I

915
R58
1899
C.I
MUSI
 TO THE HON. A. PERCY ALLSOPP,
With grateful memories.

n , : .

CHOIR TRAINING
BASED ON

VOICE PRODUCTION

:Y

n
A. MADELEY RICHARDSON
M.A., Mus. Doc., OXON. ; F.R.C.O.,

ORGANIST AND DIRECTOR OF THE CHOIR OF ST SAVIOUR'S COLLEGIATE CHURCH, S.E.

PRICE Two SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE.

LONDON :

THE VINCENT MUSIC COMPANY, LIMITED,

9, BEEPERS STREET, W.
N>
 The author desires to express his indebtedness to the late SIR JOHN

STAINER, REV. CANON TAYLOR, and DR. C. HARFORD LLOYD

for kind advice and assistance received in the preparation of

the following pages. Also to MESSRS. NOVELLO & Co., Ltd.,

and the " Ancient and Modern" for

proprietors of Hymns
permission to print their respective copyrights viz., Ouseley's
Chant in E and Mr. A. H. Brown's Hymn Tune to "O
Love Divine."
 CONTENTS

PART I. FORMATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE CHOIR.

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY.

1. Necessity for a high standard. 58. The one thing needful.

2. Objections answered. 9. Qualifications of a choirmaster.
3 4. Reverence in worship.

CHAPTER II. THE CHOIR-ROOM.

10 ii. Size and arrangement of the 12. The pianoforte.
room. 13. Other details.

CHAPTER III. THE CHOIR

14. Frequent practices. 19. Payment of boys.

15. The full practice. 20. Payment of men.
16. Selection of boys. 21. Balance of voices The men.
17. Age of boys. 22. Balance of voices The boys.
18. A common difficulty. 23. Probationers.

PART II. VOICE PRODUCTION FOR BOYS.

24. Voice production. 45. Control of vowel tone.

" " " "
25. Management of the breath. 46. Throaty and nasal tone.
26. Two rules.
" "
tone.
47. Husky
27 Two directions. 48. Attack.
28. Importance of deep breathing. 49. Two directions.
29. Testing the capacity of the lungs. 50. A special exercise.
30. The Spirometer. 51. Resonance.
31. Breathing gymnastics. 52. Of various kinds Experiments.
32. Position of the body. 53. Principle the structure
of of
33. Time beating. musical instruments.
34. Two rules. 54. The human voice.
35. Position of the head. 55. Resonance in the human voice.
36. Vocal tone. 56. Material of language.
37. The vocal cords. 57. Definition of a vowel.
38.Their use. 58. The central vowel.
39.The breath controllers. 59. The round vowels.
40 41. Their position. 60. The thin vowels.
42. And use. 61. Other arrangements.
43. Structure of words. 62. The seven long and six short
44. Consonants. vowels.
 63. Diagram of vowels. 84. Voice production exercises
64. Peculiarity of and A. General directions.
65. The vocal R. 85. Variety.
66. Diagram of consonants. 86. Three principal figures.
67. Preliminary training. 87. The octave.
68. Resonance, pitch, and vowel 88. The arpeggio.
quality. 89. The descending scale.
69. The registers. 90. The ascending scale.
70. Three divisions of the treble 91 92. Combined figures.
voice. 93. Teaching a new figure.
71. Blending of registers. 94. Transposition.
72. The low register. 95. Supreme importance of tone.
73. The middle register. 96. Soft and loud singing.
74. The high register Diagram. 97. Vowel exercise.
75. Importance of the middle. 98. The round 0.
76. Production of middle notes. gg. Er.
77 78. Exercise for finding the 100. A.
" focus." 101. E.
79. The compass of boys' voices. 102. Rules for pronouncing con-
80. Shall boys be used as altos ? sonants.
81. No. 103. Consonant exercise.
82. Whatto do with boy altos. 104 105. Artificial words.
83. Usual range of boys' voices.

PART III. THE RENDERING OF CHURCH MUSIC.

CHAPTER I. HYMNS.

