Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-29
NJ U SIC
BY HELEN FETTER.

T 4 American voice has long
been a matter of discus
SION, admiration and even
A ridieule among natives OF
Ger countries. 1t has become j
tradition for the nasal pronuncia-
ton OF the average American
tourist to be the butt OF many
continental jokes, On the other
Z. So. "a. SaIignac. head of the
vocal department of the American
Conservatory at Fountainbleau,
France. and many other vocal All
taorities of Europe have generally
conceded that the young Ameri-
can singers averaged the best
wo'N~n II the world, to be culti-
waited for concert and opera
Is,ozs.GS.
AS for aecentsl There is the
New England version of the Brit
isia accent: the average Yankee
->>.0',,-,~iN tion: the soft southern
drawl and Slurring of conSonantS.
innocence of the
sound of the letter ''rp: the Mid
&r~ssI.n peculiaritieS in pronun-
citation. and the far western style
for the people of generally cul-
tared circles. In addition to these.
there arc the many mountain
dialects. those affected by neigh
boring countries French Cana
dian. Mexican Spanish, etc, and
the negro. not TO mention the
Indians languages.
AT last the newest of the arts
sometimes derisiveiy so called.
the movies" is bringing this
subject of the typical American
voice. and, in fact. various Ameri-
,~,ces. TO the notice. of the
general public. The possibilities for
the good that these talking
movies" may do in setting fine ex-
ampleS of vocal correctness in
pronunciation and control of the
shedding of tones in the American
voice are almost unlimited.
A concrete example of this was
presented here the other day
when the writer attended the
Vitaphone production of The
Lion and the Mouse" being
shown at a local theater, Lionel
Barrymore. a member of that
regal stage family. who has all
tho traditions and polish that his
father and uncle and other men,
be7s of his family have estab-
lishe6 along with himself. through
asst and present generations in
theatrical production, showed his
mastery of the art of speech to a
marked degree. Alec B. Francis,
another motion picture actor OF
marked ability and with the back
ground of what has been known.
- ~rent of better name, as
Legitimate stage" experience,
showed enual mastery of speech
In the vltapaorle picture. VIII
finn Collier. jT.. still another bur
r1uch younger actor. who has had
the traditions OF the old stage
bred in him through his famous
actor father. has well control
I'd. expressive voice and good
enunciation> OF the principals
cnlv MAY McAvov, the attractive
little heroine, who has become
& leading star in the motion pic
lures, had had no previous train
ing End experience On the speak
ing Stage. Her voice and pronuil-
clataon did not seem to fit at all
vita her characterization. and
siSo showsd. Incidentally. that uE-
finished and somewhat coloTless
tone quality that the voices Of
Young people are liable to have
unless they are training for the
stage Or for a profession as
singer. The pronunciation was
coilouuial and far from the classic
traditions of the stage. In the
case OF each of the other three,
sense Of word values and "a nicely
Of expression that was not what
Is generally known as STACEY,
but was rather 81 the best ciilti-
waited type of American vocal
production, became additionally
noticeable By contrast
What an opportunity for voice
teachers throughout the country I
No matter how fine an actor 9
newcomer to screen tests proves
or how charfningIy be or she may
screen" If a well rnodulated and
cultured voice does not accom-
pany these gifts-a voice that
will carry we'll and be pleasing To-
the ear of audiences of millions
all over the United States, that
actor or actress cannot hope for
popular success in the talking
movies"
In addition TO making many
demands upon the film folk them
selves, these new motion pictures
with the speaking equipment
have a great mission before them
in educating the public generally
10 better speech through the best
medium-aurally Also scenario
writers will have to write lines
that not only would read cleYerl7.
but must sound convincing when
spoken.
THERE are many people IN
i Washington music circles who
were shocked TO read the foreign
dispatches which appeared In the
papers week ago telling Of the
sudden death Of Oliver Denton,
who is well known both in this
country and abroad AS a con-.
cert pianist and as a teacher.
Mr.. Denton lost his life Thursday
in a spectacular fire that totally
wrecked the luxurious Partisan
concert hall and studio building,
the new Sale PIeyel Mr.. Denton
had arrived In Paris only a short
time previously to the date OF the
accident He had brought with
him from America a group Ct
students whom ne was 10 teach