Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-05-29
Leaning to
Sing

do you know" unused the girl at
the piano, that singing isn't an art
nor a talent? It's just record Of 50
many dollars and cents. And the
more dollars and cents you've spent
on your voice the better your voice is
THAT doesn't mean, either" she
went on. that it's all a matter of
training. If l should take hundred
lessons at 81 a lesson I'd be considered
Just about one-third as advanced and
proficient in vocalizing as l should be
if I'd take a hundred lessons at SO a
lesson"
why this pessimistic mood?" in
quired the man who was sitting near.
I'm not pessimistic," replied Ehe
girl. calmly. 'Tve just discovered an
other truth. You try 1t and you'll see,
With the piano or the violin it's differ
ent While l grant that with them
dollars and cents count lot, still, if
you can play the keys and the notes
the same, people will listen to you,
and, perhaps, enjoy the playing-but
with vocal music everything depends
on the money cost. There seems to
be a quality in the tone, or something
that tells people just who your teacher
is and what you pay for your lessons
and you get complimented accord
ingly."
"Yes?" The mans voice invited
further explanation.
We'll" the girl proceeded, "even if
one practices alone on the piano one
can accomplish something, can't one?
But when a poor soul tries to practice
singing alone the neighbors shut the
windows and the members of her own
/ family beg for mercy, and even the
children make fun of her. But let
that same person announce that her
vocal lessons are figuring in the high
numbers-that Professor Somebody
devOtes a whole precious half hour to
| her voice every once in a while-and
the neighbors sit out on their porches
evenings to listen to her scales. Her
family is impressed.
NOW, I've been singing off and on.
for my own pleasure, since I was a
baby. I've always had a modest de-
gree of respect for my own voice-but
l have generally seemed to be alone
in my opinion If sang it was usually
an accompaniment-and when | was
younger it used to hurt my feelings"
'''Why, I've always told you that
like your voice" The man took on a
tone of reproach, but it didn't seem to
work we'll
YOU" she laughed why of course
you-but l mean people who count, in
music!"
THAT seems to dispose of me effec-
| lively" conceded the man.
But as l was saying" proceeded the
/ girl, cts absolutely no earthly use to
have nice voice. You may sing like
bird, but if your voice has been
trained outside Of first-class studio
you simply can't sing, no matter how
we'll you sing. That's all there is to
! it! Why, if Melba herself hadn't had
| tirst-class voice teachers no one would
! have ever realized what a voice she
| had, People would still be telling her
to sing something instead of forever
| practicing scales, whereas they gladly
pay S. or so for seat to hear those
very scales put into some handy
song"
From all of which" commented the
man, summing the matter up, sit ap-
! pears that you are sick of it all and
are going to leave the vocal field to
the moneyed classes and stick to the
piano. / really think you are wise,
myself Singing isn't such a great
stunt after all, unless one has a fine
selection of songs-and even then the
same things can't please every one.
On the other hand, if you play, you
can play to please the whole bunch
| and
you are entirely mistaken" inter-
rupted the girl, deeply offended. eff
you think that after all this work I'm
going to give up just because my
teacher didn't give me decent solo
in that recital, so that my voice would
show off well beside the others, you're
badly deceived.
I'm going to spend some real
money on good teacher, that's what
I'm going to do! I'll show them that
they were all good and mistaken"
Then she pounded tho niano keys.