106. Importance of hymns. 123124. How to teach phrasing.

107. Points to consider. 125. Accuracy of time.
108. Musical accent. 126. What to avoid.
109. Verbal accent. 127. Endings Another rule.
no. Musical emphasis. 128. Illustration.
in. Verbal emphasis. 129. Proof.
112. The two combined. 130. Endings with consonants.
113 116. Hymns with refrains. 131. Application of rule.
117. Breath-taking and phrasing 132. Three classes of hymn-tunes.
Two rules. 133. Advantages of practising hymns.
118. Difficulty of phrasing hymns. 134. Summary.
119 120. Instances. 135. A
lesson.
121. Directions for phrasing. 136. In detail.
122. Importance of phrasing. 137. The choirmaster's attitude.

CHAPTER II. THE RESPONSES, ETC.

138. The details. 148. The Lord's Prayer and Creed.

139. The General Confession. 149. The commencement.
140. What note to take. 150. The Festal and Ferial Responses.
141 143. Flattening How to avoid 151. Endings.
it. 152. Phrasing.
144. False accents. 153. A
common error.
145. Distinctness. 154. General directions.
146. Pace. 155. The Amens.
147. Volume.
 CHAPTER III. THE PSALMS.

156. Wideness of the subject. 166 168. Rendering of middle

157. Standard of chanting generally words.
low. 169. Words of three syllables.
158. Points requiring attention. 170 172. Endings.
159. The Recitation, 173. Complete sentences.
1 60. Irregular
rhythm of the 174. An important principle.
Psalms. 175. Words and music.
161. The "accent." 176 178. Method of teaching the
162. What it means, and what it Psalms.
does not mean. 179. How to regard the Psalms.
163 Examples. 180. Antiphonal singing.
164. Value of the accent. 181. Rule for breath-taking.
165. Division of the semibreve. 182. Selection of Chants.

CHAPTER IV. ANTHEMS AND SERVICES

183 184. Two new points. 1 86. Pauses A difficulty.

How to secure " leads."
185. good 187. Its solution.

CHAPTER V. READING AT SIGHT AND LEARNING NEW Music.

188. Sight-reading. 193. Time values.

189. Two things to consider. 194 195. Plan for learning new
190 191. Intervals. music.
192. Diatonic and Chromatic. 196. Summary.

CHAPTER VI. CHOIR PRACTICES AS A WHOLE.

197. Three types of practices. 199. For men only.

198. For boys only. 200. Full practices.
 PART I.

FORMATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE CHOIR.

i.

INTRODUCTORY.
i. How can we improve our Choirs ? This is one of the
most prominent questions at present before the musical and
ecclesiastical worlds. The days are long past when there was
any question as to the desirability of choirs and musical services.
All parties, however great their differences on other matters, now
agree that music ought to hold a foremost place in the Services
of the Church and that worship is offered in its highest form in
;

the Choral Service. Admitted that a Choral Service is desirable,

it follows that, to be a
worthy offering, it must be the best
procurable by the means at the disposal of those responsible ;
nothing less can be acceptable within the Church's walls. How
obvious this seems. And yet there is a hardly defined feeling in
the minds of some devout people that there are dangers
connected with a highly artistic musical Service a dread that ;

gain in musical culture may mean loss in other directions that ;

worship may degenerate into a mere outward formality without

true spiritual life though these same people would probably
:

be shocked at the idea of offering in the House of God anything

but the best in other forms of art. Would anyone maintain that
a badly painted picture would be more likely to aid devotion than
a good one, or that we ought to have feeble architecture, poor
sculpture, &c. ? No in all other branches of art, nothing is
!

considered too good for the House of God. Then, if music we are
to have, it should be the most artistic, as perfect as it can be
made with the material we have to use.
2. Highly trained choirs have been objected to on the ground
of a supposed interference with congregational singing, which is
by some regarded as the ideal way of worship. Into the question
of congregational singing it is not our purpose to enter here ;
but it will surely be admitted that a congregation singing with a
good choir is preferable to one in company with a bad choir.
And if it is supposed that good singing implies of necessity
elaborate music which must exclude the congregation, we enter
a protest against any such idea. The smallest things are worth
doing well. It is just the simplest parts of the Service that, as
a rule, need most attention, and these are unfortunately the
parts that are least frequently well rendered. At present too
much is thought of what music is to be performed, and too little
 8

of how it should be sung. The aim should be to have simpler

music, well rendered in every detail then, there would be less
;

of the assertion that a good choir excludes the congregation.

