It may be helpful to know about how much time the artists devote to
daily study, especially to technical practice. It is understood all
great singers work on vocalizes and technical material daily.
Caruso is a constant worker. Two or three hours in the forenoon, and
several more later in the day, whenever possible. Farrar devotes between
one and two hours daily to vocalizes, scales and tone study, Lehmann
counsels one hour daily on technic. Galli-Curci gives a half hour or so
to vocalizes and scales every morning. Martinelli practices exercises
and vocalizes one hour each morning; then another hour on repertoire. In
the afternoon an hour more--three hours daily. Easton says: "It seems to
me a young singer should not practice more than an hour a day, at most,
beginning with two periods of fifteen or twenty minutes each." Anna Case
says: "I never practice when I am tired, for then it does more harm than
good. One must be in good condition to make good tones. I can study and
not sing at all, for the work is all mental anyway." Muzio states she
gives practically her whole day to study, dividing it into short
periods, with rest between.
Frieda Hempel says: "I do about two hours or more, though not all of
this for technic. I approve of a good deal of technical study, taken in
small doses of ten to fifteen minutes at a time. Technic is a means to
an end, more in the art of song than in almost any other form of art.
Technic is the background of expressive singing."
Sophie Braslau is an incessant worker,--"at least six hours a day. Of
these I actually sing three hours. The first hour to memory work on
repertoire. The second hour to vocalizes. The rest of the time is given
to repertoire and the things that belong to it." Barrientos states she
gives about three-quarters of an hour to vocal technic--scales and
exercises--each day. Duval advises the young student to practice two
half hours daily, two hours after eating, and rest the voice one day
each week, during which she studies other subjects connected with her
art. Oscar Saenger says: "One should practice in fifteen-minute periods,
and rest at least ten minutes between. Sing only two hours a day, one in
the morning and one in afternoon."