The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-19

classified. But the professor of the pres
emit day Is equal to all that. be he a master
of the art or be he an incompetent. The
pupils voice will be placed--somewhere
If a woman, she may be told by the char
atan teacher that she's a high soprano,
because she can touch B fiat: or that she
may be contfalto If she can sing a low
G and a high B fiat, or that she may be
a dramatic soprano because she can sing
froc G up tosAs:. or a mezzo- soprano, or a
mezo- soprano-contralto, or dramatic
contralto and goodness knows how many
other variations may have cropped up
within the minds of the, voice placers dur
Ing the past two or three years.
In the rapid advancement OF science and
industry which the American nation has
made in the past twenty years 1t Is no
wonder that the get to-be-an- artist
quick fever should have seized upon the
rising generation or would-be singers, and
the laborious study supposed to be neces-
sary for eninence In the profession be
ruthlessly thrust aside; that new de-
parture should be made and NERVE" and
press work substituted for study. q
Studied In Europe"
Another method Of bidding for fame Is
that Of having studied in Europe" This
does not mean a course Of several years
under competent masters, but only as
many months-a few lessons here a few
there, and back to America in six months
or possibly a year. I don't mean to say
that even this limited course Of study may
not be OF benefit, especially to those who
have worked conscientiously under good
masters here and who may be good artists
when they go therein fact 1t ought to
be of much assistance to such students;
but when undertaken by those who have
studied In superficial manner, or with
| incompetent teachers. can result in no
permanent good to them, and Is usually
,t0l~1 se,t, o,,11
| Organtsts who give lessons in voice Gull
ture to beginners In return for services in
choirs are another class Of voice wreck
ers that should be discouraged.
There may be some organists who are
competent to teach voice culture, but OF
goedly list Of those know not one of
them has aever been equipped with the
they may have imbibed as boys in a
| chorus choir.
Need Of VocaIIzatlon. ~ =.
There is difference between .'vocaliza-
| ton" and the art Of singing which is
| not generally understood by the mass Of
| voice cultivators at the present day.
'"Vocalization" is the strenuous, mechani-
cal part Of voice training, if I may use the
| expression; and the other is the refining
process Of the result of the primary labor
the vocal painting of the picture con-
| ceived by the words to be sung. The
study of vocalization necessitates untiring
practice Of exercises for fexibility-scales,
arpeggios, roulades. chromatic cadenzas,
| appoggiatura and trills-the union of reg
listers, placing and emission of the voice
and correct intonation. The '.art Of sing
ing comprises style, phrasing, the intelli-
gent taking of breath, and enuncation,
the latter a marked shortcoming in many
Of the best solo singers Of the present day.
? Might License Teachers '"s -. -
4 Physicians. school teachers, professional
| people; mechanics, engineers and I don't
know. how many others, must have
licenses or certificates Of proper qualifca-
lions to engage in their respective occu-
pations-why not the teacher Of vocal cul-
ture? They charge pretty good fees for
| their work-some of them-and the
charlatans do a great deal more harm
than they can ever undo, or any one else
who may attempt 1t after them.
Therefore say license the professors of
! vocal art, and We'll have better singers
among our young students, less money
will be thrown away, and many a broken
voice. broken heart and depleted purse
will be avoided. ..