van.

"In speaking of the successes of 'Pinafore' and Patience,' and the rest, however, the musicians gave the lion's share to SulliThey showed how the geniality of Sir Arthur's music tempered the sardonic asperity of Mr. Gilbert's lines. So Mr. Herman Merivale in the Spectator rushes in to defend the latter. There seems to be more than a discussion of the relative credit due to each partner in his letter. It brings up the old question whether the music is a mere accompaniment to the words, as in the old days of the opera, when Metastasio wrote the texts, or the words are mere vehicles of vocal utterance subordinate to the music, as in so many modern operas. idea of a protest by the literary authors is supported by a plaint from Mr. F. C. Burnand in the same journal, that nobody gives him credit for launching Sir Arthur Sullivan on his successful career, by turning 'Box and Cox' into an opera. He gives an interesting account of the first performance of Cox and Box' with George Du Maurier as Box, and likewise of the remarkably complicated parentage of the play, but throughout the note of sorrow of the injustice done to the author of the words dominates.

The

"It is a question that can never be solved. For some it is Goethe who wrote Faust' and for others it is Gounod. Some gifted beings have been able with greater or less success to evolve both the words and music out of their own brains, but the generality must put up with a partner and the more obscure partner will continue to be sensitive about his lesser briliancy."-N. Y. Sun.

MUSICAL PROGRESS IN RUSSIA.

An article published in Chicago credits Peter the Great with first stimulating Russia to an improvement in her music. He established a musical fund for the assistance of native music. The Empress Anna followed up the good work by encouraging the presence and activity of foreign musicians in Russia. She built an opera house and had Italian opera performed. The Empress Elizabeth potently encouraged music, and the first opera, with Russian words, was produced in her time. Its composer, Pietro Araja, was an Italian composer of eminence, but the words being Russian the people adopted credit for the work.

Russian music reached its prime under the great Catharine. She built a magnificent opera house (Anna's long since having been burned), and established the Royal Theatrical School, training young Russian aspirants in all branches of music, singing, acting, and dancing. Catharine was espeeially interested in singing and spent money

freely to induce foreign singers to make their home in Russia. Many musical celebrities located there. Sarti composed an opera in the Russian tongue-Catharine at her own expense sent deserving young musicians to foreign lands for study. Thus Alexander Ablesimoo, the creator of vaudeville in Russia, was assisted. Under such fostering music found new impetus. The musical club of St. Petersburg was founded in 1772, and music became fashionable.

THE PSALTERS A MEANS OF INSTRUCTION.

Sir John Stainer finds the Psalters were used as an early means of providing musical instruction. He says:

"They give a clear insight into the various methods of practical music in vogue during a long period. We can trace efforts to record pitch, key, time; we discover the source and growth of several systems of solfeggio; and incidentally, we can read, though it has been quite unconsciously recorded, the story of the marvelous hold which the ancient' has on the human mind, even when it has become obsolete and useless.

Two efforts were made to aid congregations. Instruction in rudiments were given to those who cared to learn, and in the staff the sol-fa name of each note was printed under each note. The Sternhold Psalter (1561) contains 150 psalms, and Short Introduction to the Skill of Music,' undertaking to teach in a few houres, easelye with out all payn, a sufficiente knowledge to synge anye salme contayned in this booke, by an easy and most plaine way and rule, of the order of the Notes and Kayes of singing, which commonly is called the Scale of Musike or the Gamma ut.' A table is given of an eleven-line staff, showing a sevencolumn modulator with the letters ut re mi fa sol la, the first column beginning with ut on the bottom line, G, next with ut in the second space, C (whence this C was called C fa ut, reading across the table), ut on F, ut on G, ut on C, ut on F, and ut on G. An expression in the book'signed keys,' or 'signing a key' is a forerunner of our useful word 'signature.' But the author still used the words clef, key, and note rather indiscriminately. The words 'lines of a stave' had not yet displaced the older name 'rules,' and they were reckoned from the top downward, the first rule being our fifth line, and so on. We find no allusion to bars, none are used in the Musica Transalpina (1588), but they show themselves in Morley (1597), and in his Part II. they are introduced into the specimens of Descant without any remark. The rudimentary forms of our modern rests also appear in Sternhold.

"Trifling and contemptible as our learned author considers the amount of labor required by his Introduction, we who read it nearly 350 years later can not be surprised

that the poor, unlearned, and rude' demanded some much simpler method of arriving at the art of singing the mere melodies of psalm-tunes. In 1570 this learned Introduction is turned out to make room for a short Pretace of one page; the first letter of the sol-fa name stands by the side of every note in the Psalter. The simplicity of this system secured its success."

MARCHESI'S SINGING-LESSONS

66

HERSELF.

