13
MUSICAL COURIER
March 22, 1923
WORD VS. TONE
Address Delivered Before the New York Singing Teachers’ Association by Dr. P. Mario Marafioti, Director of
the Marafioti Voice Culture Institute
CURRENT MUSICAL PRIZES AND SCHOLARSHIPS
[The Musical Courier will endeavor to keep this department up to date and to that end requests that all notices and prospectuses of musical prize contests be sent to the Musical Courier so as to be included in this department. It will be found that in each contest the name and address are given, to which intending candidates may apply directly for further information. Manuscripts are submitted at the risk of the composer.—Editor’s Note.]
Zuro Grand Opera Company (Details of contest in Musicax. Courier for January 25)—$100, $75, $50 and $25 for the designs of settings for any one of the following operas: Aida, Carmen, Faust, Rigo-letto. Contest ends April 15. Opera Design Contest, Carona Mundi, Inc., 312 West Fifty-fourth street, New York.
The Berkshire Music Colony, Inc. (details in issue February 15)—$1,000 for chamber composition which shall include one or more vocal parts in combination with instruments. Contest ends April 15, 1924. Hugo Kortschak, 1054 Lexington avenue, New York City.
The Hymn Society (details in issue February 15) — $50 for the best hymn-tune to be composed before April 8 for the Harvard prize hymn of Major Harry W. Farrington, Our Christ. Rev. Dr. Milton S. Littlefield, Corona, L. I., N. Y.
Chicago Musical College (details in issue March 8) Seventy-three prizes and scholarships, amounting to more than $20,000. Chicago Musical College, 624 South Michigan avenue, Chicago, 111.
Bush Conservatory (details in issue February 15) —Free scholarships for the summer school from June 27 to July 31. C. F. Jones, registrar, 839 North Dearborn street, Chicago, 111.
Philadelphia Conservatory (details in issue March 1)—Free scholarships for the Summer Normal at Beechwood School from July 5 to August 2. P. D. Cone, Eastern Manager, Art Publication Society, 1702 Walnut street, Philadelphia, Pa.
Committee of the Stadium Concerts (details in issue March 8)—American composers, native born and naturalized, invited to submit unplayed manuscripts. Manuscripts will not be received until May 1. Auditions for soloists to be heard at the summer concerts will begin in April. Mrs. William Cowen, Room 712, Fisk Building, Fifty-seventh street and Broadway, New York, N. Y.
Baylor Collegey-$1,000 in scholarships and silver cups to winners in contests for piano, violin, voice, vocal quartet and orchestra. E. A. Schafer, Secretary, Baylor College, Belton, Texas.
and sincerity of the singing is handicapped by preoccupation with high or low notes, they would change their minds about (Continued on page 46)
in their exploitation. This marks the era of a new orientation of the art of singing, and lays larger responsibilities on the shoulders of singers and voice culture in general.
Let us now examine from the standpoint of the singer the disadvantage of relying on the tone as the leading factor in his singing. The task of producing־ big tones under the false belief that they embody all the power for rendering human emotions makes the singer the slave of his voice. Therefore he is bound to take care of his singing primarily for its acoustic effects, neglecting or disregarding entirely the contents of his words. His voice thus becomes an instrument for gratifying the ear and nothing else. The life of the word, the truth and sincerity of his singing arc thereby abolished, its effectiveness being confined to tones, its style overshadowed by artificial sounds. The true depth of the singing composition then remains beyond his reach, and the audience is deprived of the inner soul of the song which has been the real inspiration of the composer. Surely that is a fundamental error.
It is only through words that human thoughts and feelings can be completely disclosed, and the power of their impressiveness fully conveyed. Any musical phrase, even of the old music, can be rendered more truly and effectively if it is sung chiefly for the meaning of its words, leaving its tonal effect complementary.
When Victor Maurel, as lago, used to relate to Othello the dream of Cassio, his singing was almost spoken in mezza voce. That interpretation marked the great difference between him and the many lagos who followed later.
The modern composer sometimes even neglects the tone while he is creating his compositions, his mind and inspiration being concentrated upon the meaning of his words. This is essentially the case with the real composer, because he knows that psychologically the tone is only a cooperator of the words, a. complementary factor for carrying into musical rhythms their psychological contents. If vocal tones were sufficient to convey our sentiments and thoughts by themselves, we could have entire compositions sung on an A or O, but who could endure such empty singing for any length of time? Who would recognize such singing as artistic ? While the human voice is the most noble and elevating expression we possess because it is capable of carrying the message of the human intellect and soul, the tone is only an acoustic sound, which can be produced by any musical instrument. Therefore only the word, not the tone, has the power and mission of playing the leading factor in singing of human concepts and events.
I can never forget the deep impression made upon a vast audience by Madame Calvé one evening last year at Carnegie Hall, by her rendering of Voi lo sapete mama, from Cavalleria Rusticana. This aria never gave me such artistic delight as on that occasion, and I wondered what was really the strange power that produced such an overwhelming effect on me. Nothing superhuman. Under close analysis I found simply an intelligent and true artist who was singing the music not for the effect of its tones, but for the depth of its words, which were sincerely felt and expressed through the music.
