New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-14
Bv ]. Armour Galloway

TO vocal students, and as | am toid
that I must be brief, believe that
there Is no one more vital SUBJECT
that I can touch upon than the IN
Auence of correct speech upon the
singing art Of nation.
A. teacher Of tho voice / am so
often asked. "What Is the Italian,
French or German school OF singing
In these countries this applies more
directly 10 the opera. and is answered
bv the fact that there are the schools
Of Italian. French and German OPERA
and they are each far removed IN their
STYLE and treatment, but they do not
necessarily mean different method
Of voice production.
The fundamental principles OF cor
rect tone emission remain the same
the world over, but that the singing
nrt of a country is largely influenced
by language and speech is not to be
denied.
From a purely technical standpoint
we must admit that the Italian singer
reaches a higher plain OF vocaiism
than perhaps any other nation. and
this can be attributed mainly to the
purity and lightness of the language
and manner of its use. There are no
diphthongs in the language, and the
constant and easy flow of novels pro-
duces more or less a correct position
of the mechanism that is used in sing
ing. Having lived so many years OF
my life in Italy, it was interesting to
hear the comment of Americans upon
first landing there as to the clear
and ringing quality of the speaking
voice of the people. which is immedi-
stely reflected in their singing voice.
In this way | consider that the UNI
trained Italian voice has less to over
come than that of any other nation.
In the French we encounter q Ian
guagc not so pure as the Italian, and
with its closed and mixed sounds, its
= many nasals, the voice that falls upon
the car, in hearing the conversation in
the streets Of French city, is entirely
of another timbre from the Italian, and
produces a likewise different impress
sion when heard in singing. Here we
have two Latin races, and yet. while
il Is not so, one would almost believe
that a different vocal mechanism was
used. On account of the difficulties
that exist in the French language, 1t
will be found more difficult to sing 1t
and maintain the purity a emission
than of the Italian.
In going from these 70 the German
we find that a vast influence is wrought
by the language in both speech and
singing. The speaking voice is dark and
often cultural. To what extent this is
carried may be cited the fact that one
well known German singing teacher ad-
vises that all the children in the public
schools should be taught to speak in
the chest voice. In the German opera
houses this dark and heavy singing
voice is considered an asset, the very
element of thickness (Which great vo-
calists try to avoid is looked upon by
the Germans as warmth and color In
consequence, we find in Germany more
singing actors than artists who strive
for great purity of vocal production or
beauty of voice.
That German can be sung with cor
rectly underlying principles of the
singing art is proved by several Ger
man singers who take rank as vocal
lists. pure and simple, but, if one ana
lives their work closely, 1t Will be seen
that they use very modified German,
which does not break the flow of tone
or prevent them from reaching the
resonators which give Il proper acoustic
to the voice. -,
In my personal acquaintance with
some of the artists whom | have IN
mind it has also struck me that they
were very cautious TO speak the Ian
guage with all the clarity that was
possible Thus il will be seen that by
careful and correct use Of the voice in
speaking one has gone very great
step forward toward n good method OF
use of the singing voice.
That Americans pay too little regard
to their manner of speech there can
be no doubt, for in any country in Eu-
rope-even England they can be dis
tnguished from the masses by GER
tain nasal twang and a peculiar back
and throaty sound of the letter "r" as
contained in such words as father"
mother" brother" and SISTER" All
this can be overcome, and quickly. too.
if singers will begin to study closely
their manner Of speech at the time
they are acquiring a correct method
Of singing, and vocal teachers should
dwell upon this point to the exten.
that the speech defects disappear dur
ing the vocal preparation. IL this IS
done Americans can speak and sing a
foreign language ike natives. and the
so-called Italian, French or German
methods Of singing will be summed up
a., Al placaI yoca1 nacha nj