A OR CONCERT

"People often ask whether I prefer to sing in opera or concert. I always
answer, I love both. I enjoy opera for many reasons; I love the concert
work, and I am also very fond of oratorio. Of course in the opera I am
necessarily restrained; I can never be Frieda Hempel, I must always be
some one else; I must always think of the others who are playing with
me. In concert I can be myself and express myself. I get near the
people; they are my friends and I am theirs. I am much in spirit with
oratorio also.

COLORATURA OR DRAMATIC

"Do I think the coloratura voice will ever become dramatic? It depends
on the quality of the voice. I think every dramatic singer should
cultivate coloratura to some extent--should study smooth legato scales
and passages. To listen to some of the dramatic roles of to-day, one
would think that smooth legato singing was a lost art. Nothing can take
its place, however, and singers should realize this fact."

Miss Hempel believes that every singer, no matter how great, should
realize the advantage of constant advice from a capable teacher, in
order to prevent the forming of undesirable habits. She also considers
Vocal Mastery implies the perfection of everything connected with
singing; that is to say, perfect breath control, perfect placement of
the voice, perfect tone production, together with all requisite grace,
feeling and expressiveness.

WITH THE MASTER TEACHERS

XXII

=DAVID BISPHAM=

THE MAKING OF ARTIST SINGERS

If we were asked to name one of the best known, and best loved of
American singers, the choice would surely fall on David Bispham. This
artist, through his vocal, linguistic and histrionic gifts, his serious
aims and high ideals, has endeared himself to musicians and music lovers
alike. We are all proud of him as an American, and take a sort of
personal pride in his achievements.

Mr. Bispham has been before the public as actor-singer for many years.
There is no other artist in the English-speaking world who has had
greater experience in all kinds of vocal work than this "Quaker Singer,"
as he calls himself, for he comes from Philadelphia, and is of old
English, Quaker, Colonial stock. His professional debut was made in
London, in 1891, with the Royal English Opera Company, as the Duc De
Longueville, in the beautiful Opera Comique, _The Basoche_, by Messager.
The following year he appeared in Wagnerian Music Drama at the Royal
Opera, Covent