Vocal Mastery

st, with dear memories of student days, was in most alluring mood. Flowers bloomed along every balcony, vines festooned themselves from windows and doorways

ies and museums, hearing concerts and opera, and visiting the

, who was living quietly in one of the suburbs of the city. Notes were exchanged, and on a cer

suburb of Gruenewald, itself like a big garden, with villas nestling close to each other, usually set back from the quiet, shaded streets. Some of the villas had iron gratings along the pathway, through wh

e to undo the iron gate. The few steps leading to the house door did not face us as we entered the inclosure, but led up from

s on either hand. We were shown into a salon on

om. At the left, as one entered the doorway, stood a fine bust of the artist, chiseled in pure white marble, supported on a pedestal of black marble. Then came three long, French windows, opening into a green garden. Across the farther window stood a grand piano, loaded with music. At the f

Mme. Lehmann stood in the doorway, the

this simple housewife, in black skirt and white blouse, with a little apron as badge of home keeping. But there was the stately tread, the grand manner, the graceful movement.

g singers, from everywhere, were anxious to have expert judgment on their progress or attainments, so Lehmann was often appealed to and gave frequent auditions of this kind. The fee was considerable, but she never

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irl, either from fright or poor training, did not make a very fortunate impression. She

was given. It was a little song of Franz, I remember. Then L

o begin with, and has not been rightly trained." T

through breathing exercises; you are too thin chested. You must become physically stronger if you ever hope to sing acceptably. Then you must study diction and languages. This is absolutely necessary for the singer. Above all y

come over here and sing for an artist, that fact alone will give them prestige in America. But that gives them quite the opposite reputation over here. American girls are too often looked upon as superficial, because they come over here q

nd held the gate open for us, when we finally left. We had already expressed the hope that she might be able to return to America, at no very distant day, and repeat her former triumphs there. Her fine face

the green of her garden, and waved her handkerchief, ti

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arted, to be exact, we had the pleasure of meeting

is music, had thrown her whole energy into the founding of a suitable memorial to the master in his native city. This memorial was to consist of a large music school, a concert hall an

end the Festival, which lasted as usual five days. The concerts were held i

d been, it had become rejuvenated on this occasion. Mme. Lehmann sang with all her well-remembered power and fervor, all her exaltation of spirit, and of course she had a great ovation at the close. She looked like a queen in ivory satin and rare old lace, with jewels on neck, arms and in her silver hair. In the auditorium, three arm chairs had been placed in front of

. This time she was gowned in black, with an ermine cape thrown over her shoulders. The Arch-duke sat beside

ch Mme. Lehmann has labored with such devot

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book, "How to Sing,"-rendered in English by Richard Aldrich-(Macmillan) has illumined the path, for many a serious student who seeks light on that strange, wonderful, hidden instr

ATH

well, one must know how one does it. I practice many breathing exercises without using tone. Breath becomes voice through effort of will and

piano. Another exercise employs two connecting half tones, using one or two vowels. During practice stand before a mirror, that one may see what one is doing. Practice about one hour dail

IST

ormation of the voice no registers should exist or be created. A

SIO

ates illustrating the various organs of head and th

questions of physiology, whereas

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e voice sounds colorless and expressionless. We must s

ne production, I use long, slow sc

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agic, by well controlled play of the lips. When lips are stiff and unresponsive, the singing is colorless. Lips

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orses without tails. For velocity, practice figures of five, six, sev