Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-06-04

Local Vocalist Gives Music Essentials

The paper below, written by Mrs.
Adelaide Spencer Donovan. n Of the
city's prominent musicians, was read
before the recital at the First Met
hodist Episcopal church Tuesday, May
%. Beginning June 1. Mrs. Donovan was
obtained as .soloist and musical director
Of the church.
MUSIC FROM A VOCAL TIE
AcHER's POINT OF VIEW.
Music is more than a process Of
melodious tuning appealing to the in
tellect through a great accumulation of
technical achievement.
Voice, ont and technique are merely
the tangible means by which We ex-
press thought. thought that words will
not convey.
We each live two lives. one, the
outer and actual, so called, Of which
the world is. at least in part. aware:
the other, an inner spiritual life Of
which We never speak and of which
we never can speak because there are
no material words with which we may
express spiritual facts.
BY spiritual life / do not mean that
unseeable, u~nknowable realm so often
referred to as the spiritual home, re-
minding US only of the great beyond,
but that inner life of which we are
as conscious each day as of tables and
chairs and which ever yearns to be ex-
pressed.
In every soul where growth and
development have taken place there is
the longing to tell the beautiful story
of this inner existence where SORROW
taught truths nourish, and illuminate
the understanding, and where in
its sacred chambers the blessed ex-
periences of a life lived in sweet fell
lowship with the great corrective love
have fallen like gentle rain into the
hearts deep wells.
Music, especially singing. is the
natural and beautiful outlet and is cap
able Of giving expression to every emo
ton OF JOY, sorrow. or tenderness
The sound of music that is born
of human breath
Comes %straighter from the soul than
any strain
The hand alone can make"-Quoted
from the musicians library.
But to avail ourselves of the precious
privilege of song we must get our ma
chinery in order. Daily and systematic
work must be done, proper mannge-
ment of the breath being the first step
the next, to train the vocal organs 10
act with unconscious ease. If these
essentials be acquired. the qualities of
expression and intensity will suffer no
diminution even in the largest buildings.
l quote from William Shakespeare's
work entitled the Art of Singing"
There are few who on first trying
to sing have not felt themselves CON
tracing the throat uncomfortably. and
the more. in proportion TO their en-
deavors to add force to their efforts
or as they ascend to the higher notes
of the scale.
While singing with the throat rigid
IL cid. the tongue is stiffened So that
the tone and pronunciation, the jaw,
the lips, and eyes are rigidly fix ed
and the face assumes an unnatural ex-
preston.
Under these conditions it is i'm
possible TO start any note exactly on
the pitch intended.
When we sing with throat loose
and unconsirained the breath rushesI
out and causes disaster By producing a
breathy or furry tone and by compel
ling US to take in a fresh supply before
the end of the phrase. and the more
naturally we wish TO sing the greater is
the necessity of learning how to con-
troll the breath"
1t is impossible here to touch upon
each subject embraced in this study but
the great fundamental point is the