HOW VOICES ARE LOST.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 8 September 1923, Page 5

HOW VOICES ARE LOST.

A CHAT WITH MR. ROWLAND . FOSTER,

"A lovely voice is the only basis of vocal artf—the raw material from which the finished article is evolved. It needs the expression of a real personality or individuality, manifesting itself through that voice, for without personality there can b-a no success worth speaking of. The smallest patch of music is woirtli more than a wilderness of voice."

These sentiments were expressed to an interviewer by Mr Roland Foster, professor of singing and lecturer on vocal technique and art at the IS'ew South Wales State Conseravtorium of Music, who is to act r.s musical judge at the Wellington competitions. "It is an undoubtea fact/ he said, that really first-class teachers are as scarce in the World as first-class' singers, and that being so it is evident that there .is great scope in this direction for "personal achievement. Madatme Melba has pointed out that' whereas, even among singers of the- front! rank, many have lost their voices in a comparatively few years, or have suffered such deterioration that they havo been cocpelled to (retire from the stage, .others are singing just as well as they did 20 or 25 years a^o. This, she said, was all a question 01 correct or incorrect methods. The tendency to vorship at the shrine of power, and to cultivate that element in the voice at the expense of both eace of [.rodacrion and • beauty of tone, is un fort-mutely very prevalent in Australia, and it lias bee^n . c.aid on more than one occasion that mare voices hi«ve been ruined there by the indulge-nee in this habit than anywhere elsw t :i the world. This may, or may not be the case, but my experience goes to prove that the same state of aifalrs is to be found in nearly every great city, and the percentage of failures in vocal training far exceeds the number of successes.

'"This ought not to be so, for it is chiefly dee to the neglect of fundamental principles, such as the adequate study of breathing and breath control. It will be remembered that one of the maximums of the old Italian school was "the art of breathing is the art of singing." Wrong classification of yoice, and an endeavour to obtain quick results in the development of vocal power a.nd range'in the manner I have indicated, submits the voice to the risk of early decay by a process of ■wear and tear. Both among the amateur and professional punils I have found the general excellence of the Australian voice is unmistakable. Perhaps the chief failing among; these singers is a lack of seriousness, and thoroughness in study. This is, probably, due to climatic conditions, but when this failing is realised it can, of course, be over-come, and when it is overcome the, Australian singer may hope for the best. Up to the time of the establishment of the Conservatorium the lack of .'faculties, far obtaining a thorough musical training prevented all but a few from reaching the necessary standard, but with these .facilities at hand it may be ho^ed that the number of successful Australian singers will become more numerous as times goes on."