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diff --git a/old/41013-h/41013-h.htm b/old/41013-h/41013-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b8e489c --- /dev/null +++ b/old/41013-h/41013-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5464 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Advice to Singers, by Frederick James Crowest</title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + text-indent: 0; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +hr.tb {width: 45%;} +hr.chap {width: 65%} +hr.short { + border: 0; + margin-top: 0; + margin-bottom: 0; + width: 15%; + background-color: #000000; + height: 2px; +} + +img { + border: 0; +} + +img.vam { + vertical-align: middle; +} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + border-collapse: collapse; +} + +td { + vertical-align: top; +} + +td.vam { + vertical-align: middle; + text-align: right; +} + +td.vab { + vertical-align: bottom; + text-align: center; +} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; +} /* page numbers */ + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.right {text-align: right;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.small {font-size:80%;} + +.big {font-size:120%;} + +.bigger {font-size:140%;} + +.xbig {font-size:180%;} + +b {font-size: 120%;} + +.gesperrt { + letter-spacing: 0.2em; + margin-right: -0.2em; +} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +.figleft { + float: left; + margin-left: 0; + margin-bottom: 0.5em; + margin-top: 0.5em; + margin-right: 1em; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +.lyrics { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + text-align: center; +} + +/* Transcriber's notes */ +.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:smaller; + padding:0.5em; + margin-bottom:5em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; +} + +img.drop-cap +{ + float: left; + margin: 0 0.5em 0 0; +} + +p.drop-cap:first-letter +{ + color: transparent; + visibility: hidden; + margin-left: -0.9em; +} + +p.drop-cap2:first-letter +{ + color: transparent; + visibility: hidden; + margin-left: -1.4em; +} + +@media handheld +{ + img.drop-cap + { + display: none; + } + + p.drop-cap:first-letter, p.drop-cap2:first-letter + { + color: inherit; + visibility: visible; + margin-left: 0; + } + + .chapter-beginning + { + page-break-before: always; + } + + .hide-link + { + display: none; + } +} + + hr.full { width: 100%; + margin-top: 3em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + height: 4px; + border-width: 4px 0 0 0; /* remove all borders except the top one */ + border-style: solid; + border-color: #000000; + clear: both; } + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, Advice to Singers, by Frederick James Crowest</h1> +<p>This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a +href="http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></p> +<p>Title: Advice to Singers</p> +<p>Author: Frederick James Crowest</p> +<p>Release Date: October 10, 2012 [eBook #41013]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: UTF-8</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADVICE TO SINGERS***</p> +<p> </p> +<h4>E-text prepared by Veronika Redfern, David Edwards,<br /> + and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> + (<a href="http://www.pgdp.net">http://www.pgdp.net</a>)<br /> + from page images generously made available by<br /> + Internet Archive<br /> + (<a href="http://archive.org">http://archive.org</a>).<br /> + Music for audio illustrations was transcribed by<br /> + Anne Celnick, Sarah Thomson, and the DP Music Team.</h4> +<p> </p> +<table border="0" style="background-color: #ccccff;margin: 0 auto;" cellpadding="10"> + <tr> + <td valign="top"> + Note: + </td> + <td> + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive. See + <a href="http://archive.org/details/AdviceToSingers"> + http://archive.org/details/AdviceToSingers</a> + </td> + </tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<p class="transnote"> +This e-text contains UTF-8 (unicode) characters that might not display properly in +your browser or font, such as the flat music symbol and words in Greek.<span class="hide-link"> +Hover the cursor over such text and an explanation might appear. For example: +C<span lang="en" title="flat">♭</span>.<br /><br /> + +Many musical excerpts appear throughout the book, along with links to +audio files [Listen] directly below each excerpt. If the excerpt has +lyrics, they appear below the music and the link to the midi file.<br /><br /> + +Compilations of the exercises have been made available in PDF form. These +can be found at the beginning of groups of exercises and are marked with +a [Exercises in PDF] link. The PDFs provided have been compiled for the +reader's convenience to facilitate printing of the exercises for practice. +The music has been re-engraved for clarity. Please note that due +to limitations, the beaming is not always true to the original.</span><br /><br /> + +For additional Transcriber's Notes, <a href="#Transcribers_Note">click here</a>. +</p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 265px;"> +<a href="images/cover.jpg"><img src="images/th_cover.jpg" id="coverpage" width="265" height="400" alt="Advice to Singers, by Frederick J. Crowest, Author of "The Great Tone Poets."" title="Cover" /></a> +</div> + +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[Pg iii]</a></span></p> + + + + +<table class="chapter-beginning" border="1" cellpadding="20" summary="Front Matter."> +<tr> +<td> +<h1><span class="bigger"><a name="ADVICE_TO_SINGERS" id="ADVICE_TO_SINGERS">ADVICE TO SINGERS</a></span></h1> + +<br /> + +<p class="center">BY<br /><br /> + +<span class="bigger">FREDERICK J. CROWEST</span><br /><br /> +<span class="small">AUTHOR OF "THE GREAT TONE POETS" "MUSICAL GROUNDWORK"<br /> +EDITOR OF "THE MASTER MUSICIANS" SERIES, ETC.</span></p> + +<br /><br /> + +<p class="center">"Since singing is so good a thing<br /> +<span style="padding-left:1.5em;">I wish all men would learn to sing"</span></p> + +<br /><br /> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 150px;"> +<img src="images/003.png" width="150" height="135" alt="Publisher's Device" title="Publisher's Device" /> +</div> +<br /> +<p class="center big"><i>SEVENTEENTH THOUSAND</i></p> + +<br /><br /> + +<p class="center big">LONDON<br /> +<span class="gesperrt bigger">FREDERICK WARNE AND CO.</span><br /> +AND NEW YORK<br /> +1904</p> +</td> +</tr> +</table> + + + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[Pg v]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="PREFACE" id="PREFACE">PREFACE.</a></h2> + + +<div> + <img class="drop-cap" src="images/005.png" width="75" height="75" alt="S" title="S" /> +</div> +<p class="drop-cap">SINGING cannot be learnt from a book, and so far +from attempting any such impossible feat as writing +a book which might be called "<i>Singing without a +Master</i>," the author's object—frequently insisted upon herein—is +to point out the impossibility of overcoming the difficulties +of singing without a teacher. At the same time, there +are points upon which a master would not feel called upon to +speak; nor would he (except, perhaps, in the course of a very +long period of training) be likely to touch on many matters +which, though closely connected with the life or business of +an accomplished singer, yet lie rather outside the province of +the voice-trainer.</p> + +<p>In a work consisting of detached paragraphs, and not being +a continuous essay, it is not always possible to enter into full +explanations of the reasons for certain statements; and (for +the want of such explanation) one paragraph may <i>appear</i> to +contradict another. However, I can assure the reader that +such paragraphs are only <i>apparent</i> contradictions; and if he +will take the trouble to think such points out for himself, he +will find that they are easily reconcileable.</p> + +<p>There is no subject, perhaps, on which opinions are so +divided, and prejudices run so high, as the proper method of +training and using the voice; nor is there perhaps one more +wrapped in mystery than is the art of singing. This is probably +the result of that readiness with which almost every +music teacher has hitherto undertaken to teach Singing. +This book will not, I am sure, add to the mystery. A careful +perusal of its contents should clear away many misconceptions, +and place the student on the right road to that end +which he or she has in view.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[Pg vi]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h3>PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION.</h3> + + +<p>That another large edition of this little Manual should +be called for in so comparatively short a time is sufficiently +encouraging testimony of the worth of the book and the +favour it has found at the hands of students of singing and +others—a result the more gratifying to the publishers since +hitherto it has been issued with an anonymous title-page. +Often has the authorship of the little volume been industriously +defended and disputed—not by myself—both in this +country and America; but, on the whole, the identity of its +originator has been well maintained. For my part matters +might have remained so, especially as I am not insensible to +the fact that there is much "preaching" herein—as indeed +there must be in such a work, and some of the advice is of +such a nature that its giver runs the risk of being placed +upon an exceeding high pinnacle of moral excellence, or of +being accounted the personification of all the virtues—both +of which distinctions might scarcely be merited. The appearance +of my name upon the title-sheet is the result of no +wish of mine, and I have consented to it only out of deference +to the pressing request of the publishers.</p> + +<p>A chapter on the Physiological Surroundings of the Voice +has been added to this edition.</p> + +<p class="right">FREDERICK J. CROWEST.</p> + +<h3>PREFACE TO THE SEVENTH EDITION.</h3> + +<p>Once again my publishers have informed me of the +necessity for reprinting this Manual, which has been so +successful both here, in America, and in the Colonies. I +have nothing to alter in the work, but I must express my +thanks for the marked support that has been given to this +straightforward advice. Did space permit, much might be +said relative to that growing complaint, "Teachers' (or Board +School) Laryngitis" as it is called. For some time past +I have been authorized to make observations at the chief +Throat Hospitals in connection with this constantly increasing +mischief, arising from an injurious use of the voice +in Teaching, and which only proper Voice Production will +remedy. While I cannot give advice here, I shall be happy +to answer any communications of sufferers from this complaint.</p> + +<p class="right">FREDERICK J. CROWEST.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">24 Ampthill Square, London, N.W.</span></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[Pg vii]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS">CONTENTS.</a></h2> + +<table width="90%" border="0" cellpadding="0" summary="Contents"> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"> </td> + <td style="width:7%;" class="right"><i>Page</i></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"><span class="smcap">Preliminary Remarks</span></td> + <td class="right"><a href="#PRELIMINARY_REMARKS">9</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"> </td> + <td class="right"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"><span class="smcap">On Habits, Diet,</span> &<span class="smcap">c.</span></td> + <td class="right"><a href="#ON_HABITS">13</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td style="width:5%;"> </td> + <td> Early Rising—Cleanliness—The Hair—The Teeth—Exercise—Dress—Diet—Smoking—Late Hours—General Morality.</td> + <td class="right"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"> </td> + <td class="right"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"><span class="smcap">Pronunciation and Study of Words</span></td> + <td class="right"><a href="#PRONUNCIATION">21</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td> </td> + <td>Nervousness—Pronunciation—Vowel-Sounds—Consonants—English—Emphasis—Position of Lips—Study of "Words"—General Education—Dramatic Study.</td> + <td class="right"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"> </td> + <td class="right"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"><span class="smcap">Voices and their Various Qualities</span></td> + <td class="right"><a href="#VOICE_QUALITY">28</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td> </td> + <td>Voices and their Names—Compass—Soprano—Mezzo-Soprano—Mezzo-Contralto—Contralto—Alto—Tenore-Leggiero—Tenore-Robusto—Barytone and Basso-Cantante—Bass—Buffo—Qualities of Voices.</td> + <td class="right"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"> </td> + <td class="right"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"><span class="smcap">Instruction, Books and Masters</span></td> + <td class="right"><a href="#INSTRUCTION">47</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td> </td> + <td>Schools of Singing—Masters—Institutions—A First Opinion—Bad Lessons—Bad Teachers—Books of Exercises.</td> + <td class="right"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"> </td> + <td class="right"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"><span class="smcap">Practice</span></td> + <td class="right"><a href="#ON_THE_PRACTICE_OF_SINGING">53</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td> </td> + <td>Individuality—Perseverance—Facial Expression—Self-Accompaniment—Position of Body, Arms, Hands, Throat, Tongue, Larynx—Head-Singing—Throatiness—Clearing the Throat—High Notes—The Scale—Forte, Mezzo-Voce, and Piano—Tone—Chest, Falsetto, and Head—Scale Practice—First Exercises (<i>with Examples</i>)—Duration of Practice—Singing in Tune—How to Begin—Variety—Chorus Singing—Humming—Studying Songs—Imitation—General Musical Study.</td> + <td class="right"> </td> + </tr> +</table> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[Pg viii]</a></span></p> +<table width="90%" border="0" cellpadding="0" summary="Contents"> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"><span class="smcap">On Style and Expression</span></td> + <td class="right"><a href="#ON_STYLE">71</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td style="width:5%;"> </td> + <td>Traditional Styles—Modern German <i>Lieder</i>—"The Cathedral School"—Oratorio (<i>with Examples</i>)—Opera—Ballads—Recitative (<i>with Examples</i>)—Slurring—Sentiment—Decision—Imitation—Public Singing—"Holding" an Audience—Mistakes in Public.</td> + <td class="right"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"> </td> + <td class="right"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"><span class="smcap">On Time in Singing</span></td> + <td class="right"><a href="#ON_TIME_IN_SINGING">87</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td> </td> + <td>The Metronome—Accent—Exercises: four beats to the bar; three beats to the bar; two beats to the bar.</td> + <td class="right"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"> </td> + <td class="right"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"><span class="smcap">On the Choice of Music</span></td> + <td class="right"><a href="#ON_THE_CHOICE_OF_MUSIC">103</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td> </td> + <td>Music to Suit the Voice—"Original Keys"—Execution—Fashion—Forming a "Repertoire."</td> + <td class="right"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"> </td> + <td class="right"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"><span class="smcap">Physiological Surroundings</span></td> + <td class="right"><a href="#PHYSIOLOGICAL_SURROUNDINGS">109</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td> </td> + <td>The Larynx—The Thyroid—The Pharynx—The Voice; A Wind, Reed, or String Instrument.</td> + <td class="right"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"> </td> + <td class="right"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"><span class="smcap">Exercises</span></td> + <td class="right"><a href="#EXERCISES">115</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td> </td> + <td>Exercises 1, 2, for Uniting Notes—Exercise 3, for Flexibility, &c.—Exercise 4, on Intervals of Thirds—Exercise 5, on Intervals of Fourths—Exercise 6, on Intervals of Fifths—Exercise 7, on Intervals of Sixths—Exercise 8, on Intervals of Sevenths.</td> + <td class="right"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"> </td> + <td class="right"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"><span class="smcap">Index</span></td> + <td class="right"><a href="#INDEX">126</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"> </td> + <td class="right"> </td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td colspan="2"><span class="smcap">Transcriber's Note</span></td> + <td class="right"><a href="#Transcribers_Note">129</a></td> + </tr> +</table> +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p> + + + + +<p class="center xbig"><b>ADVICE TO SINGERS.</b></p> + +<hr class="short" /> + + +<h2><a name="PRELIMINARY_REMARKS" id="PRELIMINARY_REMARKS">PRELIMINARY REMARKS.</a></h2> + + +<div> + <img class="drop-cap" src="images/009.png" width="75" height="75" alt="W" title="W" /> +</div> +<p class="drop-cap2">WHATEVER be the actual difference between the +professional and the amateur singer, if a person +is worthy of the name of singer at all, there +should be no difference in their views of Art, +and in their devotion to practice. Singing is an art, and +one of the most difficult of the arts to master; and any +one who attempts to learn it must be prepared to give the +same devotion to it as is demanded by the sister arts of +painting and sculpture. I do not mean exactly devotion +of the whole time and energy of life to it; because, however +necessary that may be for the professional, who has +to make his living by it, such entire devotion to an accomplishment +or an amusement (for such singing is to +the amateur) would, for a non-professional, be frequently +impossible, and very often wrong, as it would lead to a +neglect of the duties of life. But, while the entire devotion +of time and energy of a professional singer is +demanded to master the various styles, and the immense +mass of music, with which he or she will have to deal +in the exercise of the profession, the amateur should bear +in mind that such time and energy as he can devote to +singing must be firmly restricted to doing what he undertakes +thoroughly well—as well, in fact, as a professional.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> +The amateur's position, which forbids him to make singing +the work of his life, limits the range of his work, not the +quality of it. He cannot, even if he have the voice of +a Rubini or a Braham, master the difficulties of opera, +oratorio, and ballad alike. Circumstances forbid him to +conquer the world, but there is no reason why he should +not be a king in his own special realm. To be that he +will have to follow the same rules as though he were able +to attack the whole universe of vocal music; for he should +feel that the only difference between him and the professional +singer lies in the sphere of their work.</p> + +<p>The same remarks apply to many professionals. <i>Very</i> +few can excel in all styles, and few in more than one. To +attempt all is a great mistake, and will probably lead to +failure, or at least mediocrity in all.</p> + +<p>But the first point that I would insist upon is the necessity +for earnest devotion and regular work, both in +professional and amateur, so that the term <i>Artist</i> may +apply to both. I shall be at no great pains to avoid +occasional repetitions of incidental remarks. In a book +intended for constant reference rather than for one perusal, +and one divided, as this is, into short paragraphs, +words may attract attention in one place, while in another +they may have been overlooked. If, therefore, I err in +this respect, I shall do so deliberately, my sole aim being +to help and impress the student as much as possible.</p> + +<p>Remember that the human voice is the most delicate +of all instruments, susceptible to more and more varied +influence than any other. The singer has to combine in +himself the instrument and the performer; and while all +the artistic and intellectual qualities necessary for the instrumentalist +are required by him, he is compelled beyond +that to realize that he is a living instrument, and to exercise +over himself all the care—and indeed far more than all—that +players exercise over their most cherished "weapons." +He has not only to learn how to sing, but how to be and +to remain fit for singing. He, more than any other musical +artist, will find that he is affected by moral as well as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> +physical and intellectual causes, and he must face this +fact boldly.</p> + +<p>In writing down the brief hints which this little work +offers to singers, I shall therefore take in a range of subjects +and enter into many details which may seem to have +little to do with the practice of <i>Do</i>, <i>Re</i>, <i>Mi</i>. I do this +advisedly, and I believe that such hints as those on general +culture and habits of living are by no means the least important +part of my work. I do not profess to teach my +readers how to sing—(any singer knows, and I should like +the public to know too, that singing cannot be taught by a +book)—but to give "hints to singers," and many of those +hints are on such subjects as it would be an impertinence +on the part of a singing master to allude to. If the +student takes offence at the <i>book</i>, it happily does not +reach the author.</p> + +<p>Following out the previous thought, I shall try to turn +the intending singer's attention to several other subjects, +before I touch upon that of strictly musical interest. And +if I here seem to "preach" occasionally, I shall never do +so without cause, and never, I trust, in any spirit but that +of the warmest sympathy with the aspirations and the +peculiar trials and difficulties of those who are still in full +vigour of youth and health.</p> + +<p>Remember that I give <i>hints</i>, not <i>rules</i>. It is quite impossible +to lay down rules of living which shall apply alike +to male and female, or to variously constituted natures. +But I hope I may trust to the common sense of every +individual to draw sound conclusions, and to form his or +her own rules, by the help of these hints, and, the rules +once formed, to adhere to them resolutely. If singing +is to be done at all, it is worth while to do it well, and to +spare no pains to that end.</p> + +<p>There is a good deal to be done by the student of singing +before he attacks the strictly musical part of his difficulties. +General education, if deficient, must be attended<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> +to; habits of living must be formed and followed out; +faults of character, such as laziness, ill temper, slovenliness, +impatience, and want of perseverance, must be bravely +fought; for the study of singing, perhaps more than of any +other art, will test the character severely in these respects.</p> + +<p>The student must be prepared to exercise a good deal +of self-denial; to put aside all notions of self-merit for a +long time to come; and to be humble, and ready to take +a hint from any source. Whatever merits he may have +at starting are certainly not due to his own skill; they are +simply natural gifts, and the better they are, the more is +there for him to learn in doing justice to them. Let him +not waste time in admiring what he is, or has done; but +let him keep all his energy for what he may yet be and for +what he yet has to accomplish.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="ON_HABITS" id="ON_HABITS">ON HABITS, DIET, &c.</a></h2> + + +<p>The following paragraphs contain hints on various matters +apparently little connected with singing, yet all of more +or less importance to the singer. The voice, and the power +of using it, depend so greatly upon general health, and +health is so easily affected by habits of living, that I offer +no apology for entering into some details which, though +easy enough to write down, and read when written, would +be difficult for a singing master to allude to or suggest +without giving offence.</p> + + +<p><b>Early Rising.</b>—Practise early rising, and, if possible, +take a short walk before breakfast. This tends to keep the +circulation of the blood in a good condition, and that is, +of course, of great importance to the lungs, and all the +organs which singing requires to tax somewhat severely.</p> + + +<p><b>Cleanliness.</b>—Strict cleanliness is of the greatest importance. +Take a cold bath every morning directly you +get out of bed. Do not stand "pottering about," or you +may catch cold, but go to your bath while the skin is moist +with the perspiration which the warmth of bed has drawn +out. If you let the perspiration dry, and then plunge into +cold water, you run a great risk of giving yourself a severe +chill. Sponge yourself well, and rapidly, all over, especially +the chest, throat, back of the neck, and all round the loins; +and dry the body thoroughly and briskly with a rough<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> +towel. Let no fear of damaging the complexion deter +young ladies from this most healthy and necessary operation.</p> + +<p>In winter, if the circulation is naturally sluggish, it is +as well not to take the bath perfectly cold, but merely add +enough hot water just to remove the extreme chill. The +bath ought to feel cold to you, even though it be not the +coldest possible.</p> + +<p>It is well to take a warm bath once a week—if possible, +just before going to bed. Do not have it hot, but simply +warm, and, of course, use soap with it. Do not dawdle +over it, but "have it and have done with it," and then +get to bed at once. If you find the effect of it to be enervating +or relaxing, take it less warm in future. The object +of it is simply to open and cleanse the pores of the skin—a +matter of great importance.</p> + + +<p><b>The Hair.</b>—The same rule of extreme cleanliness +applies to the hair, and for the same reason, viz., its intimate +connection with the circulation of the blood and +the pores of the skin. Keep the hair well brushed, and +have it frequently cut and shampooed. Avoid "pomatums," +washes, and greasy messes of every kind: their +smell is objectionable and their effect is generally to dirty +the head. Moreover, the public have the good taste to +object to the appearance of an artist before them who is +evidently "got up" with pains for the occasion. A person +who is habitually as clean as he can be, need never +fear to appear in public, and may spare himself the disgusting +application of "grease" to his head to make himself +fit to be seen.</p> + +<p>If a moustache is worn, let it be kept within bounds, +and not allowed to fall over the mouth, where it would +affect the tone of the voice. Do not cut it straight along +the lip, but train it right and left, allowing it to grow +naturally and uncut. The advantages of the moustache +are two: it acts to a certain extent as a respirator, and +protects the mouth and throat as the eyelash does the +eye, and it helps to conceal any slight distortion of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> +mouth in singing. This, I confess, is a doubtful advantage:—there +ought to be no distortion, and if any were +seen, it might, perhaps, be corrected. However, I give +the opinion for what it is worth.</p> + + +<p><b>The Teeth.</b>—The teeth play such an important part +in the production of the voice that every care should be +taken to preserve them sound and in good condition—to +say nothing of the part which they play in facial expression, +a point to which every singer should attend. A bad state +of the teeth at once affects the stomach, and that again the +voice, so that no apology is needed for drawing the student's +attention to this matter. Clean the teeth the first +thing in the morning, and the last thing at night. Use a +moderately hard brush, better too soft than too hard, with +cold water, or better still, just lukewarm. Avoid all "dentifrices" +and advertised nastinesses in the way of powders +and "fragrant" washes. A mixture of powdered (not "prepared") +chalk and orris-root, in the proportion of about +three to two, is the best thing to use, and any chemist will +make that up for you. Remember to brush the teeth inside +and along the top, as well as outside; and if you find +this difficult with the ordinary-shaped brush, get one of +those which are sold for the purpose. If you find, in spite +of your care, that your teeth become discoloured, the cause +is probably that your stomach is out of order. In that case, +go straight to a doctor, for the consequence of such derangement +is that "tartar" is formed on the teeth, and +this grows, and pushes back the gums, altering the form +of the cavity of the mouth, and so affecting the tone of +the voice.</p> + + +<p><b>Exercise.</b>—Be as much as you can in the open air. +Take moderate walking exercise, but of course do not tire +yourself before singing or practising. For male singers, +rowing, riding, football and cricket (but without the shouting +so often incidental to these games), racquets or tennis, +and above all an hour or two weekly in a gymnasium, are +excellent things; while for ladies, walking, riding, lawn-tennis, +"la grace," and calisthenics are equally useful. If<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> +you live in a town, always walk in preference to taking a +conveyance, when time and weather permit it.