Evening star., 1898-04-22
MONEY AND MUSIC,
Why We Have More Women Vocal
lists Than Men.
From Godey's Magazine.

From Godey's Magazine.
In preparing this list of American concert
singers it was curious to note that the num-
ber of tcnors now at large just exactly
eqTaled the combined number of the unre-
strained baritOnes and basSes. 1t is proba-
bly, true that there are just about two culti-
waited tenors to Zach baritone or bass.
There are similarly, about twice many
sopranos there are meZZo-sopranos or
contraltos. Continuing in this statistic al
humor, there are probably two trained So
pranos to every tenor.
The reasons for these ratios are probably
these: A higher voice, being the more unu-
sual, attracts to its owner the more atten-
ton. 1t lends itself to music of far great
er range and brilliancy. The natural tenor
and soprano are accordingly encouraged to
cultivate what may, after ALL be only d
mediocre ability. The mezzo-soprano or
baritone. however is thought of as only an
ordinary mortal, and voice of the utmost
possibilities may b. left to waste its fra
GRANGE in the dark, unfathomed caves of its
owners thoraX.
A village church is the epitome of the
world in this respect The women Sing
alto" or keep quiet. or strain and Squeal at
the top notes; the men drona out a bagpip-
iSh bass. The good voices are lost in the
lugubrious average. But If there is a girl
who takes the high notes futily, or boy
who can interpolate the tenor part without
danger of scarlet fever, these voices sing
out above the grounding chorus; every one
pricks to listen and the word is passed
that Sukey Smith or Jakey Jones has a
voice!' 1t may be that that voice ought TO
be cultivated; it may be that 1t ought to be
cCnfiscated; but to the teacher it must go.
The steps from this first discovery to a ca
reer of public veal or woe are easy.
So much for the disprOporton of high
and low professional singing. The fact that
more women than men study song is doubt
less to be accounted for by the superstition
that flourishes in many districts that sell
ing dry goods or keeping books is a more
manly career than singing. This public
creed keeps many a man from developing
the gold mine in his larynx. Besides, there
Is. especially in America, sentiment that
a man should not depend his father
after ne has reached his majority.
1t Is wholesome sentiment on some ac-
counts. pernicious sentiment on others. 1t
has much kinship with the old belief that
as soon as a girl is of a marriage able age
she should stand ready to hop off her
fathers shoulders upon the first pair of
empty male shoulders that come within
reach.
But many father will set his son up in
business with a sum Of money which, if de-
voted to paying his artistic tuition a few
years on in his twentieS. might give him a
sponSibtlity of a father toward his son does
not always end at twenty-one. There can
be no arbitrary line drawn to decide every
case
But until ths golden day when the career
of an artist is recognized as a substantial
career. to be soberly prepared fora career
has worthy as any trade or profession, and
quite as likely to repay investment and la
bor-and until women are put a parity
with men in thu matter of livelihood-until
that inevitable time the vocal conServato-
ries will turn out twice as many women as
men.