Bearing in mind the absolute necessity and real joy in vocal work, it
confounds and amazes me that teachers of this art feel their duty has
been accomplished when they donate twenty minutes or half an hour to a
pupil! I do not honestly believe this is a fair exchange, and it is
certainly not within reason to believe that within so short a time a
pupil can actually benefit by the concentration and instruction so
hastily conferred upon her. If this be very plain speaking, it is said
with the object to benefit the pupil only, for it is, after all, _they_
who must pay the ultimate in success or failure. An hour devoted to the
minute needs of one pupil is not too much time to devote to so delicate
a subject. An intelligent taskmaster will let his pupil demonstrate ten
or fifteen minutes and during the same period of rest will discuss and
awaken the pupil's interest from an intelligent point of view, that some
degree of individuality may color even the drudgery of the classroom. A
word of counsel from such a mistress of song as Lehmann or Sembrich is
priceless, but the sums that pour into greedy pockets of vocal
mechanics, not to say a harsher word, is a regretable proceeding. Too
many mediocrities are making sounds. Too many of the same class are
trying to instruct, but, as in politics, the real culprit is the people.
As long as the public forbear an intelligent protest in this direction,
just so long will the studios be crowded with pathetic seekers for fame.
What employment these infatuated individuals enjoyed before the advent
of grand opera and the movies became a possible exhaust pipe for their
vanity is not clear, but they certainly should be discouraged. New York
alone is crowded with aspirants for the stage, and their little bag of
tricks is of very slender proportions. Let us do everything in our power
to help the really worthy talent; but it is a mistaken charity, and not
patriotic, to shove singers and composers so called, of American birth,
upon a weary public which perceives nothing except the fact that they
are of native birth and have no talent to warrant such assumption.
I do not think the musical observers are doing the cause of art in this
country a favor when columns are written about the inferior works of the
non-gifted. An ambitious effort is all right in its way, but that is no
reason to connect the ill-advised production with American hopes. On the
contrary, it does us a bad turn. I shall still contend that the English
language is not a pretty one for our vocal exploitations, and within my
experience of the past ten years I have heard but one American work
which I can sincerely say would have given me pleasure to create, that
same being Mr. Henry Hadley's recently produced _Cleopatra's Night_. His
score is rich and deserving of the highest praise.
In closing I should like to quote again from Mme. Lehmann's book an
exercise that would seem to fulfill a long-felt want:
"The great scale is the most necessary exercise for all kinds of voices.
It was taught me by my mother. She taught it to all her pupils and to
us."
Here is the scale as Lehmann taught it to me.
[Illustration: musical notation: Breath Breath Breath Breath]
It was sung upon all the principal vowels. It was extended stepwise
through different keys over the entire range of the two octaves of the
voice. It was not her advice to practice it too softly, but it was done
with all the resonating organs well supported by the diaphragm, the tone
in a very supple and elastic "watery" state. She would think nothing of
devoting from forty minutes to sixty minutes a day to the slow practice
of this exercise. Of course, she would treat what one might call a heavy
brunette voice quite differently from a bright blonde voice. These terms
of blonde and brunette, of course, have nothing to do with the
complexion of the individual, but to the color of the voice.