SING ME A SONG O!

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 13704, 19 September 1908, Page 7

SING ME A SONG O!

The Art of Singing, by Sir Charles Sander. '

if • all young singers made v :up.-rtheir tnindis -to follow -the instructions herein set, fortli -for their: guidance, few and ! far bfctWwi would become those fearful j and' wonderful noises called by the uni- i nitiated ;."ainging,*' and • which; are , freqiHfiitly . thef r<suits of taking, the advice of " ignorant injudicious: friendsof the mere musical dilettante. As to the choice? of a master, "'lhe only adviser to be consulted, says Sir Churicii, "is a couscient'«>us, practical artibt who has goiK* through the mill and come out stamped 'genuinf, " and 6Urely if anyone riglit to that, hall mark it- is Hp ut least is no exploiter of theories that cannot it and the. test of practice. Mut fatherly is some of the advice be-, stowed on hp^inne^s,i-and .feelingly is it - uttered. : . good/ boys and girls and obedient to your teacher, have an affection for him; but, "young womea, nevtr aJlow. that affection to ripen ' into one of a more tender nature!"— we presume that young men niut.t be equally platonic "hen instructed by the fairer "sex. A little sermon h also given "About. Self," with Polonius's famous *j>cech to Laertes, that concentrated - essence of good advice, as a text, for " precepts Hie the soundest advice that could be offered to young peoplu when .starting, on tho. journey of active life." So dvdare* Sir Charles, and no one will dispute the statement with him, aud l>esid<<s all the fatherly and mind vour-niorals and mind-your manners part of the book, which are, in truth, junt a little lo quacious, though no doubt valuable to those who will take heed of t|ictn. Sir Charles has many useful hints to give on tinging as a science and an art. The chapter on " Enunciation and Breathing * deal.s with the commonest faults that present-day >inger> indulge in, and those others on " Dramatic Conception" arc full of facls and information fcueh as afpiiiiig singers ought- to know. It. K a inixlot litde book, with its vciy sound advi<e viv cheerily given, and it docs not. aron.-e that nvuv of irritation which advice is so prone to do. Sir Charles; doe* not prupnund nevv theories on the art, ho mm h a.s uphold the bej-t of the old ones, th*' m risible straight-, forward methods that good 'teachers ttill employ as distinct fimn t!ic large army of professors of " only" methfxh', " including one who >!,vted' himself on his prof.*»rional card ' Voir.- Builder.''"!