3. It is of course essential that if a choir is to set an example
in the way of singing, it must do so in all other matters
connected with worship. Sad indeed is it to see a choir, after
perhaps singing beautifully, show by their behaviour that their
thoughts are anywhere but where they should be. A choir that
behaves badly defeats its own object and does more harm than
good. Valuable as singing is, it would be better to have a plain
read service than one most artistically rendered accompanied by
carelessness and irreverence. Let a choir be taught that, as the
object of their music is to bring home the meaning of' the words
they use, so the words ought to truly represent the thoughts of
those who use them or else, all is vain.
4. Every adult choirman should be a Communicant, and
should be expected to enter into the Church's life, and realise
that in Church the choir are worshippers, and that for this they
are present.
5. How we improve our Choirs ? we ask. What are
shall
their defects ?What the remedies ? The answer to these
questions may be summed up in two words Voice Production ;

teach this, and our choirs will soon approach perfection. How
often do we hear choirs singing elaborate music, in time, in tune,
with perhaps correct expression but the tone
;
!Where is the
soft full pure tone that should characterize boys' voices ? Only
heard in very few places it would perhaps be safe to say that
;

their number might be counted on the ringers of both hands.

Yet this true production might become the rule rather than the
exception if only our choirmasters were able to teach their choirs
in the right way. Without teaching Voice Production, all
choir-training is futile. It is erecting a building without a
foundation ; colouring a picture without first sketching its
outlines.
6. This applies more forcibly to the singing of boys than that
of either men or women, as in any body of the two latter it
may be presumed that a certain proportion will have already
studied singing, and the good sense and taste of others will
prevent them committing the grosser errors. But with a body
of boys it is different. The average boy neither knows nor cares
anything about Voice Production his one idea is to make as
;

much noise as possible, and in this, unfortunately, he is as a

rule only too successful.
7. It is thought by some that it is unnecessary and useless to
attempt to teach production to a choir that some voices are
;

good, others bad; and that beyond teaching time, tune, &c.,
there is no more to be done. Nothing could be a greater
mistake ! Of course, there are some voices here and there
exceptionally strong, clear, and sympathetic obviously these
should be trained for solo work. But we maintain that all voices
 can by teaching be made more or less beautiful (except in cases
of natural deformity), rand this is an easier matter with boys than
with adults, as the former have not lived long enough to confirm
bad habits as the latter may have done.
8. Others think that, though in the abstract it is desirable to
teach production, with boys it is a task of such difficulty that it
is a useless attempt. To these we would say " It is a difficult
:

task, but by no means impossible. It has been done, and can

be done again with perseverance the difficulties will vanish."
;

9. It is not every one that will make a good choir-trainer.

Certain qualifications are absolutely essential. A choirmaster
must be a good disciplinarian he must possess unbounded
;

patience, vmfailing energy, and indomitable perseverance ; also

;an even temper, a kind, quiet manner, a cheerful disposition, and
.a delicate and accurate ear.

2.

THE CHOIR-ROOM.
10. Whenever possible, have a room specially set aside for
practice not too large, but lofty and well-ventilated. The boys
;

should all face the same way. They should be divided into
two groups, corresponding with the Decani and Cantoris sides
in Church, and should be so arranged that the choirmaster can
see all faces at the same moment. For a large choir, a good
plan is to distribute the boys into two or three rows placed one
behind the other, each row being raised on a platform with a
step, about eighteen inches higher than the one immediately
before it, and with a gangway dividing the rows exactly in
the centre. The choirmaster should be seated in front at a
pianoforte, facing the singers. Behind each row should be
placed chairs on which to sit occasionally and before each row
;

should run a sloping desk, on which to rest the music, the ledge
being about 40 inches from the floor, and tilted at an angle of
45. This height will suit the taller boys. For shorter ones,
hassocks can be provided to stand upon, so as to bring their
eyes to a level with the music.
11. Where it is not possible to have the rows raised from the
floor, they may be all on the same level, and the pianoforte and
choirmaster may be on a platform of a corresponding height but, ;

for obvious reasons, the first-named arrangement is the best.

