Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1881 Vol. 4 N. 3

Page 8 Text:

46
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
March 5 th, 1881.
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
no tine is the soft palate free from the guardianship of the uvula. As any voice register: thus, for the production of the lowest note, the least tension
one who has carefully followed me through the foregoing lines will assert, is required; for the sounding of the highest note, the greatest amount is
the uvula is the supporter of the soft palate, using the back of the tongue as necessary, the vocal cords being stretched to their utmost. When the
a basis of support in the first instance, and the back wall of the throat, that highest note is reached, if an attempt be made to advance in the slightest
degree, no vibrations will occur for the simple reason that the amount of
is the pharynx, in the second.
What would happen if the palate were to be deprived of the valuable tension required cannot be produced.
The strings of a violin will serve as a good illustration of "this point.
services of the little grape-shaped appendage? Why, of course, it would
lose its support, and losing its support it would vibrate to and fro by the It is well known that when the bow is drawn over any one of the violin strings,
action of the air currents passing from the body during the production of if such a string be lose, the resulting note will be very low and feeble. Now
musical tones; and this vibration would cause a certain tremulousness to be supposing you desired to use the instrument, what would you proceed to
do? Why, you would immediately turn the screw by means of which the
imparted to the voice.
The annexed cut will show the positions of the soft palate and uvula, string is tightened until the proper note is reached. At every turn of the
screw the pitch of the string is raised, and this will be the case as long as
and the relation which the latter body bears to the tongue.
the string will allow itself to be stretched. Each string has its limit of tension,
beyond which it will be impossible to go without breaking.
In the case of the human musical instrument, the tensor muscles act the
part of the violin strings, and tighten the vocal cords, the reeds of the
larynx, in a similar manner. The effect which is produced upon the voice,
by the movement styled relaxation, is exactly the reverse of that which has
just been described with reference to tension.
During vocalization, when it is necessary to change from a higher to a
lower note, the aid of the relaxor muscles is especially invoked.
These muscles perform their important duty by pulling together the
Fig. 13.—The Soft Palate and Uvula during singing.
two points of attachment of the vocal cords, the thyroid cartillage in front,
8. P.. 80ft Palate. U.. Uvula. T., Tongue?
and the arytenoids behind. This action must, of necessity, loosen the bands.
Dottel lines-—Different positions assumed by the uvula andpalatt during their action
It being fully established then that the uvula is an important vocal As with tension, the amount of relaxation which must be exerted upon the
organ, let us look into a subject which should particularly interest the vocal bodies depends entirely upon the position of the note in the scale,
that required for the sounding of the lowest note being the greatest. To
vocalist.
I speak of the operation for the removal of this little body, or, as it is sum up the above statements; during the singing of the middle note of the
register of any voice, all other things being equal, the two forces, tension
technically called, uvulotomy.
It will no doubt seem strange to many that after expending so much and relaxation, must be exerted in the same degree; when, however, a higher
space in describing the action of the uvula, I should now treat of its tone is required, the tensor muscles overbalance the relaxors, but when a
removal; but the operation when scientifically performed is not a total ampu- lower note is sounded, the relaxor muscles must overbalance the tensors.
The relaxor muscles, from their peculiar relationship to the cords, and
tation, but only an excision of a portion of the member, and that too when
it is abnormally long. When the uvula is preternaturally long, it forms because they regulate in a great measure the many different shapes which
quite a serious impediment to singing. In the first place the voice is more the glottis assumes during vocal action, have been styled the vocal muscles
difficult to manage; in the second place it requires a much greater effort to par excellence.
The Action of the Air Current.—The air which is contained in the
produce vocal sounds; and lastly, tones so produced are deficient in quality.
The principal manner in which these effects are produced is by the bearing lungs or human bellows, and which is forced up therefrom through the
down of the soft palate by the extra weight which the elongated body windpipe, is the motor power of the vocal instrument.
imposes upon it, or to speak more plainly, by preventing the palate from
One can hardly estimate the influence which the lungs exert upon sing-
ascending normally, a feat which, as we have hitherto seen, is absolutely ing. Unless respiration be properly performed, and the air be discharged
necessary to the correct rendition of certain portions of the vocal register from the pulmonary organs in the correct way, the resulting tones must be
chiefly the upper.
faulty. The air in its passage through the glottis sets the two cords vibrat-
There is another way in which an elongated uvula may seriously affect ing. Generally speaking, the higher the note—that is, the greater the rapi-
the voice, and that is by acting as an irritant to certain parts of the throat dity of vibration—the swifter must the air pass through the vocal cords and
against which it comes in contact. The irritation thus set up will in time vice versa.
