The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-09

yngoscope, creating a big stir of expect
ancy in the vocal world. All interested
in the act of song now congratulated
themselves that at last the secret would
be known, that now would they be able
TO get beautiful results without SO MANY
years of labor.
There were few writer's and teachers
however, who refused to acknowledge the
value OF the laryngoscope to the teacher
or student of the voice. These have pre-
served the truth and handed it down to US
But with the discovery of the iaryngo-
scope the attention of teachers and pupils
in general was directed to the action of
the throat muscles. the larynx, soft pal
ate tongue, etc, during the act of singing
and direct control of these muscles in pro-
ducng tone was taught and practiced
This was the dawn of the Local Effort
School of Singing" than which there is
none more pernicious, disastrous and fruit
less.
The laryngoscope has proven itself a val
liable instrument to the throat specialist,
but in the hands of the vocal teacher or
student il is useless, a dangerous toy.
With the teachings of the School of Lo-
cal Effort began the decadence Of artistic
tone; and so disastrous have the results
of its teachings been, and so widespread
its false theories and practice, that again
and again we have heard the cry: 1.-The old
art of singing is lost, lost
But within the last few years there have
arisen thinkers among teachers and stu
dents who, by constant study and re-
search, have discovered the almost smoth-
cred spark of truth handed down to us,
and are now endeavoring 90 fan il into
flame. There is felt on all sides a per-
cepuble effort to awake from the long
mystic spell of local effort training, and,
behold! the dawn of the new movement
in the vocal art is upon US; a dawn of
rosy splendor, for 1t means light, freedom,
joy, resurrection in the art of song. Let
us compare the teachings and results of
Local Effort training with those of the
New Movement" The Local Effort
School of Singing teaches form and con-
troll of tone by direct local control of the
tongue, lips, soft palate, pharynx larynx,
etc; conscious breath taking and breath
control, conscious or voluntary working
of the diaphragm etc Result: Hard
unsympathetic throaty, white, soul.ess
tones, devoid of tone color, therefore lack
ing entirely in feeling or expression.
The New Movement teaches form and
control of tone by study of free flexible
position and action of the body in sing
ing; study of vitalized bodily energy
and position which frees the throat from
all restraint, thus allowing or letting the
voice sing, instead of compelling or fore
ing it. In this way the voice is the re-
suit of emotional impulse, instead of mus
GUAR effort. Result: Beautiful, free,
soulful tones
The most important point In the New
Movement is automatic breathing, as di-
rectly opposed to conscious or voluntary
breath-taking or breath control Every
exercise or technical tone study in the
New Movement" is in reality a breath
ing exercise without thought of breath
taking or direct breath control
The vital energy or flexible movements
of the body in singing naturally fill the
lungs and adjust the parts. The true po-
breath, so that its use is entirely at the
will of the singer. In this way, without
local restraint but by flexible movements.
free, spontaneous voice is soon acquired
The leading and successful teachers of
the day are working more and more in
the direction of flexible natural movements
and away from the Local Effort School;
are working for automatic action and
spOntaneity of voice; are thinking and
working in this direction; are, in fact,
creating the New Movement" The most
radical work yet published on this sub
ject, the work which may be said to be
the forerunner of the New Movement"
is Position and Action in Singing" by
Edmund ]. Myer.
In closing II is well to repeat that this
New Movement" is the revival, the res
direction of the teachings of the old Ital-
ian school, but made doubly valuable be-
cause the why, the wherefore are now I'M
derstood from a scientific standpoint.