THE VOICE PRODUCTION CASE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 11248, 11 April 1908, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE VOICE PRODUCTION CASE.

The libel action brought by Mr Joel Hoispobl, otherwise Leonard Kane, and the ''Horspool Natural Voice Academy, Limited," against Dr William Cummings, principal of the Guildhal School of Music, resulted m a verdict for the defendant. The Horspool system was advertised m tho London Daily Telegraph' as follows : VOCAL DISCOVERY OF THE 'CENTURY. ..,■;.■ Hor spool's Natural Voice . Academy, Limited, 14 George • street; Hanover Squm-e. Managing director, Professor Horspool. : ' . 'Guarantees all .not vocally : malformed, irrespective of age, a- perfect singing and speaking voice, of full compass and with, out a break; of full power and perfect pronunciation ; without any body or breath effort, without vocal' fatigue or hoarseness ; of invaluable benefit to the clergy, Ms.P.,. and orators. A positive cure for. stammering: This system can be acquired by correspondence. It was this, advertisement that Dr Cummings jcomme'nted upon at a conference of musicians at (Buxton. Counsel i for the defence, m the course of an ? address to the jury, said: '"Tho discovery;, ifit was a discovery, was momentous,-revolution-ary m the musical profession. It alleged dishonesty m the music teacher who had become aware. of it and went on with the old methods he had learned aiid practised; and it. claimed for itself universal results,' a > universal, success, and it was upon that . footing, and it could be only on that footing, that the plaintiff justified a« advertisement such as he had. issued. As he truly said about the old professors of voice production and song, they could not honestly say they would guarantee to all a perfect singing voice. No man could have said it." ■Plaintiff's counsel stiitedthat the com. pany dijl extremely well for eight months. The evidence of Sir, CHarles Santley and other vocal expertsi and tho testimony, of medical men, was invoked "by Dr Oummings. His paper, (says tho /.Musical News) was : on the important subject of voice train ing, historical, pedagogic, ami personal;." it touched incidentally on the ridiculous pretences of "quacks :— < • When I 1 read, of a, medicine .which- is warranted by .some quasi -doctov man 'to cure every ,i 11, ,.1' regard'- the whole- matter as impudent quackery, 'and I may say tho like of, many of the -adyertisements of the present day. .which- unblushihgly declare that Mr" Sp-anaVSo "Guarantees a perfect, natural voice. £or singing ; and Fpea^iing. lhvaluab'le to clergy, actors, singers, orators. ' No failures. Easily '.aca}»»:^d- v Vbi'cc under perfect' control. floUrsenoss, fa'Jigue unkno^vn." Hipi'e is .'another i-r 1 " A perfect singing and^peakingvoice; of 1 full "compass, and without ai .break ;'of ft\l l po«wer and. perfect pronunciation ; .without any body or breath ;. without vocal fatigue , or U&iir^eflcsS/v Of inyjiluable benefit to -the clergy/ Mb.P., 'and orators. A poait ivd cuj'e for stammering. Classes at, reduced^-Je'os." ., /This syteem can be acquired ~)>y", correspondence.' 5 , . .... And there -wei'e dupes i- who regarded these impostures as facts ! ■ The latter quotation contained the alleged libel. .. ;. ... ' , • *