</p> + +<p>Never breathe through your mouth in walking, especially +at night, or on coming out into the open air after singing. +Keep the lips closed, and inhale the air through the +nostrils. This is easily acquired, and to be able to do this +will be found of great service in taking breath for singing; +but out of doors it is most important, for the immediate +rush of cold or damp air to the delicate organs of the +throat, especially when the latter have been excited by the +exertion of singing, is dangerous. It is a good plan, and +a profitable use of the time, to practise breathing when +walking, by filling the lungs, and utilizing each inspiration +for as long a distance as possible.</p> + + +<p><b>Dress.</b>—Nothing can be said in favour of our climate +for singing. With proper precautions, however, a great +deal of trouble arising from this cause may be averted. In +summer, as well as in winter, for instance, the writer would +strongly urge the wearing of moderately thick-soled boots +or shoes. Then, again, the neck and chest should never be +exposed alike to a June sun and a December frost; but, +instead, it should be moderately and reasonably covered. +Great care should be taken never to get wet, especially +wet or damp feet.</p> + +<p>In going out of hot rooms into the open air much pains +should be exercised to keep the chest and throat covered +up with an overcoat or cloak—however warm the weather +may be. In <i>very severe</i> winter weather the singer will +derive much comfort by wearing a flannel chest-protector. +Sitting about in gardens, and on lawns, in the evenings +on even the warmest days, is not a safe indulgence for the +student who is in earnest in the pursuit of his art.</p> + +<p>One caution is necessary as to "wrapping up," however. +Do not over-do it. The constant use of a "comforter" +renders the throat delicate and susceptible. All you have +to fear is damp, not cold, in the atmosphere. A comforter,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> +closely wound round the throat, promotes perspiration, +and the risk of chill in removing it is greater than in not +wearing it at all. Common sense must guide every one. +It is impossible to make a rule for all.</p> + + +<p><b>Diet.</b>—As to diet: avoid everything that is at all indigestible. +Live well, and take plenty of varied nourishment. +The singer's system <i>must</i> be well nourished. Chocolate +and coffee are better than tea; the latter is too astringent, +and affects the nerves too much, if taken in abundance. +Sugar, in moderation, should always be used with those +beverages, and they should never be taken very hot. Bread +is better than toast, but avoid hot or very new bread. Eggs +and butter are good. Meat should be plainly cooked and +not too well done. Pork tries the digestion too severely +to be a desirable food for a singer, and the same may be +said of veal. Fish is good for the singer, and he should if +possible let it form a part of his daily <i>menu</i>. Creams and +pastry are simply poison, and cheese should only be taken in +great moderation. Fruit is an excellent thing if judiciously +used. But here, again, hard and fast rules are impossible, +because constitutions vary. Only remember the old proverb, +"We must eat to live, and not live to eat."</p> + +<p>Never practise or sing upon an empty stomach, or soon +after a meal: either of these habits will unfairly tax your +digestive organs, and in so doing damage your voice. +After a meal, all the energy of the body is required for +the stomach; in a healthy person the extremities will generally +be cold after a full meal, and the reason is that the +digestive organs are using all the heat and blood that the +body can give for their special work. Nature thus points +to a rest of every other organ at that time, and you must +not fight against Nature by attempting any such severe +physical strain as the practice of the voice demands.</p> + +<p>All acids and astringents are bad for a healthy throat +and stomach. Vinegar, highly-flavoured sauces, almonds +and raisins, nuts of every kind should be avoided. Some +of these are useful as remedies in relaxed throat, or congestion<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> +of the throat, no doubt; but I am speaking simply +of what is desirable for a person in a state of health. In +cases of cold, hoarseness, or indisposition of any kind, my +prescription is, "Don't doctor yourself, but (as Abernethy +said) '<i>Take advice</i>.'" Be very careful and abstemious in +the use of spirits. Brandy is decidedly injurious, it heats +and inflames the throat, and tends to constipate the bowels. +Gin or whiskey is the most wholesome spirit, but take as +little as possible of either. If you drink beer or stout, take +draught and not bottled, and always in great moderation. +All effervescing liquors are objectionable; therefore eschew +champagne, Moselle, bottled ale and stout, <i>et hoc genus +omne</i>. The fluids called port and sherry are cruel foes to +singing. A glass of <i>good</i> port is a fair medicine in certain +cases, and the same may be said of very dry Amontillado, +but if you have nothing the matter with you, avoid port +and (so-called) sherry—especially the hideous compound +of alcohol and molasses known as "brown" sherry—as you +would poison.</p> + +<p>The best drink for singers is claret, or any light wine, +French, German, or Italian. I myself find the latter on +the whole the best, and such wines as Barolo Secco or +Chianté are pure and cheap, and contain all the properties +necessary for a singer's beverage. But in this as in all +else, <i>moderation</i> is a <i>sine quâ non</i>. Fluids are apt to produce +congestion or mucus in the throat and glands of the +mouth, and that of course interferes with the free action +of the muscles in singing.</p> + + +<p><b>Smoking.</b>—As a general rule it may be laid down that +smoking is a bad habit for the singer, male or female (for +there are females who are proud of being able to smoke +cigarettes nowadays!). With many instances of great +singers who have also been great smokers before us, it is +impossible to say decidedly that singers must not smoke; +but the habit is one to be very cautiously indulged in. If +smoking in any case induces expectoration, it should at +once be given up, for the habit of spitting, to which some +smokers allow themselves (quite needlessly) to give way,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> +is, in reality, the greatest evil of smoking; it weakens the +throat, lungs, and chest. If a man can smoke without +spitting or drinking, I confess that I am no great enemy +to tobacco; but the "if" is a big one.</p> + +<p>A cigarette is certainly a safeguard against taking cold +in coming out of a hot room into the open air, especially +after singing; but strong cigars or strong tobacco in pipes +are to be avoided, because of their effect on the nerves.</p> + + +<p><b>Late Hours.</b>—Avoid late hours. You require, not +only a certain amount of sleep, but to take that sleep before +the body and mind are at all overtaxed. From many causes, +it is well known, the human frame is always at its lowest +from about 2 a.m. till 5 a.m., and the nearer you approach +those hours in going to bed, the less able are you to derive +all the benefit which you require from sleep. Twelve +o'clock is late enough for any one.</p> + +<p>Another reason why late hours are bad is connected +not with physical facts so much as with morals. It is true, +you may come to no actual harm, or get into no positive +mischief, by being out late at night, but you place yourself +in a position of risk—risk of cold, over-fatigue, inhaling +vitiated atmosphere, &c., as well as risk to moral character, +which latter, in its way as delicate as the voice, is injured +not only by actual violation of right, but by all society, +conversation, and literature which tend to dim its brightness, +or (to use another metaphor) to spoil the purity of +its outline by roughly knocking off its corners. At all +events, as to the night side of "Life," you are better out +of it.</p> + + +<p><b>Morality.</b>—Nothing can act more prejudicially upon +a singer than those influences which are understood by +that very inclusive term, a "fast" life. I would, therefore, +urge upon the student the necessity of a religious avoidance +of those influences. They dull the purity of thought which +marks all true art; they deaden the intellect which art +requires; and they injure the physical powers, without +which all a singer's study may be suddenly rendered useless +to him. All excess is bad, and self-restraint and self-control<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> +are of the greatest importance both to character and health. +Many an anxious student has mastered the musical side +of his art, but has failed under the rigid demands which +the moral code makes upon an intending singer. It is +of no use for a singer to be strong musically, and weak +morally: the two preparations must go hand-in-hand; and +while building up a structure of vocal greatness, his care +must always be that the moral foundation will always +support the weight of persistent study, and leave him +favourably placed in the stern competition going on around +him for a front place in the race for singing fame, and the +inevitable honours. Keep these hints in mind, think them +carefully over, and be your own moral doctor. That will +be better than following any code of cut and dried rules. +If you err at all, let it be on the side of self-denial, the +hardest and probably the highest of all virtues.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="PRONUNCIATION" id="PRONUNCIATION">ON THE STUDY OF PRONUNCIATION +AND "WORDS" IN SINGING, &c.</a></h2> + + +<p>The singer has to combine the arts of the musician, the +public speaker, and, to a certain extent, the actor. +Clearness of pronunciation and correctness of emphasis +are included in the range of his study. Nor are these so +easy of acquirement as many persons suppose. To a +novice, the almost inevitable nervousness inseparable from +the prominent position which a solo singer necessarily +holds in the company, or before the audience to which he +is singing, is very apt to render the enunciation less +distinct and more rapid than is natural to him. His ear +guides him less safely; and, in fact, every sense, influenced +by the abnormal state of his nerves, is apt to play him +more or less false. It is only by having carefully studied +and mastered every detail of manner, posture, and speech, +as well as of the music to be performed, that a singer can +rise superior to the treachery of his nerves, in whatever +form that treachery may show itself.</p> + + +<p><b>Nervousness.</b>—A few words as to nervousness. +You will often hear persons boast that they are not the +least nervous in public; and, perhaps, will feel inclined +to envy them. Get rid of any such notion at once. If +by "nervous" is meant "frightened," that is another thing +altogether; and it is perfectly true that there are hundreds +of persons who are not in the least afraid of appearing in +public, nor affected by timidity when so appearing. But<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> +fear is only one form of nervousness. I firmly believe +that it is impossible for a real artist ever to appear in +public without being <i>nervous</i>. But the nerves act in +many ways: the fervour of an eloquent speaker carried +away by his subject; the "<i>abandon</i>" of a fine actor +thoroughly entering into his part and identifying himself +with it; the sustained energy of a declamatory singer; +the faultless and unerring agility of a florid <i>soprano</i>, who +astonishes her hearers by wonder on wonder of execution—all +these things are due, in their subtle charm, to +nervousness—<i>i.e.</i> to delicate nervous organization in active +play. These artists are not frightened, it is true, but excited, +stimulated, roused from the normal state of eating, +walking, and sleeping; something of the spiritual kindles +the mere physical forces in them—some breath of inspiration +sustains that living power which so influences +the hearers. In some way or other every great artist is +always nervous; were it not so, the essence of their power +would vanish. Persons of cold and phlegmatic temperament +lack the very life-breath of art; and though they +may train themselves into fair imitations of some great +artists, they will generally be detected with ease, by any +hearer of true sensibility, as imitations, not the real thing. +Therefore do not be ashamed to admit that you are +nervous, if it be so. Nerves are a cruel master, but a +splendid servant; instead of letting them overcome you, +force them to do your bidding; and instead of "nervousness" +meaning "fear," you will find that it means courage +and power to do your best.</p> + + +<p><b>Pronunciation.</b>—Study correctness of pronunciation +and propriety of emphasis quite apart from singing. +Remember that in speaking or singing in a large space +and to a number of persons, every sound must have not +only additional force, but additional volume. And that +comes to mean that every vowel-sound in the words sung +must be intensified, and every consonant be delivered +with more accuracy than is necessary in ordinary speaking. +If you were to pronounce the syllable "die" (for instance), +in singing, <i>exactly</i> as you do in speaking, you would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> +produce on the notes or note to which that word belonged +a thinness of tone which would be very ugly, and probably +would not "carry" far. And the same with any vowel-sound—even +"Ah," or "Oh,"—which, though not producing +a thin tone, would certainly produce a coarse one, +if sung exactly as spoken in ordinary conversation.</p> + + +<p><b>Vowel-Sounds.</b>—The reason of the need of this +slight change is as follows. Every vowel-sound, like +every musical sound (for vowel-sounds are nothing less +than musical sounds) is composed of <i>two</i> sounds. Combined +with the prominent and chief sound which first +attracts the ear is a second, which, though not prominent, +lends point and force to the other. Thus our English +vowel-sound "A" is really <i>Éh-é</i>; "E" is <i>E-é</i>; "I" is +<i>Ah-é</i>; "O" is <i>O-óo</i>, or even <i>Aw-oo</i>; "U" is <i>Ée-óo</i>. Of +course, I do not mean to say that those absurd-looking +syllables really express exactly the sounds which we produce +in speaking the vowels, for no combination of letters +can do that, or can bring within reach of the eye the +subtleties of sound in human speech; but if you attempt +to pronounce those syllables, you will find that you are +really pronouncing the vowels from which I "translated" +them.</p> + +<p>Now, in conversation or rapid speaking, the subordinate +sound of the vowel is scarcely noticeable, while the +more prominent sound is heard for the short interval of +time required. But in singing or public speaking, where +the production of tone is more deliberate, the space to be +filled with sound larger, or, in other words, the column of +air to be set vibrating is greater and heavier, the <i>complex</i> +sound of the vowel must not be ignored. It is impossible +to lay down any set of rules by which the student may +overcome this difficulty; but every one, by bearing in +mind the absolute necessity of attention to this point, +may easily accustom himself to the slight change of pronunciation +(as it will at first appear) which is required to +give vowel-sounds when sung, or spoken "<i>ore rotundo</i>," +the same tone, to the hearer's ear, as they have in ordinary +speaking. As a general rule this is done by keeping the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> +throat more open, the larynx (or "Adam's apple") as low +down as possible, and the root of the tongue flat, depressed, +even hollowed like the bowl of a spoon. The truth of all +this may easily be tested by singing any short passage +deliberately and distinctly, with the exact pronunciation +of ordinary speaking, and then repeating it with attention +to the above hints. In the first instance the result will +be meagre, hard to be heard at a moderate distance, and +very likely extremely ludicrous to the hearer. In the +second, you will find that the tone of the notes gains in +roundness and fulness, while the words are clearly heard +in every part of the room with the exact effect belonging +to them. I purposely refrain from attempting to write +down the difference discernible in any words so sung, +because, as I have already said, <i>letters</i> cannot accurately +express distinctions so delicate, yet so all-important to the +singer, speaker, and hearer.</p> + + +<p><b>Consonants.</b>—In pronouncing consonants, be careful +to give each its due value, but without exaggeration. Be +especially particular to sound the <i>last</i> letter of each word +distinctly. But take care to avoid adding a slight sound +(as of an <i>e</i> mute) after the final letter: for instance, do +not say "When other-<i>é</i> lips," &c., or "bright-<i>é</i> days," +and so on. Do not over-aspirate the letter "<i>H</i>." "<i>N</i>," +"<i>L</i>," "<i>M</i>," "<i>B</i>," "<i>P</i>," and "<i>V</i>," are all letters requiring +care in firm pronunciation.</p> + +<p>Avoid prefixing a slight sound of "<i>N</i>" to the first word +of a song or passage in singing. It is a common trick with +beginners to do this, and they frequently do it without +being in the least conscious of it. It is produced by a +kind of nervous feeling of the teeth with the tongue, as if +to make sure that all is right for the start! I have heard +an aspiring youth actually begin a well-known song thus: +"<i>Nwaft her Rangels Nthrough the sky</i>," &c.</p> + + +<p><b>English Words.</b>—The English language is not the +most suitable one under the sun for singing purposes; +nevertheless, it is not nearly so intolerable and unfavourable +an one as it is the fashion to make out. The grand<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> +old Scripture passages which Handel, Mendelssohn, and +others have set to music testify to this. Yet musical care +<i>is</i> needed when singing English words, and especially in +pronouncing the "sibilants," as <i>S</i>, &c. These "sibilants" +must never be enunciated rapidly, or their ill effects will +soon be found in a series of <i>hissings</i>. Let it be your study, +then, to avoid this ill effect in singing English words, and +to utter such sounds slowly and carefully, with the endeavour +to produce a soft and agreeable effect; for it is, +indeed, unpardonable to hear an English singer unable to +render perfectly the words (if <b>not</b> the music) of his native +country's songs and ballads.</p> + + +<p><b>Emphasis.</b>—Having accustomed yourself to carefulness +over each letter in your pronunciation, the next thing +is to study correctness of emphasis, &c. All this is apart +from the strictly musical portion of your studies, and, while +you can work at this without music, you will certainly spoil +the effect of your singing (however good your voice and +voice production may be), unless you do so study your +"words." I should recommend you to practise reading +aloud for not less than a quarter of an hour at a time, say +once a day. Read <i>standing</i>; place your book on a desk, +on a level with your eyes, and speak out deliberately, and +with full tone of voice, and as much variety of intonation +as the matter read requires. Shakespeare is your best +author for this study. You will feel at first as if you were +doing a very absurd thing, but never mind that—do it, and +do it as well and as carefully as you can.</p> + + +<p><b>Position of the Lips.</b>—In speaking and reading +aloud during your preliminary training for singing, be very +careful that there be no change in the aperture of the mouth +or position of the lips while uttering any one sound, however +prolonged. If the lips move from their first position, +however slightly, the tone immediately changes, and the +pronunciation ceases to be pure and refined.</p> + + +<p><b>Study of Words.</b>—The words of a song are as much +worthy of the singer's study as the music, that is, if the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> +song is worth singing at all. I do not mean to say that +in themselves they must necessarily be of equal merit, but +that they require as much attention on the part of the +singer to bring out their meaning. Study the text, therefore, +apart from the music. Read the words aloud deliberately; +master the sentiment of them, and note the prominent +words and phrases, so as to be able to give them +their due value when you have to combine them with the +music. Avoid giving prominence to such words as "of," +"for," "the," "and," "in," &c., &c., but yet let each be +distinctly pronounced, and not slurred over in an indefinite +murmur. Learn the words of your song by memory. +Master the text, and consider the whole from an elocutionist's +point of view before you attack the musical side of the +matter. A singer when singing in public should not be +troubled with his words and music too.</p> + + +<p><b>General Education.</b>—An important branch of study +is that of giving expression to the passions, and of communicating +your conceptions and emotions to the minds +of your listeners. No better training could a young singer +have for forming such ideas than the earnest perusal of +the works of Shakespeare, Dante, Goethe, Milton, Lytton, +George Eliot, &c.; or in watching carefully and intelligently +the acting of our best stage performers. For a +singer to be successful, he or she must be in a position to +express, and bring home to an audience, such emotions +as love, hatred, anger, fear, grief, and pity; all these, and +many other such feelings, have constantly to be transmitted +by the singer, and it is to the most natural and +faithful exposition of these, and that most consistent with +the other equally important points of the art of singing, +that the student's attention should for a long while be +patiently and perseveringly directed.</p> + +<p>The singer should be a well-educated man, and he +should know at least one other language beside his native +tongue. He should be well read, too, in the best literature +of these two languages. On questions of all the arts +he should seek to make his views sound and true. He +should seek to travel, and so enlarge his mind, for all this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> +training will reflect itself in the work of an artist so liberally +educated. An inferior education has been the bane of +many a student, who has had the organ and all the necessary +musical ability.</p> + + +<p><b>Dramatic Study.</b>—To be a successful public singer, +even in the concert-room, one must be more or less an +actor; and, therefore, the time and money bestowed in +acquiring a sound knowledge of dramatic action and +elocution will be well spent. For the lyric stage, such +a study is imperative; but its utility to artists who aspire +no higher than to ballad or oratorio singing cannot be +too highly estimated.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="VOICE_QUALITY" id="VOICE_QUALITY">VOICES AND THEIR VARIOUS +QUALITIES.</a></h2> + + +<p>The life of the singing voice is so comparatively short, +that the study of singing is rendered more difficult than +that of any other art. You may buy a violin or a pianoforte, +ready-made and perfect, in your childhood, and nothing +remains for you but to study the instrument diligently +under a good master. But the vocal instrument cannot +be said to exist at all, for purposes of singing study, before +the age of eighteen or twenty in males, and (in our climate) +sixteen in females. Even at those ages the organ is necessarily +immature and undeveloped. Consequently the +study of the art has to be carried on during the progress +of the instrument to maturity.</p> + +<p>To counterbalance this disadvantage, however, we must +bear in mind that that very study materially helps to perfect +the instrument. Singing is by no means all "style," +and the study of it includes the formation of the voice and +production of a good tone, and it is, of course, easier to +manipulate an unfinished article than a finished one—to +educate youth and suppleness than to bring maturity and +stiffness into subjection to new conditions.</p> + +<p>Therefore begin your study in the youth of your voice; +but, recollecting that its life is the most short-lived of your +faculties, let your study be most earnest and painstaking. +Especially if singing is to be your profession, act upon the +wise advice of Dr. Burney, and "Never go to bed till you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> +have learned something which you did not know the +previous night."</p> + + +<p><b>Voices.</b>—"What is your voice?" is a very common +question, sometimes expressed in the rather less polite but +more intelligent form, "What do you call your voice?" +The answer almost invariably is either "Soprano," "Contralto," +"Tenor," "Bass," or "Barytone." Here is a warning +for you at starting. Do not limit your notions of what +voices are to those four or five generic names. Because +choral music is generally written in four parts, for soprano, +alto, tenor, and bass, the non-musical public, and a great +many musical people (some composers included) seem to +think that those names are an inclusive description of +every human voice.</p> + +<p>This would be of very little consequence if it were only +a question of names; but it is of no use to say "What is +in a name?" if the result of a wrong name is to lead to +mischief. The misfortune of wrongly naming your voice +is that it will lead you to practise wrongly, and to choose +the wrong style of music for study and performance. For +instance, a young lady may call herself a <i>soprano</i> because +she can "<i>sing up to C</i>," and may therefore fancy that the +whole repertoire of a Tietjens or a Clara Novello is within +her reach; and acting on this notion, she may fatally +damage a naturally bright and pleasing voice by giving it +work to do which belongs of right to a voice of totally +different calibre, the <i>mezzo-soprano</i>.</p> + + +<p><b>Naming the Voice.</b>—Remember always that the +character of a voice is determined not by compass or range +of notes, but by quality, or body and <i>timbre</i>, of tone. Two +ladies may have voices ranging from A to A—two octaves—and +yet one might be a pure light soprano, and the +other a genuine contralto; while in length of compass a +mezzo-soprano may even beat them both. And so with +male voices (the variety in which is even greater than in +female), you may have a voice of pure tenor quality, and +yet of such limited compass that your energetic barytone +friend next door may make your life miserable with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> +jealousy of the ease with which he bellows high Gs, G +sharps, and even on great occasions an A or so.</p> + +<p>But compass has nothing whatever to do with the name +of the voice: it may limit the quantity of music which can +be performed, but it should have no influence on the choice +of the style of music to be studied. This is a point of the +greatest importance, therefore I repeat it briefly once more—<i>Your +voice must be described and used with reference to its +quality, or volume and timbre, and not with reference to the +number of notes which you can sing.</i></p> + + +<p><b>Male and Female Voices.</b>—The actual varieties +in tone and quality in different voices cannot, of course, +be expressed on paper; but a careful use of your ears in +listening to good public singers will soon teach you to +discriminate. Female voices are of at least four kinds: +soprano, mezzo-soprano, mezzo-contralto, and contralto. +Male are of five or six, or even more. Alto; tenore-leggiero +or light tenor; tenore-robusto or strong heavy-voiced +tenor; barytone—basso-cantante (erroneously +identified with the barytone by some persons); basso-profondo +or bass.</p> + +<p>Beside all these divisions or species, voices must be +again classed according to their power. Any one who has +ever heard an opera singer in a moderate-sized private +drawing-room, will readily appreciate the difference between +a <i>voce di camera</i>, or "chamber voice," and a <i>voce +di teatro</i>.</p> + + +<p><b>Compass.</b>—The respective compasses of the several +voices may be roughly set down as follows, but it should +be borne in mind that it is by no means a matter of course +that a singer of any particular voice should possess or cultivate +the whole range of notes supposed to belong to +that voice. He or she may be none the less a tenor or +a soprano because the one cannot produce an "<i>Ut de +poitrine</i>," or the other "<i>F</i> in <i>Alt</i>." There is a special individuality +in every voice, as in every face, and therefore +every voice must be treated, by a good teacher, on its +own merits, as a thing in some respects unique.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span></p> + +<p>Perhaps it will be best, therefore, instead of saying that +the compass of any given kind of voice is from —— to ——, +to say that music for such and such a voice is generally +written between such and such limits. The range allotted +by composers to the various voices is about two octaves +to each—for solo work, of course—and is as follows, it +being understood that the male voices are an octave lower +in pitch than the female:—</p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" summary="Vocal Ranges"> + <tr> + <td rowspan="4" class="vam"><i>Soprano</i>, and <i>Tenore-Leggiero</i>, and<br />in operatic music a certain kind<br />of <i>Tenore-Robusto</i>.