Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-30
WHY V0ICESGIVE OUT
ARE USED WITHOUT PROPER CARE
BEING TAKEN.
IN THE WORLD OF MUSIC.
Many Trained Singers Who Break
Down Might Continue, if Essential
Rules Were Observed-New Compo-
sitiOns-PersonaI Chat.


| ers. who have not yet reached middle
| life, say: Il used to sing, but | do not
| sing any more; i have lost my voice
| Not only is this true of unframed, but
of many trained singers. Some con-
spicuous examples OF the latter are Gers
ter dhan whom few have had such an
exquisitely beautiful natural voice., Ne
vada, and score Of others, to say no.
thing of the host of aspiring students Of
| the world, who have voices of more or
| less promise, but who never attain more
than mediocrity. What is the cause of
all this a stilted and unnatural use Of
the vocal mechanism. The voice is pro-
| duced by a physical mechanism, which
| is subject to natural law, the same as
any other machine. Let me illustrate:
Place a railroad engine in the hands OF
an engineer who is ignorant of its con-
struction, and unskilled in its manage
ment, and even give him the shortest
and slowest run on the line. What is
the result? In his hands there Is neces-
sarily rough usage; bolts become loosened
and the different parts of the engine lose
their proper adjustment. The result is
friction and tension, and the engine begins
to rattle. CRATE, and wheeze, but the en-
gineer only applies more steam to keep
her moving, not realizing the damage
he is doing, though he may be conscious
that there seems to be something wrong.
He does not know how TO readjust it.
Suppose he does not get the parts re-
adjusted nor learn how to keep them so.
The machinery will soon wear out, will
it not? Just so with the unframed
singers, and even trained singers, who
sing with stilted and unnatural condi-
tons of the vocal mechanism.
Whatever the possibilities of an UNI
trained voice, there is a very narrow limit
as TO what may be sung with any de-
gree Of ease and comfort without proper
training. OF course expression of true
emotion is not possible TO crude voice.
The more ambitious attempt TO sing
music which would tax an artist, thus
straining and urging the voice far be-
yond it's ability to execute. Is 1t any
wonder, then, that within a very few
years a voice, however pleasant its ma
tural quality may have been, becomes
"throaty" and unpleasant, If not a COM
plete wreck. Can II be regained? Yes.
AS long as there is speaking voice left
there is hope
Few people have their natural voice,
even in speaking, much less in singing
Almost all get away from nature and
the natural or right use Of the voice.
How? do you ask. From faulty civilized
eating, modes of dress and lack of exer-
else in many cases all Of which have
their effect upon the breathing, pervert-
ing it, The nervous strain in which we
keep ourselves in this age of keen COM
petition and fast living. together with
md inn. rot hFin a
tense. nervous condition of the body.
which not only affects the breathing, but
perverts the natural and rightful action
of the whole vocal mechanism. What
is TO be done? Eradicate tension, re-
store natural action, develop the voice.
How? That is the business of the teacher
Of voice culture.
j. H. Mckinley the well-known tenor
is kept busy filling engagements in every
part OF the country. He is received most
wherever he appears.
Mr.. Frank Stayton Thompson's success
ful series OF lessons in sight-reading of
music was brought TO a close on last !
Monday evening. Many applications have |
been made to enter this class at the be-
ginning of next season. Mr.. Thompson |
will begin at once a series of lessons in |
song form" and the history of music" |
which is free to his private pupils.
Mr.. Leslie f. Watson, one OF our city |
,rganists. has composed sacred solo |
ma several anthems, which viii be In
eresting additions to choir music.
Tho Wednesday Club is busy re-
,earslng the music for the coming festi-
,al. The club will be assisted by the
Boston Festival Orchestra.
St. Marks Episcopal church choir. OF
hirty VOICES, sang at the Young Mems
christian Association mass-meeting on
asst Sunday afternoon.
Max Bruch has just finished new
horal work, "Gustave Adolphe," secu-
ar oratorio, which is to be heard for the
rs time on May 22d. at Barmen. under
he direction of the composer.
Gounod's Redemption" was recently
lven. with great success by the Royai
horal Society. of London. Among the
oloists was Watkin- Mills. so well and
lvorably known in this country.
s. Becker Won Grabill. graduate OF
No Royal Conservatory, of Berlin, ana
ne assistant of DE Kontsh during the
tiers stay in America, gave piano
scitaI at Middletown. N Y, on the 18th
,stant. He is to make tour of the
astern and Southern States.
Sarasate the world-renowned violin
irtuoso. played In Berlin early In March.
men he took the house by storm, as
mai His left hand and bow arm are
lid 10 have lost none Of their wizard
ke cunning.
Anton Seidl. the New York orchestral
,nductor. has lately refused magnifi-
mt offer from the Royal Opera, OF Ber-
n. SO much the worse for Berlin ana
, much the better for New York.
sleefried Wagner has written comic
,era. which Is said 10 be the opposite
Wagnerian. Its theme Is taken from
,e history OF the thirty-years' war;