March 16. 1922
plished. The voice part is intelligently conceived, admits of clear diction and phrasing, and winds up to a‘ fortissimo climax on a high G at the end. This is a love song of the best sort.
The other is a song of peace, the great peace that follows great wars. It is a love song too, a song of the love of friends and of peoples, the universal love. It is a song that is sure to be a favorite with concert singers, and, although not, strictly speaking, a sacred song, it would seem to be suitable to the church. It certainly has a strong spiritual flavor. The accompaniment is in march tempo, big, sonorous chords admirably supporting the voice. The accompaniments to both songs are easy to play and will not tax thè capabilities of the most modest player. They are built to be popular favorites and they will be.
(G. Schirmer, Inc., New York)
“AUTUMN SONG” (for Violin)
By Tschaikowsky
Arthur Hartmann is the transcriber for violin of this well known work, the Russian composer’s op. 37. It is a dolorous, singing melody in D minor, picturing the suffering Tartar race: there is hardly one cheerful, major chord in the entire work. As such, it is characteristically Russian, full of character, and transcribed for the violin with entire fitness.
(G. Schirmer, Inc., New York)
“CHANSON TRISTE” (for Violin)
By Tschaikowsky
Another Hartmann transcription for his instrument of one of the best known of all Russian piano pieces. One can picture anything you wish in this music—“wail for the dead,” “march to Siberia,” “anguish,” “end of all things,” etc. Carefully marked with fingering, etc.
(G. Schirmer, Inc., New York)
“THE HERON” (for Voice)
By Howard Ansley Murphy
A Chinese lyric with words by Pai-Ta-Shun, who is a poet of distinction; he tells of “brown shadows of the camphor,” “gray shadows of the palm,” the flowery moonlight, the lotus, ripples in the sands, where “Imaged in the water. A snow-white heron stands.” What about it. Nothing further saith this poet, leaving you to picture the Oriental scene. To the lines Composer Murphy has set music which might be an exercise in thirds, chiefly on the black keys of the piano, the melody running along in the left hand part, all of it quite original, but difficult to play. Range from low D flat to high G flat. Dedicated to Lucile Nelson".
(/. Fischer & Bro., New York and Birmingham, Eng.)
TWO SONGS By J. Bertram Fox
“Tears” and “Sadness” are published in a six-page quarto, with a picture of pagoda, water and two sampans, suggesting the trend of the poem and music. The first poem is from “A Lute of Jade,” written in the sixth century, A. D., by that Chinese philosopher and poet, Wang Seng-Ju; the second is one of the Confucius poems, about 500 B. C., and both are translated into poetic English by that scholar and traveller, who knows China and its poetry better than any living man, L. Cramer-Byng. Composer Fox in these songs shows he too can write “atmosphere,” by which is meant that subtle something which gives the right character to music. To any other texts this music would be foolishness, but representing China and the Chinese, interpreting the poems, the music is sui generis. Strange combinations of tones in “rolled” chords introduce the first song, “Tears,” in 4-4 time, these chords following each other in whole tones. A jump into a foreign key, again repetition of chords, “spread” over the keyboard, changes in tempo, return to the original, with the whole-tone chords, and the song ends softly. The poem itself has to do with the moon-barque, the lantern lights depart; dead springs are in the heart, with tears; but that which makes grief more deep is “Is that you know not when I weep ; The lantern lights depart . . .”
“Sadness” is another lover’s wail, for she too is dead. The lover complains that the sun is ever full and bright... why should this be? . . . . how can there be an/ beauty, with her gone? “My heart that once was full of light, Is but a dying moon to-night.” The music has as foundation open fifths in the bass, reiterated for thirteen measures, wih peculiar melody and wierd harmonies. Dedicated to “Mrs. Lawrence Gilman” and “To Pauline.” For high or medium voice.
(/. Fischer & Bro., New York and Birmingham, Eng.)
“EVENTIDE” (Song)
By J. Bertram Fox
Mr. Fox has the ability to write in any mood or form; this is evident after perusal of his two Chinese songs, “Tears” and “Sadness,” and now of “Eventide,” the poem of which is by Charlotte Bronte. As the mysticism of the music depends on this poem, it follows :
The house was still, the room was still,
‘Twas eventide in June;
A caged canary to the sun now setting trilled a tune.
A free bird on that lilac bush outside the lattice heard.
He listened long—there came a hush, he dropped an answering word. The house was still, the room was still,
‘Twas eventide in June.
What tragedy lies in this poem! The two birds, one caged, petted, watched, made much of ; the other free. So are we of earth often caged, when we would wander the hills, watch the ocean, nature . . . Let everyone be content with their lot ! The Fox music to this poem is of refined delicacy, employing many ascending diminished sevenths. The bird’s song is daintily hinted in the accompaniment, the free bird singing joyously in major, and, slowly, pensively, the song ends. “To Gula.”
