The staff of life is not bread--it is _breath_. For you can live days
without drink, and weeks without food. But you can only live a few
minutes without air.
You would think, inasmuch as the human race has been breathing for at
least five hundred thousand years, that men and women today would know
_how_ to breathe.
As a matter of fact, however, consciously controlled breathing is known
to but very few people. These few fortunate individuals have been
rewarded by Nature in the way Nature always rewards those who follow
her laws.
She blesses them with magnificent constitutions, tireless energy and
the strength and beauty that comes from radiant health; skin that shows
the rich blood flowing under its clear surfaces, sparkling eyes, and
the vivacious manner that attracts and holds the attention of men and
women alike.
This, Nature does for those who use rightly her great gift.
Of the few in all the world who know the inmost secrets of the art
of breathing, Edward Lankow, the talented author of this course, is
perhaps the greatest.
The Editor of Physical Culture Magazine says of him:
“Mr. Edward Lankow is rated by many critics as the greatest basso
in America. The richness, resonance, depth, power, flexibility and
cello-like beauty of his voice has not been duplicated in America
for years. Mr. Lankow is thirty-five years old; weight, 205 pounds
stripped; height 6 feet, 1-1/2 inches; chest 44-1/2 inches; waist, 38
inches. He is Russian-American, born in Tarrytown, N. Y.”
In 1902, at the age of nineteen, Lankow was offered the principle Bass
engagement with the “Bostonians” by Barnabee and MacDonald, which he
declined on account of a desire for further study. The same year he
was offered a Tour with Adelina Patti, which he declined for the same
reason. In 1906 he started his career in Europe, where he sang at all
the principle opera houses, and in concerts. In 1911 he returned to
America and made his debut on the opening evening of the season with
the Boston Opera Company. Before going to Boston, he studied Pelleas
et Mellisande in Paris, at the first rehearsal at which the famous
composer Debussy was present, he received the superlative compliment
from the composer, who said to him “In your voice, I hear for the
first the mystic timbre of voice I thought of when I composed the part
fifteen years ago.” Mr. Lankow sang all the nine performances of this
opera in Boston with Mme. Leblanc and Mary Garden.
In 1912-1913 at the first performance of the Magic Flute at the
Metropolitan Opera House, the management brought Mr. Lankow over
from Boston for the first half dozen performances, where three of
the New York newspaper critics pronounced him the greatest basso in
America--one critic saying “A voice of amazing beauty, he is by long
odds the greatest basso in America.”
In April, 1917, while attending a garden party at Governor’s Island,
Mr. Lankow noticed that the speaking voice of Colonel Hartman was
naturally exceedingly well placed (or resonant) and asked the Colonel
if he had studied to produce it that way. To which the Colonel
answered, “No, I always spoke that way, and always wanted to find out
how I did it so as to show it to younger officers--but I couldn’t.”
Mr. Lankow then showed the Colonel by pressing his hand on the
Colonel’s abdomen how by Nature he used that organ in support--a
support which most of us had to learn but which came quite natural to
him. The quick mind of Colonel Hartman absorbed the value of the idea
at once, and he asked Mr. Lankow to teach this subject at Camp Gorden,
Ga., the largest development camp in the country.
Here official instructors of various subjects from all the other
camps in the country from Maine to San Francisco were gathered for
special instructions--from 6.45 A. M. Mr. Lankow would have classes
ranging from 25 to 1100, and gradually developed 41 officer assistant
instructors, so that several thousand men were doing the work at the
same time. The Commanding General, Brigadier General William Sage and
all of his staff were in his morning class.
After the third week, Mr. Lankow was asked to mess at Headquarters, and
live at the former home of Brigadier General Shaw. The results of his
work were more than astounding.
Men who had apparently no voices at all, and who had pain in the throat
while giving commands, suddenly found that it was a pleasure to use the
voice. On the other hand, men whose health was run down so that they
were on their way to forced retirement, were so changed in appearance
that their civilian friends asked them what they were doing.
Surgeon General Rupert Blue thought so highly of the health-building
power of Mr. Lankow’s course of instruction that he made the following
statement to Mr. Lankow in Washington:
“Use my name for anything you like in connection with your system of
teaching breath control.”
Another health authority said:
“Give the world two generations of children taught this trained,
scientific method of breathing and you’ll make the community free of
consumption.”
Many of the world’s greatest singers have profited by Mr. Lankow’s
instructions. Mary Garden, Director of the Chicago Opera Company and
famous prima donna, has written “Half the world does not know that
correct breathing means health, happiness and contentment. I had the
joy of learning this truth from Mr. Lankow. Every day my voice became
better--and my health too. His work is _really great_.”
In this complete course of “Lessons” Mr. Lankow tells all the secrets
of his wonderful work.
Within a few days you, too, by following the simple directions Mr.
Lankow advises, may be well on the road to such health, strength,
mental clearness and physical beauty as you have never known before.
For you will be working in harmony with Nature--and with Nature’s great
and beneficent laws.
The Publisher.
_LESSON I_