The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-01
THE ART OF SINGING
Nine. Sembrioh Inherited Musical
Gifts but Perfected Them by
Years of Careful Training.

How do come to be so musicale" re-
peated Madame Marcella Sembrich, as she
smiled at question which she had heard
so many times before. II think it must
be hereditary. I can explain it in no other
way. I might possibly have studied quite
as long as did and quite as hard without
results If I had not inherited a. talent for
music from my father. He was music
teacher IN Wisniowcyzk. He taught the
piano, violin, clarinet and organ. He
taught them all well, too, although he had
never had music lesson from anybody in
his life His name was Kochanska, which
was my family name. But I took Sem
br1ch, my mothers maiden name, when
l went on the stage. There were two
many ks In Kochanska for prima dom
ma. For the same reason took my mid
die name. Marcelline, in place Of Paxede,
which would not have been SO easy for
people outside Of my own Galicia to pro-
nounce. So I finally became Marcella
sembrich. But that was a long time
after began to study music.
Indeed, I can scarcely remember the
time that I was not studying music At
was playing the piano. At took up
the violin. The one used was made by
my father for me. Within two years T
was playing with him in concerts Then
l used to play both the violin and piano,
and never thought Of singing. Ours was
musical family, but it had never pro-
duced singers. All our talents seemed
to be instrumental
when I was II years old my father
had taught me all he knew about the
piano. After a family consultation it was
decided that should go to Lemberg and
study there under well-known teacher
OF the piano. He was a young man named
Wilhelm Stengel. Nobody ever thought
then that he would afterward become my
husband. But T was too young then to
think Of husbands. was child that had
to be sent away from her family to study,
and all he thought of was the easiest and
best way to give me the opportunities my
father thought needed. Lemberg was
gel as the best teacher for me. My
father took me to Lemberg and intro
duced meato the teacher he had selected.
I played for him, and he consented to
take me for pupil My serious work
as a. musician began then. hoped some
a teacher possibly. The last future pos
sible seemed to me the life Of prima
DONNA"
Herr Stengel had listened to this story
with mods Of approval. Nine. Sembrich
looked at him quizzically at this stage
Of it..
wilhelm said his wife,. .you tell
about our going to Epstein
But Wilhelm would tell nothing. He
simply laughed with delight at the an.
narrative.
IT he won't tell it, I must" Nine.
sembrich went on. After had been in
Lemberg year-it is not modest to tell
this. but must-the pupil knew almost as
much as the teacher. Wilhelm wrote to
my father that he had taught me all he
knew. He recommended Epstein of vi
emma to my father, and he went there to
see Professor Epstein. He heard me
play and soon became one of his pupils.
i for &6~oo
I had never intended to give up
the violin, although Intended to
make the piano my speciality. Two
years after I went to Epstein I discoy-
cred that had voice, took the advice
Of my friends and gave UP the violin and
piano. I studied Il first under Hans
who was then bass in the
imperial opera housesin Vienna and
teacher In the conservatory. But I soon
went to Milan and began my studies there
under Lamperti.
II studied for several years with Lam
pert" Nine. Sembrich said. when the his
tory of her work as an instrumentalist
had been told, land then came the uues
ton OF q debut wanted to sing In
italian, OF course, and that was irnpossi-
pie for an unknown singer In Germany.
The impresario of the Italian opera in
Atnens was IN Milan at the time that
Thought OF 9 debut. He heard me sing
" Lampertfs studio, and we decided that
Athens would be the place for my debut.
SO l made tentative first appearance as
Elvira In I Puritani. sang for a short
time. and among other roles was Lucia. 8
But retired for nearly two years after
that time. was still 50 young that
there was plenty Of time to completes INV
education In way that should be satis-
factory to me and my teacher So
went to Dresden and when sang again
It was IN the Royal opera-house.
But for years have continued nv
studies as singer. viii practice ons
hour every day at the piano and devote
the same amount Of time to singing.
That hour, however. divide into four
parts, and sing for only fifteen minutes
1t time. That is the history Of my
musical studies. It is almost impossible
TO say when they began. My fingers were
IN the piano keys long before could
stretch an octave. My studies have not
snded yet, and cannot tell when they
WILL The person who would continue is
Keep place in music must always strux-
gle to improve. 1t is not enough to keen
Up to ones own standard. There must Be
constant effort at something better
Coming from a woman who is ac-
knowleV&ad to be the most absolute mis-
tress Of her art in the world to-day, this
opinion has value Of rnodesty which ID