s discover the springs of that elusive quality commonly called
"temperament" which gives the personal note to one rendition as distinct
from another, and without which the clearest exposition of vocal meanings
becomes tame and colorless.

The singer is a specialist, but all successful specialization rests upon
the broad foundations of general culture. The reason why there are so many
singers and so few artists who thrill us with the revelation of the
intimate beauties of the songs of Franz, Grieg, and MacDowell, to take only
a few names from the rich list of song writers, is because people sing
without acquiring the range of vision which makes such interpretation
possible. How can one sing, let us say, a German song, imbued with German
romanticism and melancholy, unless he knows something of the German art,
the German spirit, the German language, the German national
characteristics? A knowledge of literature, art in general, and the
"Humanities," to use an old-fashioned word, is absolutely necessary to
interpretation of a high order. Too often, alas, the singer imagines that
the study of tone production, or acquaintance with musical literature, or a
polished diction, will make him sing with the combination of qualities
called style. Not so! Upon the broad foundations of general culture, which
distinguishes the man of refinement from his less fortunate brother, rests
also the specific ability to sing with distinction. Moreover, the singer
must have definite musical ability, natural and developed by study. He must
thoroughly comprehend rhythm, melody, and harmony in order that his
attention may not be distracted from interpretative values to ignoble
necessities of time and tune. It is not possible to sing Mozart, not to say
Beethoven and Wagner, without acquaintance with the vocabulary and grammar
of the wonderful language in which they wrote. Familiarity with the
traditions of different schools of composition and performance is necessary
also in order not to sing the songs of Bach and Handel like those of
Schubert and Schumann, or Brahms like the modern French composers; in order
not to interpret with like effects indiscriminately songs of the oratorio
and opera, of Italian, German, French, English and modern Russian schools.

Unquestionably the singer must have control of the physiological and
technical possibilities of his voice. No one can make words and music mean
anything while he is wondering what his voice may do n