Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-02

R-RULY there IL nothing new un-
der the sun. The other night a
book came into the writer's life.
- a book written nearly 80 years
S1N1HN1 ago. Now when a good book
- comes into ones life Il is quite
an event: IL ought 10 be celebrated every
year thereafter: It ought to have a birth
day in our year. Well when a good book.
and an old book at the same time. enter at
one instant into your life, It should be
recorded. II does not follow that all old
things, just because they are old, are good.
No not that. (Sin Is as old as the hllls.)
But when you get an old song that's a
good song. or a good book that's an old
book, you feel like calling in the neigh
bours to rejoice with you. because you have
found a sheep that was lost. And so, the
other night, when you we're sleeping the
sleep Of the just and the tired and the
conseience-free, the one who writes these
lines was sitting up into the early morning
because he could not part company with
a noble and Irresistible old singer and
singing-teacher who came down through the
long distance OF one hundred and eighty
six years TO tell us some things about the
sentiments on the ancient and modern sing
ers, and observations on the florid song.
The old master is Pier. Francesca Tosi,
and the book he wrote was published first
in 1723. II was later done into English
under the title of Observation on the
Florid Song the translator being Mr..
Galliard and the publisher ]. Wilcox at
Virgirs Head, in the Strand, London 174S!
Pier. Francesca Tosi was an Italian and
a singer Of great esteem and reputation.
Ho spent the most part of his life in
travelling, and by that means heard the
AnaN -.N---
whence. by the help Of his nice taste, he
made the observations. SO saith the
preface. Signor Mazzuoatto writing in Sir
George Groves famous Dictionary Of Music
and Musicians. says:-This book is "a prac-
tical treatise on singing, in which the aged
teacher embodies his own experience and
that OF his contemporaries, at a time when
the art was probably more thoroughly
taught than It has ever been since"
-
And II was this old book. this good book.
which held the musical editor Of The Bee
sleepless and spell-bound the other night,
while the dear old master talked. Little did
the splendid old artist and MASTER singer
dream that in less than two hundred years,
his principles would be preached to thou
sands OF readers, through the mighty press.
ana that there would be found those TO
hoiAOhii ltSpSCl dlu ODey MIN, In n faT-Off
Dart of a very far-off country, where at
hat time buffalo herds we're the only must
clans, and wild Indians the only artists.
90
While this book Is especially for singers.
I Is so interesting that II seems selfish
it TO reprint some of the sentences which
one has greatly enjoyed. for they will un-
doubtedly appeal to any lover OF music,
whether singer or not. The book is mel
low with the richness Of the evening OF
life, brilliant with the cleaning OF refined
wit, and fresh with the pure radiance of
Truth In Art.
Here he begins with a "Dedication"-to
His Excellency, the Earl of Peterbor-
ough. General of the Marines of Great
Britain" He reminds His Excellency of
delightful days spent at his Lordship's
country seat, where, Your Lordship hav-
Ing been pleased to do me the Honour of
imparting to me your Thoughts with Free
dom. l have often had the Opportunity Of
admiring your extensive knowledge, which
almost made me overlook the Beauty and
Elegance Of the Place. The famous Tulip
Tree in your Garden there is not so sur
prislng a Rarity as the Pene-
ration Of your Judgment" CMethinks he
must have met the Barney Stone.)
-
Here are some of the observations:
3 %He that, studies Singing must consider
that Praise or Disgrace depends very much
on his Voice, which, II he has a Mind to
preserve he must abstain from all Man
ner Of Disorders, and all violent Diver
sions."
Let him be able to read perfectly, that
he may not be put to Shame for so scan
dalous an Ignorance. Oh, how many are
there who had need to learn the Alpha
betl" Ut would seem from the pronun-
cistion one hears nowadays that the ad-
vice still holds good.-Mus, Ed
Singing requires so strict an Applica-