Unfortunately the vocal profession dwells too
much upon the lowlands of tradition, or is buried too deep in the valleys
of prejudice. Better things, however, will come. They must come. The
current of the advanced thought, the higher thought, of this, the opening
year of the twentieth century, will slowly but surely increase in power and
influence, will slowly but surely broaden and deepen, until the light of
reason breaks upon the vocal world. We may confidently look, in the near
future, for the Renaissance of the Vocal Art.
PART FIRST.
_EVOLUTION._
ARTICLE ONE.
THE OLD ITALIAN SCHOOL OF SINGING.
The Shibboleth, or trade cry, of the average modern vocal teacher is "The
Old Italian School of Singing." How much of value there is in this may be
surmised when we stop to consider that of the many who claim to teach the
true Old Italian method no two of them teach at all alike, unless they
happen to be pupils of the same master.
A system, a method, or a theory is not true simply because it is old. It
may be old and true; it may be old and false. It may be new and false; or,
what is more important, it may be new and yet true; age alone cannot stamp
it with the mark of truthfulness.
The truth is, we know but little of the Old Italian School of Singing. We
do know, however, that the old Italians were an emotional and impulsive
people. Their style of singing was the flexible, florid, coloratura style.
This demanded freedom of action and emotional expression, which more
largely than anything else accounts for their success.
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