REPORTED BY

My method for the cultivation of the voice is the same for all sorts of voices; yet, because of physical conditions, modifications are unavoidable. A deep contralto, two high sopranos, and two mezzo-sopranos are the class. Attend closely. giving heed not only to that addressed to yourself and intended directly to advance your studies, but to all. Thus, should circumstances compel you to teach, you may thoroughly understand the first instruction, the foundation of singing, as well as the rules of declamation, pronunciation, etc. I hope that you have imprinted in your memory what I told you concerning the singer's bearing, breathing, last time, opening of the mouth, and so on. Stand on the platform, my little contralto, and begin. What! You wish to sing standing near me, at the piano? This I can not permit. If you stand behind me I can not see if you open your mouth properly-if you make grimaces, if you raise your eyebrows,-in a word, I can not watch your bearing. Quick, climb upon the platform and loose no time; do not cry! I do not like tears. There, you are courageous, I see.

"With deep contraltos I begin the attack with a B flat (si bemol), and thence go upward to E natural (mi naturel) in the medium register. In the initial studies, to prevent fatigue, I avoid using the voice to its furthermost limits.

66

'Deep contraltos hardly ever possess head-tones; attain, exceptionally, to G in the medium register, and hence are only fitted to sing orotorios or to appear in the concert-room. The range of the chesttones often changes, too, according to physical conditions. I have taught contraltos that had only six or eight chest-tones. The registers must not be overstepped through undue forcing.

"Now it is your turn, my dear. Why Will you carry the chest-voice upward? Nature has endowed you with a fine rich and strong medium register, why not use it? Why force it? If you proceed to G natural (sol) with chest-tones, the passage to the medium register will sound very ill; so make the change of register on the scale on E natural (mi), and only take F natural (fa) as a chest-tone, when the tone is to be used with a dramatic significance, and, demanding strength, can not be avoided. Good, you have understood me, the passage from the chest-register to the medium register is scarcely perceptible; the

main thing is that the last tone of each register, on account of the passage, be not forced.

66

Contralto and mezzo-soprano voices require very careful cultivation, and great knowledge and experience on the part of the teacher. As contralto voices are less flexible than soprano voices, they tire more easily, and hence one must be more prudent in respect to vocalizzi.

"Now comes your turn, my pretty blond soprano. Ascend the platform. No harm befell your predecessor, so quick, do not waste precious time. One learns less, when one stands ever in presence of one's self. Your high soprano voices are easier to develop than the unwieldier contraltos and mezzo-sopranos, but you have a less extended chest-register. In many countries the wrong opinion prevails that cultivation of the chest-tones not only damages the development of the high tones, but entails their complete loss. A voice without chesttones is like a violin without a G string. So, my blond Bertha, bravely bring out your chest-tones as far as D or E flat (re or mi bemol), and then proceed to the medium. Believe me, no injury will be done your voice. In the scale, you can change before this, if necessary. Why do you try to go on C (do) from the medium to the head voice? The medium voice from F natural (fa) to F (fa) on the fifth line is the foundation of the female voice. We speak in medium tones. How can one sing an andante, a cantilena, when one proceeds to the head-voice on C (do)? The registers must be completely cultivated and united before one sings on words. Good, very good! You see that the use of the medium presents no difficulties; the passage to the head-tones, too, is excellent. You wish to sing higher and still higher. This you must not do. You must not continually fret the limits of the voice. Prudence is the mother of wisdom. Do not forget it! When I hear the twittering on the highest tones, that people like in your native country, but that they admire less in Europe, I am always reminded of a remark of Rossini's, who was wont to call the high tones not head-tones but 'skull-tones.'

"Now for the second soprano. Rose, your voice is of roseate delicacy. To work; attack the tone! Capital! you have turned to advantage all that has Been told you and your classmates. Good, excellent! You see, children, that with attention you can learn much and quickly in classes. One word more, my dear Rose: do not study at home. You are not yet thoroughly versed in my method and might lose what you have acquired to-day. A little patience, I beg. I fancy you are anxious to progress a trifle fast. Bear in mind the Italian proverb: Chi va piano va sano, chi va sano va lontano.' And again: when you are in company and people ask you to sing a romance or a song, say simply 'Madame Marchesi forbids my singing until I am more advanced in my studies.'

"Commence, Valentine, attack the tone. You attack it with the open glottis; this I will not do. Don't worry! Try again. The passage from the chest to the medium register is excellently managed, but why does your voice shake? Every tone is trill. What a shame! It is ruin to the voice to carry up the medium tones and the reason why, nowadays, most voices are tremulous. Your studies must be carried forward with the greatest prudence until the vicious tremolo is overcome. Let us now try and attack F sharp (fa diese) with the head-voice. Excellent! The tone has resonance and power. You must sing very little, that your rich and beautiful voice, with its great compass, may speedily re

cover.

