Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 July 1912 — Learning to Sing [ARTICLE]

Learning to Sing

“Do you know," mused the girl at the piano, “that singing isn’t an art nor a talent? It’s just a record of so many dollars and cents. And the more dollars and cents you’ve spent on your voice the better your voice is. “That doesn’t mean, either,” she went on, “that it’s all a matter of training. If I should take a hundred lessons at $1 a lesson I'd be Considered just about one-third as advanced and proficient in vocalizing as I should be if I’d take a hundred lessons at $3 a lesson.” “Why this pessimistic mood?” inquired the man who was sitting near. “I’m not pessimistic.” replied the girl, calmly. “I’ve just discovered another truth. You try it and you’ll see. With the piano or the violin it’s different. While I grant that with them dollars and cents count a lot, still, if you can play the keys and the notes the same, people will listen to you. and. perhaps, enjoy the playing—but with vocal music everything depends on the money cost. There seems to be a quality in the tone, or something that tells people just who your teacher is and what you pay for your lessons —and you get complimented accordingly.”

“Yes''” The man’s voice invited further explanation. “Well,” the girl proceeded, “even If one practices alone on the piano one can accomplish something, can’t one? But when a poor soul tries to practice singing alone the neighbors shut the windows and the members of her own family beg for mercy, and even the children make fun of her. But let that same person announce that her vocal lessons are figuring In the high numbers—that Professor Somebody devotes a whole precious half hour to her voice every once in a while—and the neighbors sit out on their porches evenings to listen to her scales. Her family is impressed. ;“Now, I’ve been singing off and on, for my own pleasu re, si nee I was a baby. I’ve always had a modest de gree of respect for my own voiCe—but I have generally seemed to be alone in my opinion. If I sang it was usually an accompaniment—and when I was younger it used to hurt my feelings ” “Why, I’ve always told you that I like your voice.” The man took on a tone of reproach, but it seem to, work well. “You!” she laughed. “Why, of course you—but I mean people who count, in music?” “That seems to dispose of me effectively,” conceded the man: “But as I was saying.” proceeded the girl, “it’s absolutely no earthly use to have a nice voice. You may sing like a bird, but if your voice has been trained outside of a first-class studio you simply can’t sing, no matter how well you sing. That’s all there is to it! Why, If Melba herself hadn’t had first-class voice teachers no one would have ever realized what a voice she had. People would still be telling her to sing something Instead of forever practicing scales, whereas they gladly pay |5 or so for a seat to hear those very scales put into some handy song?” “From all of which,” commented the man, summing the matter up, “it appears that you are sick of it all and are going to leave the vocal field to the moneyed classes and stick to the piano. I really think you are wise, myself. Singing isn’t such a great stunt after all, unless one has a fine selection of songs—and even then the same things can’t please every one. On the other hand, if you play, you can play to please the whole bunch—and ” “You are entirely mistaken,” interrupted the girl, deeply offended. “If you think that after all this work I’m going to give up just because my teacher didn’t give me a decent solo in that recital, so that my voice would show off well beside the others, you’re badly deceived. ‘Tm going to spend some real money on a good teacher, that’s what I’m going to do? I’ll show them that they were all good and mistaken!” Then she pounded the piano keys.