HOW TO SING AND PLAY MY COMPOSITIONS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 5832, 24 February 1906, Page 3

HOW TO SING AND PLAY MY COMPOSITIONS.

(By Jfadamo Chaminade.) No matter whoso mimic tho student may take up thoro nro certain fundamental principles that must bo previously mastered: principles that are necessary to a finished, mueiciauly performance, whether tho composition bo for an instrument or for tho voice. Unfortunately these principles are too often disregarded or .superficially pained: if they were not we should havo many more successful musicians than no hare. THE GREAT FAULT TO-DAY is that people do not study enough—there is too great haste to get to tho end of things without much thought of the beginnings. I know of some opera singers who know nothing of tho notes, and who learn whole roles ns a parrot would, strangely enough, with a certain recog. mtion. Yet what a different career, and •another recognition, would havo been theirs with tho right kind of training ami foundation. After tho delivery of the first four bars X can tell whether a

singer in really founded musically or not. VOCALISMS aim: NO LONGER WHITTEN, Lut they ale !c the voice exactly the Minin iw mechanism to tin- pianist. Sonin great singers cannot even i rill —bveauitho trill is little n-ed in moilcrn Milling; yet in a proper Inundation tor the vocalist (he trill is ef as great importance now as it was in the reign r.t the most, florid of the old Italians, While the Trench school gives to tho singer tme-h nml elegance in phrasing, and cninhnicd with the old Italian retinol make* tho well-rounded artist, that same old Italian method is alone the one that given tho true vocal foundation. THERE IS ONE COMPOSER to whom the earnest singer may always turn with certainty of benefit—Handel. Unable! and Gluck have hoth written music in which the voice must come out, florid passages and hrnad, sustained melody, in which every nolo imut be there, clear, correct without nuance, and there is no chance of hiding anything. When you study such music you will find your faults and imperfections of tone very floarly; sunlight will not bring out flaw's more mercilessly than it will show your wcakucescs. Its mastery means hard work, and it means discouragement, but intelligent application to it will bring Kuccofs. Gluck’s "Anilide." for instance. ™ broad, so firm in its dignity ami bcautv of writing, with a melody sustained aiyl noble, cannot fail to help you seo your faults, and, once you sing it as it should be sung, every note correct, honest and true, it will aid you to overcome them. SING SIMPLY. The smaller and sustained melodies are more difficult than tho elaborate aria of grand opera. Sing things, the way the composer indicates in tho expression marks that they should bo sung, and do not try to seek out all kinds of effects and mannerisms. For its proper development, and for its very existe-neo and endurance, the voice must ho in "place'.” neither too high nor too low. Sing naturally, ns you would speak; tho higher and lower notes, the extremes will then come with a little work. Hilt many lino voiced are ruined by strain, and in a vain attempt to force the extremes, which in reality arc there, hut can only ho developed gradually or built up to. ns it were by judicious use of the tones naturally at youi command. In my opinion it is better for women to study with women mid men with men. Women understand better the voices of women, and men those of their own sex. To my way of thinking, tco. the teacher should invariably be able to give practical examples.

In tailing up the study of ifiv songs I should recommend first that the singer read the poem, and then get at its meaning. The words to-day are halt of the art in the song. It used to bo that llie words would mean nothing in particular, were ofttiincs senseless, and full of repetitions without meaning. Now tho poem plays tlie groat role, and in tho French language wo have many rarely beautiful poems for fho sotting of our songs. To mo tho words mean a great deal, and 1 never select any poem to put to music that has not made a strong impression upon mo through its beauty of sentiment and fitness. Then I commit it to memory and carefully think out its phases and velopmcnt that 1 may give it my fullest expression.

The words of many of my songs Ijavo been translated into English, but frankly speaking I prefer that they should bn sung in tbo original French, even should tho pronunciation be not so good. In tho first place, in composing a song I try to express tho meaning of each word in the note placed above it. and to retain the sentiment of the poem as a whole ns it prognoses toward its climax. Now in the translations, which need really a genius to do properly, tho requirements of rhyme, sense, and a change of grammatical rules, revcrec more or less completely the order in which word and note were originally combined. The end of all this is that a new poem is only foo likely to take the place of the original, and effects that I had intended to go with certain words are completely lost through being combined with others less important, of entirely different moaning, or not contained at all in the original. After your mastery of tbo poem 1 should advise that you play through the melody of the song to that you get it into tho car and know what it means and how it runs. In this go slowly, for to make a mistake in the beginning is to make it for always.

