The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-22

~ % NAC AhAAAS
The singer Of to-day must not be troubled
by the strange intervals of Strauss and
Debussy. He must know precisely what
they are, why they are, and whittier they
lead. He must have his ear attuned and
his intelligence p~ractsed in the modula-
tons Of the new idea. What threw the
operatio world into confusion on the APP
pearanoe Of Wagneri What made singers
say this new music was ~unsingable2 Its
demands upon the volce7 Eonsensel Its
demands upon the singers m~uslcianship
caused the trouble. The old simple diatonio
progressions, the stock phraseology OF
n were laid aside for a Icy harmonic
diotion, and the singers could not intone
the unfamiliar intervals. That was the real
cause Of all the trouble.
A knowledge Of harmony viii enable
a singer to understand the new progres.
sions. The emotional restlessness Of the
contemporaneous style 10 built largely
Of postponed resolutions Of chords. Let
the singer grasp that and he will find that
the strange orchestral Accomplishments
will not throw him OF his musical balance.
Every singer ought to be acquainted
with the history Of music and especially
Of his own branch Of the art. Very few
know anything about these subjects, but
for the development OF correctness in style
it is essential that the singer should know
the general character Of the music Of a
period to which the composition before
him belongs, the particular character
Of the vocal style and teohnio Of that period
and the individual aims and artistic ideals
OF the composer OF the music.
1t seems as II this ought to GO without
saying, but the truth is that while o few
intelligent singers are quite ready to admit
that the practice Of an instrument 10 a
rood thing and some others do not deny
that 1t would be we'll to know something
about harmony, very, very few indeed
profess TO have read the history OF their
art.
It Is unfortunate that the English reader
is forced to 20 unsatisfed in the study
| OF the history OF vocal art. He can safe him.
self with histories Of opera, oratorio and
the song, but the historical consideration
OF the art of singing has been sadly neglected
by English writers.
However, most singers read French,
German and italian, and in these languages
they can find information Of great value
For the average student who wishes to
acquire a birdseye view Of the subject
there is nothing better than l. Chant
by Lemaire and Lavois. 1t Is O pity that
the work is out OF print, but copies are
still to be had by those who are willing
to take the trouble to search for them.
A large part Of the work Is devoted to the
technics Of singing, but more than q third
ia historical.
Another admirable book In Hugo Gold
schmidt's die Italienische Gesangsme-
thode des XVII. Jahrhunderts.' This ts q
oontemporsne GUS work, and IL makes q
careful and complete examination into the
vocal, technio OF the seventeenth century
beginning with the "Nuove Musiche' OF
Caccini. As the singers OF this century
developed the method which the great
masters OF 100, Pistocchi, Porpora. Red
and the rest, taught to FarinelI. Caffereli,
C,,zzoni. Fauatina, Gisziellc, Senesino and
their contemporaries, 1t follows that the
seventeenth century method is the founda-
ton Of all artistic singing.
1t Ia aside from the purpose OF this
paper to furnish a list Of books relating
to the history Of vocal art. Those who
deslre such works will have no difficulty
in finding them in French, German and
italian. That any large number OF singers
or students of singing could be induced tt
embark upon a serious examination Of thu
history of their art after reading anything
merely giving good reasons why they
should do 90 is altogether too much Il
expect.
It may seem wholly unnecessary to urgt
s~inaers to learn vocal sight reading, blu,
those who are acquainted with the aston
ishinR ignorance OF a large number o
- iii l.Ao- that IN Ia mot. IL Ia NJ
foolish lest OF the newspapers that man.
onera ~sirners have TO learn their roles b.
car beoause they cannot read music. Other
who can read music have never iearne'
the art OF vocal sight reading, and henc
are obliged to sit down before a piano an
pick out their parts note by note on tina
instrument, and in this primitive iasnio'
commit them to memory. "
Every Ginger should be a master OF voca
sight reading. A page OF music should D
to him as the page OF q novel Is TO o reaoe
OF language. This branch OF the musica
art puts the finish to the musicianship o
the singer. With a knowledge OF form an
harmony the sight reader can grasp IN
sisniicance Of q vocalscore at once. Witn
ont any one Of these three the vocalist Il
unsteady ~ungrounded and Is never certai
OF his footing.
The writer may be pardoned at his poin
for inviting his readers attention to on
Anger who has all the qualifications de
al mandsd In this paper. 1t not ~infrequentl
happens that superficial operagoers as
why Nine embnch receives 30 much cr1t
cal praise in spite Of the ~indisputabie fae
that she is no longer In the bloom OF he
years nor the springtime OF her voice.
Her exquisite art is entirely lost upo
those who have no knowledge OF the quail
Ties Of art. The truth Is that Nine Sem
brioh enjoys a unique superiority by reaso
Of her thorough musicianship. She bega
her career as a pianist and next became
v%iolinist. She was an accomplished vii
tuoso on both Instruments n learned IN
fundamental principles Of music from tn
noint of view Of the instrumental musician
When she discovered that she had a VOC
sbe took up the study Of singing.
But she was already an excellent musician
and for years she kept up the pracVoe Q
a .nl x,inltn HAr sight readln