ON SINGING.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVII, Issue XXII, 28 November 1896, Page 126

ON SINGING.

BE SURE YOU HAVE A VOICE. BY CLEMENTINE DE VERS. The advice which is used as the title of this article is important to be observed in its reference to both quality and quantity by girls who have any intention of making public singing their profession ; though it is a matter of far less importance, in its latter connection, to those who may intend to sing only for their own pleasure, to study for a better appreciation and enjoyment of the singing of others, or to teach vocal music. To those who intend tbeir voice to be their bread-winner, in the capacity to which I have first alluded, the title-injunc-tion is the most important that can be given any girl. In the three cases cited but the slightest quantity of actual voca! strength may be present, provided that the vocal cords are iu a physical condition to emit the musical tones. It sometimes occurs that this is not the case, that the throat can not. from its defective formation. resound or reverberate as it should be able to do in the production of a voice ; but this is unusual. The tones then being present, even in the slightest quantity, the rest depends much upon the cultivation. Toe best way to discover whether or not vou-have a voice is to submit yourself to a thoroughly good teacher, and abide by bis or her judgment, although, if you possess good intelligence, musical appreciation and'a really artistic sense, you should be able to judge for yourself whether your tones are true and sweet, and those are the only requisites necessary for a commencement in vocal education. Strength, steadiness, volume and ability come with training ; but sweetness and trueness are natural gifts. These can hardly be acquired. ahe opinion of your friends and relatives in this matter, unless they are more learned than loving, will be of but little value to you. They are, as a rule—because in their ignorance and affection they condone and overlook most glaring faults—the worst critics and advisers that a girl can possibly have. I remember a famous pnma donna once telling me that when on her tours of this country—more here than elsewhere, because most foreign lands have their national conservatories open to the public, and because, in America, girls of a lower stratum have ambitions beyond their station and abilities—scarcely a morning passed that fond parents did not bring for her approval and examination embryo Pattis and Scaichis. And it was a rarity when these singing birds could even follow a scale, thus showing bv their lack of natural ability how thoronghly unprepared they were for a career as a public singer. Therefore it is better, when possible, to submit yourself and your voice to a thoroughly good teacher ; one who can have no prejudice either for or against you, and who should, therefore, as he is interested in his art, proxe an unbiased and a safe judge. Flatterv may be pleasant, but truth is potent, and a girl of vocal ambitions cannot have too much of the latter. The question which naturally suggests itself next is. How am I to know who is a thoroughly good teacher ?’ And it is a very difficult question to answer ; difficult as much because of the different schools and methods of singing, as because of the different characters, voices, and abilities of pupils and teachers. One man may be an absolute master of the style of singing ; can show you all the little delicacies of expression and enunciation, the proper accentuation of important, and the passing oyer of unimportant, words, and yet may not know the first principles of voice production or execution. Again, a master who may be able to develop for you a voice of large proportions from one so small as to be scarcely perceptible, will qnite possibly give you nothing of technique—if one can apply this phrase iu vocalization. If you can find a teacher who combines execution with voice production and development, you have found a thing of value, and the safe person to whom to submit your voice as well as your vocal instruction. But suppose that he tells you that you have no voice—a thing which happens but rarely, most people possessing at least a small quantity of that artic e ; but if this excellent teacher shall tell you that —although vou have the love of music, and the intelligence and industry necessary your throat is defective in. its formation of the vocal cords, the only thing for you to do is to resign yourself to his judgment and abide by it. If you cannot do it. that is, if you have no voice, do not try to sing. The effect is painful to your hearers and satisfactory only to yourself. The truly artistic spirit is unselfish, and is less desirous always of self enjoyment than of furnishing pleasure to others. But if you-have only the smallest quantity of voice, cultivate what you have ; develop more, and learn the art of singing. That is all you will find it necessary to do :n order to become p. very pleasing singer. I say * all.’ but it is a very large ‘ all.’ It represents months, and even years of close application, patient study, continued practice and care. But the adherence to them will give you—provided you have started with the requisites—a style which will charm, and a voice which will be to yourself and your nearest and dearest, if not to the public, a constant source of refined pleasure.