In any case the chairs and music desks are essential, and let no
one attempt training boys without them. Sometimes the two
sides, Decani and Cantoris, are made to face one another as in
church but the objection to this is that the boys, being able
;

to see into one another's faces, a good deal of mischief and

inattention may arise, which, with the other arrangement, is
impossible.
12. The pianoforte is an indispensable adjunct to the practice
room. A small pianette is sufficient, with pleasant tone, and
 10

well in tune. The instrument should not be incessantly used r

but is necessary for testing the pitch, and is of great assistance
in teaching new music. The advantage, however, of making a
choir thoroughly accustomed to singing without an instrument
cannot be too strongly urged ;
it gives a confidence and self-
reliance that can be obtained in no other way, and these qualities
are the foundation of musical expression.
13. A blackboard and chalk are further necessary for the room,
and with such obvious necessaries as pegs for hats and coats,
cupboards and shelves for music, we are ready to start.

3-

THE CHOIR.
14. Frequent practices should be held. When possible, the
boys should be taken every day of the week except one, which
should be regarded as a holiday and the men should attend
;

twice, once for practice alone and once for full practice, which
latter should be regarded as the summing up of the others ; a
time for emphasising what has been already taught rather than
for learning anything new.
15. The practice should be held in church, all other
full

practices in the choir-room. At the former, every member

should be in his own place, under conditions as nearly as possible
similar to those on Sundays. For the full practice, it is an
advantage to have a second pianoforte wheeled into the centre of
the chancel, where the choirmaster should always stand. For
an inefficient choir, the pianoforte is indispensable; but when a
high standard has been reached, it is much better for the choir-
master to rely on simply a tuning fork and a baton. On no
account should the organ be used for choir practices ; all it can do-
is tocover up and obscure deficiencies, which is just what a good
trainer does not want. His object should be to show up defects
and correct them, not to blur them over. We repeat, that there
is nothing like singing without accompaniment to give a choir
confidence and decision ; and when singers can render any given
work unaccompanied, there need be no fear for them when the
instrumentis added. The organ can then fulfil its proper office
of enhancing and extending the general effect, when not
trammelled by the necessity of leading and supporting the
singers.
16. In selecting boys, when, as is usually the case, only

ordinary raw material is procurable, more attention should be

paid to the appearance of the boy than to the sound of his voice.
It is well-nigh impossible to judge from a first trial how a boy's
voice will turn out. Very frequently the most unpromising at
first hearing will prove the best after training. An accurate ear
is necessary, though it is wonderful how the ear can be trained,
and very often a seemingly incorrect ear is simply caused by
 II

nervousness or bad habits. In selecting boys, then, take the

ones whose appearance you like. Do not take delicate boys ;
do not take sulky boys nor those that appear silly and careless.
;

Choose those that are bright and intelligent, strong and

healthy ;
and look out for a well developed chest and throat.
By all means hear their voices, but be guided chiefly by
appearance.
17. As to age : do not take boys too young. Remember that
a boy's voice is like a rose
blossoms out to
; for a moment it

perfection, then is gone. Just before it breaks is the time for a

boy's voice to be heard that is, as a rule, at the age of fourteen.
;

