le as Lehmann taught it to me.

[Illustration: musical notation: Breath Breath Breath Breath]

It was sung upon all the principal vowels. It was extended stepwise
through different keys over the entire range of the two octaves of the
voice. It was not her advice to practice it too softly, but it was done
with all the resonating organs well supported by the diaphragm, the tone
in a very supple and elastic "watery" state. She would think nothing of
devoting from forty minutes to sixty minutes a day to the slow practice
of this exercise. Of course, she would treat what one might call a heavy
brunette voice quite differently from a bright blonde voice. These terms
of blonde and brunette, of course, have nothing to do with the
complexion of the individual, but to the color of the voice.

THE ONLY CURE

Lehmann said of this scale: "It is the only cure for all injuries, and
at the same time the most excellent means of fortification against all
over-exertion. I sing it every day, often twice, even if I have to sing
one of the heaviest roles in the evening. I can rely absolutely upon its
assistance. I often take fifty minutes to go through it once, for I let
no tone pass that is lacking in any degree in pitch, power, duration or
in single vibration of the propagation form."

Personally I supplement this great scale often with various florid
legato phrases of arias selected from the older Italians or Mozart,
whereby I can more easily achieve the vocal facility demanded by the
tessitura of _Manon_ or _Faust_ and change to the darker-hued phrases
demanded in _Carmen_ or _Butterfly_.

But the open secret of all success is patient, never-ending,
conscientious _work_, with a forceful emphasis on the _WORK_.

[Illustration: JOHANNA GADSKI.]

MME. JOHANNA GADSKI

BIOGRAPHICAL

Mme. Gadski was born at Anclam, Prussia, June 15, 1872. Her studies in
singing were principally with Mme. Schroeder-Chaloupha. When she was ten
years old she sang successfully in concert at Stettin. Her operatic
debut was made in Berlin, in 1889, in Weber's _Der Freischutz_. She then
appeared in the opera houses of Bremen and Mayence. In 1894 Dr. Walter
Damrosch organized his opera company in New York and engaged Mme. Gadski
for leading roles. In 1898 she became high dramatic soprano with the
Metropolitan Opera Company in New York, and the following year appeared
at Covent Garden. She was constantly developing as a singer of Wagner
roles, not