Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-02-26
VOICES.

Just before the rcccat election there
appeared an interesting study of The
political career of Mr. Bryan The
author of this study, in explaining the
impression which Mr. Byran succeeded
in making upon 50 many Of his FOL
lowers, lays tn" greatest stress Of all
upon his possession Of "A beautiful
voice" This voice. the writer thinks.
lay at the base not only of Mr.. Bryan'S
sudden and spectacular success in The
Chicago convention Of 1896. but was a
powerful factor. if not the chief one.
in SWaying and nluencing all who
listened to his oTatory in the following
four years. Everyone is familiar with
the story of the emotional woman who
was moved to tears by George Whit
fields manner OF uttclirg the blessed
word. McSopotama." on the other
hand. Burke. whose thought framed it
self in sentences of magnificent force
ard energy. and who was. in one
sense. the very greatest of England's
orators. spoke always to empty
benz hes III the House Of Commons. be
caure his voice was weak and did not
possess the least suggestion of that
thrilling quality which gives to the
spoken platitudes of many a thirdrate
deCIaimc; al least a mOmcntary weight
with those who hear them. 1t is III
atory that the perfect voice per
forms its nohlcst part: first. because it
gains hearing for the speaker and.
in the second place because its subtle
moduiations. adapting themselves to
the thought which they convey, rc-en-
~ ant.
of tic orator. The spoken word APP
peala most to the mind, but the tones
in which the words are carried affect
the senses and stir the heart and the
imagination. Webster'S wonderful re-
ply to IIaync might have persuaded
ard convinced had il been uttered b.
another man than Webster: but II was
his voice that held his listeners 50
wholly in subsection to him that. when
he ceased to speak, many minutes
passed before even his opponents IN
that crowded hall could break the inn
p-eSsive silence that ensucd. When
We read the speech today we read II
always with the recollection of that
scene before us-a recollection 50
wildly transmitted by those who Wit
messed it as to make us feel that 1t
formed a part of our own
experience. That splendid, stately
while figure. those great "0ck
eyes. glowing like furnace
whose fires have been blown.
and above all. that marvellous and en-
trancing voice which now rang IKE
trumpet in its magnificent dciiane" ana
again sank in a ravishing diminucndo
to notes that were full of penetrating
pathos. Truly, with an orator, tne
voice comes first of all as the primal
condition, for success: and, therefore,
RIGHTLY viewed. we cannot think of
burke as having been an orator AZ az.
Hc was an uttcrcr or exquisite Eng
lish. but the magic Of the spoken
word was never his. and. therefore.
even the greatest of his So-calied
orations belong rather to the history OF
literature than to the history OF
c1opi:cncc.
Tho singing voice deserves no DOUBT
very careful study: but TINS ''uu!
should be made by ono VINO feeiS us
charm. To me no great emotiohal et-
fcrte can be produced in singing mat
are comparable with those that ar" so
o. sily aroused by instrumental music.
scDrano voice. for instance, however
beautiful its quality and however per
feet it's tone production. never seems TO
me- 10 touch the heart. one adnifcS i'
without feeling it. The horld ana
unite extra ordinary vocal featS OF
Patti at her best have been compared
10 a shower CT pearls ana diamonds
hut. after all. how would one look upon
shower Of pearls and diamonds?
With wonder. doubtless. and with adj
,,iration: but not. | think. with any
derpe! feeling. AS for n tenor Voice,
it always stirs in me a certain feeling
~ contempt. A bass voice one can
hear with pleasure: for there is some
thing about it that is powerful ana
manly ard robust: yet here, too, one
admjres and enjoys, but does not feel.
The only voice that has in it true
emotional quality is the contralto.
which alone expresses in its rich.
warm tones O depth of sentiment that
takes strong hold upon you and that
blends at once the passion of a
man with the constituencies and feeling
of . woman. But no voice
whatever can produce such Won
| dnrfuI effects as can the violin in the
hands of 4 master of that instrument.
! The violin is something more than nu-
man in the appeal it makes to every
thing within one that is human. It's
exquisite modulations and haunting
pathos penetrate the very depths Of
consciousness. and when mingled with
the sound of flutes it gives one an
emotional ecstasy in which the very
soul half swoors with sheer delight.
i II is the speaking voice. however
that oftenest attracts ones notice. And
here singularly enough. il is the mans
,.oice rather than the woman's that is
most interesting to study. In woman
there is only just one kind of voice that