The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-19
FEW GOOD SINGERS.
Much Alarm Is Felt by Eminent Mu-
sicians at the Fake Artists
and Their Methods.
Students Do Not Care to Spend
Sufficient Time on "Vocal-
ization."

T. Clark Brocolini in Brooklyn Eagle.
Eminent musical authorities are much
exercised over the manifest decadence in
the art of singing which has been appar-
ent and is steadily becoming more. pro-.
nounced, not only In the centers Of Euro
pean musical art, but more especially in
the United States. The question is often
asked. why it is that so few great artists
are to be found among the singers Of to-
day, In comparison to the multitude Of
those who start out with the intention Of
becoming famous?" &g
1t Is not for lack Of voices, for it has
been demonstrated that this country pro-
duces larger proportion Of naturally
beautiful voices than any other on the
face Of the globe, Italys reputation not
withstanding
To meet the demand of $4,000 students
for singing, masters there Is plethora Of
charlatans masquerading as professors Of
singing. Anticipated solo singers, who
failed for lack of ability, moth eaten
chorus singers of italian and English
opera, organists, pianists, professors Of
every instrument In the orchestra from
the violin to the bass drum--peripatetic
hurdy gurdyites of noble Siclian descent
all ready to give lessons in singing.
When the pure old italian method was
in it's zenith-when several years of scale
singing were considered necessary to train
allowed to sing arias-singers like Mali
bran, Grisi, Sontag. Piccolomini, Alboni
T1tiens Patti, Marco, Giuglini. Tamber-
Xix, Wachtel, Lablanche. Faure land, in
the present decade, Melba Sembrfch and
Nordica) glorified the vocal armament.
10 hear them sing was to listen to the
acme ofsvocal art. But that sort Of
schooling doesn't suit the ambitious stu
dent Of the present day. The "get-rich-
quick" style Of vocal education Is the pop
ular one now. One, two. three, or four
quarters lessons, and possibly two years,
or even three, are considered quite enough
to launch a singer at the heads of long
suffering public. And old man Barnum
knew the American public we'll when he
said 1t liked being humbugged. -.
Probably rs per cent Of pupils rip and
tear their vocal cords, and lacerate the
CLOTHS under the rapid fire instruction of
incompetent professors. What is the
result?-the tremolo, the vibrato, raspX
lower and medium tones from male
threats; ar-fetching shrieks from high
sopranos, and heart breaking loans from
somber contraltos. Oh, the sin Of dts -
The student having foundered. over a
few scales informs the teacher that he
wants song-he would like something
from an opera. Faust" Is a great IA
vorite. II tenor, "Salve .Dmora" is all
right; the soprano prefers the Jewel song;
the baritone would like to revel in
Mephisto's selections and so the soul of
poor Gounod continues to suffer torment.
Then selection of songs-Italian, Ger
man and French are ruthlessly assaulted
the foreign languages are generally pre-
ferred If the student knows nothing about
them. Brahms, Tschaikowsky, Schul ! t,
Gounod Schumann, ntSaens, Grleg,
Hassenet and other masters, with a
sprinkling of modern English or Ameri-
can composers, are dragged into the
melee, and the singer announces a., song
recital and has blossomed into a full
blown professional ARTIST" > 81" IT."
- What LII Lehman Says.
Now, hear what Lilli Lehman says in
answer to the question as to how the
highest distinction in vocal art may be
reached: Thru natural gifts, among
which I reckon the possession of sound
organs and a well-favored body; thru
study, guided by an excellent teacher,
who can sing we'll himself-study that
must be kept up for at least six years,
without counting the preliminary work"
Albert Lavignac. professor Of harm ony
at the Paris conservatory, in his work on
musical education, recently published,
says in relation to the examination Of an
.uncultivated voice: 1.-THE principal quail
ties to be desired in it are a good timbre
and a certain - degree of f1exibility,
strength and volume increase with age
ana study. by processes known to every
teacher we easily manage to extend the
compass and gain several notes.. especial
ly high ones, but a bad timbre Is hard to
modify and f1exibility cannot be DEVELOPED
unless the organ already possesses some
natural elasticity. It Is, therefore, tc
these points that we shall see the master
Of the art of singing, to whom we have
submitted the case, pay particular at
tention, only taking secondary notice OF
such beautiful low or high NOTE thai
the pupil will be inclined to exhibit t.
him as a jewel But he will also ex.
anime other things-the general struc
ture, the, capacity Of the lungs and the
physognomy and conformation of the
mouth, which are Of great Importance
In the emission of the voice. for it is ii
the mouth cavity that the tinbre Is pro
duced." . g.
~ "PIacng" the Voice. a.~-
One hears great deal about the prope
'placing' of the voice by the teachers o
the vocal art. It Is a very important mat
ter for young students to know what thei
voices really are, and how they should III