FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   >>  
ext. Developed intelligence, emotional richness and refinement, musical knowledge, a properly placed voice capable of flexibility and color, distinct articulation, polished diction, these are some of the preliminaries to successful interpretation in song. Let us see what special qualifications assist in the actual performance of song, in the attempt to give pleasure or artistic gratification by singing songs for others to hear. In the first place let us consider the limitations as well as the advantages of the human voice. I must ask you to remember that considered as an instrument it is smaller in power than some instruments, shorter in range than many others, often less beautiful than the tones of the violin. But in one respect it transcends all others. It is capable of revealing the mind and soul of the one who plays upon it. The speaking voice, as well as the voice in song, reveals thought and feeling to the hearer; those subtler shades of meaning which distinguish man, made in the image of God, from his humble companions, are made clear to those about him by this instrument--this wonderful, persuasive, cajoling, beseeching, enthralling, exciting, thrilling, terrifying instrument! Have you not been moved by the tones of the speaking voice? How can we train the voice in song to express these varying shades of meaning, and can we learn to use them systematically instead of accidentally or when we are impelled by strong emotion? I know that there is a popular impression that some singers possess a mysterious quality known as "temperament," and that others do not. Having this uncertain quality, one singer stirs an audience; having it not, the hearer remains unmoved. If by temperament, intelligence and emotional richness of nature are meant, I do not believe that anyone who is not to some extent possessed of these faculties can stir the feelings of his hearers to any considerable degree. But surely many, almost all people capable of conquering the physiological, psychological, technical, and musical difficulties to be overcome before learning to sing at all well, possess these qualities. And even if modern songs of the best type abound in subtle, emotional expression and varying shades of intellectual significance, it is, I believe, possible for most singers to gain in interpretative facility by learning to connect the thought and feeling underlying the song with the spoken words which are their natural outlet and expres
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   >>  



Top keywords:

instrument

 

shades

 

emotional

 

capable

 

richness

 
meaning
 

varying

 

learning

 

feeling

 
speaking

thought

 
intelligence
 

hearer

 

musical

 

temperament

 

singers

 

possess

 

quality

 

audience

 

unmoved


nature

 

remains

 

accidentally

 

impelled

 

systematically

 

strong

 

emotion

 

Having

 

uncertain

 

singer


mysterious

 
impression
 

popular

 

degree

 

intellectual

 
expression
 

significance

 

subtle

 

abound

 

modern


interpretative

 

natural

 

outlet

 

expres

 

spoken

 

facility

 
connect
 

underlying

 

considerable

 

express