USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > The Congress of Women : held in the Woman's building, World's Columbian exposition, Chicago, U.S.A., 1893 : with portraits, biographies and addresses > Part 65
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115
Two little girls in the class said they committed their first piece of music while they were putting the house in order, Anna singing the treble and Regnia the alto until they knew it, and afterward were able to play it quite intelligently, thus proving the value of technical work in memorizing is greatly overestimated. Some of the pupils have committed an entire piece of music to memory before playing it upon the piano, showing that even hearing the tone is unnecessary to an intelligent understand- ing of a composition.
When we first began the class was so large and the time so limited in which to teach it, that on each lesson day not more than half of the children were able to reach the piano; consequently it became necessary to have them all come together in order that each might have the opportunity of receiving at least some benefit by hearing the instruction given to the others. This subsequently developed into one of the most valuable features of the class. The strict attention given by the children was all that could be desired, and each unconsciously became capable of criticis- ing intelligently. Sometimes when the younger children were playing, the older girls would read the life of a composer in an adjoining room, telling it to the class in their own language on their return. They are now drawing the likenesses of various com- posers and also making busts of them in clay.
Wishing to avoid the usual relations of teacher and pupil, I encouraged the chil- dren to form a club. They made their own rules (which, by the way, had nothing whatever to do with music-prohibiting whispering, the chewing of gum, etc. ) and chose their own name, the Paderewski Club.
476
THE CONGRESS OF WOMEN.
During the week the children collect from the newspapers any clippings in regard to music that interest them and these are pasted by the secretary in a scrap- book.
The spirit shown by the children toward each other has always been most gener- ous and friendly, and I have often trembled for fear that their simple unconsciousness might be disturbed. For this reason we continue with our work, whatever it may be, no matter how many visitors enter the room. In pursuance of this idea, I did not tell the children of my plan to bring them to the Woman's Building, but in their search for clippings they discovered the announcement and brought it with mingled surprise and delight to the scrap-book when they met, as they supposed, for a lesson. I have dis- covered accidentally that several of them are teaching pupils in their own neighbor- hood, an excellent illustration that their studies are not irksome; a proof of the point they care but little for light music is the fact that they have exhausted the entire stock of classical music of a music dealer near the Hull House; thirty-three pieces of six-cent music being the first music the club has been able to buy itself. It has heretofore had no choice of music whatever, having been obliged to use any that could be secured for merely a song, because of its being soiled or otherwise unsalable. However, in spite of every obstacle, at the end of six months they were playing as well as many children supposedly practicing two hours a day.
As one of our musical papers said not long ago: " Many of the mistakes of the pupil are directly attributable to the teacher's inability to see things from the pupil's standpoint." This is one reason so many of the world's distinguished men were con- sidered failures at school. The eminent teacher, Albrechtberg, said of Beethoven: " He will never come to anything," simply because Beethoven could not study music from his standpoint.
Rubinstein expressed a belief not long ago that music is passing through a crisis of deterioration in composition, though he admitted at the same time that technic has taken gigantic strides; and that technical training is in the ascendency is to be deplored, as many composers and otherwise talented musicians are driven from their field of labor through failure to appreciate that virtuosity is not the most essential ele- ment in the development of musicianship. Miss Caruthers illustrated this point in a most interesting manner at the Woman's Musical Congress of the World's Congress Auxiliary, which convened recently at the Art Palace.
It is the musical intelligence that makes expression and guides technical ability, and music is not found through weary hours of struggling with technic. As one of our greatest American poets has said :
" The infinite always is silent, It is only the finite speaks; Our words are the idle wavecaps On a deep that never breaks. W'e question with wand of Science, Explain, decide and discuss ; But only in meditation, Doth music speak to us."
EXTRACTS FROM VOCAL ART.
By M. AUGUSTA BROWN, M. D.
Vocal art, like all fine art, has its mechanical-practical as well as its ethical side. The sculptor may chisel away many a weary year before he can bring out the emotions that live in stone. The painter's hand must be prac- ticed to the finest cunning before he can transmit to canvas the imageries that live in his brain. He who would transmit the soul through the singing voice must be painter, poet, orator and sculptor.
