Another student--with a fine tenor--was asked to vocalize for a number
of minutes. He sang ascending and descending tone-figures, sometimes
doing them in one breath, at others taking a fresh breath at top. Some
of the syllables used were: la, ma, may, and mi. He then sang single
tones, swelling and diminishing each. It was found that passing from
_forte_ to _piano_ was much more difficult than swelling from soft to
loud.
The aria "Be not afraid," was now taken up; it was pronounced one of the
most difficult solos ever written, and a very valuable composition for
vocal training.
"You sing that phrase too loud," cautioned the instructor. "This is not
a human being who is speaking, rather it is a heavenly voice. That high
note of the phrase should be made softer, more ethereal. Make it a
_young tone_--put the quality of Spring into it. The whole thing should
be more spiritual or spiritualized. Now go through it again from
beginning to end."
When this was finished a halt was called; there had been enough work
done for that day. Soon the class was dismissed. The young singers--some
if not all of them known upon the concert stage--filed out. One young
woman remained; she was to have a drama lesson. The master of singing
showed himself equally efficient as master of English diction for the
spoken drama.
And here, for a time, we must leave him at his work.