It is often affirmed that an artist finds experience the best teacher.
It must be equally true that the artist-teacher of wide experience in
both performance and instruction, should be a safe guide, just because
of this varied experience.
I was impressed with this fact when I recently had the privilege of
visiting Mr. Bispham's studio during lesson hours, and listening to his
instruction. A most interesting sanctum is this studio, filled as it is
with souvenirs and pictures of the artist's long career on the operatic
stage. Here hangs a drawing in color of Bispham as Telramund, in shining
chain armor; there a life-size portrait as "Beethoven," and again as
himself. In the midst of all is the master, seated at a table. In front
of him, at the piano, stands the student. It is an English song she is
at work on, for Mr. Bispham thoroughly believes in mastering English as
well as other languages.
How alert he is as he sits there; how keen of eye and ear. Not the
slightest fault escapes him. He often sings the phrase himself, then
calls for its repetition.
"Sing that passage again; there is a tone in it that is not
pleasant--not well-sounding; make it beautiful!" "Careful of your
consonants there, they are not distinct; let them be clearer, but don't
make them over distinct." "Don't scoop up the ends of the phrases; make
the tones this way"; and he illustrates repeatedly. "Sing this phrase in
one breath if you can, if not, breathe here--" indicating the place.
The student now takes up an Italian aria. Of course the master teacher
has no need of printed score; he knows the arias by heart. He merely
jots down a few remarks on a slip of paper, to be referred to later.
The aria goes quite well. At its close the singer goes to her seat and
another takes her place. A voice of rich, warm timbre. More English--and
it must be most exact, to suit Mr. Bispham's fastidious ear.
"Make the word _fire_ in _one_ syllable, not _two_. Do not open the
mouth quite so wide on the word _desire_, for, by doing so you lose the
balance and the tone is not so good."