In the production of some tones, the air current has a direct influence upon
result in inflammation, if the offending body be not speedily removed.
I have seen very mauy cases of laryngitis caused in the above manner, the size of the glottis. This element, when powerful, makes the above
when the uvula has been long enough to extend into the larynx itself. There opening smaller, by pushing directly on the under surface of the cords.
is a popular dread amongst members of the musical profession of having this This effect is especially noticeable in the rendition of the higher notes,
little operation performed, and very many not only suffer a great deal^from where the glottis is extremely fine. A point which I neglected to speak of
its non-performance, but their voices become impaired, and in time seri- in connection with the formation of the glottis, but, which, however, will
be more intelligable here, is, that the diameters of this opening are greater
ously injured.
The arguments which are generally brought to bear against the excision during tlie production of the lowest notes, and smaller during the singing
of the uvula are two-fold : First, that it will injure the voice, and, second, of the higher ones.
that after extraction the organ will grow again to an unnatural length.
MAUD MORGAN.
_ I do not hesitate a moment in saying that the human voice may be
ISS MAUD MORGAN, the
seriously injured by having too much of this useful little organ removed,
harpist, daughter of Geo.
and a knowledge of this 'fact alone has deterred many from obtaining the
W. Morgan, organist, is a native of
benefits of the operation when skillfully performed.
New York. She studied the harp
I have never seen a case in which the proper amount was extracted that
under Alfred Toulniin, and played
there did not almost immediately follow a wonderful improvement as re-
first in New York City at the request
gards the singing voice, as many vocalists whom I have operated upon can
of Mrs. R. Ogden Doremus, in the
testify. The great secret in the performance of uvulotomy lies simply in
Academy of Music, at a performance
the gauging of the amount of the body that it is proper to remove, this
of " Cinderella " given by children
can only be learned by practice and experience. He who removes the whole
and managed by the ladies of New
of the uvula for simple elongation performs a grevious error, and one which
York in aid of the Women's Pavil-
-will seriously impair the vocal powers, as any one acquainted with the
ion at the Centennial Exhibition.
physiology of the organ under consideration will understand. Several
Miss Morgan was on that occasion
times has it been my lot to find the whole of the uvula cleanly shaved off
highly complimented by the Em-
from the soft palate in singers who have consulted regarding some defect in
press of Brazil, to whom (at the re-
the vocal apparatus.
quest of Her Majesty) she was pre-
The principal symptom developed in these cases is a sort of tremulous-
sented by Mrs. Doremus, a lady
ness, as already stated, caused by the free vibration of the palate, its sup-
who is always quick to apjjreciate
porter, the uvula, being gone. In time the tongue may be so managed as to
talent and ready with her kindly
partially obviate the difficulty, but sooner or later the voice will be irrepar-
aid to encourage young artists, and
ably injured.
to whom Miss Morgan owes much
The idea that the operation is superfluous because the organ will grow
FROM A PHOTOGRAPH BY FALK.
of h e r a r t i s t i c success.
again to an unnatural length is a fallacy, for I have never, notwithstanding
Her professional'debut was made the next year, at fifteen years of age,
the many times I have extracted the uvula, seen this body become a second
at Booth's Theatre, at a concert given by Ole Bull and Miss Thursby under
time elongated.
I must beg indulgence for taking up so much valuable space with such the direction of Mr. Maurice Strakosch, where she was enthusiastically
a seemingly unimportant subject, but I have done so simply to benefit a received. Her first appearance in Boston was at a concert given by Amer-
class of singers who are allowing their voices to degenerate by following the ica's greatest contralto, Adelaide Phillipps. She afterward played at all the
Wilhelmj concerts in New York, Boston, and Hartford, given by Mr. Stra-
advice of those who have had no practical experience on the subject.
The vibration of the cords.—This element is of the greatest importance kosch. She was also with Eemenyi at Philadelphia, Hartford, and at
to the production of the singing voice. The cords are set into vibration by numerous other concerts. Her first benefit concert was given April 4, 1879,
the air current, as it passes with a greater or less degree of velocity through at the Brooklyn Tabernacle, before an audience of nearly four thousand per-
sons, the lamented Ole Bull giving his services to "the daughter of his old
the glottis.
