The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-01-04
CULTIVATING VOICES.
METHODS OF THE EUROPEAN TRAIN
ING SCHOOLS.

visits TO Kaula, Marchesi and Herr stock
hausen- Dramatic Force and style In
One Place, Purity OF Tone In Another.
Modern Methods of Screaming"
One often hears singer say, al wish |
knew the correct way of producing the
voice" Students wander from one teacher |
" another and find that each has his own |
theories and methods and each calls mis- |
own the only correct and proper way.
Teachers abroad complain of the major.
ity of American girls, saying that they
come for a few lessons, expect wonders
and are very naturally disappointed at the
meager results. Nor does this disappont
ment end with themselves, for fond par
ents and interested friends expect some
thing grand as the result and often say
the singer had no voice or ability when
such Is not the case. With mediocre abil-
ity, time and perseverance will enable any
one to sing.
Through the influence of a pupil of Frau
Kaula | had the pleasure of attending two
of her afternoon classes and one concert of
her picked voices | was electrified and
amazed at the rich dramatic quality OF
voice which her pupils, almost without
exception possessed. Although middle
tones were carried in high sopranos up to
high c, the voices were elastic, and the
soft tones were very satisfactory. Only In
few cases did the method seem a tax ON
the voice. and these cases were those of
girls in delicate health At Frau Kaula's
concert the style as well as the rich, ring
ing quality of the voices made thers seem
more than amateurs and gave promise of
great things
Frau Eaula said good health was abso-
lutely necessary for success in voice train
ing Often voices were said to be broken
or gone when such was not the case at all,
as was later proved by the perfect condi-
ton of the voice when health returned.
As to the safety of allowing the loud,
strong, middle tones to run so 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
iority of modern songs could be rendered
with effect She believed that the old
Italian method was utterly inadequate
to fill 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 Stockhausen the former
many, now lives, engaged in training
voices for concert and stage. Our letters
were sufficient to secure very pleasant
interview. The professor expressed him
self as opposed to the modern methods of
screaming" as he called it, and could
not understand ihow meisters could en-
gage such voices" His tenors and bari
tones We're mellow and clear, and without
that forcing and straining so noticeable
in many tenors. His sopranos We're clear
and sweet but none seemed very high or
very dramatic. One or two meZZos were
especially delicious and satisfactory, and
there was an exquisite quality in nearly
all the voices that lacking in the
voices of Kaula's pupils. In conversation
with a girl pupil it was remarked that
Stockhausens voices all seemed small
Yes, she replied, that they We're not big
voices, but wonderfully pure and sweet.
II is certain that the most delicate girl
could sing in this method with no detri-
ment TO voice or physique and the effect
in parlor would be very beautiful but
unless she possessed a phenomenal voice
she would never make startling or thrill
ing concert or stage singer.
Chance favored us in Paris. A liter
AIRY woman appeared one afternoon at the
hotel and said: Come, we will call this
afternoon on Nine. Marchesi. If she is
amiable, we will have n most charming
time If she is not we may leave sud
denly as we came"
Once across the charming little Pare
Marceau, few turns brought us to the
madame's house, n plain, two story, white
stone structure, with the entrance at one
side
Madame was in an amiable mood She
left at once the bevy of pretty girls who
were standing around the piano in the
back parlor, and with arms outstretched
came toward my friend. a kindly face
smiled from under the iron gray hair, and
the tall figure, straight as an arrow, bent
to greet us with "A winning grace.
~ will speak English, since your friend
is American" said madame. "Ahl you
have just visited Professor Stockhausen
and want to talk about my school and
methodist Then am interested. Profess
sor Stockhausen and | were born in the
same city Frankfort-on-t the Main, both
of German parents. We came to Paris at
the same time to study vocal culture. AS
chance had it we went to the same grand
old master, Manuel Garcia. Professor
Stockhausen trained for tenor and for
soprano, but his love for German songs
and oratofio music led him to leave the
beaten road indicated by the great mas
ter, and he appeared later as baritone
singer, NndJ WAS lHtll CpHslutTeu All me
rior voice, the tenor, like the high so
prano, being at that time the favorit,
voice. But Europe went wild over him
The fire and passion of his eXcitable Ger
man temperament gave charm befor,
unknown in the world of lieder, and hi
audiences were mad with enthusiasm. II,
found after time that he could no long
err produce the very high notes. Then h,
came back to Garcia to find out what wa
the matter. The end of their interview
was that the professor said that If eithe
breadth or quality had to be sacrificed
for few fancy and worthless high note
he preferred to lose the high notes. -
Madame said that Professor Stockhaus
ems greatest successes had been with mez
EOS and contraltos. This was, however
one of the first steps in the direction of
classical and substantial style of singing
IN place of the old, horid italian school.
Nine. Marchesi clings to the old meth
cd of making marked breaks between tn
registers and never allows a middle ton
above E. When we know that the OLE
Italian system allowed no middle tone
whatever-only head and chest tones w
can see that 20 years ago Mime. Marches
must have been very daring to admit tn
singing OF middle tones even up to F.
Cor. San Francisco Chronicle.
woman's Apt Reply to MIR. Cleveland.
1t was during Cleveland's first incum
bency The daughter of a lawyer prom