MUSICAL COURIER
which include “Attack,” “Breathing,” “Portamento,” Sonority,” “Sensations,” “Order of Study,” “Agility, or Coloratura,” “Complimentary Studies” and “General Advice.” Then follow the vocalizations. Much level-headed advice is given, such as, “One should attack the tone cleanly, and exactly at the right pitch;” “A badly attacked vocal tone can never sound well;” “Take breath noiselessly;” “Always follow the rhythm in taking breath, that is to say, breathe ‘a tempo’ with	a movement	more	or less	rapid;”
“Never offend against	the musical	sense	by splitting a
phrase—that is, interrupting its rhythm in order to take breath;” “Never sing ‘a vuoto,’ that is, don’t try to continue a phrase on a single breath any longer than you can sing without effort. (‘A vuoto’ means “on empty lungs”). The chapter on “Portamento,” and that on “Sonority,” is highly interesting and to the point. Take care that the timbre of your voice is neither coarse nor too open, that it does not resemble the	timbre of a	child’s	voice;	neither
should one make it too	sombre, too	dark.	He is	against
all humming or half-whispering, one of his rules reading “No student of singing should ever, even by way of pastime, hum a tune.” By so doing he says one imparts to the voice a minimum uniform tension, so that its sonority is reduced to the lowest degree, and this is bad for the voice. It is sure to have harmful effect. When such “hummers” try to apply the same principle in ordinary singing, their tone degenerates into a highly disagreeable scream. There should be wealth of sonority, even in softest singing. Not all teachers will agree with this, for certain prominent instructors of America have their pupils hum all their exercises. The long chapter on “Sensations” is of tremendous interest; few teachers realize its importance. Edmund J. Myer does; he constantly refers to “the singer’s sensation” in his teaching and in his books. The author also urges that singers should take up the study of musical theory, of prima vista singing, rhythmic reading, practice singing from “musical dictation,” take part in choral singing, ensemble music, study the piano, which is most necessary for any singer, learn the fundamental laws of acoustics and phonetics, study the history of the art of singing. He also advises that the student should not study alone at home until after a certain time has elapsed, when commencing study with a teachers. It depends on the pupil; some will get into bad habits, others are naturally careful. Half-hour lessons are usually long enough for a beginner. During home study the student should not sing over a half-hour at the most, repeating the exercises at long intervals during the day. The moment the teacher notices that the pupil is physically indisposed, he must limit the length of the singing exercises, or stop practice. The teacher should also take into consideration the powers of endurance of the vocal organ, the physical strength of the student, etc., in determining the duration and frequency of the singing exercises, both at home, and during the lessons. All students should scrupulously observe the laws of hygiene, although without exaggeration, whether in the general tenor of life, in the choice of narcotics and drinkables, in his work, in the surroundings of daily life, in clothing, in social mixings, etc. The student should have the greatest confidence in his own teacher. He should take care to live in an artistic and morally wholesome environment, cultivating the mind with letters, conversation, the theater, concerts, all of which is adapted to refine his culture and his emotional nature, in the noblest and loftiest manner.
The exercises in vocalization follow twenty-five pages of Advice, and consist of sustained tones, with swell effects, intervals, major and minor passages, leaps, arpeggios, scales, trills, portamento, half-legato, short phrases, staccato, a combination of both legato and staccato, all of which are such as are usually followed by vocal teachers. The little volume is number 112 in the Schirmer Scholastic Series.
Music
(G. Schirmer, Inc., New York)
“MINUET” (for Violin)
By Alfred Mirovitch
This sweet and pretty minuet, originally for piano, in F, has had considerable attention, both from press and pianists, and well deserves it, for it is characteristic, not of the half-way sort, but in pure minuet style. Violinist Burgin has transcribed the work for that instrument, putting it in G major, which suits well. It is very skilfully done, with detailed directions as to bowing, strings, fingering, harmonics, and four “ossias” (simplifications) in the difficult portions. The natural, flowing minuet, danced by Father Washington, Frederick the Great, et al., has retained popularity to this day, perhaps the latest conspicous minuet being that of Paderewski. Its easy grace, suggestion of ease of life, and plenty of time, is peculiarly enjoyed nowadays, when most of us don’t know what we want, or where to get it, but make a scramble for it just the same!