</td> + <td rowspan="4" class="center"> +<img src="images/brace-200.png" width="30" height="200" alt="Curly Brace" title="Curly Brace" /> +</td> + <td>from</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td> +<img src="images/031a.png" class="vam" width="116" height="75" alt="C4" title="C4" /> <span class="hide-link"><a href="music/031a.mid">[Listen]</a></span> +</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td>to</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td> +<img src="images/031b.png" class="vam" width="113" height="90" alt="C6" title="C6" /> <span class="hide-link"><a href="music/031b.mid">[Listen]</a></span> +</td> + </tr> +<tr> + <td> </td> + <td> </td> +</tr> <tr> + <td rowspan="4" class="vam"><i>Mezzo-Soprano</i> and <i>Tenore-Robusto</i></td> + <td rowspan="4" class="center"> +<img src="images/brace-200.png" width="30" height="200" alt="Curly Brace" title="Curly Brace" /> +</td> + <td>from</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td> +<img src="images/031c.png" class="vam" width="117" height="85" alt="A3" title="A3" /> <span class="hide-link"><a href="music/031c.mid">[Listen]</a></span> +</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td>to</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td> +<img src="images/031d.png" class="vam" width="118" height="82" alt="A5" title="A5" /> <span class="hide-link"><a href="music/031d.mid">[Listen]</a></span> +</td> + </tr> +<tr> + <td> </td> + <td> </td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td rowspan="4" class="vam"><i>Mezzo-Contralto</i> and <i>Barytone</i></td> + <td rowspan="4" class="center"> +<img src="images/brace-200.png" width="30" height="200" alt="Curly Brace" title="Curly Brace" /> +</td> + <td>from</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td> +<img src="images/031e.png" class="vam" width="118" height="90" alt="G3" title="G3" /> <span class="hide-link"><a href="music/031e.mid">[Listen]</a></span> +</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td>to</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td> +<img src="images/031f.png" class="vam" width="116" height="77" alt="G5" title="G5" /> <span class="hide-link"><a href="music/031f.mid">[Listen]</a></span> +</td> + </tr> +<tr> + <td rowspan="4" class="vam"><i>Contralto</i> and <i>Bass</i></td> + <td rowspan="4" class="center"> +<img src="images/brace-200.png" width="30" height="200" alt="Curly Brace" title="Curly Brace" /> +</td> + <td>from</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td> +<img src="images/032a.png" class="vam" width="118" height="102" alt="E3" title="E3" /> <span class="hide-link"><a href="music/032a.mid">[Listen]</a></span> +</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td>to</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td> +<img src="images/032b.png" class="vam" width="117" height="77" alt="E5" title="E5" /> <span class="hide-link"><a href="music/032b.mid">[Listen]</a></span> + </td> +</tr> +</table> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span></p> + +<p>The basso-cantante is a low barytone, or high bass with +a lighter quality of tone than the basso-profondo. The +alto voice, or counter-tenor as it used to be called, is not +a natural voice at all, but is artificially produced by training +the <i>falsetto</i> to the exclusion of the other parts of the +voice. It is totally distinct from the contralto voice of a +female, in quality, average compass, and the style of music +best suited to it. It is of more use in part-singing and +cathedral music than for solo work, although in some +oratorios solo parts have been allotted to it. It is rarely +pleasing when heard alone, for very few alto singers are +able to avoid the appearance of singing with effort; and +the whole performance, except in some instances, appears +unnatural and forced. The alto voice ranges generally</p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" summary="Alto Range"> +<tr> + <td rowspan="4" class="vab">but its best notes are confined to<br />the octave of B flat.</td> + <td rowspan="4" class="center"> +<img src="images/brace-170.png" width="30" height="170" alt="Curly Brace" title="Curly Brace" /> +</td> + <td>from</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td> +<img src="images/032c.png" class="vam" width="117" height="49" alt="G3" title="G3" /> <span class="hide-link"><a href="music/032c.mid">[Listen]</a></span> +</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td>to</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td> +<img src="images/032d.png" class="vam" width="116" height="77" alt="C5" title="C5" /> <span class="hide-link"><a href="music/032d.mid">[Listen]</a></span> + </td> +</tr> +</table> + +<p><b>Soprano.</b>—The soprano is generally clear, bright, and +penetrating in tone; capable, if rightly produced, of +"carrying" far without any appearance of force or effort. +Its lower register is often weak and ineffective, and the +forcing of those notes by a bad singer often damages the +voice, and spoils the evenness of tone, which is of far more +importance than power and noise in singing. Low notes,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> +even if naturally weak, may be trained to take their proper +share of the work of the voice, and every year will add +to their natural power. Most soprano voices have a +"break" on</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 118px;"> +<img src="images/033a.png" width="118" height="77" alt="G4" title="G4" /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/033a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p>and another, and more difficult one to deal with, on</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 116px;"> +<img src="images/033b.png" width="116" height="77" alt="E5" title="E5" /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/033b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p class="center">or</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 118px;"> +<img src="images/033c.png" width="118" height="77" alt="F5" title="F5" /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/033c.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p>The lower notes are the (so-called) "chest" register; the +middle ones, between the breaks, the "falsetto," and the +upper ones the "head" notes. I shall speak of these +often-used and frequently-misapplied words presently; I +merely mention them now for the sake of pointing out to +soprani, what many young lady amateurs utterly ignore, +that they have these "breaks," and possess "chest," +"falsetto," and "head" notes, as well as male singers.</p> + +<p>Soprano voices are frequently capable of great flexibility, +and passages are easy to them which tax the powers even +of a light mezzo-soprano severely. The high notes, especially, +are in many cases easily produced in a staccato +manner, like notes of a piccolo flute, and an effect is thus +made, which, though pretty and pleasing if judiciously +employed, becomes a great snare to many singers, who +for the sake of astonishing their audience work the upper +part of their voices unfairly, and, neglecting steady use +and practice of the lower registers, will very soon find that +they have weakened the power and thinned the tone of +the whole voice.</p> + +<p>But there are many voices of pure soprano tone which +lack this flexibility: let the fair owners console themselves +with the recollection that good <i>sostenuto</i> singing is quite<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> +as pleasing, in the long run, as displays of vocal gymnastics. +You may not be able to attempt the "<i>Dinorah</i>" Shadow +Song, or the "Rejoice Greatly" in the "<i>Messiah</i>," but you +will find that you have plenty of good work left for you +in such music as "Dove Sono," "Deh vieni, non tardar" +("<i>Figaro</i>"), or "Jerusalem" ("<i>St. Paul</i>").</p> + +<p>Moreover, you may possibly have what is a much rarer +gift (in a pure soprano) than flexibility—you may have a +tone of voice capable of executing declamatory music with +fine effect. Music of this kind is generally appropriated +by some mezzo-soprano of high compass, and more properly +belongs to voices of that class; nevertheless, the +effect of sustained declamatory music, well executed by a +real soprano, is unrivalled in its way.</p> + + +<p><b>Mezzo-Soprano.</b>—The mezzo-soprano voice is perhaps +the commonest of all female voices, and yet one of the +rarest met with in perfection. It is fuller and rounder in +quality than the soprano—less flexible, and more adapted +to a <i>sostenuto</i> or declamatory style. Mezzo-soprano voices +vary so much that it is difficult to name any note on which +the "break" will be found. Sometimes it is on the same +notes as a soprano—sometimes on the same as a contralto—on +the average, perhaps, nearer the former. Wherever +it may be, however, a judicious teacher will soon point +it out, and put the student into the way of rightly treating +it. Teaching, and <i>good</i> teaching, is especially necessary +for voices of this class, for their fortunate possessors are +generally ignorant of the value of the treasure which they +possess in a good mezzo-soprano; and if it be of light +quality, they fancy themselves soprani, and force the upper +register of the voice in trying to "stretch their compass;" +or if their low notes develop first, they think that "with +practice" they are to be contralti; and by over-exercise +and fondness for displaying those deep notes, they run the +risk of widening the break, and rendering the quality of +the whole voice hopelessly uneven.</p> + +<p>What lies within the sphere of a good mezzo-soprano +has been shown in late years by a Grisi and a Tietjens, +the latter of whom will live in the recollection of all who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> +ever heard her, as the perfect model for every mezzo-soprano +in the production of the pure tone and even quality.</p> + + +<p><b>Mezzo-Contralto.</b>—The name mezzo-contralto +speaks for itself. It is by no means an uncommon voice, +and if used with discrimination is an effective and useful +one. Both in compass and quality it lies between the +contralto and the mezzo-soprano. Heavier in tone, less +resonant, and less flexible than the mezzo-soprano, it is +yet lighter than the contralto. Pure contralto voices are so +rare that many mezzo-contralto singers appear as exponents +of contralto music, and by paying chief attention to the +lower register of their voices, they become fair imitations, +and more than passable substitutes, for the real article. +The possessor of this voice must be guided by the advice +of a good teacher as to the direction in which her voice +should be trained. Sometimes the natural quality of the +voice renders it advisable to attempt rivalry with the mezzo-soprano, +rather than with the contralto; sometimes the reverse. +It is a question for decision by a competent adviser +in each individual case, and therefore I shall not attempt +to lay down any decided rule, except my oft-repeated one, +"<span class="smcap">Go to a master, and a first rate-one</span>,"—a point on +which I shall have more to say further on. How impossible +it is to lay down rules for a mezzo-contralto is shown by +the fact that an eminent living "mezzo-contralto" is gladly +accepted on our opera stage as a leading contralto, and +yet succeeds admirably in such a part as Rossini wrote for +a mezzo-soprano of the most florid kind—<i>Rosina</i> in "<i>Il +Barbiere</i>."</p> + + +<p><b>Contralto.</b>—The quality of a true contralto voice is +so peculiar that it is impossible to mistake it for any other +voice, although other voices may be mistaken for it. Of +course, there are exceptional cases in which the contralto +and mezzo-contralto are combined in one voice: the lower +range being of full and pure contralto quality, while instead +of the somewhat limited upper notes of the contralto, +a rich mezzo-contralto range of notes may develop +themselves; and in such a case careful training will be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> +able to soften these two into each other, so that a complete +voice of peculiar charm and great usefulness will result. +But such cases, if not rare, are certainly the exception +and not the rule, the deep and powerfully resonant tone +of the true contralto being comparatively seldom met +with. There is generally an awkward break between the +low B and the D above it in this voice, and E<span lang="en" title="flat">♭</span> or E are +the highest notes within reach of the average contralto. +Voices of this class are better adapted for a species of +ballads, for solemn declamation, or music of a calm and +flowing character, than for elaborate execution or lively +melodies. But here again exceptions must be made in +favour of those who have the physical means, as well as +the artistic skill, to study such music as that of the <i>Page</i> +in "<i>Les Huguenots</i>," <i>Arsace</i> in "<i>Semiramide</i>," or "<i>La +Cenerentola</i>." For an average English contralto, however, +the best line of study is in good songs and ballads, and, +chief of all, oratorio music.</p> + + +<p><b>Alto.</b>—The alto, or counter-tenor voice, is said by a +well-known English alto singer to be "simply a development +of the <i>falsetto</i>—generally the <i>falsetto</i> of an inferior +bass voice." It is said to be almost peculiar to English +singers, and to that fact is ascribed its extensive and +effective use in the fine works of the English Cathedral +School of composers. Of course, in a voice which is so +artificial, there must be expected a worse "break" than +usual—the break in this case being the point below which +the falsetto cannot be extended, and where the natural +"chest" quality of tone has to be used. This break +generally lies near the same place as the contralto break—if +anything, rather higher—say between C and E in +the middle of the voice. The effective notes of an alto +usually lie in the octave of B or B<span lang="en" title="flat">♭</span>, and the repertoire +of music for which this voice is suited is comparatively +limited. That repertoire, however, includes the greater +number of oratorios, a good deal of fine old Italian music, +and a few old English songs; while a singer of cleverness +and cultivation will find many ballads which he may make +his own by the help of transposition and style of delivery.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span></p> + +<p>Great pains must be taken by the possessor of an alto +voice in the formation and production of a good tone. +The voice must be made to sound as <i>natural</i> as possible; +and, if necessary, power must unhesitatingly be sacrificed +to sweetness. There is great danger of producing a +harsh, reedy, or nasal tone, which, to the hearer, is simply +distressing or offensive.</p> + +<p>Above all, let him be content to develop his own means, +and to keep to music suited to or written for his voice. A +good alto will make no effect, and will do his voice and +style harm, if he "poaches on the preserves" of other +voices—tenors, for instance, or basses—(singing the songs +of the latter an octave higher). I once heard an alto—a +fair singer so long as he stuck to his own work—make an +absurd exhibition of himself by attempting the great song +"Love Sounds the Alarm," in "<i>Acis and Galatea</i>," at a +public concert!</p> + +<p>Let him also beware of the snare of contralto music. +The alto in a man is totally distinct from the contralto in +a woman. The tone is utterly different—the best notes of +the one are certainly not the best notes of the other; and +although in certain cases a contralto may sing with good +effect music written for a male alto (<i>e.g.</i> in some oratorios), +yet the converse is scarcely ever true. The low notes, +which are so fine in a contralto, and so unlike any other +tone except perhaps a few notes of some tenors, are utterly +wanting in charm, and generally in power, in a male alto; +while the sweet and ringing middle notes of the latter are +far more effective in alto music than the (frequently) weak +and uncertain middle notes of a contralto. Choose your +music as you name your voice, by the quality of tone you +can produce, and not by the range of notes.</p> + + +<p><b>Tenore-Leggiero.</b>—The <i>tenore-leggiero</i> or "light +tenor," is the male voice corresponding to the female +soprano; it is perhaps the most delicate and difficult to +manage of all human voices. In the present day, when +fashion is all in favour of noise, it is difficult for any but +the strong-minded to stand firm against the tendency to +shout and bawl, which appears to be the highest aim of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> +many singers, and the highest admiration of most audiences. +Now for a light tenor to attempt this style of +singing is simply suggestive of the old fable of the frog +who tried to make himself as big as the bull, and burst +in the attempt. There is a modern school of singing +which, though it may be suitable enough for heavy voices +such as basses and robust tenors, is fatal to light and +delicate voices. The style of singing, and of music to be +sung, by this voice, is quite different from that appropriate +to strong and full organs; and, if you are the possessor +of a light tenor, you must at once rid yourself of the +common amateur fancy (a fancy, too, by no means confined +to amateurs) that you must imitate a certain ever-popular +living tenor, whose name has passed almost into +a proverb as typical of the perfection of English singing. +You <i>cannot</i> be a "Reeves" or a "Braham," therefore it +is only waste of time and strength for you to try. But +there is a great deal of music which neither a "Reeves" +nor a "Braham" could sing, which is well within your +reach; and more than that, there is a great deal of +excellent music which, though you cannot sing it <i>like</i> +them, you may render very effective in a totally different +style. Very often a <i>pianissimo</i> is quite as expressive as a +<i>fortissimo</i>, and grace and sweetness are frequently an +excellent substitute for power and force. You must be +content to recognize that the latter are out of your reach, +and that the effects which you can produce are to be +attained by other means.</p> + +<p>However, while assuring you that power and force are +not given to you, I do not mean to say that voices of your +class need be at all inaudible in a space however large. +The tone of a light tenor is generally clear, resonant, and +penetrating; sometimes there is a metallic ring about it +which is extremely pretty, if not forced. I have heard a +light tenor, singing at the back of the Covent Garden +stage, send his voice clearly out into the great theatre, +with apparently more ease than his "robust" friend, who +was shortly afterwards vociferating at the footlights.</p> + +<p>A light tenor must be careful not to force up the lower +register of his voice beyond its natural and easy limit.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> +The charm of the voice is in the perfect blending together +of the lower, middle, and upper registers, and to do this +the upper notes of each register should be equally at +command, as the upper notes of that register or the lower +notes of the one above it. In order to attain this, the +change from one register to another should generally be +made considerably lower than the place where the real +"break" in the voice comes. For instance, supposing +the "break" to be on E<span lang="en" title="flat">♭</span>, the singer should be able to +change his register as low as B or B<span lang="en" title="flat">♭</span>, and to take all the +notes between those two places, either in the upper or +lower register, with equal effect.</p> + +<p>In voices of this character there is often one note +which requires to be <i>made</i>—<i>i.e.</i>, which is so naturally +defective in tone and quality that it can only be produced +effectively by imitating as nearly as possible the quality of +the register above or below it. This note is generally E, +F, F♯, or (sometimes) G, between the middle and upper +registers; and if you find that you unfortunately have +such a refractory note, remember not to try and force the +tone of it from the next note above or below; <i>e.g.</i>, if your +bad note is F, do not try to improve it by singing E well +and then passing on to the F; but try and form the note +from the fifth above or below (whichever it happens to +resemble most in tone). Rounden the refractory note—give +it a full tone in practising, and produce it well from +the chest, letting the sound reverberate from the centre of +the roof of the mouth—neither too far back towards the +throat, nor too much on the teeth. Your teacher, if he +knows his business, will soon put you into the way of +this. Voices vary so much that these very general remarks +must suffice here; but each voice, if it has its peculiar +difficulties, has also, doubtless, its peculiar charm; +and for light tenors, rich in both charms and difficulties, +the rule is all-important: Do not try to imitate anybody +else, but let your aim be to do the best that can be done +with such natural gifts as you may have, aided by the +best training that you can procure for them.</p> + + +<p><b>Tenore-Robusto.</b>—The robust or strong tenor is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> +the male voice corresponding to the mezzo-soprano of a +female. It is not an uncommon voice, but is rarely met +with in anything like perfection. A robust tenor voice +of large compass and round full tone is a treasure of the +utmost value. The fact is, that too frequently the possessor +of a good voice of this kind, instead of taking care +of it and training it for the future, begins using it too soon, +strains and forces it into coarseness, and spoils it for ever. +People do not realize that a voice may be strong in quality +and powerful in tone, and yet in itself be an excessively +delicate thing to keep in order.</p> + +<p>Moreover, voices of this kind in their youth frequently +resemble barytones, and their owners, fired with ambition +to rival some popular barytone singer, mistake their vocation, +and shout and bellow on the very part of the voice—the +upper "chest" register—which requires the tenderest +nursing to fit it for future difficulties. Consequently, +when the voice develops with age, and the singer finds +that barytone work is too heavy for the lower part of the +voice, and that he can without much difficulty extend his +compass beyond the barytone limits, he discovers that +what he has been using as the top of his voice is nearer +the middle of it, and that the mode of using those notes +which he has practised is excessively difficult, if not impossible, +with those which now lie above them. The result +is either the creation of a very awkward "break," which +even time and practice can never entirely remove, or else +(and this is a commoner case) the same process of forcing +which has been employed hitherto is applied to the upper +notes, as far as strength can take it! This is the reason +why so many tenor singers are utterly unable to produce +the real tenor "tone," and sound like barytones forced up +to a higher compass. There is no sweetness in the upper +notes so produced—nothing but force and noise; while +the hapless perpetrator of the howls which represent high +notes turns scarlet in the face, and quivers all over with +his exertions. I therefore give to tenors of this class exactly +the same warning that I gave to soprani:—Do not +ignore the fact that you have three, or at all events two, +distinct registers of the voice, the (so-called) "chest,"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> +"throat," and "head." Do not suppose, when you hear +a great singer produce on a high note exactly the same +quality of tone as he produced on a low one, that he did +it exactly the same way, or "got it from the same place," +as some people say. The perfection of his training and +the diligence of his practice have enabled him to assimilate +the quality of one register to that of another so completely +as to deceive your ear. The proof that this is true +may be found in inspecting a great deal of music written +for and sung by the most famous operatic tenors of the +past—the singers of that pure Italian school of which so +few disciples now remain.</p> + +<p>There are notes and passages in that music which no +"chest" register could by any physical possibility execute, +but some of which have been sung within the recollection +even of the "rising generation" with all the effect intended, +and with the very tone that critical slang calls "chest +notes," (simply because it so closely resembles the tone +of chest notes that few, if any, can detect that they are +differently produced from the low notes.)</p> + +<p>For obvious reasons I abstain from mentioning the +names of any living singers, but I can name one, not very +long since dead, who attained the highest reputation here +as a <i>tenore di forza</i>—whose "chest notes" were chronicled +by the newspaper critics, and were the envy of aspiring +youths—and yet who has ever been heard distinctly to +deny that he ever produced those notes in the same way as +the lower ones, and to laugh at the idea that such a thing +was possible; and this was Mongini.</p> + +<p>I have entered into this at some length because it is a +point which is more and more ignored by the singers and +teachers of this generation. I might almost say that a +school of singing exists the whole aim of which is to +abolish the natural upper part of the voice, in order to +stretch and force the one lower register up beyond its +natural compass. I do not deny that in certain cases a +voice results from this treatment which is powerful, +effective, and capable of executing a good deal of music +with much success and satisfaction to the performer; but +for one case where this treatment so far succeeds, it fails<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> +in twenty to produce a voice both pleasing and useful; it +is, moreover, in singers trained on this method that we +most commonly hear the odious (and involuntary) trembling +of the upper notes commonly called the <i>vibrato</i>.</p> + +<p>Therefore, to sum up those who find, when their voices +begin to form, that the natural quality of their voice is +lighter than that of a bass, had better make up their minds +at once to give the voice fair play, and let it alone for a +time; then consult a good master, or one really experienced +in hearing singers, as to what the future of the +voice is to be. It is by no means easy always to decide +at that early period whether the permanent quality of the +voice will be tenor or barytone, and therefore it is folly +to try and settle the question for yourself by singing, in +untaught style, music which may prove to have been all +along unsuited to you. Your patience in waiting till the +voice really declares itself will amply repay you afterwards +by the absence of the difficulties which too early a use of +the voice would have created for you to overcome.</p> + + +<p><b>Barytone and Basso-Cantante.</b>—The barytone +voice is thus described in Stainer and Barrett's "Dictionary +of Musical Terms:" "A voice of fuller quality than a +tenor, and lighter than a bass, having a compass partly +included in both.... This voice has only been +distinguished by name as being of a separate character +within the present century. Early writers indicate its +existence by the use of its special clef. The term barytone +is unmeaning unless it be looked upon as a corruption +of barytenor; but it is quite possible it was borrowed from +the instrument barytone or bardone, which occupied a +place between the tenor and bass viols."</p> + +<p>The derivation of the name from "barytenor" is slightly +absurd, considering that half that extraordinary word is +Greek and the other half Latin; whereas the name barytone +is a Greek word, used by Aristotle, and meaning +"deep-sounding."</p> + +<p>The distinctive character which this voice has assumed +within the present century is due, I believe, to the great +change in the pitch of musical instruments which has<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> +taken place. In the last century the pitch was so much +lower than that at present in use, that a "high barytone" +was much the same as a "robust tenor." Consequently, +music was not written exclusively for the barytone voice, +its existence as a separate class of voice not being sufficiently +recognized. Gradually, as the pitch was raised, +the barytone separated itself clearly from other voices, +and has now a repertoire of music and a style of singing +of its own; and instead of appropriating tenor music, it, +if anything, has stolen away some of the property of the +bass; for the raising of the pitch which placed tenor +music beyond the reach of a barytone has also rendered +a good deal of music originally written for a bass far more +suitable for a barytone, or at all events for a basso-cantante. +I am well aware that by many musicians the basso-cantante +is identified with the barytone. The distinction is +so slight that it is not worth while to quarrel over names; +but that the two voices are distinct I am persuaded. The +basso-cantante is of fuller and rounder quality than the +barytone proper; less flexible, less metallic in tone, and +generally rather lower in compass. But the method of +using both voices is the same, and for all purposes of +amateur singers no distinction need be insisted upon. +Professionals, however, who have to deal with heavy work +on a large scale, will soon find that there is a good range +of music more suited to the rich voice of greater volume +and less flexibility (which I distinguished as the basso-cantante) +than to the bright, flexible voice which has +something of the tone of a full "tenore-robusto," and +which is the barytone proper. Neither of these voices +is much troubled with a "break," although there is a +perceptible difference between the natural quality of the +lower and upper octaves of the voice when quite uncultivated. +This difference, however, which makes itself felt +<span class="figleft" style="width: 219px;"> +<img src="images/043.png" width="219" height="52" alt="F3 G3 A3" title="F3 G3 A3" /> +<span class="hide-link"><a href="music/043.mid">[Listen]</a></span> +</span> +in the region of these notes, is got +rid of in practice without any of +the same difficulty which is encountered +by tenors or contralti in managing the decided +breaks in their voices. The possessors of barytone voices +may therefore be looked upon as having comparatively<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> +"easy times of it." There is a large repertoire of music +at their disposal, including much of the most popular +ballad music of this century and the last; the voice is generally +a favourite with an audience; the style of barytone +singing is undisputed, and the singer will not find himself +violently criticised by the partizans of a rival school of +singing to that in which he himself has been trained, which +is inevitably the fate of tenors!