The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-07-29
TEACHERS.
RUIN MANY VOICES.
American Singer Needs American
Method Intelligently Applied,
Says Detroit Vocalist.

What tho musical world Of TODAY
needs Is not great singers. but good
teachers, and what the American
singer needs is not the Italian, the
French or the German method of
voice training. but the American
method intelligently applied. Ii the
arm conviction Of Mrs. Eleanor Hazard
Peocock. the well-known Detroit so
prano, who has just returned from q
years residence in Europe. Mrs. Peo-
cock Is temporarily occupying the
home of General and Mrs. G. w. Har-
rah, No. So Pingree-ave., pending the
finding Of a house for herself and
family In the North woodward dis
trict.
"They tell me that houses to rent
have become almost an unknown
quantity In Detroit and that most peo-
pie are forced to build for themselves
or live in hotels" said Mrs. Peocock
in the midst Of an interesting talk on
matters musical.
"A year ago last June we gave up
our home, stored our furniture, sent
the two younger children to relatives
In California, while Mr.. Peocock ar
ranged to board and my young son
and myself started for Europe. We
first took e leisurely jaunt through
England and Ireland. Holland, the
Rhine, and. finally, while staying In
Berlin, from which city intended
to 60 to Paris to coach In French
song work, circumstances arose that
made me decide to remain In Ber-
lin. had been there the year previ-
Gus studying with Nine. Gadsk, but
last season she was in America. IN
talking with musical friends I said
that was going to Paris, statement
that brought well-known Berlin
teacher to me to implore me not TO
take up French work.
II have heard you sing and know
that the French method will ruin
your voice." said he. 1t was not this
mans advice that kept me In Ger
many and sent me to German teach
ter-by-a any MEANS but entirely differ
ent circumstances that shaped my
course. However, II was not long be-
fore another eminent German teacher
came to me and said, 4 beg and I'M
plore of you not continue studying
they are running your voice. At that
time I was taking diction from Ger
man and studying and assisting a
widely known teacher who was Ger
man by birth, French by marriage
and taught the Italian method. All
this set me thinking hard. and be-
gar not only to apply the results TO
myself but TO study cause and enect
in the vast number of young Ameri-
can girls taking up voice culture In
Berlin. You know, Berlin Is now rec
ognized as the musical hub of Europe,
whether for the voice or for tnstru-
ments. The musical atmosphere
there is indescribable and tremendous.
ly helpful, but am absolutely CON
vinced that the vast majority OF the
vocal teachers in Berlin are doing an
enormous amount Of harm to Ameri-
can voices and spelling more good
voices than the world has any idea
| of. The American girl Is endowed
with a temperament and character
| ist'cs that are all her own, and while
| the Italian method may produce a
| beautiful voice in the Italian girl; the
| German method with the native Ger
man; the French with the native
| French, everyone of these methods
completely ruin the God-given Ameri-
| can voice. American women arc
| taught from infancy that 1t Is not
polite to laugh. to cry or to allow any
other natural play OF emotion In pub
| lie, that every visible sign OF feeling
| must be rigidly repressed. The very
opposite Is true Of Europeans. All
| European teachers base their instruc-
ton upon the vocal chords. not upon
the body, the soul and the mind
They take for granted that tone color
will follow perfect tone emission. hu;
IL doesn't With the American girl
| The longer [ remained in !%erI'l ana
| the closer studied the question the
more absolute became my conviction
that the best place for an American
| girl to study the voice Is with ar
| American teacher who knows how &c
teach and understands the American
| temperament. II American cities had
the musical atmosphere Of Berlin
| there would be no need of Americans
to go abroad to study music. In Der
| lin, and the same Is true OF Other
European musical centers, the native
teachers do not give the best Of Their
art to Americans. They think the
American lacks culture anyway. o.
course, the American girl herself II
much to blame for~the general situa
ton. She goes abroad with limited
financial backing and wants to be
come great singer In six months o.
year. IL teacher Is really con
scientious with her and tries to worl
from the ground up the pupil think.
she is wasting time because the pyro
technical showing Is not there. The
American music student abroad will
cheerfully pay an inferior foreign
teacher double or even quadruple pc
lesson what she would give a much
superior teacher at home. But tn,
American is beginning to find out thu
truth about many things abroad, Will
the result that IL Is the American
teachers in European centers that ar
getting the pupils these days mucl
to the bitterness and chagrin Of tn
native teacher"
Mrs. Peocock has standing offe
from Herr Jacques Stuckgold, Of MI
Mich, to- become his assistant teache