Profess
sor Stockhauscn and / were horn Ia the
sumo city, Frankfort on .thr-A,Hiu. both
Of German parents. We camc 10 Paris at
the same time 10 study vocal culture As
chance had Il we went 10 the sAmo grand |
Did master, Manuel Garcia Professor !
trained Tor tenor aud for
a soprano, but his lovo for German songs
md oratorio music led him 10 leave the !
be- ten road Indicated 10y the great mas
r. aud he appeared later na Il baritone /
singer, what was then considered an infe-
rior voice, the tenor, Ike the high So |
prano, being nt that time tho fayorite (
voice Hut Europe went wild over him, !
The fire aud passion OF his oXcitable Ger |
nan temperament gave charm before /
unknown in the world of lioder, and his /
audiences were mad with enthusiasm, lie ,
.onnd after a tins that lac could no long I
n produce the very high notes. Then he .
anne hack TO Garcia 10 find out what was
he matter The end OF their interview
VAS that the professor said that II either |
breadth or quality had % be sacrificed |
or few fancy and worthless high notes |
re preferred to lose the high notes"
Madane Eaid that Professor Stockhaus-
N Is greatest successes had been with mez-
.os aud conraltos. This was, however,
ne Of the lrN steps in the direction of a
classical aud substantial style Of singing
II place Of the old, lorid Italian school.
Mime. Marchesi clings 10 the old meth
ID Of making marked breaks between the
cgistcfa and never allows middle tone
hove +. When we know that the old
Italian system allowed no middle tones
yhateyer--ouly head and chest tones--we
Il. a