</p> + +<p>Only let him avoid the temptation to shout, and to sing +up to the very top of his compass at full pitch. Unfortunately, +an English audience does like a noise, and appreciates +plenty more than beauty of tone. It is tolerably +easy for a barytone to be a showy singer, and therein lies +the greatest danger to his chance of ever being a really +good one. He must be content to go through his training +quite as self-denyingly and perseveringly as any one +else who is gifted with fewer natural advantages.</p> + + +<p><b>Bass.</b>—Of the bass voice less need be said here, not +because it is a less important voice than any of the others, +but because it is more generally known and better understood. +A perfectly pure bass voice is, however, a rare +thing. This voice has no upper register, properly speaking; +the whole voice consisting of "chest" notes, and not +admitting of even the process of developing upper notes +of extraordinary quality, which is part of the training of a +barytone or a basso-cantante. Power and richness are the +chief qualities of charm in a bass, while flexibility and true +intonation are the qualities most rarely found in that voice. +The young singer who finds that he certainly is not meant +by nature for a tenor, and also that with all his efforts the +upper notes of a barytone are quite out of his reach, need +not be discouraged by any lightness or thinness of quality +in his voice from the hope that he may develop into a good +bass. The full and rich quality of this voice is later in +showing itself than is the case with any other voice, and +the young singer must be content to study for some time +with the compass of a bass and the quality of a kind of +barytone, till Nature puts him in full possession of his +powers. Only he must study bass music, and not try,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> +because his voice is of barytone quality, to sing barytone +music. Let him, on the contrary, avoid trying to extend +the compass of his voice in the upper notes, and give his +best attention to the lower ones. The upper ones will be +well within his command in time, and if he will be content +to let them alone at first, he may become a truly "celebrated +bass;" but, if he persists in shouting at them now, he will +never have anything but coarse upper tones, only fit to be +heard behind a costermonger's barrow, or in "comic" +songs at the Music Halls.</p> + + +<p><b>Buffo.</b>—The last remark reminds me that I have said +nothing about a class of bass singers very useful in certain +Italian and French operas—the <i>buffo</i>, or comic bass. +The development of voice with these singers is of less consequence +than the study of a peculiar style, a good deal +of the point of their songs consisting in the entire elimination +of anything like musical tone from many notes and +passages. A clever and good buffo singer may very likely +be able to sing other music well, but the style is so entirely +dramatic and so utterly out of place anywhere except on +the stage, that no amateur should ever attempt it, and no +professional should appear <i>in a concert-room</i> as the exponent +of such music. Therefore, for those who wish to sing, any +remarks on the peculiarities of a buffo bass would be superfluous; +those who wish to study that line as a profession, +for stage work, must learn all that they need from a regular +dramatic teacher; while those who wish to execute English +"comic" songs, may spare themselves any anxiety as to +their voices: if they have any voice naturally, "comic" +singing will soon destroy its charm, and that will not +matter to them, for the last thing necessary to sing a +"comic" song is the possession of a voice of any kind. +Therefore, if you have a bass (or any other voice, indeed), +avoid "comic" songs, and leave the "buffo" business to +those who can do nothing better.</p> + + +<p><b>Qualities of Voice, Good and Bad.</b>—It may not +be unwelcome to the student to have pointed out to him +those qualities of voice which are to be aimed at or cultivated, +and also those which are to be avoided or overcome.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span></p> + +<p>The charms of a voice are found among the following +qualities: clearness, sweetness, evenness, flexibility, power, +extent of compass, variety, brilliancy, firmness, persuasiveness.<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a></p> + +<p>On the opposite side must be ranked roughness, huskiness, +feebleness (or want of power), shrillness (or want of +depth), hardness and want of flexibility, dulness, or want +of "ring," &c.</p> + +<p>It is, of course, impossible for any one voice to unite in +itself all these merits or all these defects; and you cannot +give yourself merits which Nature has withheld; but you +may marvellously improve what natural merits you have, +and do wonders in overcoming any difficulties which +Nature has placed in your way.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="INSTRUCTION" id="INSTRUCTION">ON INSTRUCTION, MASTERS, AND +"SINGING TUTORS."</a></h2> + + +<p>The voice, and how to use it, is a subject which has troubled +many minds, and no doubt this will continue to be the +case; but the difficult problem will not be solved by running +to pettifogging teachers, who advertise to teach all +that is known of singing, and a little more, in twelve easy +lessons, without previous knowledge or practice at home, +for the small fee of one guinea! Let it be stated once +for all: singing cannot be taught in twelve easy lessons, +and can scarcely be acquired in one hundred very severe +lessons. Therefore distrust at once any one who holds +out so tempting a bait to you; remember that there is no +"royal road" to singing, any more than there is to the +acquirement of any other art; and the person who tells +you that he can teach you to do without trouble that which +costs great artists the study of a lifetime, proclaims himself, +<i>ipso facto</i>, to be a humbug.</p> + + +<p><b>Schools of Singing.</b>—There are several so-called +Schools of Singing. There is a French School, which for +any language but French is bad, and which very seldom +turns out a pleasing singer. There is a German School, +which is worse, being simply the production of coarse noise. +Some people say that there is an English School. I hope +there may be some day, but at present its existence is +rather doubtful, unless those who talk of an English school +of singing mean the Cathedral style—which for solo work +is detestable—or the old school of Oratorio singing, with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> +its Handelian traditions, which was not an English, but +an Italian, and the best Italian, school.</p> + +<p>In fact, there is but one school of singing in the world, +and that is the Italian. Whatever language you wish to +sing in, whatever style of music you wish to study principally, +you must train your voice, produce it, and learn to +use it in the Italian method, if you hope ever to deserve +the name of a singer.</p> + + +<p><b>Masters.</b>—Of course, in a work of this sort, it is impossible, +and would be wrong if it were possible, to mention +the names of living teachers: therefore I can only +give general hints. If possible, study only under a master +whom you know to have lived in Italy, and to have studied +there for some years under some good master or in some +good Conservatoire—Naples, Milan, and Florence generally +supply the best. Possibly, for an English singer, an +English master <i>who fulfils these conditions</i> may be better +than even an Italian, as he should understand better the +peculiarities of English voices and temperaments, and +would know at once where the chief difficulties would lie. +Let me, however, correct a popular error. A good singer +is not necessarily a good teacher, nor is it necessary for +a first-class teacher to be able to sing at all. Nor need +you necessarily look for your master among foreigners +with fine sounding names. There are two or three good +teachers of singing in this country who are foreigners; +but there is also some native talent equally capable of +teaching singing, as it is accepted in this country at the +present time. These know the English style better than +any foreigner can teach it, and after all, style is the chief +consideration.</p> + + +<p><b>Institutions.</b>—As we have no real English School of +singing, it is perhaps fortunate that we have no Conservatoire. +There are, however, Institutions accessible to those +who cannot afford to have masters at home or to place +themselves under a private teacher. Of these, the chief +is the Royal Academy of Music, in Tenterden Street, +Hanover Square. There is also the National Training<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> +School of Music, the London Academy of Music, also the +Guildhall School, and there is Trinity College, London, +where I believe singing lessons may also be obtained. To +all these establishments singing masters, more or less +good, are attached, and it is open to any one to obtain +admission to the concerts given from time to time at the +institutions themselves, and to form some kind of opinion +as to the teachers from the performances of the pupils. It +would be well for an intending student to do this, for of +course at any institution where there are several professors, +one might suit you and another might not; it is even conceivable +that one professor might do all for you that you +could possibly require, while another professor might be +an ignorant charlatan. Therefore, hear their pupils and +judge for yourself, making inquiries at the same time of +musical people who are qualified to express an opinion +on singing. I must not, however, withhold from my +readers my conviction that private lessons are better and +more effectual than those taken in schools and academies. +The terms at these public institutions are such that they +preclude the possibility of more than twenty or thirty +minutes being devoted to each pupil, and that is <i>not</i> a +sufficient time to bestow upon a lesson. Forty-five or +sixty minutes are needed to give a good lesson; and the +pupil who pays fifteen shillings or a guinea for this, does +a wiser thing than the one who pays a fourth of that sum +for, say, twenty minutes' attention.</p> + +<p><b>A First Opinion.</b>—The actual successful teachers of +singing in London may be counted on the fingers of one +hand, and those who are qualified to teach singing, but who +are not specially successful, may be found on the remaining +five fingers. Each of these professors would probably +not take less than one guinea the lesson, and it would, +honestly, be far cheaper in the long run to pay this sum +for one good lesson in singing than it would be to have +fifty lessons founded upon wrong principles, even for nothing. +And for this reason: teachers of this calibre will +not trouble themselves about you or your guineas unless +you have a promising voice, some general musical talent,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> +and show signs of becoming, to some degree, a credit to +your <i>teacher</i>, for to these men guinea pupils are very plentiful, +and it is only reasonable that a guinea from a clever +pupil should be worth considerably more to a sensitive +artist than the same amount from a fool. Therefore, a +first opinion from one such teacher may save your spending +money, time, and energy on a pursuit in which you +can never succeed.</p> + + +<p><b>Bad Lessons.</b>—Never take a bad singing lesson till +you know how to sing. You may then do so (if you care +to), and learn the "how not to do it" of singing. It is +commonly supposed that the earliest singing lessons may +be administered by any "dabbler," and the last touches +given afterwards by a "finishing master." Never was there +a greater error. Pay your guineas first, and your shillings +afterwards. If you cannot afford to have good instruction +in beginning to sing, you will be still less able to take it +afterwards, for artistic reasons. Remember that every bad +singing lesson which you take hardens old faults and +creates new ones, and, moreover, takes you farther and +farther away from your original starting-point. So, when +you begin under the right man and the right method, you +have to <i>undo</i> all this that you have expended toil and +money to acquire.</p> + + +<p><b>Bad Teachers.</b>—It is astonishing how much money +is wasted by people who want to sing, through not going +at once to the fountain-head for the necessary training. +Because a man is a musician many people conclude that +he must necessarily be able to teach singing! Such an +idea is scarcely less monstrous than that of a man being a +good physician and consequently competent to amputate +a limb, or to take out and reset an eye. Do not follow this +"multitude to do evil." Be as careful in inquiring about +your singing master as you would be about your doctor. +Both in London and in the country there are "professors" +whose knowledge of singing stops at professing—the class +of people who (very likely) keep a music-shop, tune your<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> +piano, play polkas and waltzes for your evening parties, +and have a brass plate on their doors to this effect:</p> + +<table border="1" cellpadding="15" summary="Brass Plate"> + <tr> + <td class="center"> + <span class="smcap big">Mr. Handel Moscheles Ignazio Jones,<br /> + professor of the pianoforte, harmony,<br /> + the violin, italian, and singing.</span> + </td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p>All honourable professions, no doubt; but to profess to +combine them all is dishonourable, and insulting to the +common sense of those who know anything of any one of +the subjects professed. A singing master, if he is worth +anything, must be a man of one trade—singing. For the +teaching of singing is a "specialty," and the man who can +teach it <i>properly</i> is not likely to be a man of all (musical) +work.</p> + + +<p><b>Books of Exercises, &c.</b>—There are numerous +"Singing Tutors" published, giving rules, exercises, <i>solfeggi</i>, +&c. Many of these are excellent, and some nearly +perfect. But all alike are useless or worse than useless to +the tyro, without a master. You might as well suppose +that a child could learn to be a carpenter by having some +fine wood and a box of good tools.</p> + +<p>I have before observed that voices vary as faces do; no +two are exactly alike, each voice having its peculiar merit +and its peculiar defect. Now, a good master will treat +each voice on its own merit, and not place it at first on +the Procrustean bed of a book of rules and exercises. He +will probably write down his own exercises expressly for +his pupil, and if not that, he will select certain exercises +from the book, and forbid others to be attempted for a +time. You must also let your master select such a book +for you, so that you may have one in which the rules do +not contradict those which he has already given you +verbally, or else you will be perplexed with a multitude +of counsellors.</p> + +<p>It is not till a certain stage in singing has been reached,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> +under the training of a master, that any book of exercises +can be of service to you. When that stage is reached, you +will find such a work of great use in a part of your labours. +Among such books may be named as especially good,—Concone's +Exercises, Righini's, Guercia's, Nava's, +Lablache's, and Lamperti's; but, again I say, do not +choose for yourself. There are some excellent rules, as +well as some good exercises, in an old work of the kind +by Crivelli, and also in "Singing Exemplified," a work +by T. Cooke. If you can meet with these, secure them—although +I fear they may be long since out of print—for +in the literature of singing the <i>new</i> is by no means +certain to excel what was written in the days of our best +composers and singers of operas and oratorios.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="ON_THE_PRACTICE_OF_SINGING" id="ON_THE_PRACTICE_OF_SINGING">ON THE PRACTICE OF SINGING.</a></h2> + + +<p>Remember that the voice is of all instruments the most +difficult one to study, and to bring perfectly under control, +especially for the first year or two. Do not attempt to +cultivate it with the view to professional remuneration, +unless you can set apart at least two hours daily for most +careful study, and can also afford to wait at least eight or +ten years for any <i>substantial</i> pecuniary reward for your +labours.</p> + + +<p><b>Individuality.</b>—It is of great importance to bear in +mind that no two voices are exactly alike. To some +singers is given quality of voice, to others quantity. And +for each alike, steady, well-aimed, and well-ordered practice +is indispensable. But, whatever you sing ought, like your +voice, to have some touch of individuality: the song should +seem to come naturally from you, and to be the spontaneous +expression of your thoughts. At the same time +you must not lose sight of the all-important guide which +you have in the composer's intentions and wishes. Remember +that a small and delicate voice may be made to +go as far as, if not farther than, a voice of large volume +and long compass. By judicious management, by touching +expression of the softer feelings, by careful selection of +music to be performed, the obstacles which are placed in +a singer's way by want of power may be effectually removed, +because the audience will irresistibly feel the +influence of the singer's individuality. The difficulties of +the singer who has the gift of quantity rather than quality<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> +of voice, are in some respects greater, because the necessity +for thus impressing on his audience a sense of his own +individuality is not so strongly forced on him by circumstances. +Not only has he to labour to attain a good quality +of tone, but he must also resist the temptation to fancy +that "might is right," and that the "sensation" caused by +a powerful voice is all that he need aim at. And here let +me say, the way to get quality is to listen as often as +possible to some leading singer of your own kind of voice. +Try and imitate his tone; but above all practise with a +medium tone—a <i>mezzo-voce</i>—listen for the beauty in your +tone, and think of what you are doing when practising.</p> + + +<p><b>Perseverance.</b>—The surest means of improving and +strengthening the voice is by constantly exercising and +practising it. Just as the muscles and fibres of the legs +of a pedestrian are increased and made capable of great +exertion by careful training, so is it with the nerves and +muscles of the throat. With judicious training, the compass +of the voice is extended, its quality is improved, its +tones grow rounder and firmer; and, if the master is a +good one, and the pupil is willing to study patiently for +some time, never resting content, but always aiming at +further progress as year succeeds year, he may not unreasonably +hope to attain a well-earned place in his profession, +and its attendant reward.</p> + + +<p><b>Facial Expression.</b>—A looking-glass should form a +part of the furniture of a singing student's study, for it is +most important to watch the face—its features and expressions—when +singing; and it is none the less useful for +insuring the constant right position of the mouth. In +respect to the facial expression when singing, there is a +very great tendency to look too serious, too severe, and +too hard when earnestly studying. Now, a cheerful and +good-humoured expression does not necessarily imply +carelessness, and it is far more agreeable to the audience +than an anxious and troubled look. Some people look +quite savage when singing; and when rendering passages +of love and tenderness, their features are far more indicative<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> +of rage, revenge, and murder! And this very common +fault is generally quite an unconscious habit. It is only +to be remedied by constant care, and to this end practice +before a looking-glass will be found very helpful.</p> + + +<p><b>Position of the Body.</b>—How to stand when +singing has been explained by a great number of writers +on the subject, and most of the explanations given have +been chiefly remarkable as being entirely erroneous and +false. The body should not be kept in a perfectly upright +position, as it is (too popularly) believed that it should. +The best position is when the body is well collected, +with its chief weight upon the right leg and foot, with +the head gently leaning forward, and the arms and, indeed, +the whole carriage disposed in that manner which would +indicate to the audience a sort of desire on your part to +<i>persuade</i> them and bring them over to your feelings and +sentiments. When the right leg begins to tire with the +weight of the body, the left leg can take its duty, when +the right may be gracefully drawn back as in dancing. +The best lesson on this subject, however, can be gleaned +by carefully watching the <i>pose</i> of a good Italian singer +during singing.</p> + + +<p><b>Self-Accompaniment.</b>—A sitting position is a very +bad one in which to practise. All singing should be done +in a standing position, and the student is strongly urged +to adhere to this rule. Instead of sitting at the pianoforte, +and accompanying an exercise or "solfeggio," it is +far better to sound the first note of each passage therein, +and master the same without any accompaniment. The +advantages of this mode of practising must be obvious; +but one of the most important is, that the attention is not +divided between the pianoforte and the voice, while it +leaves the singer free to give all his attention and care to +the <i>production</i> of the notes which he is endeavouring to +sing artistically.</p> + + +<p><b>Position of the Arms.</b>—I would urge upon the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> +student to hold a piece of music in his hands while he +practises. There is a place for the hands when singing +in public; but this place is neither the trouser-pockets, +nor on the hips, nor behind the back, nor across the +chest, but rather that position which is secured by +<i>leisurely</i> holding the music-sheet, not as if actually singing +therefrom, but as though it were merely intended for +reference, if required. This easy attitude not only gives +the hands and arms their legitimate position, but also +lends a grace and freedom to other parts of the body, all +which points must be attended to in singing. Remember +to keep the arms well away from the body. Some singers +stick the elbows into the waist, as though to give support; +instead of doing which, they hinder the free action of the +lungs, besides giving an awkward look to the whole figure.</p> + + +<p><b>Position of the Hands.</b>—Do not let your hands +hang down, but keep them well before you, in some position +which allows of your turning the palms uppermost. In +this way you (as it were) lock the joints of the shoulders, +and put a check on the tendency to raise the shoulders, +which is an invariable consequence of taking breath +wrongly. Keep your shoulders well back, your elbows +depressed, and your hands with the palms uppermost, and +you will find it difficult, if not impossible, to indulge in +the vice of heaving the chest and shoulders up and down, +like the piston of a steam-engine!</p> + + +<p><b>Position of the Throat.</b>—One of the first conditions +of singing well is to keep the throat open. To have +the throat in its proper position the tongue must be kept +down, and hollowed like the bowl of a spoon, its root being +well depressed. Nor must the throat ever be allowed to +screw itself up small, a common failing of many singers +whenever they approach a high note. Most of my readers +have yawned once or twice in their lives: if they will do +it once more, in front of their looking-glass, and watch the +inside of the mouth as they yawn, they will see and feel +the exact position in which the throat should be during +good singing. It will be useful to repeat this proceeding<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> +until the mind is thoroughly impressed and the memory +familiarized with the feeling of the mouth and throat in +this, the correct position for singing.</p> + + +<p><b>Position of the Throat, &c., in Soft Singing.</b>—When +singing softly, or <i>piano</i>, as it is called, take great +pains to keep your throat as open as you would for singing +loudly, leaving it entirely to the mouth and lips to +keep the tone soft, yet steady and firm. Do not forget, +too, that in soft singing it is a great advantage to keep the +mouth in a smiling position.</p> + + +<p><b>Position of the Tongue.</b>—The tongue, while being +so useful, is nevertheless a very unruly member in singing. +It has so great a tendency to get out of its place. Its legitimate +office is to rest quite flat, or even hollow, in the +bottom of the mouth, with its root well down, as this keeps +the throat-passage clear, and with the tip of it just touching +the lower teeth. Get a looking-glass, and continually +watch the position of the tongue. Never allow it to roll +up or turn about when singing, or the effect produced +will be scarcely worth repeating. The tongue should +occupy the least possible space in the mouth, and this is +the case when the directions here given are carried out.</p> + + +<p><b>Position of the Larynx.</b>—The larynx, or upper part +of the wind-pipe, plays a most important part in singing. +Upon it depends all the beauty, and quality, and richness +of the voice. The singer will do well to constantly think +about the larynx, to watch it, to feel that it is well down +below the mouth before commencing the first note of a +song, which note must, under such circumstances, be rich, +round, and penetrating. Then the larynx must never be +allowed to rise above this fixed point. It may be deepened, +and must be, for the higher notes, but it must never ascend, +or nearly approach the roof of the mouth, or the sound-passage +is closed, and the sounds become at once impure, +vitiated, and without body or foundation.</p> + +<p>Try and guard against the bad habit of pushing forward +the chin when singing, otherwise the tone cannot fail to +be faulty. The chin should be well down on the chest,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> +and the larynx quite low, to lead to an easy and pure production +of tone. To be constantly moving both the jaws +for every note, continually displaces the larynx, impairs +the purity of the tone, spoils the articulation of the words, +and, what is worse than all, produces a hideous expression +of the features, which latter fault would alone be sufficient +to prejudice seriously the chances of any singing artists. +The lower parts of the jaws, not the upper ones, should +do the work; and when a high passage or note is before +the singer, the lower parts of the jaws should be exercised +to drop as the notes increase in height. The singer's face +should be controlled, if no other member can be so regulated.</p> + + +<p><b>Singing in the Head.</b>—There is, in all beginners, +a tendency to sing too much in the head, that is, to have +the foundation of the tones too high up in the throat. +This fault is due to the difficulty experienced by beginners +in keeping the larynx sufficiently below the mouth. The +fulness of tone, the rich, round, and mellow quality which +is so much admired in all good singers, is almost entirely +owing to the voice being pitched low down, and not high +up in the throat, towards the back of the head (as it <i>appears</i> +to be).</p> + +<p>A few trials of this will soon convince the student of +the vast difference in the character and <i>timbre</i> of the tones +of these two ways, and also of the economy of the plan +here recommended, so far as regards the wear and tear +of the voice in practice.</p> + + +<p><b>Throatiness.