(T. B. Harms, Inc., New York)
“THE LITTLE GRAY ROAD OF LOVE” and “THANK GOD, THE DRUMS ARE SILENT”
Words by Gordon Johnstone, Music by Turner Layton
Turner Layton has here turned out two of the best songs that have come to this office in a long time. It is an unusual occurrence that simultaneous publications by a single composer are of such equal excellence. It is not too much to say that they are both masterpieces, and it would be difficult, if not impossible, to choose between them. Both are short, only three pages, and both are melodic in the best sense of the word. The accompaniments are excellent and the harmonies modern and effective. The chromatic opening of “The Little Gray Road of Love” (expressive of the Oriental suggestion carried in the words “The red roads of Rangoon wind through the grand bazaar and there are eyes like velvet skies to lure a man afar”) is of great originality and force, and the change into major with the change of mood is most skilfully and naturally accom-
44
REVIEWS AND NEW MUSIC
Books
(Frederick A. Stokes Company, New York)
“CARUSO AND THE ART OF SINGING”
By Salvatore Fucito and Barnet J. Bayer
This is a useful and timely book. It not only gives many a useful hint to the singer, but it will help to dispel the endless number of fairy-tales that have grown up about this great figure in the art world, just as such tales always grow up about every man who is much in the public eye. One thing that is of especial interest is the fact that Caruso possessed a fine voice as a boy. The head master at his school, himself a musician, was attracted to it and drilled the future master privately, “coaxing him to learn by gifts of candy and exemptions from school work,” so that we see that even genius has to be coaxed, a fact that American parents, who generally allow their children to practice their music when they like, would do well to take to heart!
At the age of twelve the young Caruso “made school so unhappily eventful for his teachers” that he was sent home in disgrace. He was then entered as a draftsman’s apprentice in the De Lucca Mechanical Laboratories. It was here that he developed that love for drawing which later brought forth so many delightful caricatures. But he did not like mechanical engineering, and at the death of his mother, when he was fifteen, he declared that he was through with it forever. He thought he might become an artist or a musician, but his father had no sympathy with his “extravagant and hairbrained ideas,” and gave him his choice of starving or becoming a mechanic. The boy took his choice and was turned out of the house.
He took to the profession of street singing, and sang also occasionally at some of the smaller theaters, at cafes and at the church of Sant’ Anna alle Paludi. He was becoming known as the best boy singer in Naples when his voice “changed” as every boy’s voice does when it deepens from soprano or contralto to tenor or bass. He found himself thus suddenly deprived of his only means of livelihood. The fact that he had actually a great tenor was discovered by a friend, Edoardo Missiano—the name should be remembered, for it is possible, even probable, that but for the vision of this man, the world would have been forever deprived of the great tenor, Caruso. The story is told at length in the book under review and is highly illustrative of Caruso’s nature.
Missiano took Caruso to a celebrated Italian vocal master, Guglielmo Vergine, who declared himself willing to accept him as a pupil and do what he could to make a singer out of him. His studies were interrupted by the army duties compulsory in all European countries, but this interruption was only of short duration, and he returned to complete his studies with Vergine. After three years of study he was dismissed with a soberly phrased letter of introduction and began to seek engagements.
The story of his climb to fame is far too long to tell within the space of a review. He made his debut at the Teatro Nuovo in Naples, making no very definite impression one way or another. His voice was judged to be of sympathetic quality but small and lacking in volume. Caruso himself blamed his early failure on his teacher. Vergine, he said, cramped and bound his voice. “For three }'ears I studied against my grain, repressing nature in order to become a Virgine product.”
Following this discovery his rise to fame was rapid, and culminated in his first real success, in the role of Marcello in Leoncavallo’s opera, “Boheme,” at the Teatro Lirico, Milan, on November 8, 1898. He “awakened the following morning to find that he had become famous.” His position as an operatic tenor was now assured and it was not long before he became internationally famous. As to the cause of his success, there is a passage in the book under review that is_ so important and so valuable to students (as is, indeed, the whole book) that it must be quoted. His success is attributed “to the great tenor’s unremitting hard work, both mental and technical, and to his fidelity to the ideals of interpretation which he never abandoned throughout his career.”........ “His own statements show how
convinced he was that the most wonderful voice in the world is soulless unless it be spiritualized by the intellectual and emotional factors.”
There is some further biographical matter in the book, including a detailed account of his life in America, and, perhaps most valuable of all, information of an intimate kind regarding the “secrets” of his success: his breathing power, tone production, how he practiced, etc., with many musical examples. Especially notable are the remarks on diction, an important matter too often neglected.
This book ought to be in the hands of every student, not only of singing, but also of every other branch of music. It brings out very clearly the cause of many a musical failure. Especially it brings out, by contrast, the narrowness of so many musicians, their ideas that it is possible to win success by specializing on a single branch of art to the exclusion of all general knowledge. Caruso was not alone a great singer; he was a great man and a great artist.
F. P.
(G. Schirmer, Inc., New York)
ADVICE TO BEGINNERS IN SINGING By Giulio Silva
This is more than simply “advice,” for in the limp bound booklet of fifty-five pages is contained explicit directions, which the author calls “general observations in the theory of singing, followed by fifty exercises in vocalization.” The original work is in Italian, for the work says “English translation by Dr. Th. Baker.” Both languages appear in the work, in parallel columns, so making it available for Italy; very practical, house of Schirmer! Half of the book is given up to the art of singing, with subdivisions
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“Jeanne Laval sang warmly and colorfully. She is a singer of taste and intelligence.”	—New York Sun.
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