The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-04-15

You write me, little maid in the
west, as you are in great perpleXity-
You believe you have talent for the
stage, a good voice, a presentable ap-
pearance.
N local musical affairs, you say,
You have won more than ordinary
success.
You have had several teachers, you
tell me, and have gone through terms
at two Conservatives
Your troubles are that you get so
much different advice. Your teach
ers vary so in their methods. Some
tell you YOU should go to Europe
others tell you you can get all YOU
need in this country.
Often you come home from your
lessons Gispirited, your voice hoarse,
al your energy gone; the wished-for
goal seems so far off, especially as
your means are limited. You see
the modest fortune your father left
you melting away.
Wat are you to do?
With your question YOU enclose me
a photograph and some clippings from
the local newspapers.
The photograph would indicate
that you are a tall, handsome girl of
whose expression is sweet and ami
able but somewhat lacking in force.
The newspap per notices are certainly
kindly, but they are evidently written
by PRISONS without much musical
knowledge or experience.
Old Story.
Forgive me if l tell you that your
case is but one of thousands.
Now, what advice should a man like
me give you, under such circum-
stances?
Shall | tell you to abandon your
ambition, become the gentle, loving
wife Of some good American, and the
mother of children-and so, fulfill
woman's noblest destiny-or shall
tell you to persevere, and to the end?
1t is a hard question. indeed, to put
to one who, like myself, knows what
a professional singer must go through
to win success.
However, here are a few points, a
few suggestions, which may be help
full to you, lite western maid, and
perhaps may be helpful to others.
For l, myself, have been through the
mill and have known your doubts.
your distress. and have asked myself
the very questions which you now
ask me.
In the first place, to be a really sue
cessful singer, il is not enough to
have natural abilities. a good voice,
a fine presence, training. One must
became a personality is, an
intelligence developed by study OF
many things besides music: Art, lit
erature. the drama, languages One
must travel see the world, and
above all. get in sympathy with hu,
manity-with its aspirations, its
struggles. s
Above all. one must suffer Did not
Goethe sing:
who never ate with tears his bread
Who never through the sorrow-laden
? nights
Sat weeping on his bed
He knows Ye not, Ye Heavenly
Powersi"
You can never feel the inspiration
of music sufficiently to be able to in
terpret it to others until you have
been through the valley of the
be able to reach the hearts and
minds Of others The song of the
lark delights but it does not thrill
usi
Work, Work, Work.
Genius means work-work-work
and more work: suffering; and, above
all. sef-deniaI-and for years, years
years!
Now, as TO singing teachers There
are many Some are sincere, able and
helpful, pateitn; but many are char
latans, voice-ruinersi
No one teacher can prepare you for
professional career as singer
One is good to place and develop the
voice, but that is all. Another is
good to teach music. Another can
take a pupil already advanced, and
study songs or operate roles; and
finally. there is the artist-man or
woman-who, after lifetime OF eX'
perience. can impart the 'nuances,
The points, the knowledge of how
to work up to a climax-and above
al, how to work down from one, which
latter so few know.
Then there is the vital question OF
elocution. With half our singers we
do not understand one-fourth of the
words they are supposed to sing
That is why one is always glad to
listen to singers like Sembrich OF
Bispham, because their enunciatiOn Is
so clear, so distinct and because
they always give the spirit of the
composer.
1t will be necessary for you, little
maid, TO learn to recite poetry
poetry with music in it, like that OF
Swinburne. You must learn to re
cite so well, so distinctly, that, with
out the aid of music. your listeners
will hear the music il your voice and
so become suffused, by your aid
with the story, the spirit. of the
poem.
AS to whether it is necessary in
these days to &C {. Europe for al
least a part of ones education as a
singer, emphatically it is not neces
sary. We have teaders and conser