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Now for my two mezzo-sopranos. Louisa I, you purpose studying for the concert-room? Let me hear your voice. Good! The resonance is excellent, but the compass insufficient; you are not fitted for the operatic stage, but need not complain, for concert singers nowadays rival operatic singers in point of success, but have less exertion to make and fewer annoyances. Remember, however, that a knowledge of languages is absolutely indispensable, for songs by Mozart, Taubert, Weber, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, etc., must be sung in the original text, many of the translations being unserviceable. Now, sing me some scales. Louisa 2, quick to work! Bravo! The attack of tone, connection of registers, and agility are well regulated, the voice is not tremulous, but resonant and of good compass. The lesson is over, good morning, dear pupils."-Harper's Bazar.

ADVICE TO SONG WRITERS.

Leontine Stanfield, a clever newspaper woman, graduate from a successful career on the stage, and a writer of popular songs, declares:

"Harmony is about in the air everywhere, waiting to be caught and imprisoned by him whose ear is attuned to the music of the universe and whose soul communes with nature and with nature's god."

She tells song-writers that the vogue of coon rag-time music is over, and that coon ballads or love songs bordering on the pathetic are at the moment in high favor. She gives the following s an example of what is wanted in the way of words, and generously adds that as yet it is without musical setting:

Fo O Deah Chlo,
I longs ter see yo so,
Yes, longs ter see yo so,
Deah Chlo.

Refrain.

I can heah de pine-tops sighin, An de whip-poo-will a cryin,

I kin smell de orange blossoms in de air. When I shuts ma eyes I dreams it,

All so plain it really seems it,

Den I wakes an fines dat dare is nuffin dere,
An all de time ma heart am achin so,
An all de time I'm longin fo yo, Chlo.

I'd like ter kno jess how yo dose wiffout me,
I wonders if you really cares about me.
I has got a steady job heah,
But de time it pass so slow,
An I'se always thinkin of yo,
An O, Deah Chlo,

I longs ter see yo so,
Yes, longs ter see yo so,
Deah Chlo.

Duets arranged for male and female voices are also wanted. Dainty, ideal love songs like The Kosary" and Elaine " will always be in vogue, and songs of seaaction are of standard value. Descriptive and story songs are to be relied on. Occasionally a lullaby or Jarcarolle. She adds:

"Success depends altogether on the music, words count for very little. 'Bad words will not kill good music, but bad music will kill the best set of words ever written. There isn't much satisfaction in writing words for songs, for they seldom appear as they are submitted to the composer. The composer feels at liberty to cut and mutilatemere words' in any way he sees fit, offering no reason or apology for so doing, and the song is published with all manner of discrepancies, for which, of course, the author of the words may be held responsible."

TRAIN THE NOSE.

The nose may be trained, like the palate, to a fine sense of discrimination and be taught to reject that which is in the slightest degree offensive or inimical to health and cleanliness, as well as to enjoy with rare satisfaction an atmosphere filled with lifegiving ozone.

ers.

It should be as repugnant to breathe stale air as to eat stale food, or enjoy stale flowThe olfactory nerves of a majority of people need cultivating. Many cater fastidiously to their stomachs who habitually feed their lungs upon poisonous, offensive, and devitalized air.

The atmosphere which some houses offer to their guests is a positive affront to discriminating nostrils. A self-respecting or sane host would not proffer vitiated food, nor water for baths which had been previously used, yet foul air which has been breathed and rebreathed is served through ignorance or carelessness, without regard to its offensiveness.-Ledger Monthly.

Editor Werner's Magazine:

On reading Miss Mary S. Thompson's startling assertion that Mr. S. H. Clark had in the September number of WERNER'S MAGAZINE characterized "in phrases of low music-hall slang one of the great inventions of the age," I hastened to hunt up that issue, wondering how Mr. Clark could have fallen into such shocking ways of speech. Fancy my surprise on discovering, in lieu of some excitingly scandalous expression, the comparatively colorless and quite innocuous word "frills!" The objectionable term in Mr. Clark's article is Put less time on frills, like Visible Speech (which is very well in a school for deafmutes), etc."

However, the greatest injustice to Mr. Clark was the statement that he "put forth

as

a

entirely original few well-worn methods." With due deference to Miss Thompson, he did nothing of the kind, but very modestly suggested a plan which he said had produced "fairly good results."

To me, Mr. Clark's article was a source of satisfaction. It is pleasant to find people, whose opinions are worth something, agreeing with one; and as I had, long ago, stated in print my conviction that voicedevelopment was the neglected factor in most elocutionary training, and also that it was impossible to do this work properly in large classes, it was a pleasure to read these ideas so finely put by Mr. Clark.