</b>—Throatiness, or singing in the throat, +is the common enemy of all English singers. Our language +is the chief cause of this disagreeable habit, which +we begin to acquire as soon as we learn to talk. Still, by +diligence, the evil can be cured, and no better plan can +be followed than to constantly practise singing the vowel-sounds +Ah, A, E, O, throughout the compass of the voice, +taking every possible care—and this is the point—never +to allow the <i>tone</i> to vary, nor to leave the teeth, and not +to screw up the throat, especially in high notes. It is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> +impossible to produce a "throaty" quality of voice if the +throat is well open, and the tone is firmly directed, and +kept on the upper teeth and front of the mouth. On the +other hand, if the student screws up the throat, rolls the +tongue, or practises singing without being constantly on +the look-out for the "voice on the teeth," the result must +be a "throatiness," which is most disagreeable to all people +who have any real knowledge of what singing should be.</p> + + +<p><b>Clearing the Throat.</b>—Singers, good and bad, are +often troubled with an apparent stoppage in the throat, +and this inconvenience seems to be at its worst just at +that moment when they wish to sing. To displace or to +cure this stoppage, they begin hacking and coughing +("clearing the throat" as it is called), which proceeding, +however, only makes bad worse for the time being, and +finally grows into a habit, till at last such people cannot +venture to open their mouths without first subjecting the +throat to a series of these irritating "hacks." A good +master will soon cure this complaint by refusing to continue +the lesson whenever the pupil gives way to the bad +habit. It is in many cases simply a nervous trick, and if the +singer will accustom himself to <i>swallow</i> instead of coughing, +whenever he feels the sensation of which we are +speaking, he will soon get rid of it. If it results in any +case from real weakness of the throat, it may be beneficial +to gargle three or four times a day with moderately strong +salt and water, especially before singing. This does no +harm to the voice, and by bracing and strengthening the +muscles of the throat renders them more obedient to the +singer's will.</p> + + +<p><b>High Notes.</b>—Many people find great difficulty in +counting, with any degree of certainty, upon the top notes +of their register. I know of no greater assistance towards +bringing these out than that of well contracting the mouth +and lips at the beginning of the passage in which these +high notes occur, dropping the lower jaws, and securing +a good play of the mouth as the highest note is reached, +at the same time keeping the throat as open as possible,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> +ejecting the sound to the audience with as much "lip-force" +as can be secured, being careful that the tone is safe "on +the teeth" before the note is "opened."</p> + + +<p><b>The Scale.</b>—There can be no doubt whatever that +the grand groundwork of all singing is the diatonic scale. +On it is built all the graceful forms and figures which belong +to the great artist. Yet how few seem to know and +to appreciate this fact! To excel, the diatonic scale must +be practised most seriously and assiduously in its plain +and simple form; nor must it be left until the student +can sing every note therein purely, without wavering or +flutter, and with precision, in the soft, medium, and loud +voices.</p> + + +<p><b>Forte, Mezzo-Voce, and Piano.</b>—The singer will +derive much advantage by bearing in mind that the voice +has three main gradations which the Italians class as the +<i>forte</i>, the <i>mezzo di voce</i>, and the <i>piano</i>. The management +of these three is of vital importance, and the singer should +certainly practise the scales in all three voices, and have +each at command for every exercise and passage which +he studies.</p> + + +<p><b>Tone.</b>—The tone of the voice must never be vitiated +or rendered impure from any cause whatever. There is +always a danger of this in passages of great energy and +passion, but it should be remembered that whatever be the +effect aimed at, it cannot be attained by any means which +involves a change in the tone of the voice. The first and +chief consideration must always be to produce a good tone +in the right manner. If the tone be not good, the singing +cannot be agreeable; and if it be not produced in the +right manner, you have no security that it will be equally +good throughout the voice, or in passages of all kinds.</p> + + +<p><b>Chest, Falsetto, and Head Voice.</b>—I have already +said that there is a good deal of confusion existing +as to the use of the terms "chest," "falsetto," and "head +voice." And this is scarcely to be wondered at, seeing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> +that nobody has yet decided <i>how</i> the three qualities of +sound are produced, while everybody knows that the names +are so far misleading, in that no sound whatever is really +made in the <i>chest</i> or in the <i>head</i>, but that all are due to the +passage of air through the larynx, in which are placed the +vocal cords upon which the air plays. The changes of +sound which are spoken of as "chest," "falsetto," and +"head" voices are due to changes in the position of the +larynx and its surroundings, and in the action of the vocal +cords. What those changes are, and how or why they +cause the results which we hear, has yet to be discovered: +there are several theories, but no one has yet ventured to +claim the certainty of truth for any one of them. There +is an excellent article on "The Larynx" in Stainer and +Barrett's "Dictionary of Musical Terms," to which I would +refer those who wish to understand these various theories. +For my present purpose it is sufficient to point out that +each of the names is an utter misnomer. The "chest" +voice is probably so called because the vibrations of the +notes in that register may be distinctly felt in the chest; +and because the breath passes directly from the chest, as it +seems, without any opposition in the throat, producing the +sound on its way. The "falsetto," or range of notes above +the chest, is so called (and rightly so) because in that register +of voice the tone <i>feigns</i>, or imitates, the tone of the +"chest" notes below, although it is certain that the sounds +are not produced in the same way, for the position of the +vocal cords and their attendant parts is different, and +changes suddenly on the passage of the voice from the +chest to the upper register. A falsetto, rightly trained +and used, is one, therefore, which is true to its name, and +so well imitates the "chest," that the hearer cannot distinguish +the "false" from the real "chest tone." The +"head voice," which many people persist in confusing with +the falsetto, is so called because to the singer it feels as +though the notes so produced came from the head. This +is due to the larynx itself rising up in the throat and approaching +the back of the head. It comprises, in reality, +<i>all</i> that part of the voice which lies above the "chest" +register, all the lower part of it being shared by the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> +"falsetto," exactly as the falsetto shares the greater part of +the chest register. The falsetto, therefore, belongs to both, +and its use is to carry, by its power of imitation, the tone +of the lower or chest register into the upper or head +register, so combining them that no audible change of +quality, or "break," is perceptible.</p> + + +<p><b>Scale Practice.</b>—It cannot be too strongly impressed +upon, or too frequently pointed out to, the singer (no +matter what may be the stage of his or her artistic development) +how desirable and advantageous it is to be constantly +singing exercises and solfeggi in preference to songs. +It is a popular fallacy, especially among amateurs, that +the practice of scales and intervals should be left behind +as soon as possible. Pray do not be mistaken. The never-failing +daily practice of singing open chords in solfeggi, +scales, and exercises, is fraught with advantages which +cannot be gained by the study of yards, or even miles, of +song tunes. As an instance of how much may be done in +the study of scale practice, the writer would point out that +this particular exercise should not be left until the student +can sing the diatonic scales throughout the whole extent of +the voice in one unbroken breath, and with one quality, +character, and volume of voice. When this point has been +reached, its peculiar efficacy will be so apparent as not to +require any recommendation or advice for its daily continuance.</p> + + +<p><b>First Exercises.</b>—This is a book of advice, not of +exercises, nor do I profess to teach you, but only to point +out to you, how you must prepare to be taught. I cannot +too often repeat that no book by itself can teach you singing, +and my object is not to supersede a master, but to induce +you to place yourself under a good one. However, +it may happen that circumstances of time, place, or pocket +prevent your doing so as soon as you would wish, and it +is far better even to learn from a book what you can in the +way of rules and exercises, than to go on singing by the +light of nature, or under a cheap and inefficient master, or +working at exercises too advanced for a beginner (which +is as bad as not working at any at all). I therefore give<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> +here a few simple but most important exercises, which you +may work at until you are able to place yourself under the +care of a good master. Bear in mind, first, all that has +already been said here about taking your breath, the position +of standing, the form of your mouth, and place of +throat, tongue, teeth, &c., and study the following exercises +daily say to the extent of thirty minutes three times a day, +with full attention to all the above points:</p> + +<div class="hide-link"><p class="center"><a href="music/practice.pdf">[Exercises in PDF]</a></p></div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 591px;"> +<img src="images/063.png" width="591" height="100" alt="Exercise 1" title="Exercise 1" /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/063.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p>Sing this fully and firmly. It should be begun and +ended with the same quality and "thickness" of sound, as +suggested by the even line over each note. You should +be able to hold each note out in one breath for twenty +seconds without the slightest alteration being perceptible +in the tone, any more than there would be if it was a note +proceeding from an organ-pipe. Practise it on each of the +following sounds consecutively: "A" in "Bard," "A" +in "Fate," "E" in "Steel," "I" in "Life," "O" in +"Pole," "U" in "Rule," prefixing each sound by L, and +so singing Lah, Lay, Lee, Li, Lo, Loo. In singing this +first exercise, which for basses and barytones will be, of +course, an octave lower, be careful not to force the lower +notes, and do not seek to get a powerful tone thereupon. +The tone does not need to be full and heavy on these +notes, but rather should be a <span class="smcap">well-produced</span>, light, and +thin quality of note. The way to proceed is: (1) To inspire +the breath from the bottom of the lungs as it were—not +raising the shoulders. (2) Steady the breath for a second +or so in the chest while you THINK the note you are +about to sing, and while you prepare your throat and +mouth for singing by lowering the larynx and opening the +throat. (3) Then begin to sound the note—not from the +back of the mouth, but from the tip of the tongue and +the front teeth—thus taking the whole of the tone out of +the mouth, which is what is required to be done. Sustain +the note till you have only a little breath left—then finish<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> +off in a clean manner, and allow the remaining breath to +leave the lungs and body in an orderly way.—Repeat the +same operation for <i>every</i> note, and if you desire to make +progress, give a minute's attention of this kind to every +single note.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 586px;"> +<img src="images/064a.png" width="586" height="96" alt="Exercise 2" title="Exercise 2" /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/064a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p>and so on, rising by semitones until you come to this:</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 582px;"> +<img src="images/064b.png" width="582" height="81" alt="Exercise 2, continued" title="Exercise 2, continued" /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/064b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p>which is certainly the highest that you ought to attempt at +present.</p> + +<p>Exercise No. 2 is a first step towards joining notes, and +is another difficulty in the matter of <i>production</i>. The +object to be aimed at is to sing the two notes which are +bound (or tied) together with the same breath, and the +same body and quality of tone. To step from C to E, +the first movement in the exercise is to raise the voice a +major third; but the student must pass from his mind +any notion of raising the throat in order to sound the +higher third. As the note E is higher than the C, the +tone of the former must be generated lower in the chest +than had been the case with the C. The higher the note +to be sung, the lower must be its generating-point in the +chest. This is the only way to <span class="smcap">open</span> the voice, and I need +scarcely say that it produces an entirely different tone and +method than are secured by the common habit of screwing +and tightening the throat, in proportion as the notes +ascend in pitch.</p> + +<p>Another good exercise which may be combined with the +last-given is the following:</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 580px;"> +<img src="images/064c.png" width="580" height="204" alt="Exercise 3" title="Exercise 3" /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/064c.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span></p> +<p>This exercise (3) must be sung in the same manner as +indicated with No. 2, care being taken as each note gets +higher to pass <i>under</i> the preceding note, and not as it +were to generate a high note over a lower one.</p> + +<p>After which you may take this:</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 592px;"> +<img src="images/065a.png" width="592" height="100" alt="Exercise 4" title="Exercise 4" /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/065a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p>but sing it very slowly and deliberately, bearing in mind +the production of the high notes.</p> + +<p>As you begin to get all these notes firm and round, you +may take these same exercises in D, D<span lang="en" title="flat">♭</span>, and E<span lang="en" title="flat">♭</span>, but be +very careful not to force the upper notes.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 580px;"> +<img src="images/065b.png" width="580" height="307" alt="Exercise 5" title="Exercise 5" /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/065b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p>Exercise 5 is one where the question of the breath and +its proper management becomes of vital importance. +The reader will observe the notes are bound together, and +the student's attention should be turned towards passing +from one note to the other, without any appreciable difference +in the <i>quality</i>—I do not say pitch—of the tone. +Having inspired in the manner already explained, the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> +singer will sound the <i>Do</i> with a pure, sympathetic, not +harsh or forced sound; and by <i>pressing down</i> the breath, +will <i>lift</i> the voice on to the <i>Re</i>. When he has succeeded +with the step of a second, he can go on to the step of a +third, fourth, &c. The care must be to utilize the breath, +always supporting the tone with the breath. If the sound +wavers, then there is something wrong with the breath. +You are either singing with too little, or are forcing the +breath.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 582px;"> +<img src="images/066a.png" width="582" height="264" alt="Exercise 6" title="Exercise 6" /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/066a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p>And so on.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 582px;"> +<img src="images/066b.png" width="582" height="182" alt="Exercise 7" title="Exercise 7" /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/066b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p>And so on, descending the scale by semitones.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 582px;"> +<img src="images/066c.png" width="582" height="187" alt="Exercise 8" title="Exercise 8" /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/066c.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span></p> + +<p>Practise No. 8 slowly and steadily, with perfectly even +tone throughout, without any crescendo or diminuendo.</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p>Let all the above exercises be taken successively, <i>forte</i>, +<i>a mezzo-voce</i>, and <i>piano</i>, preserving exactly the same amount +of tone throughout each passage, and holding the notes +with the same force with which you attack them steadily +to the end, not letting them die away. The trick of letting +notes die away is easily learnt afterwards, but at present +you have to master the far greater difficulty of holding +notes firmly with unvarying tone. Practise these exercises +on all the vowel-sounds already given. All such exercises +are of course only variations of the diatonic and chromatic +scales, so arranged as to prepare the voice for executing +those scales evenly and perfectly, with equality of tone on +every note; for till you can sing scales, you are not fit to +sing songs of any kind.</p> + + +<p><b>Duration of Practice.</b>—Always guard against over-straining +and over-working the voice. Do not sing or +practise for a longer time than half an hour without allowing +the voice rest for some time. If you have three hours +at your disposal daily to devote to singing, the most +economical use of the time is to divide it equally between +the morning, afternoon, and evening.</p> + + +<p><b>Singing in Tune</b>.—Correct intonation is of the +greatest possible importance in singing. Every singer +should pay especial attention to this point. The heavier +the voice, the more necessary becomes such attention, +and therefore contralti and basses are strongly advised to +lose no time in facing this (to them) considerable difficulty. +Deep basses, indeed, are rarely perfectly in tune for any +long time together, and some of the most famous bass +singers have left behind them recollections of this painful +defect. Therefore, whatever be your voice, do not take +for granted that even the possession of a good ear will +always ensure your singing in tune. Sometimes excellent +singers, and good musicians too, will sing out of tune,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> +perfectly aware that they are doing so, but, for a time, +unable to prevent it from physical causes—relaxation of +the throat, fatigue, indisposition, &c., under which conditions +the muscles are unable to obey the will as usual. +Do not, then, make too light of this matter, because you +may think yourself quite incapable of singing out of tune; +it is at all events wiser to be on the safe side. Therefore, +never practise (nor sing, if you can help it) with a pianoforte +which is not well in tune and well "up to pitch." +And be very constant in practising intervals, such as major +and minor sixths and sevenths, so as to be able to strike +them as perfectly in tune and as unvarying in quality as +the notes of an organ diapason.</p> + + +<p><b>How to Begin.</b>—Many people never make a good +start when beginning to sing any piece. Now a very good +remedy for a part of this evil is not to prepare yourself +too soon. Use the bar immediately preceding that in +which your part commences to gather up your faculties, +and, to use a common phrase, "to pull yourself together;" +then let the muscles of the body gently settle down. The +ease and freedom acquired by this momentary call upon +the system is very remarkable; and for the singer especially +the hint cannot be too often acted upon.</p> + + +<p><b>Variety Indispensable.</b>—An unchanging volume of +sound is very soon wearying to the ear; and therefore a +singer who scarcely ever varies the pitch of his voice will +find that however loudly he may sing, his audience will +have a feeling of dissatisfaction, as though they could not +hear him distinctly—the fact being that their ears, being +fatigued with the uniformity of the noise, cannot do their +proper work, and the attention therefore flags. One great +secret of being agreeably heard by an audience is to vary +the body of tone (not the <i>quality</i> of it, observe). As a +rule singers are left tolerably free to do as they like in this +respect. Composers of songs rarely give them any help +in the matter. In fact, nowadays so many people compose +"vocal music" without knowing anything about the vocal +instrument for which they compose, that it is not wonderful<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> +that they ignore their power of helping the singer by +properly combining duly marked <i>forte</i>, <i>piano</i>, and <i>mezzo-voce</i> +passages, so as to ensure a variety of effect. Therefore, +in most modern music, a singer has to take his own +"reading" of a song, and to make it as effective as he +can by varying the power of his voice. It might even be +taken as a rule that every <i>forte</i> passage should be succeeded +by a soft one. The voice should rise and fall, and be +varied in its inflexions in that agreeable manner which is +so marked in good orators and dramatic elocutionists.</p> + + +<p><b>Chorus Singing.</b>—If you are studying seriously for +solo singing, you must discontinue all chorus singing, +especially during training. Singing in church choirs and +choral societies must be abandoned. And this not because +there is no good to be learned there, but because the little +good is by no means commensurate with the great amount +of harm which is acquired along with the good. To +enumerate here all the evil habits so easily learnt would +be impossible. Not the least of them, however, is the +tendency to shout louder than your neighbour, to use +yourself to the bad habits of those on each side of you; +to produce a bad tone; to "chop" the passages instead +of phrasing them; to attack notes carelessly; to sing +coarsely; to depend on others; to get into a machine-like +regularity of rendering the music. All these evil +habits are the result of chorus singing; and while many +of them are detrimental to the voice itself, it may be +safely said that any one of these habits is fatal to good +solo singing.</p> + + +<p><b>Humming.</b>—Some people have a wretched habit of +continually humming tunes. Pray do not get into this +habit of singing unconsciously—than which nothing is +more prejudicial to the voice. You should never sound a +note without being perfectly aware of what you are doing, +and that it is being done in the right manner. The faults +acquired by "humming over," as it is called, are of the +worst kind, and, moreover, they are far sooner acquired +than eradicated.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span></p> + + +<p><b>Studying Songs.</b>—Be careful, in studying a new song, +not to waste either time or strength by a trifling and superficial +treatment of it. "Whatever is worth doing at all, +is worth doing well." First of all, <i>sol-fa</i> the melody a +few times in a full <i>mezzo-voce</i>. Then study it with rather +stronger tone, paying attention to lights and shades, yet +at the same time being chiefly occupied with the melody +itself. Then make your breath-marks, and adhere to the +same unfailingly. Then sing the melody once throughout, +in order to find the weak places; having found which, +you need no more practise the whole of the melody, but +give all the attention to these latter phrases. Having +mastered these, the melody will be complete. It will then +be necessary to determine where the notes shall be made +to <i>bend</i> into each other, to add the <i>nuances</i>, a few graceful +figures and effects which belong alone to the true artist.</p> + + +<p><b>Imitation.</b>—By no means the worst lesson which you +can have will be gained by imitation of some acknowledged +first-rate singer, whose voice is of the same kind as your +own. Before going to a concert at which any such artist +is announced to sing, procure copies of his songs (if possible), +and make yourself acquainted with the compositions +first of all. Then go and hear how those works are rendered +by the singer who is to be your model; listen with +your copy in your hand; make notes of any points which +strike you, and while the impression made upon you is +still fresh, go home and imitate them as closely as you can.</p> + + +<p><b>General Musical Study.</b>—If you want to be a good +singing artist, many more things besides singing should be +studied. You should be sufficiently acquainted with the +pianoforte to play your own accompaniments, even of the +most difficult songs, well enough to get an idea of them. +Then a knowledge of harmony, counterpoint, and orchestration +is of the greatest value. The study of the best +scores, orchestral and vocal, should not be neglected, and +further, the student should make himself or herself otherwise +familiar with the rise and progress of the art, by +reading all the best books on the subject, whether historical, +critical, or biographical.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="ON_STYLE" id="ON_STYLE">ON STYLE, EXPRESSION, &c.</a></h2> + + +<p>The study of language, articulation, and deportment, the +gradual formation and building-up of the singing voice, +and the incessant practice of scales and exercises, are in +reality only the necessary preliminaries to singing itself. +Singing, or the proper use of the voice combined with the +due enunciation and expression of the words, is nothing +unless due attention be also paid to style, to the fit and +effective execution of the music selected, due regard being +paid both to taste and tradition.</p> + + +<p><b>Traditional Styles.</b>—Although the groundwork of +all good singing is the same, the music to be sung varies +greatly in style. There is church music, oratorio music, +and opera music, as well as ballad music; and a certain +nondescript—half recitative, half declamation—which is +of modern growth, gives pleasure to many people (both +performers and audience), and comprises the greater +number of modern German "songs."</p> + + +<p><b>Modern German Lieder.</b>—This latest development +of vocal performances, of which I desire to speak +with all due respect, has no traditions whatever, but it has +a style, decided, though (in my opinion) bad. It has, +however, one merit: it imperatively demands that the +singer should understand the meaning both of words and +music, for the whole thing depends on expression and +modulation. The composers of these works generally do +their part fully in the way of modulations and accompaniment;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> +but as they frequently forget to supply anything in +the shape of a melody, the singer must do his best to +touch or move his audience by his expressive delivery of +the words in the musical inflections which (with this class +of composers) occupy the place of a "tune." However, +if you admire this kind of music, and have been properly +taught to sing before you attempt to execute it, I have +not a word to say against it: so long as you use your voice +legitimately, this style of music can do you no harm, and +if you study dramatic expression and elocution properly, +you may doubtless produce an effect very pleasing to +others who admire it. But the danger of such music to +the untrained voice and untaught singer is very great +indeed; and I do not hesitate to say that the frequent +performance of it by such an one <i>must</i> result in the ruin +both of voice and style.</p> + + +<p><b>The Cathedral School.</b>—The one point in music +wherein England has just reason to boast of her past, is +the existence of a distinct class of music composed for +her church service, and that music of a high order of merit. +Distinctive in character, this church music—"services" +and "anthems"—has created for itself a distinct school +of singers, and, by tradition, demands a distinct style of +performance. I have elsewhere stated that the "Cathedral +School" of singing is "detestable for solo work," and +so it is for any solo work except cathedral solo work, where +the operatic or oratorio style of singing would seem to us, +who have always been familiar with the traditional and +one accepted style, out of place, and irreverently suggestive +of the concert-room. It is difficult to describe upon paper +the peculiarity of this style of singing, and it could only +be learnt by imitation in its own home, the cathedral. Its +chief characteristics are a sort of passionless "statuesqueness," +a steadiness of tone akin to the notes of the organ, +which is its only fit accompaniment, an absence of all +attempt at personal display on the part of the singer. Its +faulty tendencies are towards deficiency of expression and +slowness of "attack;" these are apparent, generally, when +a "cathedral" singer appears in the concert-room; but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> +in church, the pervadingly reverent character of the performance +takes off the impression of coldness and tameness +in the individual singer, while the ear, accustomed +to the slight difference in time with which the various +organ-stops "answer," does not notice in the singer that +want of "crispness" in the time which the accompaniment +of an orchestra reveals at once.