The voice may be very justly compared to the diamond in passing to a state of perfection, and as the brilliancy of the diamond may be impaired or ruined by one false stroke, so may the voice be im- paired or ruined by imprudence, by false or mistaken method.
In practicing softly the voice is never in danger of being strained, and it is easy to add power after sweetness and brilliancy are acquired. There should be no more break in the voice, in passing from the lowest to the highest tone, than there is in passing on the key-board of the piano; and there is none, unless we make the tone with the effort of the throat muscles, instead of letting the air make the tone by playing upon the muscles. The break that occurs is always DR. M. AUGUSTA BROWN. caused by holding the throat muscles more or less rigid (when they should be held perfectly loose, pas- sive and free). If we hold the muscles at all rigid, we can go only so far when we must let go of them and take up the next higher. If we hold these we are obliged to change again for higher tones, and this change is the cause of the break, when, if we simply let the air play upon the muscles without effort, there will be no break from the lowest to the highest tone. Bernotzzie's theme was inflation of the lungs to their fullest capacity, a good practice in moderate degree, but disastrous if carried to excess.
Professor Bears of Paris, on the contrary, taught his pupils to use the smallest amount of breath for the greatest vocal feats, such as making a trill for thirty seconds with one breath, at the same time holding in the mouth a lighted match without caus- ing the flame to flicker.
Signor Polini of Naples makes the study of vocal music a pleasure; so simple is his method, and having so little responsibility or anxiety, the pupil retains the repose so necessary at all times to the singer and especially to the beginner.
Signor Emanuel Potentini of Rome goes to the other extreme, exacting in every
Dr. M. Angusta Brown is a native of Albany, N. Y. She was born March 14, 1836. Her parents were William Gage, Jr., and Martha Carey Gage. She was educated at the Albany Female Academy and at the Salem Academy of Music, Connecticut. She studied in Italy with Lamperti and Sangiovanni, of the Royal Academy of Music of Milan. In Paris she studied with Charlotte Patti, Karl Formes, Caughman, Bears and others. She has traveled extensively in Europe and in America. She married, in 1957, Augustus L. Brown, a native of Georgia. Her special work has been in the interest of health education of woman. Her principal literary works are: "The Benefit of Horticulture." "Contagious Diseases : Their Cause and Cure." "Cholera a Preventable Disease." and "Voice Production from a Physiological Standpoint." Her profession is that of physician and surgeon. She has worked out a method which quickly demonstrates that " vocal music" is an exact science. Its laws are as fixed as the laws of mathematics, and these laws involve the whole organism. Dr. Brown is an Episcopalian. Her postoffice address is No. 4225 Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Ill.
477
478.
THE CONGRESS OF WOMEN.
particular. Professor Bernardi of Milan makes execution a study, especially the trill and shake; even bird tones he considers legitimate practice, as well as all vocal feats and movements used by the orator, reader or impersonator.
Madam Fabrie's principal theme was legato, a smooth, flowing style Professor Morley agreed with Delsarte that every note should be sung at first staccato, making a clear, decisive touch. The attack of a note was his care, so that cach tone should represent a distinct pearl example. You will ask why I went from one grand master to another. I was in search of information and I found that cach master had some- thing to impart that I had not gained from the other. There was Sangiovanni's mas- térly and beautiful phrasing, Lamperti's method of voice building and Bernardi's execution and trill. Each master has brought out fine voices through opposing meth- ods, and many fine voices have developed in spite of method. But we hear little of the thousands of voices which have failed, even though endowed by nature with talent and early promise of a brilliant career. Many such failures have come from attempts to make the voice fit a certain method, instead of making a method applicable to each individual voice. Beautiful voices are mourned as lost when there is often only some simple obstruction to the operation of the natural law governing song which might be easily removed or restored.
