The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-08
QUEER FACTS ABOUT SINGERS.
Why We Have More Women Vocal
lists Than Men.

From Godey's Magazine.
In preparing this list of American con-
cert singers is was curious 10 note that
the number OF tenors now at large just
exactly equalled the combined number of
the unrestrained barytones and BASES. IL
is probably true that there are just about
two cultivated tenors to each barytone or
bass. There are, similarly. about twice as
many sopranos as there are mezzo-so-
pranos or contraltos. Continuing IN this
statistical humor, there are probably two
trained sopranos 10 every tenor.
The reasons for these ratios are proba-
bly, these: higher voice. being the
more unusual, attracts TO Its owner the
more attention. II lends itself 10 music
OF far greater range and briliiancy. The
natural tenor and soprano are according
~ encouraged to cultivate what may, aft
er all, be only mediocre ability. The
mezzo-soprano or barytone, however, liz
thought of as only an ordinary mortal,
and voice of the utmost possibilities may
be left to waste It's fragrance in the dark,
unfathomed caves of its owners throax.
A village church is the epitome of the
world In This respect. The woman Sing
alto or keep quiet, or strain and squal at
the top notes; the men drOne out q bag
pipish bass. The good voices are lost in
the lugubrious average. But IL there IL
a girl who takes the high notes fiutily, or
a boy who can interpolate the tenor part
without danger of scarlet fever these
voices sings out above the grounding cho-
rus; everyone pricks ear TO listen, and
the word is passed that Sukey Smith or
Jakey Jones has voice" 1T may be
that that voice ought to be confiscated;
but to the teacher 1t must go. The steps
from this first discovery to a career OF
public veal or woe, are easy.
SO much for the disproport!on OF high
and low professional singing. The fact
thar more women than men study song
is doubtless to be accounted for by the
superstition that fourlshes in many dis
tricts that selling dry goods or keeping
books is a more manly career than sing
ing. This public creed keeps many a man
from developing the gold-mine In his
larynx. Besides, there Is, especially in
America, a sentiment that man should
not depend on his father after he has
reached his majority,
II. is a wholesome sentiment on some ac-
counts, a pernicious sentiment on others.
il has much kinship with the old belief
that as soon as girl is Of a narriageable
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 sum of money which, IL
devoted to paying his artistic tuition a
few years on in his twentles, might give
him capital of unlimited possibilities. The
responsibility of a father toward his son
does not always end at p. There can be
no arbitrary line drawn to decide every
case
But until the golden day when the ca
reer of an artist is recognized as SUBJ
stantial career, to be soberly prepared for
Ia career as worthy as any trade or pro-
fession. and quite as likely to repay in
vestment and labor-and until women are
put on a parity with men in the matter
of livelihood-until that inevitable time,
the vocal conservatories will turn out
twice as many women as men.
Tommy said his gentle-faceA ~rard