The number of vibrations which the vocal bodies make in any given friend and brother musician." The last three seasons Miss Morgan has played
period of time, depends entirely upon the location of the tone in the scale. at numerous concerts, but never at one where she has not been recalled and
The amount required for the intonation of the lowest note of the register is an encore insisted upon. Last year she assisted her father in a series of
the least, while that necessary for the production of the highest note, will be organ and harp concerts, which, proving very successful, will be repeated
this spring at Chickering Hall on five Thursdays in Lent, beginning
the greatest.
March 10th.
•
In order that the cords shall vibrate properly there must be:
Uniformity of action between the several sets of vocal muscles.—Pre-
The
German
operatic
company
at
Ghent
will
shortly
produce " Tann-
suming that adduction and abduction are correctly performed in a given
case let us watch the larynx during vocalization, and see if we can ascertain in hiiuser " for the first time.
The Becker Quartette will shortly make a tour in Holland, Belgium,
what manner the two remaining forces, tension and relaxation, perform the
and Germany.
arduous duties imposed upon them.
Mme. Jael played at a concert in Paris, at the Salle Erard, a pianoforte
The amount of tension required for the production of any particular
musical note, depends entirely upon the position which it occupies in the trio of her own composition.
M

Page 9 Text:

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
March 5th 1881.
47
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
nature of Mr. Joseph A. Prevost, Treasurer of the Haydn Musical Associa-
tion of Baltimore. As certain motives were attributed to me, I am compelled
to pay attention to the remarks contained in the communication. Before
MILAN, ITALY.
going into the main question involved, in what I hope will be a controversy,
through which the truth will come to the surface, I will only state that Mr.
MILAN, Feb. 15th.
Prevost would have done better had he avoided the field of inuendo and
" I I FIGLIUOL PRODIGO. "—-THE SEASON AT " LA SOALA. "—ITALIAN AND
"trodden the path " of solid facts. He states that there must be something
AMERICAN BALLET. — INTERNATIONAL MUSICAL CONCOURSE. — SIGNOR
at the bottom of the misrepresentations and abuse of the Haydn, which
ARIGOTTI.
" Klassick Kuss " indulges in, as " this is the case since the Oratorio Society
REGRET exceedingly tliat on account of an unavoidable absence from has been spoken of." Now, Mr. Prevost will find in my letter in the MUSICAL
Milan, I was deprived of the pleasure of attending the initial perform- CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW, the edition in which his letter was published,,
ance of " I I Figliuol Prodigo " by Maestro Ponchielli. I shall, however, take that I do not hesitate to expose weakness and faults in the Oratorio Society.
the advantage of the first opportunity which presents itself to give you a This much for inuendo and insinuation. Mr. Prevost is wrong in his judg-
full account of the new work by a composer to whom all Italy accords sur- ment. "Klassic Kuss" wants good and " honest" music, and, most of all,
prising musical as well as extraordinary technical talent.
no misrepresentation. I have no more special interest in one than in the
The season at La Scala has thus far been very successful both artistically other of the musical institutions of this city, but a general interest in all of
and financially. The latest opera presented was " Ernani " with a magnifi- them. Let us put speculation and hypothesis aside and come down to hard
cent cast, including Mme. D'Angerias Elvira, Sig. Tamagno in the title role, facts. The members which constitute the organization known as the Haydn
the baritone Maurel, and the basso De Reske in the role of Don Silva.
Musical Association consist, as a general thing, of gentlemen belonging to
As a proof of the interest manifested in this performance, it is only the most respectable portion of our community. The President is, I think,.
necessary to remark that the box office receipts amounted to almost $2,000, Mr. Thos. C. Bassher, one of Baltimore's most honored and successful mer-
•which is considered very large for an Italian theatre, as this figure does not chants, and so are many of the Haydn, either merchants or professional gen-
include the subscriptions for the season.
tlemen, or young men of good families. But does it follow that because they
Mme. D'Angeri, a Viennese by birth and a pupil of Mme. Marchesi, is are gentlemen that they must necessarily know how to play correctly on
now one of the foremost dramatic sopranos of the Italian stage, and although musical instruments or know anything about music? If a merchant or pro-
this opera is not a favorite with her, belonging as it does, to the oldest style fessional gentleman attends to his business, and as a lover of music occa-
of Verdi, she deservedly carried off the honors of the evening, her fine voice sionally hears an opera or concert, he has but very little time left to practice,
and great dramatic talent enabling her to give a superb rendering of the music. And what is music as an accomplishment, in any of its branches,,
part of Elvira.