This has been the object of my study -- to know the causes of voice failure, its restoration, preservation and building, and it is astonishing how a small and seemingly insignificant thing may temporarily unbalance a voice. Let us look for some of the causes of impairment. "One of the most simple (common), is dryness of the throat and nasal cavities, caused by inaction or paresis of the glands. They fail to secrete enough moisture to lubricate the parts. This may be temporarily overcome by intro- ducing into the nostrils, pharynx, and throat a very little glycerine just before using the voice Glycerine and cream, equal parts, is still better. There may be an excessive secretion, from inordinate activity of the glands, producing weakness or catarrh, or there may be swollen tonsils." Elongated uvula, nasal polypus, inflamed, congested, relaxed or closed eustachian tubes, hoarseness, congestion of the vocal cords, or they may have become thickened from chronic congestion or covered with mucus, or partially paralyzed from over-taxation or weakness, or one may have lost the full vigorous action of the muscles or nerves. The diaphragmic muscle may have lost its tone from illness, weakness or over-exertion. The chest and all the organs of the viscera may have fallen somewhat out of their normal position from weakness, long continued indigestion, constipation, insomnia; other causes may be anxiety, mental strain, mental depression, sedentary habits, low state of the circulation of the blood and vital fluids, excitability of the nerves, anything that exhausts or depletes the vital forces, nerve prostration, debility or lack of nervous energy, may, in many instances, prevent the free, forcible use of the muscles upon which the voice depends The power of the voice organs depends upon the tone and vigor of the whole system, and any mode of life that promotes health and strength is favorable to voice production; and upon the contrary, anything that fatigues or exhausts is detrimental to the voice. The decline of the beautiful voice of Gerster was caused by over-taxation, unbalanced nervous condition. Notwithstanding singers know the baneful effects of singing directly after eating, when nature's efforts are engaged in the digestion and assimila. tion of food and should not be distracted, how many go directly from the table to the piano and sing for hours? One should never sing when he is tired, or use stimulants to urge the voice to action.
From illness, weakness, or from imitating others, one may form habits entirely foreign, not only in childhood but in any stage of life, even after years of correct prac- tice. If the organs become weakened or relaxed the same effort will not produce the same result; all pure tone depends upon certain conditions. If the conditions are changed we must change the effort. If the organs are relaxed we must reinforce by controlling and supporting the breath by the diaphragm and at the throne of the pharynx. If these two points have lost their firmness the support may be equally
.
479
THE CONGRESS OF WOMEN.
divided between the lungs, which are in themselves expansive and contractile muscles, the trachea, the pharynx, the nasal cavities and strong muscles of the head. But remove all pressure from the throat, larynx and vocal cord. Many a naturally fine singer's career is blighted by this habit of pressure or rigidity of the throat muscles. The remedy is in studying appropriate exercises until the correct habit is formed, which is not difficult if given individual attention. It is like resetting a dislocated bone; the moment it finds its place nature recognizes its own. The greater part of the labor is done when you have found the right adjustment of the whole organism. If the weakness is caused by indigestion, insomnia, or from whatever cause, it must be removed. In many cases the restoration of health is the most necessary part in voice production, and with our teaching is the first branch to receive attention. It is often more difficult to induce the singer to practice health exercises than to overcome the trouble after the effort is made. We have so long depended so much more upon pro- miscuous practice than upon condition and adjustment, and yet it is astonishing how rapidly one may advance with little practice when rightly directed.
Singing, more than anything else, requires concentrated attention. If we would express thought, feeling and emotion, we must think and feel. If we have a definite idea of what we want to do and how we want to do it, if we know what position of the mouth, throat and vocal organs produces a certain effect, we have only to call them into action.
To produce a good voice the whole organism needs as much attention, and I may say practice, as do the vocal organs. The whole body is a part of the musical instru- ment, and must be considered. The ability and activity of the immediate vocal appa- ratus depends upon the general strength and condition of the body as a whole, as well as upon the proper adjustment of the vocal organs with reference to acoustic law.
The first and most important fact to fix in the mind of one who would rise to his highest possibilities as a singer is that there are two important, principal points of sup- port for the voice which must never be lost sight of-the diaphragmic muscle and the throne of the pharynx.
