Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-04-24
THE CHORUS GIRLS VOICE.
Ignorant OF It's Use and Powers, she
Wears II Out.

comuaratively few of us, sitting ne
fore the footlights, think of the chorus
,.irrs life as a life which demands any
hing hut II series of joyful gyrations
and light warbiings. We see her
only in her gay attire. and with her
nroyessisnai smile warm upon her
lips ,;s.
But there il another side OF her me-
a tragic side, 10 which Dr.. Ghafies
Provost Grayson, clinical professor Oh
larynsoiogy az the University OF
Pennsylvania, introduces us in the
current number OF the Journal OF the
American Medical Association Dr.
Grayson tells us that practically every
chorus girl suffers from chronic lafNn :
gifts and ne lets MS infer that nef al
most inevitable fate is loss OF VOICE
and. o1-course. loss of means oil llNeH-
hood This fact is known ana mace
nse Of by many teachers of voice who
endeayor to keep their pupils out oil
chorus work by painting the horrors OF
It's effects. Consequently the thing
that gives DR.. Graysons discussion in
terest is not the fact hut his expiana-
ton of il.
DR.. Grayson SAYS in effect mat inc
almost universally diseased condltioh
of the chorus girls threats is due, al
Ter all other things have been taken
into consideration. to ignorance OF
their business. He points out thal the
average chorus girl learns her part
wholly bv ear and thus fatieues her
voice unnecessarily by being obliged
10 90 over her work nany more times
than would a reader of music she
n,usi nractise starts at the-stroke OF
the conductors baton as Splinter
practices starts at the crack OF
trainer's pistol. Furthermore. few
Girls know how To keep themselves IN
good general conditions. and the doc
TOR concludes with the statement that
if there were no other reason for
trouble, every chorus girl, through het
Ignorance of tone production. would
suffer from larynGeal catarrh.
So. after all. it is not the hard work
demanded of the chorus girl that ruins
her voice. but her own lack OF Prep
aration for her task.
The fact that chorus singers in the
United States are generally inferior 70
ii,ose in Europe has been noted by
more than one musician. Nine. Ger
VILE Reaehe. one Of the great dramatic
coutraltos of the day. expressed her
deep regret a few months ago be-
cause singers with real knowledge of
their art and with moderately good
voices cannot be persuaded to go into
the opera chorus and earn an honest
livelihood. Instead, they suecumb to
the idea that they are destined to be-
come great stars and they spurn any
more modest employment They in
turn, like the ignorant girls whose
places they ought TO take. ruin their
voices and their prospects by attempt-
ing what is beyond their powers. In
cidentally, this brings out the fact that
the managers of the companies are
not to be blamed for putting up With
unframed material. Tt Is practically
all they can get ON this side of the
water.
The whole situation is so thorough
Nv characteristic of Young America,
and so instructive as a bird's-eye View
of his. or rather her, attitude toward
life, that it should be quite as inter-
esting- to students of social and In
,dustrial conditions e.s - is. to mpsio
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