If singers knew how often the emphasis of tone overshadows the real pathos of the words, and the spontaneity
I want to thank you for the honor and the opportunity given me to express some personal views on the important subject of voice culture. These views I submit to you for discussion and criticism, for I feel that only through an impartial exchange of ideas among open-minded teachers can real advancement be brought about in this most important branch of art. ... I will therefore be as frank and explicit in conveying my impressions as I hope you will be in your criticism.
I was rather inclined to favor an impromptu discussion on any subject suggested by any member present this evening, but I learned that a lecture was preferable. I have therefore chosen to express some views on a radical reform in voice culture, emphasizing my belief that the word, not the tone, must be the leading factor in modern vocal art.
To begin with, I believe it is time to rebel against old traditions, in voice culture. We must abolish all unprogressive conventionalities. The most detrimental of them, in my opinion, is the obsession of the tone.
The idea of centering all attention and effort in producing perfect tones is the preoccupation of the great majority of singers today, yet it is a conception which should belong only to the past. Voice culture should be freed from this misleading influence which retards the evolution of the modern art of singing.
Singing is the expression of our thoughts and sentiments, conveyed and emphasized through musical rhythms, and requires natural voice production combined with artistic style.
In the art of the past, however, singing was characterized essentially by the formation of beautiful tones, in the perfection of which lay also the excellence of style. That was the creed of the famous school of bel canto.
The composer’s conception in that epoch was to create beautiful melodies, full of tonal effects, regardless often of the content of the words. An “addio,” for example, or a “good-night” could be repeated and diluted with all kinds of musical ingredients, to the complete delight of the audience. In some cases several singers could at the same time, and to the same music, express their love and joy, as well as their jealousy, defiance or hate, without offending the common sense of our undiscriminating forefathers, just because the listeners were satisfied with beautiful melody. That was certainly the age of the decadence of singing music, and it was quite natural for singers to have followed that conception.
Since that time many successful attempts have been made to reform and evolve compositions into a truer and more logical expression. As a result, singing music has gradually undergone a change, until among our most modern composers the word is rapidly gaining the field and becoming a much more important element in vocal art. This radical evolution consequently is aiming a death blow at the school of bel canto, which in truth has had a deservedly glorious past, but which is no longer adapted to modern vocal compositions.
At the same time this change is gradually influencing the taste of the public, and by disclosing new fields of artistic effects is creating also the necessity for new artistic means

Concerts—Recitals
SEASON 1923-24 NOW BOOKING
The Management of
NINA MORGANA
110 West 55th Street New York City
NINA MORGANATS
SOPRANO	and
Metropolitan Opera Company Concert
dramatic force, which captivated the audience. With a marked outstanding personality the little prima donna sang in a voice rich and pure in quality. Singing with the finish of a finely trained singer, she displayed an exquisite coloratura voice. Her technique is rare and her execution of difficult trills was done with astounding accuracy to pitch. From the first note of every song to the last she held her audience in marked attention and richly deserved applause which was accorded her.—The Youngstown Telegram.
Miss Morgana’s technique is superb, her phrasing perfect and the charm of her personality very strong.—The Los Angeles Times.
She has full rich tones and unusual dramatic force for a vocalist of her type.—The Detroit Free Press.
Miss Morgana’s voice is fresh as spring itself, sweet, clear and true, and she handles it with amazing perfection.—The Columbus State Journal.
Her voice has color and power and is crystalline in quality.—The Chicago Daily News.
Her feeling for nuance, her luscious legato, together with her birdlike uppertones arouse a tremendous demonstration.—The Buffalo Courier.
becoming simplicity. Mme. Morgana’s voice found no difficulties in high notes or long intervals, and the most trying passages of Micaela’s music were sung decidedly well. Her impersonation was likewise in the spirit of the role.— The Neiv York Evening Telegram.
Mme. Morgana was gratefully and gracefully sure of herself from the first, and her Micaela had charm to it, willowiness and a good deal more meaning than most cool, blonde, over-virtuous Micaelas know how to impart. Her style is pleasing and polished, and she made the role the best in her growing gallery.—The Nero York Sun.
The Micaela was Nina Morgana, fresh-voiced, simple, girlish—indeed, altogether lovely.—The New York Globe.
There was the debut of Nina Morgana as Micaela. She sings with a clear, pure tone and a certain ingenuous appeal. That is what Micaela is supposed to suggest, and Miss Morgana achieved her effects with no apparent effort.—The Nero York Mail.
IN CONCERT
Miss Morgana opened her program with an operatic group of songs, singing them superbly and with great
AS NEDDA IN “PAGLIACCI”
February 3, 1923
It was dainty Nina Morgana’s first appearance at the Metropolitan this season and her fresh soprano voice was heard with keen pleasure in the music of Nedda.—The New York Globe.
The Nedda gave Nina Morgana her season’s first opportunity, which she seized and made much of, vocally and dramatically.—The New York Sun.
AS MICAELA IN “CARMEN”
March 2, 1923
Miss Morgana was a very self-contained Micaela, unruffled at all times and vocally smooth and accurate in all that she did.—The New York Herald,
Nina Morgana sang Micaela with much simple charm of manner and voice.—The New York Times.
Micaela was taken this time by Nina Morgana who made a country girl of pleasingly youthful appearance, with agreeable tones in her voice. Her aria in the third act was well received.—The New York Tribune.
There was also a new Micaela last night. Mme. Nina Morgana who sang the girlish role with charm and with