I had another reason for being pleased with Mr. Clark's present views, for I well remember when he did not entertain them. Some years ago an article by him appeared in WERNER'S MAGAZINE. He quoted then, as he did in his September letter, a sentence from the preface of Mr. James E. Murdoch's "Analytic Elocution to the effect that vocal culture is what is most needed in the study of elocution. Mr. Clark studied Mr. Murdoch's work carefully, but was dissatisfied with the result. Soon after, however, he came across a treatise by Mr. Alfred Ayres, which announced that the greatest need in elocution is to get the thought. This seemed to strike Mr. Clark with the force of an original idea, and it at once put him on the right road. I remember that he became quite

fervid in praise of Mr. Ayres,-a remembrance which came to me very distinctly while reading the latter's recent severe criticism of Mr. Clark.

Now, Mr. Murdoch's statement, taken by itself, is likely to cause misconception in the minds of those who read it, not knowing that it was intended entirely in a technical sense; but had Mr. Clark quoted from the same preface the following all would have been clear:

true

"The theory and practice of a method should develop the vocal powers, side by side with the growth of the mind, and by the time the student has reached the high schools and institutions of advanced learning, he should be able to deliver his essays and papers with the same proficiency that he displays in their verbal or written form."

This plainly shows that mental training was taken as a matter of course by Mr. Murdoch, whose pupils will testify to his unceasing efforts to make them "get the thought" before aught else, and that the opening sentence in his preface was simply meant to call attention to a much-neglected side of elocutionary technical work.

as

Mr. Clark states in his September article that it seems hardly necessary for anyone to go through the endless routine that is demanded of the pupil in Mr. Murdoch's treatise." Yet, a little farther on, speaking of a few fundamental exercises for daily practice, he suggests that they might be, from the student's point of view, "dry dust, uninteresting, and apparently useless," and yet he directs that they be practiced during the entire period of training. Now, such excellent exercises as are found in "Analytic Elocution," beginning with the very simple and, as the student develops, gradually working to the more complex and difficult, if properly taught and explained, can never be “dry as dust" or uninteresting."

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As the pupil sees his voice developing week by week and day by day; when he finds that he can express a conception today as he could not a month ago; that he is actually building into himself something that was not there-nothing can equal his delighted interest.

I know that many misconceptions-most of them idiotic-prevail in the minds of some people regarding the Murdoch-Rush method. For instance, one well-known elocution teacher once gave me to understand that the whole process of developing qualities of voice was positively pernicious. Questioning him, I found he fancied that we practiced reciting long extracts in the guttural and pectoral qualities as daily regimen. He said this would ruin any voice, and I quite agreed with him.

Another elocution teacher was convinced that when we studied selections we labeled them in all sorts of ways and then recited them with all those labels constantly before our minds! This, of course, is quite untrue; but, if true, it would not be more absurd than that form of alleged entertain

ment in which young creatures in Greek costume assume various emotional attitudes while-in order that the audience may make no mistake-a mysterious voice issuing from behind a curtain calls off the title of each pose as it makes its appearance! This is dangerous ground, so I better not venture further.

Let me in closing, after again thanking Mr. Clark for his insistence on the need of better voice-training, suggest to those who follow Miss Thompson's advice and from this time forth give their "days and nights to the study of Bell," that it would be wise to become more catholic in their methods and expend a part of their working energy on those other great masters-Rush and Murdoch.

Chicago.

MAY DONNALLY KELSO.

READERS

SINGERS

Miss Amelia Martin, Dec. 5, recited "Laddie at the graduating exercises of the Elkhart Normal School.

WERNER'S

Miss Love Jones and Mr. John Miller Drake were married Jan. 17, in Tennessee. MAGAZINE extends congratulations.

Miss Saidee Vere Milne gave two recitals in January at the Waldorf-Astoria, presenting a cutting of Ben-Hur," and a mixed program.

Miss Bessie May Bowman, daughter of the eminent music teacher, Edward Morris Bowman, is making a success as a vocalist of pronounced merit.

Mr. Frank C. Drake is author of "The Crown and Locket," the second Children's Theater play produced this season at Carnegie Lyceum, New York.

Miss Lillian K. Baron made her platform debut, Jan. 12, in Wellsville, reciting Mr. Traver's First Hunt," at the first Christian Church entertainment.

The University of Michigan debating team, instructed by Prof. Thomas C. Trueblood, lately won another victory. This time over the Minnesota team.

Miss Nettie K. Oppenheimer gives a patriotic recital on Washington's Birthday for children in the Auditorium, Cincinnati. In January she read before the McMicken Symposium and Forum Society.

Miss Charlotte Sulley presented before the army branch of the Young Men's Christian Association, New York, Jan. 25, the story of "Ursus and the Aurochs," and "The Coming Out of Miss Cummings."

Miss Anna B. Chidester is trying to open to business women in Washington State an opportunity for physical culture, and is establishing evening classes for clerks, teachers, students, typists, stenographers, etc.