ri ht 1 9 1 1 C opy g , SC H IRMER By G . 22670 PREFA TO R! NO TE F m an . making y books there is no end Surely , the weary observation of the sage must have an especial application to the literature of Song . — One could not number the books anatomical , physio — on . logical , philosophical the Voice A spacious library “ could easily be furnished with Methods of Singing. Works treating of the laws governing the effective interpretation of instrumental music exist . Some of them , by acknowledged and competent authorities , have thrown valuable light on a most important element of l musical art . Had I not be ieved that a similar need existed in connection with singing , this addition to vocal literature would not have been written . “ In a succeeding volume on Lyric Declamation : Reci ” tative c , Song and B allad Singing , will be dis ussed the practical application of these basic principles of Style to a G F the voc l music of the erman , rench , Italian and other national schools . E . LA W . HAS M . 2 i , rue Malev lle , P P arc Monceau , aris , 1 1 1 July , 9 . IN TRO DU C TIO N . " N P ! a Paderewski I listening to a atti , a ubelik , , the reflective hearer is struck by the absolute surenes s with which such artists arouse certain sensations in their auditors . Moreover , subsequent hearings will reveal ' the fact that this sensation is aroused always in the same the place , and in same manner . The beauty of the f voice may be temporarily a fected in the case of a singer , or an instrument of less aesthetic tone - quality be used b y the instrumentalist , but the result is always the same . What is the reason of this ? Why do great artists ' always m ake the same effect and produce the same im ? pression on their public Why , for instance , did the m h M e . t e late Tietjens , when singing following passage ’ s M essi a h in Handel , always begin with very little voice l of a dulled qua ity , and gradually brighten its character as well as augment its volume until she reached the Gil high which is the culmination , not only of the musical phrase , but also of the tremendous announcement to which it is allied ? - i o . For now i s C hri st r s en, for n w i s Chr ist ris en INTRODUCTION This last tone was delivered with the full force and c was brilliance of her magnificent voi e , and prolonged until the thrill produced in the listener became almost . wh painful in its intensity Again I ask , y did this world - famous singer perform this passage always in the same way ? Unrefiecting people may reply vaguely that “ ” it was because the artist sang with expression . But what constitutes “ expression in singing? No great — artist no matter what the vehicle or medium throu gh — which his art finds manifestation does anything at ” random . The wind bloweth where it listeth only m in appearance ; in reality , it is governed by i mutable . i s law Similarly , the outward form of an art only apparently dictated by caprice and freedom from rule . The effective presentation of every art is based on well defined and accepted principles . And it is with the earnest desire to throw light on this most important “ phase of vocal art, that I present the principles of Style i ” in S ngmg . C O N T E N T S PAGE PREFATORY NOTE INTRODUCTION CHAPTER I Elements of Vocal Training Emission of Voice CHAPTER II The Value o f Technique CHAPT E R III : Analysis of Style Colour Accent Intensity Phrasing Portamento Variations of Tempo CHAPTER IV : Tradition Pointage CHAPTER V : Rep ertoi re CHAPTER VI : Conclusion ST! LE IN SING ING CHAPTER I ' ELEMENTS O F VOCAL TRAINING F I the practical education of the singer be analyzed , it will be found to comprise four fundamental ele ments ( 1 ) POSE : or Emission of voice ; ( 2 ) TECHNIQUE : or the discipline of the voice con sidered as a musical instrument ; (3) ST! LE : or the application of the laws of artistic taste to the interpretation of vocal music ; E E O E : (4) R P RT IR or the choice , in the literature of m the vocal usic , of works most suited to voice , temperament and individuality of the particular singer . I have classed these four elements in their relative . U order They are , however , of equal importance ntil P the ose and Technique of a voice are satisfactory , n attempts to acquire Style are premature . O the other - hand , without Style , a well placed voice and an adequate amount of Technique are incomplete ; and until the ’ singer s education has been rounded off with a Repertoi re adapted to his individual capabilities , he is of little practical use for professional purposes . 2 STYLE IN SINGING EMISSION O F VOICE G REAT natural gifts of temperament and originality m a y , and sometimes do , mask defects of emission , particularly in the case of artists following the operatic career . But the artistic life and success of such a singer . e is short Violated Nature reb ls , and avenges herself ' r ll fo a infractions of law . A voice that is badly pro du ced c e and i s or emitted speedily be om s worn , easily f . atigued By an additional exertion of physical force , the singer usually attempts to conceal its loss of sonority - and carrying power . The consequences are disastrous m — for the entire instrument . The mediu to which is assigned the greater portion of every singer ’s work ” becomes breathy and hollow , the lower tones guttural , i ts the higher tones shrill , and the voice , throughout m u . entire co pass , harsh and nmanageable - i t i s e In view of its supreme importance , scarc ly necessary to dwell upon the s elf- evident fact that this u —E P — fo ndation mission , or lacing of the voice should be well laid under the guidance of a skilled and ex - perienced smgmg teacher . Nothing but disappoint t ’ men can ensue if a task of such consequence be confided , 1 s t oo one as frequently the case , to of the numerous “ C O are not harlatans who , as scar Commettant said , ” i i s i ra a ble to achi eve ossi bi li t es so the rom e m cles . p , y p — P of a The proper Classification , and subsequent lacing , voice require the greatest tact and discernment . True , there are voices so well - defined in character as to occa sion no possible error in their proper Classification at EMISSION O F VOICE 3 the beginning of their studi es . But this is not the case with a number of others , particularly those known as - - a voices of mez z o carattere (demi car ctere) . It requires a physician of great skill and experience to diagnose an obscure malady ; but when once a correct diagnosis i s made , many doctors of less eminence might successfully t treat the malady , seeing hat the recognized pharma copoeia contains no secret remedies . Let the student of singing beware of the numerous “ ” a M s impostors who cl im to have a ethod , a ort of bed of P hi rocrustes , w ch the victim , whether long or short , “ ” i s made to fit . A method must be adapted to the subject , not the subject made to fit the method . The iz v . object of all teaching is the same , , to impart knowl edge ; but the means of arriving at that end are multiple , and the manner of communicating Instruction i s very often personal To imagine that the same mode of ” procedure , or method , is applicable to all voices , is as unreasonable as to expect that the same medi cament will apply tO all maladies . In imparting a correct eml ss10 n to ff of voice , science has not infrequently e ace the results of a previous defective use , inherent or acquired , of the vocal organ . Hence , although the object to be attained is in every case the same , the mod era u s op ndi will vary infinitely . Nor should these most important branches of Classification and Produc — — tion be entrusted as is often the case to assistants , usually accompanists , lacking the necessary training for a work requiring great experience and ripe judgment . To a competent assistant may very properly be con 4 STYLE IN SINGING fided the preparation of Technique , as applied . to a : mechanical instrument All violins , for instance , are m f . e practically the sa e But voices di f r as do faces . The present mania for dragging voices up , and out e tes si tu ra of their l gitimate , has become a very grave “ i n . ev l , the co sequences of which , in many instances , h ave been most disastrous . Tolera ble baritones h ave been transformed into very mediocre tenors , capable - ff mezzo soprani into very indi erent dramatic soprani , and so on . That this process may have answered in a few isolated cases , where the vocal organs were of such exceptional strength and resistance as to bear the i s strain , by no means a guarantee that the same results may be obtained in every instance , and with less favoured i subjects . The average compass in male voices s about e . two octav s minus one or two tones I mean , of course , tones that are really available when the singer is on the and .