The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-10-08

approve ot the way his music
dramas were sung, and was entirely
open, even bitter. In announcing
hat he preferred the italian rather
than the German manner Of singing
The fact came 20 light not so long
ago Nine. Marcella SemDrich ia in
possession of the manuscript OF an
essay on the subject ia Wagner's
own handwriting IL was translated
and printed by H. T.. Krehbiel, In
the New York Tribune, and u ;nakcs
interesting ,taJ,ng, not the less be
cause. though the great composer
said his say about German art IN the
finale of The Mastersingor." he
also said another say here on mat
ter he thought not up ito artistic
standards incidentally he Is not
only volublo but f0rceful in saying
it ~ begins:
we Germans talk go much un-
meaning and mawklsh drlyel about
sing NIX az plainly TO prove by the
very fact how little we have, In gem
cral. been endowed with that divine
gift We talk most about that con-
Ccrning which we Know the least,
ana Instead Of recognizing what We
'ack ana seeking 10 acquire u We try
by much making OF nOnsenslcal
words to make up for IL and In our
ignorance or self deception come TO
look upon our uttOranccs as the
truth. That. however, is for us n
misfortune. Why ~ it that we Ger
mans stubbornly refuse 10 believe
hat we do not possess everything ?
Why do we not frankly and openly
declare that the Italians have an
advantage over us in singing. the
French In liyelier and better treat
ment OF operate muster May we
not set off against these things the
Germans profounder science, his
more thorough training. and, above
all, his happy faculty Of assim Hat
Ing the advantages OF the French
and Italians while they can never
acquire ours7
"a lucky natural capacity makes
the Italians born slngers, not only
In respect OF beautiful voices for
in this the Germans are also gifted
but in a natural fleNibillty and capa.
city for tonal modulation which are
foreign TO us. These are the super
lor merits which we must firs ac-
quire, as 80 many examples prove.
This calls for study. and. In view oi
our peculiar virtue OF industry and
patience, IL Is surprising ne well as
irritating TO hear II said that such
study Is Unnecessary that we can
DO all that is essential by means OF
expression. II Ia foolish to protest
that a beautiful voice and feeling
are not essential TO good singing
but 1t would be still more foolish not
10 be willing TO note that many
gifted persons have gone 10 destruc,
ZION who thought these major gifts
sufficient.
We Germans lack the happy nat.
| seek to offset the deficiency by
training. This training must. II pos.
sIble, be acquired by the singer be.
fore he steps upon the stage: for
on the stage. where the domination
of expression begins. while that
which Ia lacking must be supplied
that which has been acquired must
already have become a second ma.
} ture. what the dramatic singer
must have learned differs In nothing
from that which must be the pos
session OF the concert singer. The
noblest purity OF tone. tho most per.
feet precision and polish, the high
est equality In passages and the
most careful articulation of periods
and. we might add. the greatest
clarity In enunciation. are the
fundamental things In musical in.
| depreciation, whether In the con
| cert room or on the stage. When
tho singer has completely acquired
these things and made them his