without practice? Some amateurs do reach a very acceptable position both
The tenor, Sig. Tamagno, is an old favorite of the Milanese public, as solo as well as orchestra players, but is it to be supposed that, say among
which has long had the reputation of being the most difficult to please in the filty amateurs, anything like half the number know much about the subject?
world. Indeed, Sig. Tamagno is one of the very few young tenors who is able Because the local press has been giving and continues to give the Haydn
to sustain the high reputation of the beautiful true Italian school of singing. Concerts flattering notices, does it follow that a correspondent of a musical
But in spite of his magnificent natural endowments, he fails, in my judgment, journal can make an ass of himself and a fool of the editor, by praising the
to give a faithful interpretation of the character of Hernani as conceived by most ridiculous performances, just because Tom, Dick, and Harry happen
Victor Hugo.
to belong to the association, or have relatives that belong? The few pro-
Sig. De Reske has again proved himself a very accomplished artist, and fessional musicians who play at the last rehearsals and the concerts, and the
gave a splendid portrayal of the grave Spaniard. M. Maurel has been suf- few competent amateurs, do not materially reduce the average deficiency, of
fering from a severe cold for some time, so that he considered it necessary to course not.
make his excuses through the stage manager, but his correct method, and
What does " Klassick Kuss " or any other critic care for the question of
above all, his artistic intelligence, enabled him to surmount all obstacles. advertising? Mr. Prevost says that the Peabody paid one paper $500, while
After the grand finale of the third act, the public enthusiastically recalled the Haydn paid but $30 last year to the same newspaper. Well, suppose
this group of great singers before the curtain. At the first call Maurel, that is so. What has all that to do with a concert or a series of concerts?
from a feeling of modesty failed to appear, but the public insisted upon Nothing at all. The concerts of the Haydn are attended by a great many of
having him out, and he was received with such a demonstration as must have the best people of Baltimore, and a great majority of the best people of
given the artist true satisfaction.
Baltimore do not know anything about music, otherwise they would patronize
The orchestra was as usual led by Sig. Faccio, who is undoubtedly the good opera and concerts and stay away from Haydn, Rossini and Peabody
finest living operatic conductor in the world. The quickness of his eye and concerts. Mr. Prevost admits in his letter that the people who attend Haydn
his phenomenal memory are well known, and indeed he often discards entirely concerts know nothing about music as he voluntarily states that Miss
the most difficult scores.
Ross " failed to please our patrons, as she does not sing any ballads what-
The chorus was excellent, and the raise en scene was good in its ensem- ever. " So you see what kind of taste has been developed here by the
ble. The costumes were especially noticeable for their historical accuracy. Haydn; its patrons want ballads. That part of our public which goes to
Another great feature of amusement for the Milanese public is the hear Wilhelmj, Remenyi, Joseffy, Von Biilow, Rubinstein, Essipoff and
grand ballet, which is a kind of a pantomimic/eerie, the special delight of the operas like " The Flying Dutchman " and "Mefistofele," does not attend,
Parisians. We have three different ballets in successful progress at the dif- or if attending, does not applaud the concerts of the three above-named
ferent theatres of this city, whose population numbers only obout 300,000. institutions. That would be an anomaly.
" Excelsior " at La Scala, "Armida" at Teatro Cannobbiana, and " Silfide
As we see the Haydn is 21 years old. Having attained its majority, the
al Celeste Impero " at Teatro Del Verme. In all of these theatres the corps very best thing it can do now is, in the first place, to get a competent director.
of the ballet girls is furnished by the dancing school at the Conservator!o, One of the weakest points would thus be strengthened at once. Mr. Win.
and it is not surprising that their handsome faces and elegant costumes Thiede, the leader, is the same gentleman who visited Europe last year and
prove a great attraction to the young theatre-going public.
who on his return told a reporter or some one (as it was in print and never
I am not aware whether it has ever entered into the head of any Ameri- contradicted) that during his peregrinations he had heard the orchestra of
can impresario to make a feature of a grand ballet in America. It is strange Vienna, Berlin and several other large cities, and he was obliged to say that
that a training school for the education of young dancers has not long since he prefers a Haydn concert to any of their respective concerts. Now, the
been formed there, for the American girls appear to me to have all the quali- " MUSICAL CRITIC " and its readers can judge of the abilities of a good
ties requisite for the art, and it would not be long ere they would rank natured man with such an ear. Mr. Thiede came here I believe about twenty
equally with their European sisters, and especially the Italians, who are odd years ago as the bassoon player in the then celebrated German ia
undoubtedly the most clever in this respect.
