What Every Singer Should Know Part 4

We are living in a very material age. If you can afford to do so, live art for art's sake in your home, but if you have to make your living, and cope with the world to make a success, you must study your audience; they paid their money and want to be entertained. You can strike a happy medium, where you will not lower your dignity, as a singer and an artist.

I notice that those who "rant" and "storm" on the subject of "art for art's sake" seldom live it, of which we were given a fair demonstration when one of our disciples of "art for art's sake" went on a "concert"

tour and was so anxious to "please" his audience, that the program was a perfect vaudeville performance. It is needless to say that the "artist"

was severely criticised. Don't bill yourself as a concert singer and then give a vaudeville performance. Use judgment. Watch the teacher who is constantly talking "art for art's sake." Note to how many struggling musicians he holds out a helping hand and how much of his time and life he devotes to "art for art's sake."

We teachers charge enough for our lessons to make it possible for us to devote an evening a week "to art for art's sake"; invite our pupils, talk, sing, take up the biographies of the old masters, do ensemble work; study the oratories and operas. I am sure this would help create a greater love and understanding of the better things in music, for the more we hear it, the more we love it. This would go further in helping to create a love and understanding of "art for art's sake," and would be a greater test of our sincerity.

Debussy, the well-known composer of Peleas and Melisande, says in an article on "Art for Art's Sake": "Don't talk to me about elevating public taste. That is the greatest 'bluff' one can din into your ears.

Just think for a moment what the public is composed of. How many in the audience understand music? How many devote themselves to music during the day? An infinitesimal number. The rest, where do they come from?

From offices, stores, business houses of some kind, or they come from teas and gossip, and then they go to hear the opera. Most of them are tired after a day's work or idleness, and such people you expect to take an interest in serious music. Impossible! No; the only thing you can do for the public is to lift it, for one moment, out of its daily thoughts, and with that we have to be content. Under such conditions, what difference does it make whether you have German, Italian or French opera? There is no immovable truth in art. You cannot say this is so or so, and what difference do the means make as long as the end is accomplished? If Italian opera is more effective than German opera, what does it matter? All art is untruth. You may have been told that art is eternal because it is true, but there you are mistaken."

[Ill.u.s.tration: ANDREAS DIPPEL

Of the Metropolitan Grand Opera and General Manager of the Chicago Grand Opera, who through his tireless and skillful service is meeting with great success in the establishing of permanent Grand Opera in the larger cities west of New York, is an enthusiastic supporter of the Grand Opera in the vernacular, giving the many excellent American singers an opportunity to make their debut in this country and in their own language. Mr. Dippel predicts the time is not far distant when New York will establish the home of the National Grand Opera.]

EDUCATING THE Ma.s.sES.

The musician who refuses to make certain concessions to the public gives proof of courage, but not of wisdom. One cannot expect to go before an audience and sing over their heads, and by so doing educate them up to one's own standard of music.

You must reach down from your lofty ideals and meet the public on its own ground.

For example, in creating a love for the grand opera (which the people, especially of the west, up to a few years ago have had no chance of hearing), you must proceed gradually, carefully and with tact.

Teachers of voice culture should organize grand opera study clubs, give concerts, using selections from the popular grand opera--I mean by popular grand opera "Il Trovatore," "Carmen," "Faust," etc. These operas contain airs that are attractive, and can be followed by the ma.s.ses.

It would not be long before the grand opera would share honors with the now flourishing musical comedy in the affections of the music-loving public, and the term "grand opera" would not sound to them like a "bugaboo."

In Brooklyn one afternoon I pa.s.sed a number of boys coming from school, and was astonished to hear them whistling "Tannhauser." While this would be quite natural in Europe it is rather unusual here, where the popular song has the upper hand with the young folks. I made inquiries and found that a phonograph had been installed in the school and that every morning the pupils listened to selections from the grand operas. My already good opinion of the value of the phonograph was strengthened, as I fully realize what effect hearing good music in the public schools would have on the coming generation.

