Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-30

DRWlR~o ~ ~ III u W olO
HMINNM' what has been done during the
- past year.
Every week brings announcements of
these events to this department of The Bee,
and the list of those aspiring to be some
what" in the musiacl world is very formid-
able this season.
AS to the value of these pupils recitals
there has been much discussion and diff
ference of opinion.
The case would seem to be settled as to
the pianistic side of the question, but as
to the vocal side there is much to be said
against the pupils recital. After Weighing
the matter over, seriously, and after Civ
ing such affairs. and then, for a season
or two, not giving them, and repeating
the process, the writer has formed some
fairly decided views upon the question.
now, in the case of planoforte teachers
and students, this fact may be given due
consideration, namely, that while a tai
ented pupil will always show more ability
than an untalented one, yet the results
of patient, persistent work will be notice
able in the less favored pupil, even in spite
OF the apparent absence of talent or tenn
permanent.
Why? Because the instrument is the
same identical instrument in each case.
OF course, 1t is likely thai the plano
teachers will all disagree with this, and
will proclaim that tone qualities, and fin
esse, and all that sort of thing enter into
the matter SO thoroughly that the question
OF the instrument becomes secondary.
From the exact pedagogical standpoint
this may be correct: but nevertheless IT
must be emembered that the audience at
a pupils recital is not composed of peda-
gogues, nor is II made up of people who
have such rare discriminating ears that
they can tell the various differences in
tone-quality produced by the players.
In the pianoforte recital the instrument
played upon is the same for each and every
student. That is the main point.
But in the vocal recital It is entirely diff
ferent Each pupil presents a different in
strument, To one nature has given a
beautiful, elastic voice; to another. a
voice full of color; to another, a voice Of
great range or compass; to another a voice
fuu OF tears and emotional possibility: To
another a voice of much natural dramatic
possibility. To others, voices which are
good but full Of defects; to one, a voice
with u dull finish; TO another, a voice of
much ~breathiness; TO another, a voice very
susceptible to ''tremolo;" TO another. &
voice which is naturally hard and unattrac-
tive; to another, a voice which is by nature
"throaty," and so on.
Now what chance has an audience IN
discriminate and to bestow its praise unon
the one who has done the best work.
OF the program. 1t is utterly impossible
that there should be any such chance. and
SO the audience. regardless of any attempt
to consider the singing" of the pupil
promptly gives its unqualified praise and
applause to the one who has the best
natural voice, and who may be-and prob
ably is|he most indifferent ana most
careless one in the whole class or students.
Thus negligence is encouraged TO con-
tinee in negligence, and the serious worker
Is discouraged. Many a hardworkipr
! earnest student who really sings well. has
complained-"Nobody wants to hear me
sing because someone more gifted nv
nature and less particular in work. has
~overshadowed her in public appreciation or
even in the home circle.
-
But mark Some OF the greatest singers
we have heard or read of have been those
VINO nave gone through Just this expert
ence. Jenny Lind had enough discourage
ments of this kind 10 make an ordinary
worker give the whole thing up. But she
did not. Her biography is enough to draw
tears of sympathy and of indignation from
anyone who has a spark of real genuine
feeling. But MISUNDERSTANDING places her
with the Immortais!
Jean De Reszke had enough discourage
ment TO turn the average student away
forever from the path OF progress. But he
went on. And he accomplished things. And
he is today remembered as The Master
singer"
slmmS Reeves, England's noblest tenor
OF the last generation. the greatest ora
torio tenor Of his day. had enough dis
courasement to make a man forsake the
field OF music for u more favorable course
or work. Blu he worked on. and today the
name of simms Reeves is almost as dear
to the hearts OF the elderly British peo-
pie. az that of their beloved Queen Vic
toria.
David Bispham had obstacle after OBJ
staele placed in his way. but although he