The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-10-26
TRYING TO MAKE THEM sing.
EADS ~ TRAINING THE VOICE
THAT END FAVOR.
Gymnastics of Vocal Culture--Rush or
singers to New YOrk-Church choir
salaries cut by COmpetii iOn--Pessi.
Iristic Advice as TO How 10 Get . Job.


in singing the other DIV. II suppo-" could
make 40 much money ina ! wouldn't kno"
what 20 do with il.
"You'd he surprised 10 know how tho
idea that they can sing perineates persons
without the fire, qualification of singer
They ,hrong here by thousands. and I'M
scrupuous or ignorant teachers get their
money, dsplsce their voices beyond hope
OF remedy and send them home again dis-
couraged and pessimistic
Then rhe fads in teaching singing that
there are in this town. One man makes n
sy,ecialt Of pulling the Adams apple down.
and pins his faith on that theory of training
the voice For several years la has had 10
turn away pupils
Another teaches the value of an in
ordnatelv high chest and contracted
abdomen in singing, and u takes his pupils
several years to find out that the plan won't
work He tells them NJ he start that the
reason that they cant sing a. one" with
high chests and contracted abdomers IL
that their muscles are weak and it will
take wears 10 acquire sufficient strength
II does
Another man makes specially Of nasal
resonance. and savs that that is the sole
scorer or jean q" IUSIh' : 'IluHG' lIpUl ~
baritone 10 a tenor. His pupils certainly
acquire the nasal resonance. There's no
mistakng il and there's no one that wants
to buy il after il is ono, acquired
-One teacher has his pupils sing lying on
their backs and another has them take eN-
ercises to strengthen their abdominal
muscles until he can stand on their alb
dosnen- Al least that : what he does with
the men
-One woman teacher requires her pupils
10 relax all their muscles until it's wonder
that they don't fall down. They even re-
Lax their jaws until they look like idiots
If YOU could describe the idea Of proper
singing that is In your own mind in words
that would convey exactly the right picture
10 the mind of your pupils there would
be many more finished singers to-day han
there are But words don't convey an sc-
curate description Of anything. and that's
why il requires years Of practice and train
ing of the ear before a pupil unders, a1ds
the infinite variations and possibilities q
tone production and knows what comhina-
ton Of muscles 10 Use 10 get what he wants
into his voice.
-Ths idea Of the coordinate workin z
Of muscles has produced the physiological
teacher. who would teach the art of sor z
by describing just what muscles 10 pull,
and Of all the mistaught pupils have ever
had. none could come up To the three that
had previously passed through his hands
This CITY is the Mecca Of singers all over
the country. The Metropolitan Opera
House season IL one cause OF ms, OF course,
but another, and on the whole. | think a
greater cause, are the stories that have ens :
mated from this city cfthe big salaries paid
to church singers
There was time when frst-class church
singer got an adequate salary, when. for
Instance, a first class tenor, the rarest of
our singers could command from 900
$500 year for church singing us n
lucky first class tenor who has thousand
dollar place these DAYS, for the influx Of
singers after II was bruited about tho
here in church quartets and on tho CON
cert platform soon oversnppied the
market. and then began competition for
places.
Il have a pupil who Is good tenor. ono
who might b. expected to land six
hnndred-dollar job He was talking one
day with a basso who has had plenty Of
experience with church singing in This city.
The basso gave him MS advice a. 10 how
to get a job
"'You go and sing before some commit 90
for one Of those $500 jobs he said. The
committees don't know anything about
singing and a. YOU have powerful voice
Of fair quality is dollars to doughnuI-
that you can make impression enough upon
them by singing some dramatic song 10
offset the work of more advanced singer
who will sing som" church work. such az
his Sunday singing will normally no.
'Now, YOU can get rhat job If YOU wan,
il provided he doesn't know the ropes, too
You go to that committee and say,
Here's my. proposition This job pays
sam year, III take II for $50 because