Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-22
lone weak little woman
with a strong voice"


tain climbers-relieved only by returning to
lower levels and denser atmosphere. Mex
leo City, with its altitude of over seven thou
sand feet, is veritable ajinx" to visiting
singer. Few of the great artists who can
dictate terms will ever consent to fill con-
tract there within forty eight hours of their
arrival, at the earliest, fearing the complete
loss of voice that has affected hundreds of
their comrades. Further than this, the
deficiency of oxygen in the rare air forces
them to breathe more rapidly, in order to
aerate the blood, and this causes them to
shorten their phrases. A musical phrase
that in New York they might sing in one
breath will have to be cut in half; in other
words, they require two or even more breaths
to sing what they naturally sang in one.
This, besides being disagreeable to the singer,
makes "smoothness' more difficult to attain.
Singers or speakers should never whistle,
before their performance, at any rate,-as
whistling has a tendency to dry the throat
and vocal cords.
WHEN we realize the inestimable i'm
portance Of the voice in every rela-
ton of life, when we understand that proper
vocal emission has a wonderful influence
upon good health, the value of this training
should be apparent to everybody.
One should patronize singing teacher as
he would patronize any other teacher of the
liberal arts or sciences. If one has been I'M
successful in achieving the position for which
he thinks he is qualified, let him conscien-
tiously examine himself as to possible de-
iciencies in breathing, tone placing, or the
carrying quality of his voice.
Let him determine just how much his
personality is deprecated by timid, stam-
mering manner, or by rasping, unpleasant
voice, or by one that is mumbling and in
articulate. If he is doctor, let him analyze
his speaking voice with reference to the
degree of confidence it may or not may in
spire. Personality in a medical man is fire.
quently synonymous with popularity.
If he is clerk who aspires to be floor
walker, let him catechize himself as to his
qualifications for conveying an impression
of dignity and suavity that will rebound to
the credit of the store.
If he is a singer, who has been before the
public for years, without accomplishing
1.-THE of what he feels himself capable, let
him make certain that his poise, his tone pro-
duction, and his enunciation are always such
as would warrant his receiving more Substan-
tial credit or remuneration.
And if a woman is a mother, let her listen
to her shrill, querulous, or throaty tones,
with their irritating nervous color, and ask
herself dispassionately whether, if she was
a child, such quality would mean anything
definite, forceful, or convincing to her.
If anyone, because of the lack of well
poised, beautiful voice and freedom from ner
vousness has failed to attain his goal, let him
take heart. He can develop the fundamental
essential of strong, engaging personality:
He can absolutely overcome vocal defects and
the rasping, disagreeable, nasal quality. All
this can be accomplished most certainly and
surely by vocalizing for health and success.