cation; yet the necessary organic formation is not generally considered in the outset, neither is the end proposed precisely ascertained, nor the best means of attaining it determined. Parents wish their children to be musicians, and yet it often happens that they are themselves entirely ignorant of the real meaning of the term, and unable to decide what constitutes excellence in the art, or how that excellence may be obtained. On the other hand, many persons of uncultivated ears and indifferent education imagine that singing is a gift of nature, and requires no training; but this is a mistake. In the art of speaking, defects are to be overcome, and particular kinds of excellence acquired by a proper training: so is it with singing; both arts alike require discipline.

It has been often said, that nothing is worth learning that is not worth learning well. This maxim applies to music equally with other things; and for this reason we would endeavour to show how an acquirement which contributes so largely to individual and general happiness may be best attained, and with the least expenditure of time. We shall here confine ourselves to singing, the highest branch of the art, which more completely calls into exercise the sensibilities of the performer than any other branch of music. We do not propose to treat of professional education, and we are also speaking of female instruction only, though most of our remarks are generally applicable.

We presume that the pupil has some knowledge of music; that she plays the piano-forte as well as is usually judged necessary to accompany herself, and understands musical terms. It is first necessary to ascertain whether the voice and the ear promise any results, and when parents are not themselves qualified to

determine this point, they must consult disinterested and competent judges. The cultivation of a feeble voice requires time and labour on the part of the pupil, and probably the result will be only mediocrity.

In determining the natural capabilities, there are two points to be examined, first, whether there is any power of imitation, since it is evident that all singing must be resolved into an imitation by the voice of sounds heard by the ear. If the pupil is totally incapable of repeating the sounds of an instrument, or another voice, all attempts to learn singing are hopeless.

Secondly, presuming the imitation to be made, it must be next ascertained whether the notes be strictly in tune, and if they be not, whether the imperfection arise from a density of hearing, or from weakness in the voice itself; and also (which a few trials will decide) whether the natural defect in formation is likely to be overcome by practice. It must however be borne in mind, that the few natural notes in the human voice are those used in speaking, and that the high and low tones have mostly to be made. The capabilities for acquiring these are of course greater in some than in others.

If these points be determined unfavourably, we conclude that no rational person would contend against nature in a matter which does not concern the moral welfare of the pupil; and that, where organic capability does not exist, the attempt to learn will not be made.

Those who do not possess the qualities which are essential to a singer have other sources of gratification, which, when judiciously cultivated, will be productive of equal pleasure. We would therefore earnestly recommend persons who are not so gifted to waste no time on a pursuit the failure in which will inevitably

produce great disappointment, and something like disgrace, since a want of success will be put down by the world to general natural incapacity, ignorance, idleness, or insensibility.

We next consider how the pupil whose natural organs are worth cultivating may be best trained. The object of vocal art is to produce agreeable sounds, and, at the same time, to modify those sounds to the expression of the words which are uttered in connexion with them, and which are presumed to have dictated the sentiment of the melody to the composer. The word tone* comprises all the elements of the art; and the power of varying the character of tone constitutes expression. However sweet, rich, or powerful a voice may naturally be, cultivation and practice alone can confer the power of modifying its quality to suit the sentiment or passion which the words and the music express.

Purity of tone (which necessarily implies perfect tune) is the first object to be attained in learning to sing; and to acquire this, the practice of the diatonic scale, ascending and descending, beginning on C natural (the C on the first ledger line below the lines) and ending where the compass of the voice ceases, ought to be steadily pursued,

By pure tone, we mean that the notes emitted by the voice are free from the guttural thick sound which shows that they are formed in the throat-from the snuffling which indicates that the nose is not performing its proper function-and from the muffled indistinct sound which indicates the improper action of the

*It must be observed that tone and intonation are distinct things: the former refers to the quality or character of the sound, the latter to its tune or pitch.

tongue and lips. Some one of these defects is generally perceptible in amateur singers. The Italian method of instruction is the only system which makes pure tone the basis of vocal instruction, and it is this that we would here recommend and explain. Nothing is more difficult than to describe sound; but a good model may always be selected, either among the profession or amateurs, whose tone may be imitated with advantage, and this without any fear of degenerating into a mere copyist, for singing, like speaking, is necessarily, in the first instance, purely imitative.

The diatonic scale, ascending and descending, ought to be executed in the following manner. Let the pupil pronounce the Italian letter a, which is uttered like the a in the English word father, and begin the note very soft, swelling it gradually to the full power of the voice, and then as gradually diminishing it to the softest sound. The mouth must be opened rather wide, a little elongated, and kept steadily in the same position till the note is ended; for it is evident that the size of the aperture through which the sound issues must alter the character of that sound, even if it do not affect its tune or pitch, and a variation in the tone during the production of a note is always bad; the quantity but not quality may change. This method ought to be applied to every note in the scale, going on to the second octave, and descending as soon as the voice has reached the extent of its compass, taking care not to strain it beyond that compass.

In all voices the upper notes are formed by using what is called falsette, or roce di testa, which we may translate by the words head-voice. This term seems to imply that the voice comes from the head:

but the fact is, that all falsette notes are produced by an action in the upper part of the throat, and the tone is sensibly felt in the head. The pupil must, while practising, employ her whole strength, since this is the only means of acquiring command of voice. The high notes will at first be harsh and shrill, and can only be rendered soft and sweet by continued practice, until which, they are wholly unfit for chamber singing. The power of singing soft, and at the same time of giving tone, is one of the best qualifications of a singer, and can be acquired by first practising with the full power of the

voice.

The singer, in practising the scale, should discover where the chest (or natural voice) ends, and learn to unite it to the falsette, so that no breach or striking dissimilarity between the two voices may appear. The falsette will require to be strengthened, and at the same time the cultivation of a sweet and pure tone carefully attended to; for as we have just observed, the agreeable quality of all high notes depends upon cultivation, since there are few voices which produce them naturally.

Particular attention should be paid to taking the breath. A long note cannot be held unless the lungs are fully inflated, and this is equally important in a succession of short notes, because a frequent inhaling disturbs the smoothness of the performance, and gives an idea of exhaustion which is both painful and destructive of effect.

In practising, the pupil should open the chest by throwing back the shoulders and raising the head, so that the action of the throat, as well as of the lungs, may be unimpeded. The breath should be very deeply inhaled before the note is commenced, and should not be emitted rapidly with the sound, but gradually, and in a restrained way, rather than exhaled quickly. By this