The propelling power of the lungs is the diaphragmic muscle, which has its pos- terior attachment at the lumbar vertebrae. "It is a thin, muscular, fibrous septum, placed obliquely at the junction of the upper third of the trunk, forming the floor of the lungs and the roof of the abdomen."
If you acquire perfect control here, and at the same time at the throne of the pharynx, you will sing as free and as easy as a bird, in the way designed by a wise Creator.
In singing a good position is most essential. Stand upon the balls of the feet, hold the knees firm, abdomen and shouders back, the chest raised and prominent, the head bent slightly forward in a persuasive, tranquil manner, as repose, tranquillity of mind and body is absolutely necessary for the singer; make repose your first study.
The first organ involved in singing is the nose. Close the lips; take a breath through the nose. Where do you feel it first? At the bridge of the anterior and posterior nares. Back of the bridge, and back of and above the palate, is the throne of the pharynx, and this is another strong point for the singer; one of the two first important points to be considered ( never to be lost sight of; never to be let go of). It is first, last and always (not only in making the head tones, but all the tones, from the highest to the lowest, must be supported here). Feel that this is the abiding place of tone. We will call it the throne of the singer, for as long as he has control here he has control of his voice, but when he has lost control of this point he has lost his kingdom as a singer. He may lose it by simply letting go of it and taking up the throat muscles instead, when they should always be left perfectly free and passive. Many a singer mourns his voice as lost, when he has merely let go of this point of support. It does not require any pressure or contraction, but simply the feeling that you direct, hold and support the tone from this point, the whole upper part of the pharynx to the very nostrils.
480
THE CONGRESS OF WOMEN.
The next step is to take a deep, full, slow, inspiration, filling the lungs from the very bottom. In escaping, the air passes through the top, so the top is always supplied. ( We must form the habit of filling the bottom of the lungs at first effort.) This is called abdominal breathing, or, more appropriately, diaphragmatic breathing. As the bottom of the lungs is filled with air, there is a feeling of enlargement all over the abdominal region, caused by the pressure ofthe well-filled lung in all directions. The downward pressure of the lungs against the diaphragmic muscle distends slightly the abdominal cavity; hence, abdominal breathing, a very misleading name.
The diaphragm guards and follows the lungs like a guardian angel. To breathe a deep, natural breath is proper, but we must follow nature somewhat. When we make breathing altogether a voluntary action, we take the natural work from the involuntary muscles, which are thereby weakened by inaction.
For different modes of breathing, we have what is called " abdominal or diaphragm- atic, " lateral or costal, lumbar and the clavicular. A good diaphragmatic respiration includes them all except the clavicular, which is of no importance to us, only to be avoided and which we need not consider, taking only the diaphragmatic; that is filling, the bottom of the lungs at the first effort. Learn to accomplish vocal feats with the smallest amount of breath; that is, let no breath escape unutilized.
EXAMPLE.
The first and most important step in singing is to control the emission of the breath.
Practice breathing at first slowly, then quickly. Now, see how nearly you can approach the yawn without yawning. This position of the mouth and throat is favor- able to good tone by opening the throat in all directions.
When we have acquired control of the breath, the next step is to open the back part of the mouth. Think of the singer's throne at the top of the pharynx and raise the soft palate and head muscles without effort, widen the whole pharynx. The very thought will do it. You will observe at once the change even in the speaking voice, always support the tone in the pharynx.
This exercise will not only make a musical singing, speaking and reading voice, but it will banish clergyman's sore throat and many other forms of throat trouble, which come from wrong placing. If we open the back part of the mouth, the front will take care of itself. Take the Italian la broad, or the word loud, and be sure that you open the throat, for you may say la without opening the throat.
Open the throat as much as possible without fatigue or strain, and you will be astonished at the volume of voice developed at once, without effort.
