with the music of great masters.

In one Talk, one of the first, we spoke of the major scale. It has
eight tones only, and though it has existed for many hundreds of
years, no one has yet dreamed of all the wonderful tone-pictures which
are contained in it. It is out of it that all the great composers have
written their works, and for centuries to come men will find in it
beauties great, and pure, and lasting.

As we sing in school, we are learning to put the major scale to some
use. It calls upon us in the melodies which it expresses, to be
careful that each tone shall be right in length, in pitch, in
loudness, in place. We must sing exactly with the others, not
offensively loud, nor so softly as to be of no service. And this
demands precision of us; and precision demands thought. And if we are
singing to gain a better use of voice we must, in every sound we make,
have our thoughts exactly upon what we are doing. This is
Concentration. If, on the other hand, we are trying our skill on a
song, we shall have, in addition, to be careful to give the right
expression, to sing not only the tones clearly, but the words, to feel
the true sentiment both of the poem and of the music, and to express
from our hearts as much of the meaning of poet and composer as we
understand. All these things are more particularly required of us if
we are singing in parts. The melody must be properly sustained and
must not cover the under parts; while the under parts themselves
should never intrude upon the melody, nor fail to be a good background
for it. The singing of part music is one of the best ways to train the
attention--that is, to get Concentration. As we sing our part we must
have in mind these things:

I. To keep to it and not be drawn away by another part.

II. To give the part we sing its due prominence.

III. Never to destroy the perfect equality of the parts by unduly
hastening or holding back.

IV. To remember that each part is important. The other singers have
as much to think of and to do as we have, and they are entitled
to just as much praise.

V. To be alert to take up our part at exactly the right place.

VI. To put the full meaning of the poet and of the composer into
every word and tone.

These, after all, are only a few of the things; but from them we may
learn this, that to sing (and to play is quite the same) is one of the
most delicate tasks we can learn to pe