Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-05

and voice Ep classics give lib
erty to breathe.
s. To sing p lissimo is the most
difficult art
other admonitions that the great
contralto tried to impress on students
in these classes included such comments
as; Never cry in song, leave that to
the audience; never begin any song
pianiSsimo. 1t is bad psychology: usually
the first verse of your song Is the stage
setting to form the background and
although 1t must be alive as you sing
1t. II should not be sung with emotion:
music is to express what words can not
say, open your heart and mind be will
ing, listen TO nature for out OF IL came
music, music is sacred but do not make
1t lament or spoil it by false senti-
ment
Miss Hartman found the great mis-
treSS of song an ardent advocate for
absolute clean-cut authentic German
pronunciation. There are no fishes"
IN her lieder vocabulary. The ichs.
n1tchs. dichs, etc, are correctly sung
as they are spoken. yet the tone color
Is never sacrificed in any way. Also.
Mime. Schumann- Heink has a rather
individual method of intoxicating the
exact pronunciation in her students
mind by a study of each word in the
German songs by syllables. thus also
emphasizing the rhythm of the Ian
guage The same thing is applicable
IN Italian and other Languages. Mime.
Schumann-H eink believes thoroughly in
the attitude that the poem that in
Splred song writer is the initial thing
to be studied One must secure the
poets inspiration first. says she. before
one can understand the composers in
spiration III turn. She does not believe
IN sacrificing tone for breath-control
exhibitions. Technique is all very we'll
ana admirable. says Mime. Schumann-
Heink, but first Of all one must be
real singer and only secondly a tech
niclan The song Is the thing. She
encourages originality in phrasine and
interpretation. provided Ii does not
cloud the meaning. She says that
Haendel and others OF the ciassicists
wrote those lengthy cadenzas with the
idea in mind that the singers would
use good sense and artistic feeling In
Interpretation and control the breathing
as seemed logical and most effective
not necessarily holding the breath
throughout many measures
Always throughout the course. which
lasted I'VE weeks. both in general and
private lessons, MISS Hartman found
the great diva businesslike and imper-
sonal in actual moments OF teaching.
considerable Of the pupils time. apt and
lightning quick at illustrating her
points so they were clearly understood.
and withal full of clever repartee. de-
nghful anecdotes ON her own expert
enee and with a wonderful sense OF
humor.
For illustrations of operate roles.
giving her own interpretations exactly
and carefully for the students. Mime
Schumann- Heink included her famous
Erda arid Fricka from Der Ring des
Nlebelungen, Carmen In the Bizet on
era, and Fides, the mother of John Of
Leyden, In Meyerbeer's lie Prophete .
she strongly complmented Miss Harri-
man on her voice and encouraged her
70 pursue the operate path both as A
dennite medium for her art and as a
step toward the more complicated, re-
hhed art of fine recital singing.
Another singer we'll known in Wash
lngton was among the students attend
ing tfis course Grace LAMAR, mezzo-
soprano, who sang here quite a bit a
couple OF seasons ago. and is now A
teacher OF singing in Duluth. took this
ooutse' II. F..