The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-02-04
SINS stEvES ON BREiTHING
Octosenariap Tenor Tells How II should BE
Done and What to- Avoid.

From the In on idcr.
Breathing Is an exercise in Itself. Singers
should not purposrly study the anatomical con-
di'ions Of The throat and lungs: 1t is with the
emotional. not the anatomical side OF his art
that the singer has TO 90. For the practical rur.
pose of sing ne. q knowledge OF the muse ga OF
the throat is a. useless AZ a knowledge OF the
muscles Of the arm IL for the playing Of cricket.
Cases are not in'requpnt where these anatomi-
cal studies have a tendency to set up n sort OF
nervous dread in tn" singer that the breathing
IL not being done the correct way. Incorrect
breathing is an acquired habit, intuced some
times by an elaborate means taken to avoid II.
4 few simple hints are all that are necrs airy;
the rest Of what IA called the art OF breathing IS
very much a matter OF INSTINCT.
AVOID breathing through tho mouth; when
ever possible inhale through he n%p~trlls,. TINS
nj ows the nose to purify and warm the air be-
fore reach ng the thiuaj.. which neeis TO ae
warm ia or,|er for the production ~ good tone.
II is frequently remarked that such anl such
an artists voice improved later ~ the ev"n-
ing: which means hat the singers throat be-
came armed "a the cOnce I or opera pro-
~ceeiet, and not that the, voice improved.
though the tom NAV have done 80. Erea'hinR
cons antly through the mouth in lines to dry
the throat and MAKE he, voice husky. But It
is impossible t. sing d~pclnmat"ry muse with
out breathing through the mOu'h-it l. even
necessary Tor effect. that the breathing should
a. times ba au ilhle: and IN bong Hahdelian
passages. and nor mus c OF tina description.
whai are called hal'. brcarh s through The mouth
are allowed o'heIwi- q the singer cOud not in.
hale hreHrh and keen in str ct tune.
New r h.ave IN the shoulders IN the act ~
taking breath; there should Ice no , ercrntlhle
breath o' a sudden when only practising. al
though the singing ri certain passages Oh ig"s
the performer to 10 so. I'll" rrhs. should "
Ian1 sideways in the taking Of brrath--the
chest rising and ia ling with Zach phrase. Ease
br-athing--such as wheu a lady's shoulders
,{.. a., % tI,r ~. y N a f,nnt IN axntn | liEa Ity
NOT only tres m" throat. hut make q dis
sgrpea IT. impress on on the auiienca. Singers
should once a day practice before 2 booking
glass. in order to correct any aults arising
from defective hrea' hing. or from grlmaoe
Brea'h must never b. taken between a head
note and a chrst note the transition from the
one voice to III" other must be done with very
uttle breath aud yerv softly.
Nasal singing DESTROYS the carrying power OF
IN. voice. Nor a. VII IN are metallic in sound
carry best, Snser- whose voices ar" ma IRA "
soft in quality -houli there ore try TO acquire
q little striiency IN tohc; an y. vice versa,
singers whose voices are too strideIi shoul
aim M n rounder aud softer luauty. In som
halls the revrrhera'ior blurs the tone Of the
voice. therefore III" singer must nccpmmo late
the amount OF one 10 the acoustic properties
If the place whore he is SINGING. In a warm.
oppr s-ive. room. Il IL n@ce ssary 10 reserve the
rover OF the voice. because forcing the voice
under such circum stances u lows IL To become
easily latigued and used NJ. This best way
o. com batting an echo in q hall Is. never to
shout II appears easy to sing in a hal full OF
goes all round the singers ear. and he cannot
hear properly when he sings aloud. and So he
loses G. nitro, OF me tone; IT, is there or al
gutter tone travn \ better ant the percussion
j. mot 40 great as IN "A lou |. sh Ut ny tone.
lncreas- AMI decrease Of tone mr." produced
by the breath alone. A man IN a raging pas.
sion will swell The muscl~s OF the hroat md
grow red IN tho ace In attempting IL give ut.
%terance To III. anger: but he is. lndeeI {. ~ the
phrase goes. 'chok ne himself with rage" be.
cause ne II trying to get a terrific volume ot
voice by nhysica pressure on the throat. AMI
q o more ne swells his veins an muscles the
less ape Is ne TO sppak at all. Singers. there
lore. should not attempt to yet n cresceni0 by
pressing me muscles NJ the throat. Command
OF breath IL the only methni