We are supposed now to be building or restoring a voice, but the best voices will be improved by correct practice. If nature has given you a fine voice, well placed, then the right practice will give it expansion, and bring possibilities before you of which, perhaps, you have never dreamed. If your voice is small and thin, you can comfort yourself with the knowledge that all things are brought about by condition and practice, and if you understand the laws of acoustics and the adjustment of the vocal apparatus, a small voice may be increased greatly in power and extent, and what it lacks in power it may make up in intensity, for the softest tones, when con- trolled rightly, may be heard as distinctly as the loudest, and with far more pleasing effect. Intensity comes through control at the throne of the pharynx.
EXAMPLE.
For a soft, intense tone, take the word He in the top of the pharynx-He-e-e-c.
The Bell tone is also a good exercise. For intensity make the last part soft, but distinct, as it dies away.
The immediate vocal instrument is made up of the nasal cavities, the pharynx, the larynx, the trachca and the lungs. But these depend upon the nervous and mus- cular system of the whole organism.
481
THE CONGRESS OF WOMEN.
In exercising the voice, each note should be given softly, with exactly the same quality and volume, unless otherwise marked. A few notes will require more practice and attention than all the rest combined. Take these refractory notes and master them before going another step, and you will be astonished at your rapid advance- ment.
This must include a proper healthful condition; proper vocal exercise is con- ducive to health.
Delsarte said: "Voices may be manufactured. Put your heart in the place of the larynx and there will always be enough voice for attentive listeners." The heart in the larynx and the tone in the pharynx.
THE SINGING LESSON.
Before beginning to exercise the voice, one should always go through some pre- liminary movements to circulate the blood and animate the nerves, and bring the whole body into a state of vibration. It is well to have a little system of exercise, beginning with the feet: posing on the toes, moving from side to side, bending the knees, the waist, raising the arms, raising and broadening the chest. A very excel- lent and exhilarating exercise is the Spanish waltz with its various movements.
If from any cause you find it an effort to sing, do not try to sing, but exercise the body until you are comfortably tired; study the music with the mind. Then rest- take a nap. There is nothing like sleep to give freshness and vigor to the voice, and it is a mistake to give more attention to the immediate vocal organs than the whole system, for the latter has much to do with the production of tone, especially in the color, quality, sweetness, freshness and fullness, which is also influenced by the action of the pharynx, nasal cavities, mouth, hard and soft palate, teeth, and the strong muscles of the head.
The slightest change in either of these affects the quality of tone. No two per- sons are formed or organized exactly alike. The formation of the mouth differs in each individual, and a difference of a hair's breadth changes the quality of the tone. The slightest change in thought, feeling, change of the muscles of the head, face, throat or chest, wrinkling the brow, holding the eyes fixed, lifting the arms, tight shoes, corsets, a corn on the toe, in fact, any change in position, feeling or condition, changes the tone. Now, as the formation of the mouth, throat, pharynx and nasal cavities differs in each individual, we must study the acoustic properties of each, and adopt the position accordingly. If one has a wide mouth, a low, flat roof, he must drop the chin and raise the muscles of the face and head toward the throne of the pharynx, and choose a vowel sound adapted to his case. With a narrow mouth and high roof, he must open his mouth and throat laterally in a smiling position, say the word la broad, distending the cheeks, and keeping in his mind the word width.
One with a well-shaped but small mouth needs both breadth and height. He must practice the broad la, or the word loud, with the back part of the mouth open as much as possible without strain. If one is the possessor of a large mouth and throat he should be content.
For this reason it is well to take the syllable la broad, which is favorable to good tone by opening the throat. Then make all the other vowel sounds as near like it as possible, without changing the position of the mouth, and when you are able to make the same quality of tone on each vowel sound without changing the position, and without any stiffness or contraction of the muscles, you will have accomplished a great and difficult feat, and you will be able to sing in any language with as much ease as Italian. Forget that you have a throat, larynx, or vocal cords; think of them as a passage for breath only. Remember that the two important points are the posterior attachment of the diaphragm and the throne of the pharynx. These should be held in mind without effort. To broaden the pharynx at the top, take the syllable ga, and widen all the upper space, even the nostrils without effort. Now, learn to attack a note at once perfectly, without reaching for it-accomplish this before taking another
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.