The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-10-21
The Art of SINGING.
HOW TO SING A GERMAN BALLAD.
BY JUSTIN LEROY HAIR ri

| The most dramatic German ballad
ever written is undoubtedly Schu
bert's "Erlking' After having become
thoroughly familiar with the detail
and development of the story, which
is founded upon the legend Of the
phantom Erlking, supposed to haunt
the Black Forest of Germany-after
having become assured that the trans
lation we are to use is literal one,
and that the dramatic intensity Of the
story has not suffered in the transla-
! tion-after having learned the melody
/ to which the story is to be read, and
| overcome any technical difficulties in
the way of sustaining a well-balanced
tone on the difficult intervals and
pitches of the melody-after having
noted the assistance the accompani-
ment offers in sustaining the climaxes.
and after having decided on the tenn
po,-which should be as rapid as the
accompanist can execute the diff
cult groups of triplets-we are ready
to study the scAg, fArase by phrase.
with the object in view of strengthen
ing the story by bringing to the aid of
the voice every known principle of ex-
preston.
The introduction should be played
furiously and with a marked accent.
giving the effect of a horses hoofs
galloping at a terrific speed over a
hard frozen surface The first two SEN
fences of the poem should set the en-
tire picture before the eyes of the
audience. By standing well forward on
the toes, every muscle of the body will
be alert, and the impression of the
haste of the father to reach his home
safely will be emphasized at once.
20 who rides by night thro wood
lands wild? 1t is the father, embrac-
ing his child" This should be given
out in a colorless voice, and without
setting forth the dramatic power of
the situation. Thenext passage And
close the little one lies in fathers
arm, from blast of tempest to keep
him warm should be sung with a
certain warmth of tone which can be
secured by allowing the supporting
column ofbreath to settle on the dia-
phragm, much as mother unconsci-
ously does in grooming to her babe. In
the accompaniment the diminished
chord upon the subtonic against the
tonic in the bass is well calculated
to express the tight clasp of the faith
er's arms around the childs body. In
the question my son, why hidest thy
face so shy?" the father remarks the
child's sense of fear, which is express
ed in the accompaniment by the minor
ninth chord upon the mediant The
voice, by a rising infection and a for
ward breath should suggest anxiety
and concern. The reply of the fright
Erlking nigh. See'st not the Erlking
Erlking night, Seest not the Erlking
with staff and shroudas" should be de-
livered in a 'mezzo voice." the breath
being in the nature of a backward
the chest held rather fiat
and still. The father treasures the
child saying, mo my boy, tbs but a
passing cloud" Here the voice
should be broadly sustained and Sc
rious, but with no suggestion of fear.
The unisons in the accompaniment,
being devoid of any harmonic sub
stance, well represent the idea that
the child's fright is founded on an IL
fusion.
Now comes the seducing song of
the Erlking whispered in the ear of
the terrified child. The voice should
be sustained by deep abdominal
breath. but with the diaphram pushed
upward. The enunciation should be |
very simple-similar to that common
ly used in conversing with very young
children. There should be no slurring |
from one tone to the other, as there |
is no desire to arouse any feeling |
akin to sentiment. 20 come with me- |
thou lovely child. in sport and play |
will thy hours be beguiled. There |