In order to fully appreciate a difficult composition one must have made a study of music, same as a doctor, in order to appreciate a lecture on some intricate subject about his profession, must have made a study of that profession.

The painter sees in a great painting the beauties of execution that entirely escape the eyes of the uninitiated; yet the musician will go before an audience of whom two-thirds have probably never studied music at all, and expect them to appreciate the cla.s.sical music, and because they do not, he would brand them as unappreciative, absurd; he expects the impossible.

The average audience does not care for the name of a composition as long as the music appeals to them, and this is generally a matter of how it is interpreted.

The power of a beautiful interpretation does not make itself felt in singing cla.s.sics alone. Many persons harbor the notion that interpretation relates to the work of the dead masters only. This is not true. The simplest song needs interpretation, as well as the oratorio or opera and the difference between good and bad artists is largely a matter of interpretation. A simple song that emanates from the heart and soul, will have a reciprocal effect on others and will outlive all sermons in the memory.

The average audience goes to the concert, not to be educated, but to be entertained. Entertain them, interest them, win them and they will come again.

After you have endeared yourself to them, you can begin to sing more pretentious music, and before they realize it, they are listening to and enjoying the works of the great masters.

I have seen a vast audience go to hear Patti sing "Home, Sweet Home,"

and while listening they became acquainted with other songs, that by hearing again and again, have helped to educate them to appreciate the better music.

I love the "oratorios" and "grand operas" particularly. They are part of my life. But I do not expect all with whom I come in contact to feel the same.

I have seen more people asleep at a piano recital than I have at church, and I did not blame them, when some amateur would be wrestling with a twenty-page selection of which he had not the slightest conception, with the exception of being able to read the notes and find them on the instrument.

Let us not become so blinded that we can see only one way--our way.

In educating the ma.s.ses let us not begin by driving them away with compositions which they cannot understand.

Art has no fatherland, and all that is beautiful should be prized by us, no matter how simple or what clime or region produced it.

When you hear someone dwelling on the fact that Mansfield did not ask his audience what play they wanted, neither did Patti ask them what she should sing, the argument is ridiculous. Bear this in mind: The audience did not go to hear "Il Barbiere" or "Peer Gynt," they went to hear Patti and see Mansfield, and what they rendered was only incidental to the fact that they were Patti and Mansfield, people in whom the public was interested. But while they were listening to these artists they became acquainted with the better works.

So leave it to the "finished artist" to produce the great works. You are an amateur and have your little share to do in educating the ma.s.ses.

Don't begin by giving a difficult program. Sing something simple, that you are perfectly familiar with, and don't be afraid of the new compositions. It is surprising that even old singers fear a new song.

Select something with pretty melody and rhythm and you are perfectly safe.

Always be on the lookout for something you can identify with yourself, just as the artists all have some favorite song.

HINTS AND HELPS.

Get out in the fresh air at least once a day, summer and winter.

If you are in good health, =walk= in preference to riding.

Get plenty of sleep. It is better than all other tonics.

If you are "out of sorts," try a little "new thought," or "mental science." It may be all you need.

Sponge your neck, chest and back with cold water every morning.

Girls, accustom yourselves to wearing your waists minus collars.

Boys, wear your collars loose. The artists all do.

Never bundle your neck in winter. A light covering will do.

Eat what agrees with you, and avoid going on diets, if possible.

If you desire to gain weight or put on more flesh, you must eat plenty of nourishing food at least three times a day, drink plenty of pure fresh water, good rich milk, ale, malt extracts, and everything that agrees with you.

Should you desire to reduce your weight, eat sparingly--a shredded wheat biscuit, some dry toast with a cup of coffee in the morning. At noon eat one or more oranges, and nothing else. For dinner take only one kind of meat or fish, a vegetable, a fruit, a salad, some dried toast, with a cup of black coffee or tea. Use no potatoes, b.u.t.ter or cream.

There is no special diet for singers. It is only necessary to keep in good health, take plenty of exercise, and eat and drink only those things which agree with you.

Pose your speaking voice low, as it not only benefits the voice, but it denotes refinement.