</p> + +<p>Unless you are really intending to sing professionally in +a church or cathedral choir, the study of this style will +not be of much use to you; you will find its good points +equally insisted on in the oratorio school of singing, while +its defects should be avoided in any. For <b>English part-singing</b> +there is, however, no training so good, its traditions +being exactly those of the finest old English secular part-music—the +madrigals of Wilbye, Weekes, and Purcell, &c.</p> + + +<p><b>Oratorio.</b>—By oratorio singing—speaking of it as a +distinct style—I may say at once that I mean the school +of Handelian singing, of which the traditions are distinct, +and which has only been slightly modified to suit the more +modern oratorios of other composers. Of course, Mendelssohn +cannot be sung exactly like Handel or Bach, but +the general style of delivery should be the same, and till +you can sing Handel, you cannot hope to be able to sing +Mendelssohn. The ability to sing Handel, Bach, and +Glück, I believe to be the sole foundation for a pure style +of singing either in opera or ballad music: the music is +such that it cannot be trifled with—the difficulties cannot +be evaded, but must be mastered—while the exquisitely +smooth and vocal character of these great masters' music +trains the singer to an evenness and solidity of style which +is most valuable in any music that may be afterwards attempted. +Moreover, the songs of Handel form an admirable +school for the training of individual taste and judgment +in the introduction of ornaments, the variety of phrasing, +and other minute details of finish. Not that you may +exercise your individual taste in introducing ornaments +into Handel or Bach—far from it; but the songs are +written with the express intention that certain ornaments +should be introduced in particular places, and the style<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> +(and in many cases the notes) of these ornaments has +been accurately handed down to us; therefore, in learning +this traditional manner of singing such music, the student +is trained to a knowledge of the appropriate place for the +introduction of ornamentation and "grace"—the appropriate +character of such embellishments, and the appropriate +opportunities for introducing them. For instance, +most of Handel's songs commence with a movement which +is intended to be repeated at the close of the song, the +middle part being generally a movement in some relative +key, which is not repeated. The traditional style of giving +such songs is to reserve ornamentation for this repeated +first part, and thus to avoid the effect of sameness which +would result from adhering in the "repeat" to exactly the +same rendering of the music with which the singer gave it +at first. Such ornamentations were taken for granted by +the composer, and it was only because of a tasteless abuse +of this privilege of adornment on the part of foolish singers, +an abuse which became an unbearable nuisance, that in +after years Rossini adopted the plan of writing into his +music florid passages which should supply the singer with +ornaments which were good of their kind and which were +put in in appropriate places, rather then trust his airs to +the mercy of inartistic "decorators." Handel, and the +composers of earlier times than Rossini, omitted the ornamentation, +so as not to hamper the singer, for, as has been +well said by an old writer on the subject: "The same execution +that would from one singer afford pleasure, might +from another excite disgust: the compositions of old masters +have no written cadences to a repeated passage, for this +very reason, no doubt. But it is understood, and indeed +expected, that the singer of talent should display his own +taste by the introduction of such fanciful and graceful +ornaments as may be best calculated to exhibit his voice +to advantage, and thereby heighten, instead of lessen, the +effect of the composition."</p> + +<p>The same writer, in explaining the reason for the introduction +of such ornaments and changes, goes on to remark: +"In conversation, though we frequently repeat words and +even sentences, in expressing any particular subject, yet<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> +we might as naturally expect to see a person laugh without +a smile, as give such repetitions without some variation in +voice and manner.</p> + +<p>"The first part of an air is often written to be repeated. +In justice to the author, when that is the case, simplicity +of style should be inviolably preserved; but, on repeating +the strain, free scope may be given to the imagination, +taking it for granted that no person would be vain enough +to attempt the introduction of his own fanciful graces, unless +sufficiently master of the science to feel the propriety +of going so far and no farther."</p> + +<p>Perhaps I may make the meaning of all this clearer by +giving a few specimens of these traditionally accepted +adornments in repeated passages.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 593px;"> +<img src="images/075a.png" width="593" height="118" alt="Music" title="First time." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/075a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">ri - mem - - bran - za, Puoi di nuo-vo, &c.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 594px;"> +<img src="images/075b.png" width="594" height="109" alt="Music" title="Second time." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/075b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">ri - mem - bran - za, Puoi di - nuo-vo, &c.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 594px;"> +<img src="images/075c.png" width="594" height="127" alt="Music" title="First time." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/075c.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">dol - ce ri - mem - bran - za, &c.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 594px;"> +<img src="images/075d.png" width="594" height="120" alt="Music" title="Second time." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/075d.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">dol - ce ri - mem - - bran - za, &c.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 593px;"> +<img src="images/075e.png" width="593" height="240" alt="Music" title="First time." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/075e.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Puoi di nuo - vo, di nuo - vo av - ve-len<br /> +<span style="padding-right:7.9em;">ar ................... mi.</span></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 587px;"> +<img src="images/076a.png" width="587" height="236" alt="Music" title="Second time." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/076a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Puoi - di nuo - vo di nuo - vo av-ve-len<br /> +<span style="padding-right:7.8em;">ar ................... mi.</span></p> + +<p>The above are taken from a fine song by Cesti (1660), +"<i>Tu mancavi a tormentarmi</i>."</p> + +<p>The following are the adornments taught in the Paris +Conservatoire, as traditionally correct in the famous old +song by Lotti, "<i>Pur dicesti</i>," where, it will be observed, +one simple phrase, which occurs so frequently that it would +be monotonous if unadorned, is made to yield a charming +variety to the song by some elegant change at each recurrence.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 588px;"> +<img src="images/076b.png" width="588" height="119" alt="Music" title="First time." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/076b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">quel so - a - ve ... car - o ...... si</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 588px;"> +<img src="images/076c.png" width="588" height="119" alt="Music" title="Second time." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/076c.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">quel ... so - a - ve car ... o - si</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 592px;"> +<img src="images/076d.png" width="592" height="120" alt="Music" title="Third time." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/076d.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">quel ... so - a - ve car - o - si</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 590px;"> +<img src="images/077a.png" width="590" height="140" alt="Music" title="Fourth time." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/077a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">quel.... so - a - - ve car - - o si</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 586px;"> +<img src="images/077b.png" width="586" height="248" alt="Music" title="First time." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/077b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">pia - cer .....................<br /> +............ il mio pia - cer</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 587px;"> +<img src="images/077c.png" width="587" height="249" alt="Music" title="Second time." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/077c.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">pia - cer .....................<br /> +............ il mio pia - cer</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 581px;"> +<img src="images/077hr.png" width="581" height="13" alt="Horizontal Rule" /> +</div> + +<p>The following are from Handel:</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 586px;"> +<img src="images/077d.png" width="586" height="110" alt="Music" title="First time." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/077d.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">While re - sign'd to Heav'n... a - bove</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 585px;"> +<img src="images/077e.png" width="585" height="138" alt="Music" title="Second time." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/077e.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">While re - sign'd to.... Heav'n........... a - bove</p> +<p class="right" style="padding-right:10%;">(<i>Guardian Angels.</i>)</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 581px;"> +<img src="images/077hr.png" width="581" height="13" alt="Horizontal Rule" /> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 581px;"> +<img src="images/078a.png" width="581" height="118" alt="Music" title="First time." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/078a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Trees where you sit, &c.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 583px;"> +<img src="images/078b.png" width="583" height="153" alt="Music" title="Second time." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/078b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Trees where you sit, &c.</p> +<p class="right" style="padding-right:10%;">(<i>Where'er you walk.</i>)</p> + +<p>And of course the list might be almost indefinitely prolonged. +Certain of these ornaments, once highly popular, +have wisely been allowed to drop, and that is why I lay +stress upon the importance of <i>accepted traditions</i>. You +may get hold of copies of many songs of this kind which +have the names of great singers attached to them, and yet +give variations of the text which have never been accepted +or generally approved. The great Braham himself was a +terrible offender sometimes in this respect. For instance, +in singing "<i>Comfort ye</i>," instead of the passage</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 580px;"> +<img src="images/078c.png" width="580" height="103" alt="Music" /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/078c.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">that her in - i - qui - ty is par - don - ed</p> + +<p>he would sing thus:</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 580px;"> +<img src="images/078d.png" width="580" height="107" alt="Music" /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/078d.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">that her in - i - qui - ty is par - don - ed.</p> + +<p>And I have seen an old copy of "<i>Holy, holy</i>," in which +the melody is so overlaid with little black notes, semi-quavers, +demi-semi-quavers, and semi-demi-semi-quavers, +that it is difficult to distinguish the notes of Handel's +music at all! The admissible changes are all very slight, +and any elaborate cadenza, or considerable addition, is +pretty sure to be wrong. Final high notes are a frequent<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> +snare to aspiring singers; the traditions of the old school +of oratorio singing are not in favour of them, and they +generally vulgarize a song if introduced where the composer +has not clearly opened a way for them. I have +heard a tenor singer conclude the famous "<i>Thou shalt +break them</i>," thus:</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 583px;"> +<img src="images/079a.png" width="583" height="114" alt="Music" /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/079a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">pot - - - - - - - - - - - ter's ves - sel</p> + +<p>and a soprano finish off "<i>He shall feed His flock</i>," thus:</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 583px;"> +<img src="images/079b.png" width="583" height="119" alt="Music" /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/079b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">ye shall find rest ............... un - to your souls.</p> + +<p>—both of them pieces of vulgar display, bringing the personality +of the singer before the audience instead of the +beauty of the music, the sense of the words, or the merit +of the composer. No such abominations are permissible +in good oratorio singing, the rule of which is utter submission +to the composer's intentions, and a conscientious +endeavour to interpret his mind clearly to the audience; +a pure and chaste delivery of words and music alike; a +sustained excellence throughout, avoiding an attempt to +astonish by bursts of power or brilliancy; and an entire +absence of all claptrap or vulgarities to please "the +gallery."</p> + + +<p><b>Opera.</b>—A great deal of what has been said about +oratorio singing applies also to operatic singing. But I +strongly advise you against attempting opera music until +you have studied the more severe and solid style of the +oratorio. The declamatory passages in opera are doubtless +more brilliantly impassioned, just as the florid airs are +more startlingly elaborate, than in oratorio, and the recitatives +less stately and sustained; but the style of good +opera singing is only to be founded upon good oratorio<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> +study (or its equivalent), inasmuch as it was out of the +oratorio that the opera grew. Operatic singing allows +more license to the singer than does oratorio; but the +singer should have been taught first by the severer style +not to misuse that license. At the same time when (as is +not infrequent in operas of a certain kind) the composer +has introduced airs for the express purpose of showing off +a singer's voice, a well-trained singer may be accepted as +interpreting the composer's intention rightly, when he or +she elaborates <i>fioriture</i> far beyond the limits of which any +hint appears in the score.</p> + +<p>Even here, however, traditional usage must have its +weight: cadenzas must be strictly in character, and only +introduced in songs to which such passages are appropriate. +I once heard a florid cadenza interpolated at the close of +"<i>Spirto Gentil</i>," by an aspiring young tenor, too full of +conceit and "modern" ideas to take a hint from Mario's +marvellous rendering of that song.</p> + +<p>And it must be borne in mind that it is only in operas +of the Bellini, Donizetti, and early Rossini and Verdi +school that such extreme license is granted. No such +tricks can be played with the operas of Mozart, Glück, +Weber, or Meyerbeer, or with the later works of Rossini +and Verdi, while the notion of altering a note, or omitting +even a demi-semi-quaver rest, in those of Wagner, would +be, to his admirers, flat heresy. In reality, the style of +singing opera music is easily acquired by any one who is +sufficiently advanced to be fit to attempt opera music at +all. There are certain niceties to be acquired, and endless +beauties of variety in the rendering of even small passages; +but these things cannot be taught on paper.</p> + + +<p><b>Ballads.</b>—There is no greater mistake than to suppose +that "any one can sing a simple ballad." Good ballad +singing is one of the rarest accomplishments, and demands +qualities in the singer which <i>may</i> be wanting even in a +person who can sing well both in opera and oratorio. To +suppose that an untaught singer can do justice to any +ballad that is worth the trouble of singing at all, is simply +a mark of ignorance on the whole subject of singing.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span></p> + +<p>Ballads do not always require power or compass of voice, +it is true, nor do they tax the singer on the score of flexibility +or physical strength; but they are the severest test +of enunciation, <i>mezzo-voce</i> singing, neatness and readiness +in producing tones of any gradation, and perfect control +over the voice.</p> + +<p>To sing a ballad well demands a really cultivated taste, +a certain dramatic power, suppressed it is true, but influencing +the whole delivery; a sympathetic voice, and a +manner which will enlist the interest and sympathy of the +audience. Ballad singing is neither declamation nor recitative: +there is no chance of surprising or astonishing your +audience; but you <i>must</i> contrive to please them, you must +<i>touch</i> them somehow; and, for an ordinary person in the +costume of the nineteenth century, to "touch" others of +the same species is not easy. Sometimes, no doubt, the +words of a good song are in themselves so touching and +charming that, so long as the music be not positively hideous +or destructive of the sense of the words, the singer has +only to let them be clearly heard, and the battle is won; +but more frequently he has to trick his audience into +interest in a song where the words in themselves are either +hopelessly silly, or too obscure in sense for their full meaning +to appear at a first hearing or reading. All that he can +then do is to deliver it in such a way that they shall feel +that there <i>is</i> a meaning to it all, though they have not fully +caught it yet, and so they may wish to hear it again. I do +not, of course, mean any allusion to the ridiculous fashion +of <i>encores</i>, but simply that the feeling at the end of such a +song should be one of liking it sufficiently to wish to understand +it entirely.</p> + +<p>Many songs would tell their own tale and produce their +own effect well enough, if the singer would let them, and +therefore the ballad singer must only be sufficiently self-conscious +to keep himself out of the way. However good +his singing, however original his reading of the song, <i>while +he is singing</i> it should all go to the credit of the song, and +the hearers be charmed into forgetting <i>him</i> till he is silent.</p> + + +<p><b>Recitative.</b>—Good recitative singing is of great importance,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> +and requires careful attention and study. Recitative +is midway between speaking and singing; it is a +sort of modulated intoning, that is, that in delivering it +the note and the word that belongs to it should be given +with equal intention, and appear to belong to each other +so completely that the musical sound should seem to be +the natural intonation which the reciter would give to the +word. Recitative is (<i>or was</i>) practically an attempt to express, +in musical notation, the inflexions of the human +voice in speaking; and how accurately, in some cases, +musical notation can do this, will be seen at a glance by +the following illustration:</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 344px;"> +<img src="images/082a.png" width="344" height="95" alt="Music" /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/082a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Who are you?</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 344px;"> +<img src="images/082b.png" width="344" height="94" alt="Music" /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/082b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Who are you?</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 343px;"> +<img src="images/082c.png" width="343" height="95" alt="Music" /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/082c.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Who are you?</p> + +<p>—where the question is asked in the same words, but the +musical notes express clearly three different sentiments, or +degrees of sentiment. This should be taken into consideration +by the student; and he should strive to give +his recitative with as natural a delivery as he can, placing +himself mentally in the position of a dramatic reciter.</p> + +<p>Steadiness of tone, clearness of enunciating consonants, +and full round delivery of vowel-sounds are indispensable +to good recitative singing. Every note must be distinct, +and not the faintest suspicion of a "slur" or <i>portamento</i> +can be allowed.</p> + +<p>Recitative singing is not a thing which a student should +try to teach himself, as he may not only waste his time,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> +but gain notions which are erroneous and difficult to cure. +For instance, take the recitatives in "<i>The Messiah</i>," as +these are printed for the British public. Nothing could +be more ludicrous than for a singer to appear in public +and sing the recitatives faithfully as printed in the editions +of this oratorio which are continually being disseminated +throughout the land. Handel, let it be borne in mind, +was <i>not</i> well acquainted with the English language; and +though he may have written good music, he was often +very far from reaching good literary sense. Thus, as regards +this latter, this specimen passage occurs in Handel's +"<i>Acis and Galatea</i>,"</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 584px;"> +<img src="images/083a.png" width="584" height="112" alt="Music" /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/083a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Where shall I seek the charm-ing fair?</p> + +<p>Yet no one in his senses would think of rendering it other than</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 583px;"> +<img src="images/083b.png" width="583" height="101" alt="Music" /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/083b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Where shall I seek the charm-ing fair?</p> + +<p>inasmuch as there is some doubt of the chord 6/4 which +forms the grace note being Handel's music, and because +the sense of the words demands that no break shall be +made between the words <i>seek</i> and <i>the</i>. As Handel failed +in his English, it is surely allowable to make good his +deficiencies in this respect.</p> + +<p>The following paragraphs relate to certain minor details +of style in singing, and apply to singing of every kind. +They must be taken in conjunction with much that has +already been said under the head of "Practice."</p> + + +<p><b>Slurring.</b>—Slurring up to a note is a very disagreeable +and common evil to be guarded against. It matters not +how far distant the note to be sung may be from the preceding +tone; it should be attacked fearlessly and cheerfully, +but <i>with an open throat</i>. The note to be attacked<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> +must not be prepared in the throat. The course should +be this. The tone of the preceding note must not be +moved, but the one required—say a very high one—must +be obtained by the joint process of lowering the larynx, +of sounding the note from exactly the same spot as the +lower note, in a soft but fine tone, and thirdly, by getting +such a ring in the note as it can only have in conjunction +with the feeling that while the root or foundation of the +note is in the chest, yet it owes much of its penetrating +character and power to a sort of reflecting power which is +given it from the extreme end of the spine bone, where +it joins the head. Certainly no high note is properly +<i>produced</i>, nor to be relied upon for a <i>crescendo</i>, unless the +student has this feeling that it springs from the back of +the neck; and, in rising to an upper note, the aim should +be not at length to approach the upper note from beneath, +as it were, but to "come down" upon it—to strike it from +<i>above</i> instead of from below.</p> + + +<p><b>Sentiment.</b>—Always try to convey the sentiment of +what you may be singing through the tone of the voice. +Love and anger cannot both be expressed with the same +quality of voice. For the former, a delicate light tone +well on the lips is desirable, while for the latter the voice +should be produced lower in the stomach; yet the tone +should still be kept on the lips; its character should be +"darker," more round, and sonorous. "'<i>Tis this that +racks my brain</i>"" such words as these should never be +sung in the same character of voice as "<i>Waft her, angels, +to the skies</i>." It is good practice to take any piece and +sing the melody on an open vowel throughout, with the +object of showing the meaning of the song without the +aid of words. Then, when this can be done, the words +may be employed, and the result will be doubly happy.</p> + + +<p><b>Decision.</b>—Indecision is a very serious fault in singing. +Do well and thoroughly whatever you decide upon +attempting. If you have a <i>staccato</i> passage to sing, render +it firmly in that style; if you have one that is <i>legato</i>, take +care that this character is <i>strongly</i> seen from your rendering.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> +When you "slur," make it strong enough to be felt. +If you bend as it were from one note to another, let your +intention to do so be clearly apparent. Let a <i>forte</i> passage +be loud, and let a <i>piano</i> one be really soft. Any half +measures in singing are fatal. Precision and certainty are +qualities which the student must always aim at attaining. +Without them, singing becomes tame and unattractive, +not to say tiresome.</p> + + +<p><b>Imitation.</b>—Imitation, which in many other arts becomes +plagiary, in singing is most desirable; for singing, +more than any other art, rests on tradition; there is even +very little doubt that the peculiar charm and quality of a +true tenor voice (for instance) is more due to imitation in +a singer than to nature; that is to say, that it is the result +of a transmitted culture—such imitation being the only +means in which singers can reap the harvest of the experience +of the great singers now to be heard no more, who +have left their imitators to pass on to others what they +themselves obtained by imitating and improving on <i>their</i> +predecessors. Therefore do not be afraid of being set +down as a mere copyist, if you study and attempt to imitate +the style of the best living singers. You will always +have enough of your own merit or defect to distinguish +your performance, if you are really a conscientious student, +and you may learn a great deal by listening to the best +public singers which can be taught you in no other way. +Watch their stage deportment; their treatment of the +weaker parts of their voices; their method of breathing; +their manner towards the public;—in fact, every point +which occurs to you,—and make some use of what you +see and hear in your own studies.</p> + + +<p><b>Public Singing.</b>—If you have to sing in public, remember +always to take a rapid but searching glance round +your stage. This is a great point gained. As you step +on to "the boards," notice (unobserved) the dimensions +of the stage (if it happens to be new to you). Note the +height of its ceiling, its surroundings, its draperies, its distance +from your farthest auditor; then take up your position<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> +accordingly—bearing in mind that all your tone is +wanted by your listeners, which requirement can never be +met unless you yourself take the precaution to prevent +the sound being held or carried back by the stage decorations. +In a concert <i>salon</i> or theatre, then, do not forget +to get well to the front of the platform. At the same time +you must not be <i>too</i> close upon your stall occupants, or +you may give them the very undesirable impression that at +any moment you may fall over.</p> + + +<p><b>"Holding" an Audience.</b>—The singer should carefully +watch an audience so as to gauge its attention and +sympathies. If it seems impatient, restless, and indifferent, +the singer may be quite sure that he or she is exciting no +interest. The best course then for one to do is to immediately +change the style, alter the tone, give forth his or her +best energies, and use every effort to become ingratiated +into the good favour of the listeners. If such effects as these +fail constantly in their turn, then the aspirant for vocal fame +should give up, and devote both time and attention to further +study, or to some other means of a livelihood; for a +future great singer will not be failing constantly, and to be +only a second-rate singer while there are so many is a thing +<i>not</i> to be devoutly desired.</p> + + +<p><b>Mistakes in Public.