Melba on Song.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13349, 27 July 1907, Page 1 (Supplement)

Melba on Song.

SECRET OF SUCCESS. .Madame Melba contributes to the "Century Magazine" for Julio an extremely interesting anil instructive article <m "'ihe I iift of Sung." in thu course of which she says :—■ During ttio years immediately preceding nty first and, for me. my most memorable visit to Europe, the lata Marquis of Nornurnby 'was Governor or Victoria. At that time I "was regarded in Melbourne as a very good amateur pianist, much in request fur private parties, at which I always played, and on very rare occasions also *<ing. At one of these functions, given at < taverrnnent-House. I gave some songs between the pianoforte selections, and the Marchioness of Nonnanby. in thanking me, said, " Child, some day you will give up the piano for singing, and then yon will become famous/* That was tiw simple comment that set ma seriously thinking of a career as a singer. I had always felt that I would become 3 professional in music—pianist, organist, violinist, perhaps, bat something in mesic, at any rat.?: but from that moment I knew in an irrestible way that I was to be a singer. That remark of the Marchioness made mo understand, r.nd determined met'> grasp " tha skirts of happy chance." I courted every semblance vi opportunity, and I see now. as then, how fateful a factor opportunity must be with all who aim at a public career. Even the born singer may -waste divine gifts for want of opportunity, and the possessor of high'yvteveloped local talent mar entirely sink into obscurity without it. I cannot too forcibly insist that the mem possession of a lovely voice is only the basis of local art. Nature occasionally startles one by the prodigality of her gifts, but no student has any right to expect to ring by inspiration, any more than an athlete may expect to win a race because he r> naturally fkefc of foot. Methods of breathing, "attack," and the us e of the registers, must all be perfectly understood' by the successful singer, who should likeirisa li 3 complete master of all details relating to tie structure and use of those parts above Ihe voice-book, arid he. convinced of the necessity of a perfectlycontrolled chest expension in the production of -tone.

For perfec-t singing, correct breathing, strange as it, tnay Sound; Li even more essential than a beautiful voice. No matter how exquisite the vocal organ may be, its beauty cannot be adequately demonstrated without proper breath control. Hero is one of the old Italian secrets which many singers of to-day -wholly lack, because they are unwilling to give the necessary time for the full development of breathing power and control. Phrasing, tone, resonance, expression, all depend upon respiration; and, in.my opinion, musical students, even -when too young to be allowed the free •use of the voice, should! be thoroughly taught the principles of breathing. In-, deed, the science of taking breath is a study peculiarly suited to the years of childhood and adolescence; for, apart from other considerations, there are few things so conducive to good health as good breathing. And, owing to the greater elasticity of the human frame in the time of youth, the ■ chest is then, more easily developed and expanded. It is an excellent practice for a nervous singer to take a few deep breaths on entering, and the inexperienced .should avoid numbers wiih exacting opening bars. Even a good general knowledge of music does not imply knowledge of scientific voice production. Correct" vocalisation is only possible on strict physiological principles. - I insist "upon this, because it is rational and logical. In this way faults. are better recognised and explained; the student" may the more surely guide her own development and effectively restore an injured voice, and generally advance her physical which is a vital point. According to my idea, the student of singing can best learn this subtle and complex art in those centres where music has been longest established and most generally - practised; where it is, in a-word, part of the daily life of the people rather than the recreation or luxury of the few. For this reason. I consistently recommend slu !y in Italy, France,' and Germany, and jar-, ticularly for American. Canadian, b, and Australian students. I put my own country last, in the spirit of court'*?; but as a producer of voices it really Might 1 to coma first in consideration. Of course, robust physical heal ii !* of ' paramount importance. Without it a treat yocal career is absolutely barred. r rufov.it that there is such in a singer's life conducive to this physical robustness; as. fc-r example, the vigorous use of the breathing apparatus. But this may be more than counteracted by late hours, much travelling by night, concentrated efforts, and disappointment resulting from the caprice of public taste or othar 'causes. Plenty of fresh air, plain food, a reasonable amount of exercise, and eight or nine hours' sleep, are all necessary to the young singer, whoaa larynx is quick to reflect the general physical condition. At the same time, common sense, and individual temperament should bo the best of all rules. I myself always suffer in a steam-heated apartment. I consider the general overheating in America » menace, and never allow the temperature of my rooms to rise above 60 degrees: while at the same tims the whole range of my apartments is continually freshened with pure air. A singer's diet should include plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. I myself take for breakfast only a cup of tea and a little toast. At luncheon I have a cutlet or a little chicken, some stewed fruit, with a light salad, but no rich food. My chief meal is, of course, dinner, which I take rather late at night, generally at a> quarter to eight, unless 1 am singing, when I take a light—very light—meal about 5 in the afternoon. A question often asked me is: How early should a girl begin the more serious business of voice culture? Never before she is seventeen. Even a limited study before that age will interfere with the development of the vocal organs, and perhaps do them serious injury. Among my daily letters are many for girls of fifteen or sixteen asking for a hearing; but I always tell them they aro too young, however promising. As to the age limit, tit? other way, I feel it would be impossible to give any good general advice. I would point out, in this connection, that some artists of world-wide repute are singing at well to-day as they did twenty ;.can, ago, while others havo broken down in a few short years, or have become hopelessly defective in their vocal results. It is all n question of correct or incorrect methods. In my opinion, the greatest living teacher of singing is Madame Mathilde Marchesi, of Paris. I think her a marvel of scientific method, and when she goes front »s. we shall have lost a personality impossible to replace. The spirit of her method—deriv-d in turn from o!d Manuel fJarcia. and direetty through him from tlio long lini' of Italian masters—may lw crudely summarised as follows:—"Change to th - middle notes on F. Begin th.- headnot.:s on F s-harp. and once on the h-adnotes. always >ing pianissimo.'' While with her. I took onlv three short lesse:ns every w;ek : hut I worked eigiit hours a day studying theorv. tradition, and technic —the old Italian technic that tells a pupil how to. " filar il tuono" —to spin a. tone as subtly and deliiati'H" a--* a spider spins it* almost impalpable web of fcilk.