Many opera singers iearn both words nml melody before using (ho voice at all ami by (his plan they do not tiro it for the mechanical part is already woli in command before tho voice is called into play.

\\ hen one has a thorough knowledge of the words of a song, and a general one of tho music, then the expression may be taken up. It is very important for the singer to c? *° V - ker own accompaniments, btudy for tho piano a year or two before you take up singing. Tho ago of soventeon or eighteen is generally tho time that girls begin to sing, and many voices of value are first discovered at twenty. If no studies in instrumental music have been made up to that time it is too late to begin, and so one important factor of a musical foundation must remain lacking.

To tho study of accompaniments «ingera ns n rule do not give sufficient attentlo“- A flood voice cannot carry a good melody without a Rood accompaniment. And to bo always dependent for our accompaniments upon another* who mav not bo fully in sympathy with our ideas of interpretation or fail to give a proper and effective support, is to be a very onesided musician indeed.

In writing tho accompaniments to my songs I think always of tho orchestra, and have in mind orchestral effects. Tho accompaniment I consider as much a part of tho song and its expression ns the inelodv. \\hilo my accompaniments are often full and always sustained, I write tho melody a little above tho instrumental part to give It the necessary prominence. x/ccauso they are sustained, and

cen.-eonentlv must bo played so,_ tho use of <be pedal, carefully changed with every chance iu harmony, is necessary, _

“What makes success with the singer?” One i-in never tell from what .success . ernes Some carrv the public with them, o: hem* with great talent make no euceel The voice is not all; temperament .-.ml tie' exercise of intelligence counts for lU Take .lean de Keszke, for instance, his voice is not much, but the .tone is so elear. the words come so distinctly, that von have before von a complete musical picture, von have the true interpretation of the t-o’ng. ltd factors arc a musical, .dear tone, of correct quality, and the words distinct in enunciation with proper emphasis and expression. Tho following graded lists of my songs and graded concert programme of my compositions fpr clubs and schools I have prepared to make clearer and cosier, by their order of arrangement, the study of Mine of tho things that I have written. These are the host to begin with, and are not dillicult: Sans Amour—mezzo, Madrigal—soprano. Vicns, mon bicn-nimc—mezzo, Berceuse—soprano or mezzo, Avenir —soprano or mezzo, Sommcil d’Enfanl—soprano or mezzo. Exit—mezzo. Uitouruello—mezzo. The following aro more difficult, but nmv bo learned with greater case after a study of the preceding ones: Reste—mezzo, Revo dun Soir—mezzo. Amoroso—soprano or mezzo, Noel dcs Oiscaux—mezzo, Si j'etais jardinier soprano, An pays bleu—mezzo. Bletis—soprano or mezzo. Infini—mezzo, L’Anueau d'argent—mezzo. Tho songs in the third list arc difficult, but are made lees to after study of selections from tho first two lists, wliich I have graded with this end in view:-*-Avril s’eveillc —soprano, I’artoul—soprano, l,cs Roves—soprano or mezzo, Honno humour—soprano. Chanson For-estiei-o—soprano or mezzo. Chanson pngnoic—mezzo. Portrait—soprano. La plus jolic—soprano. Those songs marked for mezzo arc better for contralto than soprano voices, aa it is better to sing them deeper than higher. Tho music I write for the piano some people say is too hard. But it is better to study,'is it. not? For the foundation of piano-playing the very best work that I have found is that by Lo Conppc.v—which is hoth thorough and practical. His scales ami technical studies are admirable.

The rules that I should give for the study of my eom|*>sitio:is for piano arc: First of all, practise slowly, with a deep strong touch, but never a hard one. In taking up a piece study it through from beginning to end. selecting measures that are difficult for slow but not too constant repetition, for in that is tho danger of growing mechanical or inattentive. Practise all runs, scales and arpeggios slowly, ami witii a deep touch. Do'not study a tiling Hint is too hard for you; it will bring no progress. While you are at work think only of tile piano. If one practises in this way with genuine earnestness—it is not well In study' too long—one hour at a time is enough. But one hour studied in this way is worth a mouth of sitting at tho piano.