</b>—If you make a mistake in singing, +do not add to the mischief by allowing it to alarm or +disconcert you. Proceed onward as if nothing had happened. +You may be quite sure that each one of your +audience will not have detected the slip, for they cannot +<i>all</i> be critics. But bear in mind that such confidence as +your adviser here suggests is not to be too often called +into requisition. No great artist will ever make a serious +mistake in public. How much more careful then should +the young student be!</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="ON_TIME_IN_SINGING" id="ON_TIME_IN_SINGING">ON TIME IN SINGING.</a></h2> + + +<p>I need perhaps scarcely remind my readers who are or +who wish to be singers that <i>time</i> concerns them quite as +much as the conductor, the pianist, the violinist—in short, +the whole orchestra. It behoves the student in singing +to give early and careful attention to this important feature +in his artistic training. You may have the voice of a +Rubini, you may be a second Tamburini in quality and +extent of voice, but unless you can sing in time yourself, +and are able to do so with others, and with the counter-acting +influences of an orchestra, you can never hope to +rise in your profession. It may be argued that you have +no desire to lay yourself out for a career on the lyric stage. +Then, however, you shut yourself out from some of the +largest prizes in the profession; beyond which there comes +the question of oratorio business, and the growing taste +for band accompaniments to songs. And if you restrict +your ambition to a pianoforte accompaniment, time is +needed even with that in order to produce anything like a +satisfactory rendering of the piece you may be singing. The +accompanyist may be a Sir Julius Benedict, or a Signor +Randegger (than whom there is no better in this country, +so neglected has this species of musical art-work become); +but a perfect rendering depends not so much upon the +pianist as the vocalist. If the singer flounders about with +neither "rhyme nor reason," it is scarcely reasonable to +expect the accompanyist, clever as he may be, to be always +at his heels, like a cat after a mouse. I would therefore +advise the student to invest his money in a Metronome—the +most useful thing with which he could provide himself. +They are not dear, bearing in mind their utility, +and one will, I am sure, save the student much time and +many a <i>fiasco</i>. Learn the working of this useful machine,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> +and practise all your exercises with it. If you go to a +good singing master, you should ask him to time your +exercises to the pace at which you should sing them, and +in this way you will not only be growing in a good habit, +but your singing will be characterized by a crispness and +a certainty of attack, which will be apparent to all musicians +and amateurs with good taste. Your singing +master will, no doubt, impress upon you the necessity of +singing your songs in time, and especially of slightly accenting +the first and third beats in the bar if it is common +time, the first and fourth beats when it is compound common +or 6/8 time, and the first beat when it is triple or 3/4 time. +In this way there will be meaning given to your singing, +and those who may be accompanying you will be able to +feel where you are, and to keep time with you. In singing +a passage like this from Cowen's charming song "Aubade,"—the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span>master, if he knew his business, would instruct his +pupil to slightly accent the words as I have indicated with +the mark <img src="images/088-v.png" width="12" height="13" title="V for accented words" alt="V" />, and to preserve <i>strict</i> time throughout the passage, +and especially in the taking up of the words after the +long note on the word <i>sleep</i>. The accompanyist would, we +may assume, do likewise with his pianoforte part, and in +this way a perfect <i>ensemble</i> would be secured.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 573px;"> +<img src="images/088a.png" width="573" height="635" alt="Music" /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/088a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Sleep, love, sleep,<br /> +<span style="padding-left:5em;">the morn is wak - - ing,</span></p> + +<p>With this brief introduction to the subject, I will proceed +to give the student a few exercises in keeping and beating +time, the assiduous practice of which will, I hope, soon +place him in the desirable position of being able to sing +in time.</p> + +<div class="hide-link"><p class="center"><a href="music/time4.pdf">[Exercises in PDF]</a></p></div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 589px;"> +<img src="images/089a.png" width="589" height="350" alt="Music" title="Ex. 1. Four beats in a bar." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/089a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics"><span style="padding-left:0.8em;">Do Re Mi Fa Sol</span><br /> +La Si Do Do Si<br /> +<span style="padding-left:2em;">La Sol Fa Mi Re Do</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 587px;"> +<img src="images/089b.png" width="587" height="400" alt="Music" title="Ex. 2." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/089b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Do Do Re Re Mi Mi &c.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 578px;"> +<img src="images/090a.png" width="578" height="492" alt="Music" title="Ex. 3." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/090a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Do Do Do Do Re Re Re Re &c.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 581px;"> +<img src="images/090b.png" width="581" height="398" alt="Music" title="Ex. 4." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/090b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Do Do Do Re Re Re &c.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 583px;"> +<img src="images/091a.png" width="583" height="305" alt="Music" title="Ex. 5." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/091a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Do Do Re Re Mi Mi &c.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 586px;"> +<img src="images/091b.png" width="586" height="687" alt="Music" title="Ex. 6." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/091b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Do Do Do Do Do Do Re Re Re Re Re Re &c.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 580px;"> +<img src="images/092a.png" width="580" height="370" alt="Music" title="Ex. 7." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/092a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Do Do Do Re Re Re Mi Mi Mi &c.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 582px;"> +<img src="images/092b.png" width="582" height="777" alt="Music" title="Ex. 8." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/092b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Do Do Do Do Do Re Re Re Re Re &c.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 588px;"> +<img src="images/093a.png" width="588" height="536" alt="Music" title="Ex. 9." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/093a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Do Do Do Do Re Re Re Re &c.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 587px;"> +<img src="images/093b.png" width="587" height="281" alt="Music" title="Ex. 10." /> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 590px;"> +<img src="images/093b2.png" width="590" height="374" alt="Music" title="Ex. 10, continued." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/093b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Do Do Do Do Do Do Re Re Re Re Re Re &c.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 583px;"> +<img src="images/094a.png" width="583" height="596" alt="Music" title="Ex. 11." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/094a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Do Do Do Do Re Re Re Re Mi &c.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span></p> + +<p>These exercises may be timed as slow as you like on +your metronome—the slower the better—but 76 is a good +pace to begin with; when you have thoroughly mastered +them at 76, take them a little quicker until you can sing +them accurately up to a good brisk time.</p> + +<p>No 1 has but one note in the bar, and this must be held +on steadily for four beats of the metronome—care being +taken to leave each note in sufficient time to take a fresh +breath, and attack the second note and syllable in precise +time with the metronome beat. I need, perhaps, scarcely +point out that much good will be obtained if the student +can accustom himself to <i>feeling</i> in his mind the rhythm and +beating, so as not to acquire the habit of trusting to mechanical +appliances, which are dispensed with at public +performances. The sol-fa-ing must be strictly adhered to, +and in Exercises 2, 3, etc., it will be seen that the syllable +must be sounded twice and four times respectively. With +Exercise 5 the dotted note comes in; but I will not stay +to explain that, as I assume that my readers will have acquainted +themselves with the elements of musical theory +before taking up singing. Especial care should be given +to Exercise 7, as that is the first step in the difficult matter +of syncopation, carried out elaborately in Exercises 8 and +9. With Exercise 11 the question of Rests comes in, but +the same remark that I made as to the dotted notes applies +here. Everything that it is necessary to know about them +should be found in any elementary musical grammar.</p> + +<p>Having mastered the above exercises, the reader may +take the following with two beats in the bar—taking the +precaution to set them at a slow time on the metronome, +say 76, not singing them quickly until he is thoroughly +acquainted with them.</p> + +<div class="hide-link"><p class="center"><a href="music/time2.pdf">[Exercises in PDF]</a></p></div> +<p> </p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 569px;"> +<img src="images/095a.png" width="569" height="294" alt="Music" title="Ex. 1. Two beats to a bar." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/095a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics"><span style="padding-left:2.75em;">Do Do Re Re Mi Mi Fa Fa Sol Sol</span><br /> +La La Si Si Do Do Do Si Si<br /> +<span style="padding-left:3.9em;">La La Sol Sol Fa Fa Mi Mi Re Re Do</span></p> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 583px;"> +<img src="images/096a.png" width="583" height="295" alt="Music" title="Ex. 2." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/096a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Do Re Mi Fa Sol La<br /> +<span style="padding-left:0.9em;">Si Do Do Do Si Si &c.</span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 583px;"> +<img src="images/096b.png" width="583" height="434" alt="Music" title="Ex. 3." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/096b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 581px;"> +<img src="images/096c.png" width="581" height="387" alt="Music" title="Ex. 4." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/096c.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Do Do Do &c.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 588px;"> +<img src="images/097a.png" width="588" height="390" alt="Music" title="Ex. 5." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/097a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Do Do Do &c.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 588px;"> +<img src="images/097b.png" width="588" height="289" alt="Music" title="Ex. 6." /> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 582px;"> +<img src="images/097b2.png" width="582" height="162" alt="Music" title="Ex. 6." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/097b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Do Do Do &c.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 583px;"> +<img src="images/098a.png" width="583" height="306" alt="Music" title="Ex. 7." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/098a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Do Re Mi Fa Sol &c.</p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 583px;"> +<img src="images/098b.png" width="583" height="423" alt="Music" title="Ex. 8." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/098b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p>After which he may take the following with three beats +in the bar:—</p> + +<div class="hide-link"><p class="center"><a href="music/time3.pdf">[Exercises in PDF]</a></p></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 582px;"> +<img src="images/099a.png" width="582" height="341" alt="Music" title="Ex. 1. Three beats in a bar." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/099a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Do Re Mi Fa Sol<br /><span style="padding-left:1.4em;">La Si Do Do Do &c.</span></p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 581px;"> +<img src="images/099b.png" width="581" height="349" alt="Music" title="Ex. 2." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/099b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics">Do Do Do &c.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 581px;"> +<img src="images/099c.png" width="581" height="403" alt="Music" title="Ex. 3." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/099c.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 576px;"> +<img src="images/100a.png" width="576" height="414" alt="Music" title="Ex. 4." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/100a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 589px;"> +<img src="images/100b.png" width="589" height="410" alt="Music" title="Ex. 5." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/100b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 584px;"> +<img src="images/101a.png" width="584" height="503" alt="Music" title="Ex. 6." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/101a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 588px;"> +<img src="images/101b.png" width="588" height="474" alt="Music" title="Ex. 7." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/101b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 589px;"> +<img src="images/102a.png" width="589" height="491" alt="Music" title="Ex. 8." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/102a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 587px;"> +<img src="images/102b.png" width="587" height="504" alt="Music" title="Ex. 9." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/102b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="ON_THE_CHOICE_OF_MUSIC" id="ON_THE_CHOICE_OF_MUSIC">ON THE CHOICE OF MUSIC.</a></h2> + +<p class="blockquot">There are, of course, no <i>rules</i> to be given to guide the +student in the choice of music, except the general ones, to +choose good music, pleasing music, and music suited to +his voice and powers. But those general rules touch incidentally +on a few points on which it may be well to offer +a few remarks.</p> + + +<p><b>Music must suit the Voice.</b>—Your music must +not only be appropriate for your voice in compass, but it +must be such as has been written for a voice of your kind. +This is a most important thing to remember. Nothing is +more provoking to a person of good taste and musical +knowledge than to hear songs composed for a voice of one +class sung by a voice of a totally different character; and +yet this is a vice which even good artists will sometimes +weakly succumb to. The popular song of Gounod's, +"<i>Quand tu chantes berçée</i>," for instance, has been sung to +death by many soprani and contralti, in various keys. One +would have thought that the words alone would have shown +them the utter absurdity of what they were doing; but no, +for the sake of producing an effect (upon an audience who +naturally supposed that public singers of high standing +knew what they were doing, and why they did it), these +good ladies committed what I do not scruple to call a +vulgar and inartistic blunder. The song is a man's song, +and no woman should attempt it.</p> + +<p>This fault is one which amateurs are very apt to fall into, +and a long list might be made of songs which have suffered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> +this unfair treatment. Soprani sing tenor songs—(I have +often, in the early days of the popularity of "<i>Il Trovatore</i>," +heard a soprano sing "<i>Ah, che la Morte!</i>"—tenors, those +written for soprano—(<i>e.g.</i>, I know an amateur tenor whose +"crack" song is Iphis' "Farewell" in "<i>Jephtha</i>"). Contralti +and mezzo-soprani steal bass and barytone songs, as "But +who may abide," from the "<i>Messiah</i>," and basses and +barytones return the compliment by appropriating "What +tho' I trace," or "O rest in the Lord.")</p> + +<p>There is a reason, quite apart from the question of taste, +which renders this practice objectionable. A composer of +any skill writes his accompaniment as well as his melody +with reference to the voice which he wishes to sing it. +Now, if that voice be—we will say—a soprano, the accompaniment +will be written for a voice of that <i>pitch</i>, as +well as of that character and compass; the progressions +of harmony will be written with due regard to the actual +place of the vocal notes in the scale. But directly the +song is sung by a tenor—a voice which pitches every note +an octave lower than the soprano—the relation of the +vocal notes to the accompaniment is changed; notes that +were intended to be fourths above the accompaniment +will become fifths below, and progressions which were +correct in the composer's intention become wrong in the +effect produced by the singer. That is an extreme case, I +grant, but it is only a fair instance of the sort of result +which follows on such changes, and it is sufficient to show +that the rule rests on reason and not caprice.</p> + + +<p>"<b>Original Keys.</b>"—Do not bind yourself, as some +think it necessary to do, always to sing your songs in the +original keys. Remember that opera and oratorio music, +and a large number of modern "ballads," were composed +for performance in large buildings, theatres, and concert-rooms. +The keys, therefore, were chosen with due reference +to that fact, and to the (in many cases) exceptional +voices of the singers. The raising of the pitch in later +years also affects the question.</p> + +<p>Now, if you have to sing in a drawing-room, the pitch, +volume of tone, and style of delivery must be appropriate<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> +to chamber music, and not to the stage of Covent Garden, +and the keys which are necessary for due brilliancy and +effect in a concert-room are frequently unsuited to a drawing-room, +giving an appearance of strain and noisiness to +the singing. A good deal of opera music is as unfit for +singing in a drawing-room as would be a grand symphony +for performance there; and an artistic singer should bear +in mind this principle of fitness in his selection.</p> + +<p>At the same time, if it is considered desirable to transpose +a song, let it be only for that reason, and let the aim +be to produce the same effect, <i>relatively</i>, in the drawing-room, +as the song in its original key is intended to produce +in the concert-room. Do not transpose recklessly, merely +to "suit your voice:" if you are a barytone, for instance, +do not sing tenor songs a few notes lower; or, if you are +a soprano, do not transpose contralto songs to suit your +register. For the <i>character</i> of the music (if the music is +good) suits the voice for which it was intended, and there +is a risk of destroying that character by giving it to a voice +of another kind. This has been proved over and over again +on the stage in several notable instances.</p> + + +<p><b>Execution.</b>—Do not be too ambitious in selecting +florid songs for performance either in public or private. +"Fireworks" in a drawing-room rarely please, while in a +concert-room they must be very perfect and first-rate in +execution to do so. Of course, if you are a professional +artist you must include such work in your studies, and even +for the amateur the practice of florid music, under a master, +is most desirable as an exercise. But where the choice of +a song for a concert rests with yourself, sacrifice ambition +to prudence, unless your voice is naturally a very flexible +one, and your training in that style of music very complete. +I give, on this subject, a quotation from an old and experienced +writer on music and singing:</p> + +<p>"Execution is certainly one of the most difficult parts +of musical science. Young singers are desirous of attaining +it without reflecting whether, from the formation of +the throat and various physical causes, they may ever be +able to accomplish their wishes. Few, indeed, possess the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> +power of execution in a pre-eminent degree. It is in part +a gift of nature: those who have ever delighted as well as +astonished us by their rapid manner of running through +divisions must have been naturally endowed with flexible +organs.</p> + +<p>"... Some voices may be compared to gems +which in their original state are dull, and, to those unacquainted +with their worth, of no value.... It +frequently happens that singers, from timidity or want of +proper knowledge in exercising their voices, remain ignorant +of their own qualifications. The hinges of a door +which have continued for years undisturbed, will, when +the door is re-opened, grate harshly on the ear; but every +effort renders the harshness more tolerable, until, from +frequent use, they move easily. Thus it is with the voice: +on the flexibility of the <i>uvula</i> and the muscles connected +with it depend both the perfectibility of the shake and +execution. But still it must be acknowledged that acquired +execution should never be exercised by the side of nature +otherwise than sparingly, even where necessity requires it, +for the latter possesses an easy velocity which can playfully +sport with its subject at will; but, however gratifying the +power of execution may be considered by those who possess +it, I recommend them not to be indiscriminately lavish, +lest they cloy by too great a profusion, and, as Voltaire +remarks, 'shine in trills and divisions, at the expense of +poetry and good sense.'"</p> + + +<p><b>Fashion.</b>—The songs which are "the rage" at any +time are always great snares for amateurs. Aspiring +young singers hear a ballad charmingly rendered by some +great singer, and straightway go home, send for it, and +on the first available opportunity treat their friends to +their version of it. This is really unfair to themselves, +as it throws them into unwise contrast with the public +singer who has made the song popular, and whose well-known +rendering of it forbids ordinary hearers to judge +the rendering of an amateur on its own merits, or by any +rule but that of comparison. Moreover, "popular" songs—I +mean songs whose popularity is largely due to their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> +having been sung by favourite public singers—are by no +means always good in themselves; or, if fairly good, by +no means easy; or if good and not difficult, by no means +always sufficiently so to make it worth while for an amateur +to spend time and study on them. In very many cases +the public singer has to sing these songs because he is +paid for doing so, and gets a "royalty" on every copy +sold; it is simply one development of the hydra-headed +art of advertising, and such productions are known by the +vulgar name of "pot-boilers," <i>i.e.</i>, compositions hastily +thrown off to bring in a little money "<i>to keep the pot +boiling</i>." If composers who are capable of better things +are reduced to making money in this way, we may be +sincerely sorry for them; but speaking from an artistic +point of view, the practice is reprehensible, and "pot-boilers" +are not the kind of music which a young singer, +anxious to improve, should waste time or money upon. +I am far from saying that there are no good songs to be +found among new music, but I think they seldom lie on +the top of the pile.</p> + + +<p><b>Forming a Repertoire.</b>—In gradually forming your +<i>repertoire</i>, or collection of properly studied songs for drawing-room +or concert singing, do not be in haste to make +it a large one. It is better to know only a few songs and +do them really well, than to sing a large number indifferently. +If you are studying for the profession, there is a +considerable number of songs which you will be expected +to know as a matter of course, but over and above such, +every singer should have a special repertoire of his or her +own, and it is of this that I now speak. Your selection +of songs, like your singing, should have the stamp of your +own individuality upon it. You should have a little stock +of songs, with which your singing is in a way identified, and +which you must be able to sing in a manner that at once +stamps those songs as your property, so that another person +might say, "I could not sing that song before you, it +is one of your own."</p> + +<p>To form such a repertoire, you may have to go a little +out of the beaten track of what is best known at the time.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> +If opera music suits you best, look at the operas, never +performed now, of Glück, or the less known of Mozart's, +or earlier works of Rossini, Auber, &c.; or else try and +get hold of works not yet known in England, such as +Macfarren's, Wallace's, Purcell's, and a few other such +native dramatic composers. In a word, do not limit +your notions of operatic music to what you hear year +after year at Covent Garden or Her Majesty's.</p> + +<p>So, too, in oratorio: search in the less familiar oratorios +of Handel, and such of his operas as you can get access +to, and carry the same idea out in examining the works +of other composers, ancient and modern. Good work +has been done of late years by various publishers in publishing +many works of this class, and there are plenty of +these which are still unfamiliar and unhackneyed.</p> + +<p>The same with your songs and ballads: before you rush +into the modern fashionable ballad, see if you cannot find +a few that you can appropriate among the stores of old +English music, or the detached songs of old Italian masters +(many of which are magnificent as songs, and utterly unknown +at present, except to the few).</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="PHYSIOLOGICAL_SURROUNDINGS" id="PHYSIOLOGICAL_SURROUNDINGS">PHYSIOLOGICAL SURROUNDINGS.</a></h2> + + +<p>It is highly expedient that singers themselves, and intending +students of the art, should make some acquaintance +with the physiological surroundings which are +brought into play in the process of voice production. A +knowledge of the technical terms for the various organs +directly involved is very essential, and the intelligent +student will see the necessity not only for distinguishing +such names as "larynx" and "diaphragm," but also of +possessing some idea of their whereabouts in the human +frame. No better course could be adopted for the acquirement +of such a knowledge than attendance at the +classes and lectures at the musical colleges and other institutions, +which, from time to time, secure the assistance +of qualified specialists to speak upon this very important +branch of the singing art. No other mode of teaching is +so well calculated to enlighten the uninitiated in the wondrous +mechanism of the human voice, and to inspire him +or her with an adequate sense of the watchful care and +delicate treatment which a voice worthy of systematic +training demands, as well as deserves, at the hands of +students of both sexes. As a preliminary to a fuller inquiry +into the subject, the following few notes may be +fixed upon the mind:—</p> + + +<p><b>The Larynx</b> (<span lang="el" title="larynx">λάρυγξ</span>) constitutes the upper part of the +wind-pipe. It is the seat of the voice, and essential parts +of it are the "vocal cords" (<i>chordæ vocales</i>), two membranes +in a horizontal position across the larynx. It is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> +popularly called "Adam's apple" (<i>pomum Adami</i>), the +protuberance so often recognizable in the throats of bass +singers, but a more correct use of "<i>pomum Adami</i>" is when +it is applied to a projection in the thyroid cartilage—a +part of the laryngeal structure.</p> + +<p><b>The Thyroid</b> (from <span lang="el" title="Thyreos">Θυρεá½¹ς</span>) is a shield-shaped cartilage, +and that part of the larynx which, in the case of +both sexes, develops suddenly at the period when they +pass from youth to mature age. Other important cartilages +are the cricoid (from <span lang="el" title="krikos">κρá½·κος</span>), a ring-shaped membrane; +the arytenoids (from <span lang="el" title="harytaina">ἁρύταινα</span> a pitcher); the epiglottis +(<span lang="el" title="epi-glôtta">ἐπá½·-γλωττα</span>), situated at the back of the mouth; and +the cartilages of Santorini, or <i>cornicula laryngis</i>.</p> + +<p>The trachea, or wind-pipe, is capable of rising or falling, +and thus is produced the perceptible movement of the +larynx in the throat when speaking or singing. It is by +lowering the larynx, and so commanding an expansion of +the throat that the best tone is possible in the voice, and +it is this open throat production which some teachers are +aiming at when they charge their pupils to "sing from the +chest." A more sensible request would be to "lower +the larynx," since such a lowering of this organ places the +throat in the most favourable position for emitting sound; +as well as for enabling the lungs, or wind-chests, to act +most advantageously upon the true vocal cords. Moreover, +this lowered larynx production leads to the best +results from the vocal cords themselves. The natural +tendency is to sing as we talk, a process which involves a +demand upon the upper fringes of the vocal ligaments +only, but no long-sustained singing could be maintained +by this means, nor does it requisition any art-knowledge +or principle. Directly, however, we begin to utilize the +lower edge of the vocal cords, we are verging upon the +art of <i>producing</i> the voice; <i>i.e.