The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-05-08
CULTIVATING VOICES.
METHODS or THE EUROPEAN TRAIN
INC SCHOOLS.

One often hears o. singer say, "I wish
knew the correct way OF producing the
voice students wander from one teacher
B. another and find that each has hi. own
theories and methods and each calls his
own the only correct aud proper way.
Teachers abroad complain Of the major
ty Of American girls. saving that they
3ome for few lessons, expect wonders
and are very naturally disappointed nt the
meaZcr results. Nor does this di-appont-
meut end with themselves. for fond par
ents and interested friends expect some
thing grand ~ 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
ons TO sing.
Through the influence OF 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 soprano, up to
high &, the voices were elastic, and the
soft tones were very satisfactory only in
a few eases 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 a. well as the rich. ring
ing quality of the voices made therv seem
more than amateurs and gave promise OF
great things
Frau Eauln said good health was abso-
lutely necessary for success IN voice train
ing. Often voices were said 60 be broken
or gone when such was not the case at all,
As was later proved by the perfect conii-
tiou Of the voice when health returned.
As to the safety of allowing the loud,
strong middle tones 20 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
jority 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 conteuted with purlor and salon singing.
Another interesting school which we
visited was in Frankfort on the Main,
where Professor Stockhausen, the former
great oraturio and liedersinger of Ger
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 rs opposed TO the modern methods of
screaming rs he called IL. and could
not understand chow meisters could en-
gage such voices" His tenors and bari
tones were mellow and clear, and W ithout
that forcing and straining 50 noticeable
in many teuors. His sopranos were clear
aud sweet, but none seemed very high or
very dramatic. One or two meZZus'were
delicious and satisfactory. and
there was an exquisite quality in nearly
all the voices that was lacking in the
voices Of kaula's pupils. In conversation
with girl pupil it was remarked that
StoUkhauseu's voices all seemed small.
Yes, she replied, that they were not big
voices, but wonderfully pure and sweet
IL is certain that the most delicate girl
could sing in this method with no detri-
ment to voice or physique, and the effect
in a parlor would be very beautiful, hut
unless she possessed "A phenomenal voice
she would never make startling or thrill
ing concert or stage singer.
Chance favored us in Paris. \ liter
airy woman appeared one afternoon at the
hotel and said "Come, we will call this
afternoon on Nine Marchcsi II she is
we will have a most charming
time; If she is not we may leave as sud
denly as we came"
Once across the charming little Pare
Marceau, few turns brought Us to the
madame's 's house, a plain. two story, white
stone structure, with the entrance at one
side
Madame was in m amiable mood. She
left at once the bevy Of pretty girls who
were standing around the piano in the
back parlor, and with arms uutstretched
came toward my friend. \ 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.
81 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 Prufes-
sor Stockhauscn and | were born in the
same city, Frankfort -on-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
"A soprano, but his love for German songs
and oratorio music led him TO leave the
beaten road indicated by the great mas
ter, and he appeared later as baritone
singer, what was then considered an infe-
rior voice, the tenor, like the high so
prano, being at that time the favorite
voice. But Europe went wild over him.
The fire and passion of his eXcitable Ger
man temperament gave Il charm before
unknown in the world Of lieder, and his
audiences were mad with enthusiasm. lie
found after "A time that he could no long
er produce the very high notes. Then he
came back TO Garcia to find out what was
the matter The end Of their interview
was that the professor said that If either
breadth or quality had TO be sacrificed
for a few fancy and worthless high notes
he preferred TO lose the high notes.
Madame said that Professor Stockhaus-
ems greatest successes had been with mez-
zos and contraltos. This was, however,
one Of the first steps in the direction Of a
classical and substantial style Of singing
in place of the old, forid Italian school
Mime, Marchcsi clings TO the old meth
cd Of making marked breaks between the
registers and never allows a miiGie tone
above +. When we know thai the old
Italian system allowed no middle tones
whateyer-ouly head and chest tuues-we
can see t,..t 20 years ago Nine Marchesi
must have becn very daring 20 admit the
singing Of middle tones even up to F.
Cor. san Francisco Chronicle,
THE ola Clock on the stairs"
Ernest LOngfellow, "A son of the great
poet, has a token of remembrance OF b 5
father at his home in Magnolia which
money cannot buy, IL is nothing more or
less thHn The Old Clock on the stairs. q"
made famous by his father. The clock was
formerly owned by Thomas Gold Apple
ton, and at his death the heirs, OF whom
one was Captain Nathan Appleton, think
ing the clock was Of particular value TO
Ernest Longiellow, on account Of bis
fathers connection with the ancient time
piece, donated it to the son OF the poet. so
that IL now adons nook in the stairs Of
his house at Magnolia.
Changed His Mind.
Did Parslow marry that Watkins grip
No, After he saw her mother he sXort