ality of tone, vocal technic and
interpretative intelligence. Hailed as "Patti's only successor," she has
met with greater popular success in opera and concert than any of the
singers of recent years. In 1921 she married the gifted American
composer, Homer Samuels, who for many years had been the pianist upon
her tours.

TEACHING YOURSELF TO SING

MME. AMELITA GALLI-CURCI

Just what influence heredity may have upon the musical art and upon
musicians has, of course, been a much discussed question. In my own
case, I was fortunate in having a father who, although engaged in
another vocation, was a fine amateur musician. My grandfather was a
conductor and my grandmother was an opera singer of distinction in
Italy. Like myself, she was a coloratura soprano, and I can recollect
with joy her voice and her method of singing. Even at the age of
seventy-five her voice was wonderfully well preserved, because she
always sang with the greatest ease and with none of the forced throat
restrictions which make the work of so many singers insufferable.

My own musical education began at the age of five, when I commenced to
play the piano. Meanwhile I sang around the house, and my grandmother
used to say in good humor: "Keep it up, my dear; perhaps some day you
may be a better singer than I am." My father, however, was more
seriously interested in instrumental music, and desired that I should
become a pianist. How fortunate for me! Otherwise, I should never have
had that thorough musical drill which gave me an acquaintance with the
art which I cannot believe could come in any other way. Mascagni was a
very good friend of our family and took a great interest in my playing.
He came to our house very frequently, and his advice and inspiration
naturally meant much to a young, impressionable girl.

GENERAL EDUCATION

My general education was very carefully guarded by my father, who sent
me to the best schools in Milan, one of which was under the management
of Germans, and it was there that I acquired my acquaintance with the
German language. I was then sent to the Conservatorio, and graduated
with a gold medal as a pianist. This won me some distinction in Italy
and enabled me to tour as a pianist. I did not pretend to play the big,
exhaustive works, but my programs were made up of such pieces as the
_Abeg_ of Schumann, studies by Scharwenka, impromptus of Chopin, the
four scherzos of Chopin, the first ballade, the nocturnes (t