</i>, creating a something which +will not manifest itself without the first application of +some art principles. Here lies the whole secret of +singing, <i>viz.</i>, the utilization of the lower portions of the +membranous folds popularly called the "vocal cords," +instead of working merely their topmost fringes, as do the +innumerable tenors who sing "throaty," and as we all do<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> +up to a certain point, in the ordinary process of speaking. +The singing voice and the speaking voice are two totally +different productions, the former never to be acquired +except at the hands of a capable master, who, himself, +has been properly taught the principles of voice production.</p> + +<p>The lungs, or bellows, or air-chambers lie, as is well +known, on each side of the chest, resting upon the diaphragm, +and performing a very important function in +singing. They supply the air which acts upon the vocal +cords, and in true singing are the first organs for consideration +by a vocalist, since so much depends upon the +way the wind, or breath, is brought to bear upon the +vocal cords. For this reason the abdominal method of +breathing—the filling of the lungs from their bases—becomes +the best method for inspiring the breath in +singing. Doubtless, in breathing, the lungs are replenished +from above downwards, but it requires something +of the sensation of these air-supplying substances +being filled from their bases in order to requisition the +full help of the diaphragm, a great muscle which separates +the lungs from the abdomen, and which may be called +the fundamental basis on which all voice production +rests.</p> + +<p>The Pharynx (<span lang="el" title="pharynx">φάρυγξ</span>) is situated behind the mouth, +between the tongue and the arch forming the circumference +of the palate. Its province is to reflect the voice +on its issue from the glottis. It is an elastic aperture, +and may be well styled the reflecting organ of singing. +It can take various forms, and bears a great part in giving +character to the sounds originated in the larynx.</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p><i>The Voice—a Wind, Reed, or String Instrument?</i> Much +discussion has spent itself in settling the question of +"family" to which the vocal instrument properly belongs. +The vocal chords are known to be composed of a yellow +elastic fibrous tissue in their anterior parts, the posterior +portions consisting of a tougher muscle or cartilage. +Many maintain them to belong to the "string" family, +since the sounds generated are produced as on a violin—the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> +higher notes by increased tension, the lower tones by +a reduction of the strain. In this process, the muscle, +popularly known as the epiglottis-cushion—a fat mucous +membrane—presses on to the vocal cords, modifying +their vibrating length. Thus, in an extreme high note, +the cushion presses intensely upon the cords, considerably +shortening their one inch length. In reverting to a low +note, this tension becomes withdrawn, and the whole length +of cord is at play to produce its lowest tones. An unfortunate +objection to this theory—that the vocal cords can +be styled a stringed instrument, is the fact that no string of +the small extent of the vocal cords could be capable of +sounding either so many, or such low notes; moreover, +the mathematical treatment of their vibrations, as +governed by the tension, is not correct, as they are in the +case of a violin. It is a useful theory, and method of +reasoning, however, for those teachers of singing who +maintain that to get high notes, a light and thin style +of singing, and the use of the upper fringe of the vocal +cords (the production point), is preferable, in contradistinction +to those who declare that no really good chest +note with any telling power worth considering is possible, +unless the vocalist sings deep in his chest and gains the +idea, as he goes for his note, of requisitioning with all effort +the lowest depth in the cord. Surely this point presents +the greatest difficulty for singers with whom compass, +especially at the top of the voice, is an imperative necessity, +albeit that people go on talking to the contrary; and it is +a matter which needs settling among voice specialists and +singing masters. We are told, and it is generally known, +that the tension of the epiglottis-cushion produces a +higher note just as the shifting of the finger on the violin +string affects its tone—a process which may produce +falsetto sounds, but which surely is not the basis upon +which great Italian singers of the Mongini and Tamberlik +type secured the great chest Cs, which, with their +resonance and brilliancy, were wont to make our opera +houses ring again. Is it not a fact that in voices of +this calibre, as well as in those trained on what is known +as the broad lines of the true Italian production, the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> +whole surfaces of the vocal cords become more or less requisitioned, +and that they vibrate the whole of their +length and breadth, not merely the sides, rather than that +any upper portion is mainly utilized while the lower parts +are resting? The answer to this question would seem +to indicate that the human voice is of the nature of a reed +instrument. These membraneous organs, which we term +vocal cords, are such that their whole surfaces must vibrate +when brought into contact with a current of air from the +lungs. The voice reed, in fact, vibrates freely backwards +and forwards, and so corresponds with what are known +as "free," not "beating" reeds—such as are found in +concertinas, and the like.</p> + +<p>That the voice is something of an organ pipe (a flue +pipe) is an illusion only indulged in by writers and teachers +prone to descriptive language, which they do not stay to +inquire into, either for their own edification or for the +enlightenment of other people. There is absolutely nothing +to maintain such an idea.</p> + +<p>It is important that the nature of the <i>matériel</i> of the +vocal cords should become widely known, since such a +knowledge, elementary as it might be, would, at the outset, +enable students to get at once upon the right road to +singing. To grasp the idea that the initial sound-producing +means are these bits of semi-lunar membranes, acted +upon by the breath from the lungs, and that they vibrate +violently or orderly in proportion to the care with which +the breath is brought to bear upon them, is to master +the first great difficulty in singing. This once grasped, +it is not hard to realize that the sound emitted is moulded +and shaped, modified and beautified by other organs of +the laryngeal machine and its surroundings, as well as by +such variable conditions as the state of the human frame +generally, and the particular condition of those organs of +the body most directly concerned in supporting the work +of the larynx may happen to be in. It will save the student +much time if, before he (or she) begins to study singing, +some first acquaintance be formed with the physiological +surroundings of the human voice, and it is worse than +useless to go to a master who teaches singing in blind<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> +ignorance of, and doubtless contempt for, these physiological +principles. The student who has familiarized +himself with the structure of the vocal organs will have +made a much more intelligent progress in his art than +the one who has not, and will be competent none the +less readily to understand the instruction of a qualified +master than to detect the shameful pretence and humbug +of the quack.</p> + + +<p><b>Board Teachers' Laryngitis—Clergyman's +Sore Throat—Throat Exhaustion, etc.</b>—Among +the greatest evils of this competitive teaching age is the +mischief arising from the constant and at the same +time injurious use of the voice. All who use the voice +constantly must learn how to breathe, and <i>produce</i> the +voice. Failing that, serious mischief, which even the +specialist of throat hospitals cannot cope with, must +inevitably follow. The only advice that can be given +here is, immediately that voice exhaustion sets in, to +consult not <i>a doctor</i>, but a throat or voice specialist. +The best institution in the world for throat troubles is +the Throat Hospital, Golden Square, London, W.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="EXERCISES" id="EXERCISES">EXERCISES.</a></h2> + + +<p>This first exercise is a most useful one in the uniting +of notes and in gaining facility. The student should at +first practise it very slowly, mastering four bars at a time. +Although I have divided it into fifteen examples, it is really +but one exercise, with a minim rest between each phrase +of four bars; and it is in this example form that I wish the +student ultimately to sing it with the metronome, at say +76, taking breath <i>only</i> at the rest-mark, and making the +<i>crescendo</i>—not, be it observed, by forcing the tone and +breath, but by a gradual pressing down of the breath.<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a></p> + +<div class="hide-link"><p class="center"><a href="music/exercises.pdf">[Exercises in PDF]</a></p></div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 585px;"> +<img src="images/115a.png" width="585" height="218" alt="Music" title="Ex. 1." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/115a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 584px;"> +<img src="images/115b.png" width="584" height="179" alt="Music" title="A." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/115b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 588px;"> +<img src="images/116a.png" width="588" height="179" alt="Music" title="B." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/116a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 587px;"> +<img src="images/116b.png" width="587" height="178" alt="Music" title="C." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/116b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 588px;"> +<img src="images/116c.png" width="588" height="180" alt="Music" title="D." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/116c.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 586px;"> +<img src="images/116d.png" width="586" height="201" alt="Music" title="E." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/116d.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 588px;"> +<img src="images/116e.png" width="588" height="201" alt="Music" title="F." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/116e.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 584px;"> +<img src="images/117a.png" width="584" height="189" alt="Music" title="G." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/117a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 585px;"> +<img src="images/117b.png" width="585" height="187" alt="Music" title="H." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/117b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 585px;"> +<img src="images/117c.png" width="585" height="203" alt="Music" title="I." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/117c.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 586px;"> +<img src="images/117d.png" width="586" height="188" alt="Music" title="J." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/117d.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 584px;"> +<img src="images/117e.png" width="584" height="193" alt="Music" title="K." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/117e.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 574px;"> +<img src="images/118a.png" width="574" height="194" alt="Music" title="L." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/118a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 574px;"> +<img src="images/118b.png" width="574" height="192" alt="Music" title="M." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/118b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 574px;"> +<img src="images/118c.png" width="574" height="203" alt="Music" title="N." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/118c.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p> </p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 593px;"> +<img src="images/118d.png" width="593" height="294" alt="Music" title="Ex. 2 , by Nava." /> +</div> + +<p> </p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 603px;"> +<img src="images/119a.png" width="603" height="658" alt="Music" title="Ex. 2, continued." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/118d.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p>Exercise 2 is a further one for the practice of joining notes +with the aid of the breath, without the least resemblance +to a jerk with either the sound or the breath. To sing +the exercise with advantage requires a very careful management +of the respiratory organs, and its continuous practice +is one of the best means of managing the breath. Having +inspired the breath after the manner already indicated +herein, proceed to sound the note F in a thin but firm and +steady tone, which you must gradually swell, by pressing +down the breath, as it were, into the following note G, which +you will continue to hold steadily by keeping down the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> +breath as long as you can. Though you raise your tone +of voice in passing from F to G, you must dispel from your +mind all notions of raising your breath or your <i>larynx</i>; it +is just the reverse; you must lower these. Remember a +golden rule—the higher your note the lower must it be +generated in your chest, and your breath must be under +the note supporting it, or there cannot possibly be any tone +there. On reaching the highest limit of this exercise, the +student will repeat the same operation down the scale, +which I need scarcely say is less difficult.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 604px;"> +<img src="images/120a.png" width="604" height="694" alt="Music" title="Ex. 3., by Nava." /> +</div> + +<p> </p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 601px;"> +<img src="images/121a.png" width="601" height="284" alt="" title="Ex. 3, Part 2." /> +</div> + +<p> </p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 602px;"> +<img src="images/121b.png" width="602" height="287" alt="" title="Ex. 3, Part 3." /> +</div> + +<p> </p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 602px;"> +<img src="images/121c.png" width="602" height="276" alt="" title="Ex. 3, Part 4." /> +</div> + +<p> </p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 595px;"> +<img src="images/122a.png" width="595" height="266" alt="Music" title="Ex. 3, Part 5." /> +</div> + +<p> </p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 596px;"> +<img src="images/122b.png" width="596" height="290" alt="Music" title="Ex. 3, Part 5." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/120a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p>Exercise 3 may be timed 76 on your metronome. It +is a study to give freedom and flexibility to your voice. +None of the notes should be forced, and the upper notes +should be rendered with the mouth well open, and with a +quality of tone as similar as possible to that of the lower +notes. Breath should be taken (without losing time) at +the rest-marks. There should be no break or jump in the +tone, but rather it should be one unbroken stream of +melody, as marked in the first phrase. The voice, in this +exercise, should be constantly moving: no sooner should +you be sounding the first note of the phrase than you should +be moving to the second, from the second to the next, and +so on. Be careful to sing the intervals exactly in time, +and in descending to notes satisfy yourself that you are +singing the exact tone, and that with certainty. Indecision +is a grave fault in singing.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 582px;"> +<img src="images/123a.png" width="582" height="629" alt="Music" title="Ex. 4. Intervals of thirds." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/123a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> +<p class="lyrics"><span style="padding-left:5em;">Do Re Mi Re Do Re Mi Fa Mi Re</span><br /> +Mi Fa Sol Fa Mi &c.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 582px;"> +<img src="images/123b.png" width="582" height="569" alt="Music" title="Ex. 5. Intervals of Fourths." /> +<p class="blockquot">* Here take breath.</p> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/123b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p> </p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 589px;"> +<img src="images/124a.png" width="589" height="678" alt="Music" title="Ex. 6. Intervals of Fifths." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/124a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p> </p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 588px;"> +<img src="images/125a.png" width="588" height="302" alt="Music" title="Ex. 7. Intervals of Sixths." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/125a.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<p> </p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 588px;"> +<img src="images/125b.png" width="588" height="390" alt="Music" title="Ex. 8. Intervals of Sevenths." /> +<div class="hide-link"><a href="music/125b.mid">[Listen]</a></div> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="INDEX" id="INDEX">INDEX.</a></h2> + + +<p class="center"><a href="#INDEX_A">A</a> <a href="#INDEX_B">B</a> <a href="#INDEX_C">C</a> <a href="#INDEX_D">D</a> <a href="#INDEX_E">E</a> <a href="#INDEX_F">F</a> <a href="#INDEX_G">G</a> <a href="#INDEX_H">H</a> <a href="#INDEX_I">I</a> <a href="#INDEX_L">L</a> <a href="#INDEX_M">M</a> <a href="#INDEX_N">N</a> <a href="#INDEX_O">O</a> <a href="#INDEX_P">P</a> <a href="#INDEX_Q">Q</a> <a href="#INDEX_R">R</a> <a href="#INDEX_S">S</a> <a href="#INDEX_T">T</a> <a href="#INDEX_V">V</a> <a href="#INDEX_W">W</a> </p> + +<h3><a name="INDEX_A" id="INDEX_A"></a>A.</h3> +<p> +Alto, <a href="#Page_36">36</a> +</p> + +<h3><a name="INDEX_B" id="INDEX_B"></a>B.</h3> +<p> +Bad Lessons, <a href="#Page_50">50</a><br /> +Bad Masters, <a href="#Page_50">50</a><br /> +Ballads, <a href="#Page_80">80</a><br /> +Barytone, Basso-Cantante, <a href="#Page_42">42</a><br /> +Bass, <a href="#Page_44">44</a><br /> +Board Teachers' Laryngitis, <a href="#Page_114">114</a><br /> +Books of Exercises, <a href="#Page_51">51</a><br /> +Buffo, <a href="#Page_48">48</a> +</p> + +<h3><a name="INDEX_C" id="INDEX_C"></a>C.</h3> +<p> +Cathedral School, The, <a href="#Page_72">72</a><br /> +Chest, Falsetto, and Head, <a href="#Page_60">60</a><br /> +Chorus Singing, <a href="#Page_69">69</a><br /> +Cleanliness, <a href="#Page_13">13</a><br /> +Clearing the Throat, <a href="#Page_59">59</a><br /> +Compass, <a href="#Page_30">30</a><br /> +Consonants, <a href="#Page_24">24</a><br /> +Contralto, <a href="#Page_35">35</a> +</p> + +<h3><a name="INDEX_D" id="INDEX_D"></a>D.</h3> +<p> +Decision, <a href="#Page_84">84</a><br /> +Diet, <a href="#Page_13">13</a><br /> +Dramatic Study, <a href="#Page_27">27</a><br /> +Dress, <a href="#Page_16">16</a><br /> +Duration of Practice, <a href="#Page_67">67</a> +</p> + +<h3><a name="INDEX_E" id="INDEX_E"></a>E.</h3> +<p> +Early Rising, <a href="#Page_13">13</a><br /> +Education, General, <a href="#Page_26">26</a><br /> +Emphasis, <a href="#Page_25">25</a><br /> +English, <a href="#Page_24">24</a><br /> +Execution, <a href="#Page_105">105</a><br /> +Exercise, <a href="#Page_15">15</a><br /> +Exercises, <a href="#Page_115">115</a><br /> +Exercises, First, <a href="#Page_62">62</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">" Books of, <a href="#Page_51">51</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">" in Beating Time, <a href="#Page_89">89</a></span><br /> +Expression, Facial, <a href="#Page_54">54</a> +</p> + + +<h3><a name="INDEX_F" id="INDEX_F"></a>F.</h3> +<p> +Facial Expression, <a href="#Page_54">54</a><br /> +Falsetto, <a href="#Page_60">60</a><br /> +Fashion, <a href="#Page_106">106</a><br /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span><br /> +First Opinion, A, <a href="#Page_44">44</a><br /> +Forming a Repertoire, <a href="#Page_107">107</a><br /> +Forte, Mezzo-Voce, and Piano, <a href="#Page_60">60</a> +</p> + + +<h3><a name="INDEX_G" id="INDEX_G"></a>G.</h3> +<p> +General Education, <a href="#Page_26">26</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">" Musical Study, <a href="#Page_70">70</a></span><br /> +German Lieder, Modern, <a href="#Page_71">71</a> +</p> + +<h3><a name="INDEX_H" id="INDEX_H"></a>H.</h3> +<p> +Hair, The, <a href="#Page_14">14</a><br /> +Head, Singing in the, <a href="#Page_58">58</a><br /> +High Notes, <a href="#Page_59">59</a><br /> +"Holding" an Audience, <a href="#Page_86">86</a><br /> +"How to Begin", <a href="#Page_68">68</a><br /> +Humming, <a href="#Page_69">69</a> +</p> + +<h3><a name="INDEX_I" id="INDEX_I"></a>I.</h3> +<p> +Imitation, <a href="#Page_70">70</a>, <a href="#Page_85">85</a><br /> +Individuality, <a href="#Page_53">53</a><br /> +Institutions, <a href="#Page_48">48</a> +</p> + +<h3><a name="INDEX_L" id="INDEX_L"></a>L.</h3> +<p> +Larynx, The, <a href="#Page_109">109</a><br /> +Late Hours, <a href="#Page_19">19</a><br /> +Lessons, Bad, <a href="#Page_50">50</a><br /> +Lips, Position of, <a href="#Page_25">25</a> +</p> + +<h3><a name="INDEX_M" id="INDEX_M"></a>M.</h3> +<p> +Masters, <a href="#Page_48">48</a><br /> +Mezzo-Voce, <a href="#Page_60">60</a><br /> +Mezzo-Contralto, <a href="#Page_35">35</a><br /> +Mezzo-Soprano, <a href="#Page_34">34</a><br /> +Mistakes in Public, <a href="#Page_86">86</a><br /> +Modern German Lieder, <a href="#Page_71">71</a><br /> +Morality, <a href="#Page_19">19</a><br /> +Music to Suit the Voice, <a href="#Page_103">103</a><br /> +Musical Study, General, <a href="#Page_70">70</a> +</p> + + +<h3><a name="INDEX_N" id="INDEX_N"></a>N.</h3> +<p> +Names of Voices, <a href="#Page_29">29</a><br /> +Nervousness, <a href="#Page_21">21</a> +</p> + +<h3><a name="INDEX_O" id="INDEX_O"></a>O.</h3> +<p> +Oratorio, <a href="#Page_73">73</a><br /> +"Original Keys", <a href="#Page_104">104</a><br /> +Opera, <a href="#Page_79">79</a> +</p> + +<h3><a name="INDEX_P" id="INDEX_P"></a>P.</h3> +<p> +Perseverance, <a href="#Page_54">54</a><br /> +Physiological Surroundings, <a href="#Page_109">109</a><br /> +Pharynx, The, <a href="#Page_111">111</a><br /> +Position of Arms, <a href="#Page_55">55</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">" " Body, <a href="#Page_55">55</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">" " Hands, <a href="#Page_56">56</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">" " Larynx, <a href="#Page_57">57</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">" " Throat, <a href="#Page_56">56</a></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">" " Tongue, <a href="#Page_57">57</a></span><br /> +Pronunciation, <a href="#Page_22">22</a><br /> +Public Singing, <a href="#Page_85">85</a><br /> +Public, Mistakes in, <a href="#Page_86">86</a> +</p> + +<h3><a name="INDEX_Q" id="INDEX_Q"></a>Q.</h3> +<p> +Qualities of the Voice, <a href="#Page_45">45</a> +</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span></p> +<h3><a name="INDEX_R" id="INDEX_R"></a>R.</h3> +<p> +Recitative, <a href="#Page_81">81</a><br /> +Repertoire, Forming a, <a href="#Page_107">107</a><br /> +</p> + +<h3><a name="INDEX_S" id="INDEX_S"></a>S.</h3> +<p> +Scale, The, <a href="#Page_60">60</a><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">" Practice, <a href="#Page_62">62</a></span><br /> +"Schools" of Singing, <a href="#Page_47">47</a><br /> +Self-Accompaniment, <a href="#Page_55">55</a><br /> +Sentiment, <a href="#Page_84">84</a><br /> +Singing in Tune, <a href="#Page_67">67</a><br /> +Slurring, <a href="#Page_83">83</a><br /> +Smoking, <a href="#Page_18">18</a><br /> +Soprano, <a href="#Page_32">32</a><br /> +Study of Songs, <a href="#Page_20">20</a><br /> +Study of Words, <a href="#Page_25">25</a><br /> +Styles, Traditional, <a href="#Page_71">71</a> +</p> + +<h3><a name="INDEX_T" id="INDEX_T"></a>T.</h3> +<p> +Teachers, Bad, <a href="#Page_50">50</a><br /> +Teeth, The, <a href="#Page_15">15</a><br /> +Tenore-Leggiero, <a href="#Page_37">37</a><br /> +Tenore-Robusto, <a href="#Page_39">39</a><br /> +Throatiness, <a href="#Page_58">58</a><br /> +Thyroid, The, <a href="#Page_110">110</a><br /> +Time in Singing, <a href="#Page_87">87</a><br /> +Tone, <a href="#Page_60">60</a><br /> +Traditional Styles, <a href="#Page_71">71</a> +</p> + +<h3><a name="INDEX_V" id="INDEX_V"></a>V.</h3> +<p> +Variety Indispensable, <a href="#Page_68">68</a><br /> +Voices and their Names, <a href="#Page_29">29</a><br /> +Voice, The; A Wind, Reed, or String Instrument, <a href="#Page_111">111</a><br /> +Vowel-Sounds, <a href="#Page_23">23</a> +</p> + +<h3><a name="INDEX_W" id="INDEX_W"></a>W.</h3> +<p> +"Words," Study of, <a href="#Page_25">25</a> +</p> + +<p> </p> +<p class="center">Printed by <span class="smcap">Ballantyne, Hanson & Co.</span></p> +<p class="center">London & Edinburgh</p> +<p> </p> + + + + +<div class="footnotes"> +<h2><a name="Footnotes" id="Footnotes">FOOTNOTES</a></h2> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> It used to be said of Rubini that "he had tears in his voice."</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> The Exercise should be a crescendo from piano to forte.</p></div> + +</div> + +<p> </p> + +<div class="transnote"> +<h2><a name="Transcribers_Note" id="Transcribers_Note">TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE</a></h2> + + +<p>Punctuation and formatting markup have been made consistent.</p> + +<p>Apparent printer's errors have been retained, unless stated below.</p> + +<p>Page <a href="#Page_62">62</a>, "disirable" changed to "desirable". (It cannot be too strongly +impressed upon, or too frequently pointed out to, the singer (no matter +what may be the stage of his or her artistic development) how desirable +and advantageous it is to be constantly singing exercises and solfeggi +in preference to songs.)</p> + +<div class="hide-link"><p>In Exercise 8 on Page <a href="#Page_66">66</a>, the top D in the third +measure has been changed to sound as a D<span lang="en" title="flat">♭</span>, in belief that the note +was affected by the flat at the beginning of the measure, and to stay in +character with the rest of the exercises.</p></div> + +<p>Page <a href="#Page_73">73</a> and <a href="#Page_74">74</a>, "shool" changed to "school". (You will find its good +points equally insisted on in the oratorio school of singing, while its +defects should be avoided in any.)</p> + +<p>In Exercise 11 on Page <a href="#Page_94">94</a>, the twelfth bar in the the original image +began with a quaver. To retain rhythmic integrity, this has been +edited to read as a crotchet.</p> + +<p>In Exercise 6 on Page <a href="#Page_98">98</a>, the tenth and eleventh bar in the the original +image were reversed. For consistency, these bars have been corrected.</p> + +<p>Page <a href="#Page_106">106</a>, "divisious" changed to "divisions". (Those who have ever +delighted as well as astonished us by their rapid manner of running +through divisions must have been naturally endowed with flexible +organs.)</p> + +<p>Page <a href="#Page_109">109</a>, "<span lang="el" title="larynx">λαρυγξ</span>" changed to "<span lang="el" title="lάrynx">λάρυγξ</span>".</p> + +<p>On page <a href="#Page_110">110</a>, "<span lang="el" title="harytaina">ἁρύταινα</span>" was intentionally retained. +This may be a typo for "<span lang="el" title="arytaina">ἀρύταινα</span>".</p> + +<p>Page <a href="#Page_111">111</a>, "<span lang="el" title="pharynx">φάρυνξ</span>" changed to "<span lang="el" title="pharynx">φάρυγξ</span>".</p> + +<p>In Exercise 4 on Page <a href="#Page_123">123</a>, the seventh bar in the the original image +began with an E. In order to maintain the pattern, this has been +edited to read as an F.</p> + +<p>In Exercise 5 on Page <a href="#Page_124">124</a>, the twelfth bar in the the original image +contained four beats. The first note of the measure, which was a minim, +has been changed to a crotchet.</p> + +<p>In Exercise 7 on Page <a href="#Page_125">125</a>, the last measure +contained three beats. The last note of the exercise, which was printed as +a dotted minim, has been changed to a semibreve.</p> + +<p>In Exercise 8 on Page <a href="#Page_125">125</a>, the rhythm in the measure was originally +written as a crotchet, two quavers, +a crotchet, two quavers, and a crotchet, making five beats in the +measure of common time. The measure has been edited to read as a single +crotchet, followed by six quavers in order to retain four beats +in each measure.</p> + +</div> + +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADVICE TO SINGERS***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 41013-h.txt or 41013-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/1/0/1/41013">http://www.gutenberg.org/4/1/0/1/41013</a></p> +<p> +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p> +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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