The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1908-08-21
The Voice.
WRITTEN BY MISS MATTE SPENsER
WILLIS, ASSISTANT TEACHER OF
MUSIC AND HARMONY IN THE
FARMyILIE CONSERyATO-

| WRITTEN BY MISS MATTE SPENSER
WILLIS, ASSISTANT TEACHER OF
MUSIC AND HARMONY IN THE
FARMyILLE CoNsERvATo-
RY OF MusIc.l
Since the human voice ie older than
any instrument, the earliest music
was Of course exclusively vocal, and
until about five hundred years ago
there was very little Of any other
kind. The Greeks attained the high
est perfection in poetry and music i've
hundred years B. G.. Pindar who
was born in 522) composed musical
dramas and songs Of various kinds.
This style OF musical drama was taken
up again In the Nineteenth Century
by Richard Wagner, who has been
acknowledged MS the greatest COM
poser OF our time.
From the Hebrews we learn that
I'm the Temple at Jerusalem there. were
large ohoirs and that in the time OF
Soloman there were many thousand
singers. In the Jewish Temple We
find the first organ. A picture Of this
instrument is given on the next page.
We are further assured that there
still remains Hebrew music Ia the
Grgorisn chants, especially in the
Halleluish melodies.
In 100 A. d., at st Gall there was
established a singing school Of world
wide renown. IL was the Leipsic OF
its time. In the beginning OF the
Thirteenth Century there was a class
Of singers known as the Troubadours
who travelled through France, Spain
aud Italy. AT first these poet-singers
came from the wealthy classes and
their impulse was more literary than
musical. In peculiar sense the songs
OF the Trouoadours embodied one side
OF the idea ofchivalry, or knighthood.
A little later there arose another
class Of singers known as the Trou-
yeres. They seem to have caught the
inspiration from the Troubadours, and
Initiated them I'm choice Of theme and
general spirit. Soon after the rise OF
the Tr0ubad0urs in France some
what similar movement began In
Germany. These singers were called
Minnesngers dove singers. They
were followed by the Meistersingers.
The name Meistersinger came from
the notion that only those who had
won the technical title OF Meister
MASTER were competent TO fix the
standard Of verse and song. The first
school for voice culture was establish
ed In Naples by Pergolese In 1870. In
this school they used the Italian
method After that period France
and Germany became noted muslcai
centers. This Italian method was
instituted by Pergolese TO meet the
needs Of the age. The Italian opera
was too difficult for any but trained
professional singers. lie simpliied
this aud evolved a method Of instruc-
ton which, with modification, has
come down 10 the present day.
No branch Of music il OF greater Inn
portance than the training and de-
yelopment Of the voice. BY cuitiys-
ting the voice the throat and lungs
are strengthened and the chest Is de-
yel0ped, giving vitality TO the entire
system. This Is acquired by being
taught the correct mode Of breathing.
One unconsciously falls into the habit
Of pec;orsI Chest breathing. This
mode Of breathingls very injurious to
the health; however II can he corrected
In an sstonlshly short time by breath
ing-gymnsstics. BY this method
one learns full diaphragmalic breath
ing. The breathinggymnastics form
the first steps In voice culture. The
most approved method Of the leading
musicians OF today is known As the
Italian or Normal Method, which, As
stated above, Is but modernized
form OF the work Of Pergolese in the
eighteenth century.