The Indianapolis journal., 1903-06-07
VICIOUS VOCAL METHODS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RUINATION
OF MANY GOOD VOICES.
Necessity of a Board of Examiners and
Licensers for Voice Trainers
Evils of Modern Teaching.
Brooklyn Eagle.

Brooklyn Eagle.
Eminent musical authorities have been
| much exercised during the past ten or fif-
teen years over the manifest decadence in
the art of singing which has been apparent
and Is steadily becoming more pronounced,
| not only in the centers of European musical
art, but more especially in the United
States. The question is often asked, why
| is it that so few great artists are to be
| found among the singers of to-day in COM
| parison to the multitude Of those who start
out with the intention of becoming ia
| mous?" The solution of the question may
easily be found. 1t is not for lack Of voices,
| for 1t has been demonstrated beyond refutal
| that this country produces a larger proper
| tion of naturally beautiful voices than any
other on the face of the globe, Italy's rep
| utation to that effect Notwithstanding The
| climate Of the last-named nation was sup
posed to be pre-eminently voice producer.
Acting on this idea an American scientist
some eighteen or twenty years ago made a
series of experiments to discover the prop
critics appertaining to the atmospheres Of
Italy. Satisfied that he had succeeded, he
| invented a mechanical device in which he
announced that the chemical properties of
| the Italian climate were inclosed. BY in
| haling the breath through this instrument
the vocal student was guaranteed TO be
| breathing the voice-producing atmosphere
of Italy. The invention, in general appear
| ance, resembled flute, and the chemical
compositions through which the air had to
| pass in breathing could be renewed after
| a certain amount of use had exhausted its
Il a;txy rlo odx of nho,, tool
| device made some stir in musical circles at
the time, and many Of them were disposed
| of to those who desired a voice redolent of
| the zephyrs of Lake Como where, it was
said, most of the scientific experiments
| were made. have not heard anything of
| Ii for many years, 1 presume that the
balmy air Of America, in passing through
| the tube, must have come into hostile COLI
! sion with the manufactured Italian atmos-
phere and put the latter out Of business.
| Some fifteen years or more ago 1t was
\ the custom for singers to give concerts In
which they would be assisted by fellow
| artists. If they were not recognized as first
| class vocalists the entertainment was an
| nounced to be for specific object-charity
| largely-and occasionally was rendered as a
| complimentary testimonial in recognition of
| faithful services in a church choir. One
song sometimes two. If they were not long)
| was the limit to each appearance on the
| platform, with encore and second If
| deserved. Frequently an artist" did not
| succeed in gaining an encore and 1t was
| suggestively embarrassing If he or she
| sang out of time or tune, or wabbled in
sostenuto movement or took breath in the
| larynx and fell down through two or three
| notes In a descending cadenZa, the patient
public resented such undue familiarity with
| the fundamental principles of the art, and
| discouraged their repetition.
| BALM FOR INCOMPETENTS.
The advent of the song recital. however,
| was a balm to the feelings of the incom-
petent singer. and five or six numbers at a
time are now considered the proper thing to
| launch at the heads of a good-natured audi
ence, which takes its medicine philosoph-
ically and is humbly thankful.
| 1t is estimated that there are some $1,000
students of singing in Greater New York.
a considerable proportion of them nonresi-
dents. Each State in the Union furnishes
| greater or less number of ambitious young
| singers who make their way to the me-
| tropolis for the purpose OF studying vocal
| ism with the best teachers, or such as their
| means will allow them to patronize. Hence
| a plethora of charlatans masqueradlng as
| professors of singers. Antiquated solo sing
| ers, who failed for lack of abilities neces-
sary to make successes motn-eaten cnorus
| singers of Italian and English opera, or
! ganists, pianists, professors of every in
strument in the orchestra from the violin
to the bass drumMperipatetG Sic,e hurdysuT rsdv
to give lessons in singing at rates to suit,
| from Is cents to So or 81 a lesson, with a
| discount for cash, or on easy monthly pay
| ments, as most convenient to the pur-
| chaser.
When the pure old Italian method was in
it's zenith-when several years of scale sing
| ing were considered necessary to properly
train note before the student was allowed
| to sing arias-singers like Malibran, Grisl,
| Sontag, Piccolomini, Alboni, Titiens, Patti,
Marco, Giuglini, Tamberlik, Wachtel, La
| blache Faure (and in the present decade,
| Melba, Sembrich and Nordica) glorified the
| vocal armament. To hear them sing was
| to listen to the acme of vocal art. After
| five or six years of hard and conscientious
study under the care of a competent teach
| er, the student was equipped sufficiently
| to make public appearance, and in a few
| years more as the voice developed and ex-
| perience came to assist the singer took his
| or her place as a recognized artist.
| But that sort of schooling doesn't suit the
ambitious student of the present day. The
| "get-rich-quick' style of vocal education is
the popular one now. One, two, three or
| four quarters lessons, and possibly two
| years, or even three, is considered quite
| enough to launch singer at the heads OF
| a long suffering public. And old man Bar
| mum knew the American public well when
he said 1t rather liked being humbugged.
| If the above mentioned terms of study were
be bad enough; but probably Is per cent.
| of the pupils rip and tear their vocal chords,
and lacerate the CLOTHS under the rapid
fire instruction of incompetent professors.
| What is the result?-the tremolo, the vi
| brato, raspy lower and medium tones from
male throats; tear-fetching shrieks from
high sopranos, and heart-breaking means
| from somber contraltos. oh. the sin of it!
The student having begun his or her
| lessons and fioundered along over few
| scales informs the teacher that he wants a
song-he would like something from an
| opera Faust is a great favorite. If a
| tenor "Salve Dimora'' is all right; the
soprano prefers the Jewel song; the bari