T AMAKI MIURA Associate Manager: A

June 8, 1918 M U S .I CAL AMERICA ' 25 world. It is the control, the manner of singing and ease before the public that also help. When first Cotogni, my teacher, OENNARO CURCI RECALLS THE DISCOVERY OF heard ,Mme. Galli-Curci, he cried, and said, 'This takes me back to my youth; I HIS FAMED SISTER=IN=LA W-OALLI=CURCI am fifty years younger now.' It was be cause he. heard the very embodiment of his teaching-here was the ideal that during his whole career he had been striving to have his pupils reach. Has Determined to Devote "I believe that this simplicity can be First Heard Amelita Galli Sing taught best in the old methods, not by Himself to Teaching Sing in 1909-Her Triumphant the new theories. Nowadays ·our sing ers lose their voices, are capable of no ing- An Ardent Disciple of Audition at the Teatro more singing, when they are still com paratively young. Yet this was not so His Master, Cotogni - Costanzi - Has Himself in the older days of song-and this is Paramount Importance of Sung at Latter Temple of not because the voices are of less worth. It is because there is not sufficient ease Simplicity and Poise Opera with Celebrities and repose; too much tenseness, too much anxiety in the singing. "It is not my desire . to teach pupils who come to me to learn a Romanza or "CRITICISM," says Anatole France, America. We had been in Havana, two, so that they may preen themselves "is the adventure of a soul among Cuba, and were about to return to Italy, before their friends. For them I have masterpieces.'' And this is a statement when we decided to come to see New no use, nor would there be any joy in York for a month. We had been here pronounced with most reverence by that teaching them. I want to have pupils but a while, when my sister-in-law signed who are willing to work, to give all of irreverent and beloved philosopher. her contract. And here is where she themselves to their studies, as long as Gennaro Curci, brother-in-law of Mme. found her career. need be, so that they can learn the glory Amelita Galli-Curci, has arrived at the "Ever since my brother and Amelita of the art of simplicity and beauty. And have been married, · which is now eight same conclusion, save that the adventures as for myself," he concluded radiantly, years, she has, of course, had no teacher. "it· is my fervent wish to find a virgin of his soul have been not only among She and I have worked together. Since voice, untaught, yet pure, and to make masterpieces, but also among master I have been here she sings two hours of it something to thrill the world-to .souls. each day and I play for her. And we produce another, among those rare art "For five years," said Signor Curci to Gennaro Curci, Vocalist and Teachir find nothing so pleasant, so gratifying ists in musical history." we three-as to sit together and work And I knew that Signor Curci could me, "I studied with one· of the rare over new music and study new works. could not even hope to sing there. I knew never forget the glory of those thirteen musical spirits, and for eight years I "Last year we were all together in years-since he was seventeen-and the how splendid was her voice, so without the mountains. For two hours each day have worked with my sister-in-law, and her knowledge I went to the Costahzi . "adventures of his soul" among master have heard constantly that incomparable we would work over 'Dinorah' and souls. He had learned the art of true and asked that she be given an a11ditioii\ 'Lakme' and 'Rigoletto.' And then we The managers agreed and told me to analysis, and he was now praying that voice. And that is why I have now de would walk and go horseback riding, and he might add to the joy of the world termined to leave my own career and bring the lady on a certain morl)ing automobiling, and enjoy life. My sister when the director and Mugnone, the con by giving it another Galli-Curci. teach others how to attain that sublime ductor, would be there. in-law loves horseback riding. One day FRANCIS R. GRANT. simplicity in singing, which has been last summer she fell from her horse, and reached by only a very few. And it is Galli-Curci's First Audition, the doctor told her she must go to bed. Choir of Hartford High School in with the courage of these beautiful years That day I told her we could have no "Then I told Signorina Galli. That .. Annual Concert behind me, in which I was able to an morning Amelita, my brother and I went practice. But she would have none of alyze and understand, that I look to the Costanzi. Her mother would not ·my objections. She must see if she still HARTFORD, CONN., May 20.