The sun., 1908-03-26
DAVID BISPHAM ON SINGING
rNDN I GREAT REVIVAL IN
rUE tRT ~ THIS COUNTRY.
uRlsnt to sing In English but Not In bad
Tngll,h Experiences With Asplrants
VINO should Have Known Better
lean lie RciIke a Real operate Artist.

VINO should Have Known Better
lean tie RciIke q Real operate Artist.
DayI Bispham talked 10 the National
,,soca,ion OF Teachers Of Singing at Stein
cav H1 last evening about the art Of
snging. and in the course Of his talk he
aid some things that will interest even the
,ope deaf. Mr.. Bispham said that in his
Judgment there was going on at present
IN thls country a great revival Of interest
m the art Of singing. ltwas accompanied
IN some extent by an awakening in other
ans such as painting. literature and arohi-
.sture. while even the drama showed
some gus Of reawakening.
people are opera mad said Mr.. Bis
1bam. and a good thing too, as 1t shall
cal fo 'hc foundation Of national opera
0' our own
He added that at present there were
mlny american singers Of whom We had
.a..cio hc proud. He placed Nordica and
lanes at tho head Of the list upon the
feminine -,dc, and mentioned also Mines
Homer. Frcmstad, Garden, Fsrrar, Cis-
HgTUA NINl tNFlul uNANlhs ONubIh lItIN
we're who we're better known abroad than
m their own country, There was no lack
4 excellent natural material for American
singers, nut the great need was seriousness
# ain and the willingness Of study. Many
yollng singers there we're who hoped 10
make an immediate success, generally with
he opposite sex. "Just let me get to the
stage said one young man TO Mr.. Bispham
and you'll soon sec all the girls at my
!ecr.'
In italy" said Mr.. Bispham, we are
n the habit Of thinking Of the art Of song
A. more or less Of natural gift In Eng
and il Jartakes more OF the nature Of
reian'ic accomplishment. In Germany it
has acquired more Of an intellectual tone.
In this country we ought 20 strive to COM
bIne the good points Of all the others where
song is cultivated. 1t is a fortunate cir
cnstance that in this country the stage
carries with it no stigma-it is no bar to
rsrectahlity or social position The only
really bad thing about the stage in this
country is the bad work we often see done
upon it, The only really bad thing about
lugnsh as language in which to sing is
rhe had English in which we often hear some
singers sing. The only bad thing about
singing is bad singing.
Most singers think they are called,
ut We know that comparatively few Of
hem are chosen. More is required of
singer IN this city than anywhere else in
he world. except az Covent Garden, where
. .. t,ra,ftnaIi.F
Nv first advice 10 most persons who ex-
jness the intention Of learning how to sing
IS Ike tha. given by Punch 20 those about
20 marry-'Dont' My own rule is to
discourage most aspirants, because in
~ cases out Of loo they could do anything
c.~e much better than they can sing.
Mr. Bispham told Of ap occasion on which
he had the happiness Of restoring to a hus-
and and two children a loving wife and a
devoted mother instead Of presenting to
he world another bad singer. A woman
wrote to him that she was misunderstood
At home, where her grand voice had no
opportunity. She then came to see him,
md he learned that she sang in the choir
IT her fathers little country church and
played the harmonlum rs well. Finally
she sang for him Jesus, Lover Of My Soul
q the voice Of mouse coming from the
nody Of Brunhilde. 1T was too pathetic
said MIR. Bispham. "We both burst into
ears, and sent her home after extracting
nom her a solemn promise that she would
-lng no more
The matter Of voice education depended
much on the individual case, Mr. Bispham
said 4 Mary Garden would do things that
4 Ternina would not attempt. ut would
"a interesting he continued, "to know all
about the voice education Of Caruso. His
tather is said to have been a brigand, but
hat has nothing to do with the son, who
cultivates a gentler art with a success that
ylll be remembered for generations. But
st no singing pupil think that it has been
all beer and ssittles even for Caruso.'
Nlr Bispham said that when Tamagno,
he Italian tenor, was asked to sing in the
Stabat Mater in Florence he not only
had never sung il before but he had never
even heard Of il. Yet he sang in this ora
torio with great effect.
Yet this tenor had but small artistic SEN
Slbility,' Mr.. Bispham continued. Il was
lnce singing with him in 0tello singing
he part Of Idgo 20 his OtellO, and in the last
act after he was supposed 10 have fallen
dead, placed my foot upon his PROSTATE
body He did not appear tc approve O! this
business for despite the fact that he was
theoretically dead he deliberately raised
MS hand and removed my foot. after which
ne resumed his former position
NIr Bispham cited the case Of Jean de
Reszke hy way of illustrating what could be
accomplished by intelligence and patience.
De Reszke. he said, achieved great things
oy patience and intelligence in the use of
voice not itself extraordinary. De Reszke
vas in his opinion the finest example this
generation had seen or was likely TO see Of
l.. Il.
oer, Renaud and Maurel were the finest
French actor singers Of the day, and this
Fas another case in point because no one
If these three was the possessor Of voice
# the very first quality. They held their
own by their intelligence and their success
iul appeal TO the intelligence Of others.
BY way Of illustrating how little the
general public understands the need Of
o0ntnuaI hard work on the part Of a sue
essfu singer Mr. Bispham told a story OF
Nine Schumann-Heink
Il was once singing with her in GER
tain large CITY," he said "and early in the
ovening before We were to sing she exer-
Used her superb voice In her apartments
n the hotel, with the result that she could
Ne heard pretty much throughout the
"ntire structure. ] subsequently heard one
n the guests complaining that his nap
had besh broken up by somo woman who,
he said had been believing like a bull
When he was told that the singer was Nine,
Schumann-Heink and that she was prac-
using he replied: What does she want TO
practise for? All she's got 10 do is 10 put
~ fine clothes and get up there and sing.
Nlr, Bspham made a fervent appeal
'or greater respect for the English language
n tho part OF singers. He declared that the
1egIect 10 which the pronunciation and
anunciation OF the language was sub
ectei constantly was fast reducing 1t to
he level of hodgepodge Of the gambling
len, the racetrack and the vaudeville
stage. The evil results so plain he attributed
o the ignorance Of parents and the almost