The student of German vocal iir'i should go in Madame Lili Li-hinann. As for Italian teachers, there an- several eminent professors in Koine. Milan and Nap'es. For myself. I was fortunate enough to study my Italian rules with Verdi, Leoncavallo, and Puccini, and the French ones with Massemt, De'.iWs. Sahit-Saens. Am broiso Thomes. ;ind Gounod himself. Ihe rehearsals with Gounod and ahveys remain in my mind. They took place at thu oh! niat-itro's house in the Place Malesherbes, Paris, and Gounod himself not only sang the male parts for me. but took great pains to explain the subtle' moral ditl'ei-en ce.s between the characters of Juliette anaMarguerite. Apropos for the need for foreign languages, I -recall an amusing episode. Not long after my debut in Brussels as Gilda in " Rigole.tlo," I began to study the opera of "Lakrne," under tha direction of Delibes, its composer. But my pronunciation <if French at that lime was evidently considered by thu directors of the opera as the French of Strafford :i«ie- • Bowe, and they doubsd whether I ousrh* to sing in '* Lakme" at all. o\r; .!ay, much perplexed in council, they sent fcr the composer, and told him their tr.;ubl.s '" Qu'elle chants en chinois, si elle veil'..'* cried Delibes. pounding the- table with angry fist, "mais qu'elle chante mon opera!" ("She may sing in Chinese if slu iikes. so "long as she sings my opera.") But I was rea'.ly backward in French, and on that account set. to work and studied no I«:«i than six hours a day under a thoroughly competent Brussels teacher, Mile. Tordeus. As to how long this foreign study should last, this, of course, depends upon the mental capacity of the student. Young singers of many nations cite to me my own care: for after nine months' study in Paris I came out as a full-fledged prima donna at the Brussels Opera-hous?. But I may .sav at once that mine was an exceptional case; for I was born with a natural trill and an absolute control of breath, so that as a child of seven I was as far advanced naturally as some mature students are after years of patient stud}". In connection with the natural trill, my fellow-pupils at College- in East Melbourne, Australia, used to gather round me, and say curiously, "Nellie, make that funny noise in your throat." It amused them. But to assume that ths bel canto of perfect technic is to b3 acquired after nine months' foreign studv would be unwise. On the other hand, as I have already stated, if a girl cannot give a good account of herself after eighteen months' serious study, I think she is not destined to illuminate vocal art. Adequate study in Europe requires a good deal of money., For most young girls a companion or .chaperon is essential; although there are a number of places where a solitary young student may find the comfort and the protection of a home. Where this is possible, the expenses are naturally much less. The leading professors on the Continent charge from 6 to 10 dollars a lesson, with a certain reduction for an extended term. Three lessons a week are usual. As to the expenses of living, even on the most moderate scale they cannot be reasonably estimated at less than 25d01. a week for board, dress allowance, concert and opera tickets', and' general expenses. This with lessons extending over eighteen months or more., runs into a considerable isum. Many ambitious -woriien savo money with the aim of attending iv musical college. This is an education I never advocate, for I believe in individual training. No student can attain the best results in a class where personal supervision is a matter of perfunctory duty. 'Certainly, good singers have come from musical colleges, but they have had temperament and personality such as rise above the system. And to work at any trade or .profession while' cultivating" the voice is a questionable arrangement, for the student takes" vitality from the voice, and places it in another dire.-tin. This paper would not be complete without some reference to personal appearance as an asset in a singer's career. Ihelre is much suggestion, expression even, in the turn of a curl. x The woman who know? how to "make up" effectively is more of an artist than the one who dees not. , Th; whole thing makes for artistic completeness. I have known handsome women appear unattractive on the stage or platform merely because they relied entirely upon their natural physical gifts without con sidering how these were affected by the yspace, and structural, and lighting 1 conditions of the building in which they sang. These are cases where good looks "are the main reason for the exploitation of a singer; but such favour is bound to be shortlived; and no artistic reputation can tx long maintained on so false a basis. As to eecuring an introduction to the public. I have little to say beyond the fact that ability will surely find its way. In my own path great obstacles were placed, but I do not think anything in this world could, have hindered "me from becoming a singer. I have sung to an audience of two. and such was my girlish enthusiasm that I have even acted as my own bill-poster, with a pot of paste procured from a hotel kitchen. The occasion was a charity concert at an Australian seaside resort for the purpose of repairing a neglected country cemetary. Later J had to abandon proposed concerts because there was not enough support to pay for the lighting of the hall. Yet I persevered, and my chance came. • It is well to aim at the highest, yet in my heart of hearts I believe that every really great singer is born rather than made.