THE ART OF SINGING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 522, 1 June 1909, Page 3

THE ART OF SINGING.

MELBA CRITICISED. With-regard-to Madamo.Melba's recont'de- . , claratiott ; (says: tho London correspondent of ■ ■ the Auckland I'Herald") that many; promis- '; ~ihg: female, voices''.bad; .been''ruined by malo teachera/' and her charge ' of- incompetence ; : against malo '■ instructors, 'a London n'ews- ' . paper has interviewing some of ■th 6 ac- :■ cused teachers. [ ' ,_ Dr.: W.- G. M'Naught, who is well known iin London musical circles, said . "It is,'.of courso, with much diffidonco . ■ that ' i;-(place-' iny ; pinion';in' opposition '• to r f thai;of Mddamo L Melba."upon .this; subject,-but-tho ' bxporieuco of many years compels Imoto do so. : If she had warned .her, friends

• "againstvihcompetenfl^/teachers of singing, . {mthdnt : !r«gatd'tb'sex/I, should bo in hearty ; agreement.-with"_hor j ■ for^it\ia quite certain vthat' .'no : profession is '-moreovertun ■by-Ciri- ;/•/: competent,pretenders./than;.ours. c The historical facta,. hov.;ovof,' are dead, against Madame . 'Melba's. warning when, directed; • against male, teachers, as such.; /:■* . '.f Most.;6fj,the ':greatest lingers /the world -has .seen havo been . trained > by. men, and ;'/ /::the; women.'thomselves:,show a.; marked, :pro-: fcrenco for. the instruction.,of L the ''oppositesex, so far as singing is conccrncd. Proof ■of ;/this/ latter - assertion'i3 to bo found at the Royali Academy, of Music and tho Royal . College of Music, where thero are very few lady teachers,: becauso so many of. tho lady pupils prefer,'to bo taught by men."/ l)r. M'Naught was inhearty agreement . with Madame ;Melba in her generous' pntise . of .Marches! ;as; a teacher. "If all lady teach- ,;: ers,'.' ha said; "we're half as excellent ,as Marchesij'tho situation vould .be very .'different.But; ; as, matter H ;>'of /iact,.,-women V. '[■ teachers,;worthy of ;tho name,'.are : yery .h'ard ; bo;'much -/to ;'the art:of•foice-productibnV and singing instruction.as.tho .men:have;;That'is the /wholetruth of the matter; And it . * ~ is the more-t-q be regretted, because women ..teachors^.have'a..great;?idvantago in graining pupils of their own sex by ! beingviable, to give vthem-: thai /exact;/pattern. // L' am particularly well placed for knowing -.whcro. ' s•• competerit;;fbmalo" teach cm", of .'singing,, are to . • be.;foundi''r;and",the:. J Testricted nuinber ;witb • whom I am.'acquainted are always •strongly! .'/ • recommended'''by';men' for' 'ths instruction»of' • ladv pupils." .That hundreds . of: ; good . Voices; are, ruined, every day by. ' bad teaching Dr. M'Naught !. :,franldy.,' admiHed.;V "But this .is not.', to: be laid. to. the . door of male instructors on ~, count' of their ;sex,'.'rhe is due to 'the. J fact :tliat;-;the ;men'.| in ..this;, profession . outnumber . tho .-jvonien . by/ quite,.'so to- one. ;■;' Somepf /thp : greatest;/teachers',undoubtedly .; ■. made mistakes.^v; ; v.That~;is : ';because;.; nearly ■."/every particular arid -many .of,'them-!iiin (^ at. achieving/tho.; inarvel-' : > Jousy ah^ead;.^ iconfihirig/tfoir. efforts . * in, safo and sound limitations.*; We arc only just' beginning. Jto.' liiake nescience vof; .pice production'.l,thoughtl/knew.;a': great' dqal. ... more about it "as ,a .'young man' than I do now when getting on in years." '. ;/' . . .' Ser'e.-Mr.r.'.Thomas: Beechamj'.- the' conductor, who had so s far been a listener only, ventured.the remark: "You may be surprised to' hear it, but it is my;' that nineteen out of f-'every'.' twenty .teachers of sinking," whatever .their sex,' are.charlatans! . ' and I speak with knowledge, too.",- * ; : '. 'T would not' gO BO .far :as-.that,?'' replied ' DriiM'Naughti .with .a smile, " but I would say ;fcur' tot of (every five' do pot/know.'.their business. Lam afraid it is a'caso with most :• •of them,of: plenty of' brass on the door and /plenty,of'brass*! in.tho method I"And Mr. , Boecham 'closed/the 'interview/by .'observing "The art ;of ''singing .is 'the" easiest thing, ill • • tho world to teach—badly." • , ■■.. .