Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-22
AMERICAN MUSIC PUPIL
DEFENDS STUDY ABROAD
Young Washington Woman Disputes
Assertions by Francis Grier-
son in The Star.
Says Teachers Here Seldom Com
petent to Decide Whether Voice
is Soprano or Contralto, Tenor or

In recent issue of The Stars Sunday
Magazine appeared an article by Francis
Grierson relative to musical training in
the United States and Europe. deploring
the tendency of American students going
aorvaS Cor development. A letter has
been received from a young Washington
woman now studying vocal music in
Milan. refuting Mr.. Grierson's argument
She writes. in part, as follows:
1t is difficult to understand the condi-
ions here; one has to be a student to
know. There are many reasons for the
failures. and often lack of merit is not
the cause. Our successes or failures are
not discussed by Mr.. Grierson, however
the point of his article being that one
may study music well, If not better,
in Aberica than in Europe
WI hen one undertakes the study of a
subject one seeks the place where that
subject has been taught before. and
where there is system of teaching
already existing America has no sys-
tenn or school of music peculiarly her
own. There is no standard of past per-
formances for the student to follow.
America has and still does look to Eu-
rope for a musical and artistic standard
Therefore. is it not natural for the stu
dent to go there? The few American
singers who boast of only American
training are not holding the big posi-
uonS-the big ones were all trained in
Europe.
Needs to Train the Ear.
lust as the painter needs to train the
eye, so the musician, especially the
singer. needs to train the ear. To do
this the student needs frequent oppor-
tunities to listen to the right sound In
Europe this is possible, because there
are operas and concerts galore to which
the lowest entrance fee ranges from only
~ to 80 cents. In America, outside of New
York. there practically no operas
and but few concerts. These the average
vocal student cannot afford to attend
for the lowest entrance ranges from 81
to $50. The result is that our hear
ing is not trained to acuteness: We have
no model and get nowhere. Nearly all
American vocalists. including many who
enjoyed good regulations at home, find
they have to change entirely when once
they discriminate the correct from the
incorrect sound. So there is the adyan-
tage or hearing music in Europe.
Let us grant for the sake of argument
that the voice be placed correctly in
America and that the singer is ready to
stgdv opera; where will he find the
teacher who knows the language. 1.-THE
traditions and cuts in the operas, and
where will he get this experience? We
find all over Europe small opera houses
where one may get experience. This
alone is enough to bring us here, even
could We find competent teachers in
America 1t must be remembered that
the big singers at the Metropolitan have
all served an apprenticeship of years in
small places before attaining that degree
of perfection emitting them to a Metro
politan contract. The American debu-
tante cannot aspire to pass from the
studio to the most important opera house
in the world without previous experience,
and such experience cannot be had at
home.
American Audiences Unframed.
1.-THE average American audience has
not been trained to finely discriminate
sounds, is incapable of judging for it
self. and depends upon the critics to
form its opinions. The lazy public is
content to consider any artist great if the
papers say SO often enough and the
name is printed often enough and in
black enough print. On general princi-
Piles they feel safe in echoing Europe s
applause and are timid about approving
the efforts of their own unless Europe
has first applauded them. Many Amer
leans of merit are fighting against big
odds, and foreign singers. in some cases
not as good. are acclaimed with enthu-
siasm and made rich by American pat
ronage. If the opinion of the American
public were based on sound judgment, in
stead of on the mere foreign name, the
American artist would be game enough
to accept defeat at its tribunal But as
long the American public is unable
to Judge for itself we snail continue to
come here for study and experience.
Back of this movement for education
in America is. of course. the American
teacher. VINO is battling for his own. OF
him | have just this to say: He is seldom
ever competent to even decide whether a
voice is soprano or contralto, tenor or
bass How. then. can he ever train it?
There are five different kinds of soprano
voice alone. and the skilled Italian ear
detects at once to which class voice
belongs and how il should be trained
In America many dramatic sopranos are
ruined by being judged as contraltos.
OF the many American students l have
met here, nearly all were badly trained
at home. But when one remembers thai
the American teacher cannot launch the
pupil in a career of either opera or con-
cert without his coming here he will save
time to come in the beginning.
Bad Teachers Abroad, Too.
There are bad teachers here, too. Blu,
We so quickly learn right from wrong
sound over here that it takes but little
time to decide and leave such a one
whereas in America, with the infrequent
chances of hearing. We may be deceived
for years. These American teachers
themselves admit the Importance of Euro
pean study in their vast advertisements
of their own studies in Europe. When
YOU add to this the exorbitant prices
asked for lessons at home, contrasteG
with the small price asked here, L think
the scale is tipped away down in favor OF
coming to Europe.
Educate the American public TO judge
for itself: give the American singer {
fair chance and We shall be able to de
velop at home