-The an- straight ahead toward this new. and in go, beca11se she was too nervous. I ac has her voice, and how it goes, and . nual conc(n:t:by the choir of the Public spiring period in my life--my teaching." whether she sings just the same as ever. High School too'k place Friday evening, companied Amelita and she. sang the So I went to the piano and she was in Signor Curci, who has only been in 'Caro Nome.' Im~ediately aftet''i!he .had May 17, at Foot(juard Hall. There were the United States for a year and a half, sung the managers called us into the her room, and we practised together this about ''500 school children in the chorus speaks an unusually good English. But office, and before we left Amelita ·Galli way. And after our regular two hours, and Haydn's "Creation" was the work so radiant does he become in talking of had signed a contract to sing in the when she was quite convinced that she given. Ralph L. Baldwin, supervisor of his musical ideals, and so intense is his Costanzi. And the next season she made still had her voice, she co.nsented to rest. music, conducted, and the soloists were expression, that Choctaw .thus spoken her debut in 'Rigoletto' and 'Don Pro Fulfilment of Cotogni's Theories Norma L. Smith," soprano; Hubert L. would become a language of flowing sim copio.'" Maercklein, tenor, 'and Elbert L. Couch, plicity. "In the meantime my brother and "It is by hearing her singing, as well bass. The Beeman and Hatch Orchestra "Will you please tell me some more Amelita had fallen in love with each as by remembering the principles that accompanied, assisted at the piano by about~ your adventures with these mas other; before she had left for Milan, used to be propounded to me by my Helen G. Lawrence. The audience was ter-souls?" I asked. after that season, they were engaged. teacher, Cotogni, that have made me large and appreciative. T. E. cc. "I shall tell you about my· first meet You know the rest of Mme. Galli-Curci's want to teach. Her singing, as· I have ~0~ ~ . ing with my sister-in-law," he said with romance and career." studied it, is the realization, the living Riverside Choral Club in Concert open pride. "I was studying in the "And how about your own career?" fulfilment of the theories voiced to me by Academy of St. Cecilia in Rome, taking I ventured. my master. Cotogni used always to · The Riverside Choral Club, Harry singing with the great teacher, Cotogni, preach naturalness, ease and simplicity Horsfall, conductor, gave its second con· and piano with Molinari. It was in 1909 Also Sang in the Costanzi in singing. When pupils would sing be cert on May 24 at the Hotel Marseilles, that we were one day asked to the house "I continued with my studies," he said, fore him, sometimes they would become New York. Mrs. Madden, Miss Brown, of a friend-my brother and I. And "under Cotogni; then finally ' I, too, sang self-conscious and attempt to assume a Vere Richards and Alfred ·de Manby there we heard Amelita Galli sing. in the Costanzi, with my sister-in-law pose. Then Cotogni would say to them, were the soloists. The part-songs given "After she sang we went to her and and with Caruso, Muzio and Bonci, under 'That is not the way,' and he would place by the club were an especially enjoyable we told her how glorious was her voice.; the conductorship of Toscanini, his hand on the piano and with the feature. that sbe must go and have an audition at Mugnone, Mascagni and Guarnieri. I greatest ease sing as purely as a young the Teatro Costanzi. Signorina Galli sang in .the first performance of 'Isa man, though he was then eighty-five laughed and said that the Teatro Cos beau.' After that we toured all through years of age. tanzi was only for great singers and she Europe, and then in South and Central "It is this same simplicity, this very ease that I wish to teach those who shall be my pupils. It is a simplicity, how ever, that can be acquired only· with the utmost and all-consuming work. First, AS SOLOIST . IN SCHENECTADY, N.Y., it requires absolute knowledge and con ·WHIPPIII BIBIJOIE trol of the mechanical apparatus; the in COLERIDGE-TAYLOR'S "HIAWATHA" ability to have continuous mastery of the vocal organs, of course.

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