Though nothing is more uncertain than the exact time it will

last. The
writer has known boys of nineteen with voices un-
broken others go at about thirteen.
; An experienced choirmaster
gets to know instinctively, by the look of a boy, how long his
voice is likely to last. A
quick-growing boy will lose his voice
early ; a boy of late development will retain it much longer.
Still, as a rule, the age of breaking is between fourteen and
fifteen, other times
the exception. are The best age to
commence general, between ten and eleven.
then is, in
Boys taken younger will often force their voices in attempting
to rival their seniors, and thus do more harm than good.
18. This brings us to a difficulty that besets almost all choir-
masters of parish churches. We
have seen that it is necessary
to have as many boys as possible as old as fourteen or fifteen.
In most places where the choir is taken from the humbler classes,
"
it is just at this age that the boy is sent to work," and the choir-
master is informed that, in consequence, he proposes to leave the
choir, the reason given being either that he considers himself
too old for the choir (now imagining that, as a wage-earner, he is
already a man) or else that he is tired of the choir's work, boys
being, as a rule, sadly fickle and volatile creatures, without an
atom of perseverance. Now unless there is some remedy for
this,the choirmaster's efforts will be thrown away, as these elder
boys are the ones he must secure if he is to do really good work ;
one boy of fifteen being worth half-a-dozen of eleven or twelve
as far as voice is concerned. The only way to make the choir-
master independent of these difficulties is for the boys to be well
paid, on some system that will prevent their leaving without
permission.
19. The best way to attain this object is by a plan of deferred
payment, which will work as follows : Let each boy receive a
small amount as pocket money (say, 3d. a week) this will secure ;

regularity of attendance, and from it can be deducted fines, to

strengthen discipline. In addition to this weekly amount, let a
further sum
be reserved for each boy, varying according to age
and from, say, is. a month upwards
ability, put aside on the ;

distinct understanding that it will only be given if the boy

remains in the choir until his voice breaks, or else leaves with
the permission of the choirmaster. The amounts so reserved
 12

may be written down on a table to be hung up in a conspicuous

place in the choir-room, so that each boy may see at a glance
how much he is entitled to at any particular time. It is
important to make this arrangement quite clear to the parents
when the boys join the choir, explaining that those who leave
before their time will only have the benefit of free teaching,
whereas those who remain to the end will, in addition, receive a
bonus of a good round sum. To avoid any misunderstanding,
it is best to have a printed form for the parents to sign accepting
the arrangement. There are other methods by which the same
result can be gained, but the above is the simplest plan and will
.be found to work well.
20. In regard to the adult members of a choir, the opinion is
gaining ground more and more that, whenever possible, they too
should be paid, however small a sum. As Sir John Stainer so
" the
-tersely put it in his speech at Exeter a year or two ago, only
valid reason for having a voluntary choir is inability to pay one."
The argument that a man who accepts money for singing in
church will, on that account, look upon the work as a matter of
business only is, when examined, an absurd one. If it were
sound, it would apply to the clergy, organists, vergers, and other
paid workers, who are becoming more and more numerous every
day. Certainly the choirman should look upon his work as a
matter of business i.e., as work to be done with all the
punctuality, accuracy, and assiduity of business; but this feeling
need have no effect upon the religious tone of a choir, if by
example and precept they are constantly shown the right way.
To do good work, a choirmaster must be able to insist on perfect
regularity and discipline, and experience shows that these can
never be permanently maintained in a voluntary choir. Fre-
quently individuals will be found willing and ready to make the
choir a first consideration, but these are only individuals ;
no
large body of men can be made to look upon things in this light
permanently. Therefore, we say, pay them secure regularity
;

and discipline first of all, then proceed to inculcate other things.

The object of payment should not be to secure the best voices
apart from other qualifications. Very often a person possessing a
fine voice may be quite unsuitable for a choir on other grounds.
Considerations of character should weigh quite as much as vocal
ability in selecting for a choir; but, having selected your
members, then it is essential to bind them down to their duties.
Therefore, we say again pay them.
21. As to balance of voices. It is well-nigh impossible to lay
down any hard and fast rules that will serve for all cases so ;

much depends upon strength and quality of the voices

the
available. For general purposes the following may serve as a
guide. First as regards the three lower parts. Of course, the
very smallest choir will consist of two voices to each part i.e., of
one representative on each side. To increase this, we would
recommend twice the number two to each part each side then ;
add an extra bass each side, an extra tenor, after that one of
each part, finally an extra bass. Thus :

(i.) Six voices.

Dec. Can.
i Alto, i Alto,
i Tenor. i Tenor.
1 Bass. I Bass.

(2.) Twelve voices.

Dec. Can.
2 AltOS. 2 Altos.
2 Tenors. 2 Tenors.
2 Basses. , 2 Basses.