orchestra. Some of the members settled in New York, Boston and else-
A matter of general interest will be the International Musical Con- where; some here. We have had the good fortune to get Mr. Thiede. As I
course, which will take place in Turin next June, and in which the French, maid before, he is a gentleman, but has never done any thing towards the
Swiss, German and Belgian musical societies intend to be largely repre- culture of music in this community. His opinions about the old Germania
sented.
The applications already number more than two thousand. orchestra, the modern European orchestras and the Haydn orchestra, are a
Undoubtedly the Concourse will be a great success, and it is to be regretted sufficient evidence of his utter inability to appreciate the drift and tendency
that the American societies have perhaps no intention of participating in of art, especially in its latest phases. Besides this mental state, his occupa-
these festivites. But anyhow I will not fail to send you a copy of the tions are entirely too varied to give him the opportunity to pay much suc-
programme, which may tempt some amateurs to decide upon embracing cessful attention to any one pursuit. A kind of Jay Gould in a small way!
this opportunity of visiting the fair peninsula.
Namely, he buys, sells, exchanges and rents pianos sind organs; he tunes and
I will close my letter with a piece of news told me by a young American repairs the same; he gives lessons on the violin, viola and piano; probably
lady yesterday.
It is the reported death at Nice of Sig. Arigotti, an other instruments; he plays the viola at the Peabody; accepts engagements
ex-tenor, who for several years lived in New York in the capacity of vocal in local orchestras, and-musical quidnuncs say that he plays the edifying
teacher. We must, however, wait for a confirmation of this report, as i t i s music to the light fantastic toe which skips around at the fashionable Ger-
mans at Lehman's Hall, and yet he leads the Haydn.
not the first time that the news of his death has been spread abroad.
YANKEE.
Your correspondent thinks this is entirely too much work for the Pro-
fessor, especially as he is a man of property, and the Haydn cannot do a
BALTIMORE.
more charitable act to Mr. Thiede as well as to itself, than to hasten and
relieve him of some of his onerous duties. After getting a now director, the
BALTIMORE, Feb. 28, 1881.
Association must get rid of some of its " boy " players, who, as a general
ABBOTT OPERA COMPANY.—OUR CORRESPONDENT TOUCHES U P SEVERAL LOCAL thing, don't know how to hold their iustruments even, and also some of the-
MATTERS WITH A STRONG PEN.—HESS-STRAKOSCH ENGLISH OPERA.— old gents who don't know whether their instruments are in tune or not.
HAYDEN MUSICAL ASSOCIATION.—ASGER HAMERIK.
Pension, the latter in the shape of life membership, with free admission t o
n P H E Abbott English Opera Company gave us one week of performances ! the concerts. Then the Haydn must get better players in place of those
1. ending on the 19th. All that can be known about this company has honorably discharged, and then with new adjuncts and new life the Haydn
been seen in the CRITIC. The Hess-Strakosch English Opera closed a week will be able to start on a career where something can be learned. The pres-
of performance on Feb. 26th. You will notice that I call them performances, ent treasurer is all right, but he must not answer musical criticisms, by telling-
not operas. As the latter company opens this week in your city, we will us what artists have been engaged to play and sing at Haydn concerts. But if
await your verdict. Marie Roze has been very successful here again, and he insists upon mentioning them he must not forget to mention the name of the
musical artist who played with tumblers at one of the recent concerts and
deserves success, as she is a competent, deserving artiste.
The MUSICAL CBITIC AND TRADE REVIEW is widely read in our city now who received double encore. Don't evade the question, Mr. Prevost, you
and its popularity is rapidly increasing. Musical people want a good, re- know, if you know anything about music, outside of the flute, that the Uaydn
liable paper, full of information, replete with sound judgment, and not afraid orchestra plays very, very, very bad music in a bad way. If you don't know-
to tell the truth, and they read the CRITIC AND TRADK REVIEW. In the last that, then " Klassick Kuss " is sorry for you; and if you don't put much
number of the CRITIC AND TRADE BEVTEW a letter is published over the sig- faith in the judgment of " Klassick Kuss," please take a walk and ask P r o t
OUR STAFF CORRESPONDENTS,
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