(3.)
Fourteen voices.
Dec. Can.
2 Altos. 2 AltOS.
2 Tenors. 2 Tenors.
3 Basses. 3 Basses.

(4.) Sixteen voices.

Dec. Can.
2 Altos. 2 Altos.
3 Tenors. 3 Tenors.
3 Basses. 3 Basses.

(5.) Twenty-two voices.

Dec. Can.
3 Altos. 3 Altos.
4 Tenors. 4 Tenors.
4 Basses. 4 Basses.

(6.) Twenty-four voices.

Dec. Can.
3 Altos. 3 Altos.
4 Tenors. 4 Tenors.
5 Basses. 5 Basses.

22. The boys should be considered differently. If (a) they are

of good age and (b) thoroughly trained, let their number equal
the sum of all the other voices e.g., for our first choir we
should want six boys for our second, twelve
;
for our third,
;

fourteen, &c. When, however, (a) there is a large proportion of

young boys, and (b) it is not possible to give them very frequent
practice, the number should be largely increased to double what
;

we have said, if possible, or to as many as can be obtained under

 14

the circumstances. It must be ever remembered that age and

frequent practice make all the difference in the strength of boys'
voices, apart from any question of quality, &c.
23. Here we come to the matter of probationers, needful to
keep up a constant supply of boys. There should be a definite
number of these extra children ; say, equalling a fourth of the
number of regular choristers. Let them attend all the practices
(remember we do not want them too young) and sit in a special
place in church, where they will not be much heard, but where
they will feel that they are of some consequence. Give them
all copies of the music, and it is a good plan to let them wear
cassocks but not surplices ; the latter being the garment of dignity,
marking the full chorister. Pay these juniors a small sum, and at
practice place them, not all together, but between other experienced
boys in this way they will soon learn without requiring much
;

special attention.
 PART II.

VOICE PRODUCTION FOR BOYS.

24. Having now arranged our room and secured our choir, let
us make a start with the boys and teach them something of voice
production.
25. The first thing to consider is the management of the breath.
Whole treatises have been written on this important subject, and
many conflicting theories advanced. Without wearying the
reader with long discussions, we will state briefly what we believe
to be the correct plan. The lungs can be inflated from above
(clavicular breathing), from the sides (lateral breathing), and from
below (abdominal breathing). To secure a full inflation, these
three methods should all be used in conjunction, beginning from
the bottom of the lungs (the diaphragm), and gradually filling
upwards until the chest is reached. While the breath is being
expelled from the lungs, the upper chest should not be allowed to
fall until all the lower part has been emptied, so that the pressure

upon the larynx may be exerted from the diaphragm. And the
reason for this is, that all hard and heavy pressure upon the
larynx must be carefully avoided, which can only be done by
taking the force from the soft muscles of the diaphragm, instead
of from the hard bones of the chest. Further, it is important to
avoid forcing the larynx upwards and thus tightening the throat,
" "
deadening resonance and inducing throaty tone. When the
will is directed towards delaying the fall of the chest bones, the
result will be that the larynx will tend to fall in the direction in
which the former are inclined.
26. In teaching boys, two points should be emphasised :

(1) The lower part of the lungs should be well expanded.

(2) No force should come from the chest.
27. A good method of breathing is the very foundation of all
successful singing, and, quite apart from other considerations, the
better the breath is controlled, the better will be the tone of the
voice. Insist upon the rules that
:

(a) As much breath as possible be taken in.

(b) As little as possible be let out.
28. Singing being the sustaining of sound as distinguished
from speaking, which consists of short and disconnected tones,
much more breath is required for the former than for the latter ;

and until the ability to take and retain it has been acquired, a
singer can make no real advance.
29. Besides insisting constantly upon deep breathing during
singing, in teaching boys it is an immense advantage to have
 i6

some accurate means of testing the progress of each individuaP

from time to time.
30. This can be done by means of

THE SPIROMETER.
Having assembled the boys together, find out the capacity
all
of the lungs of each by means of this instrument, and take note
of the same; then tell them all to practise breathing gymnastics-
at home during a given time, say three months, at the conclusion
of which they will again be tested, and the one who has made the
most progress will receive a prize. The boys will be immensely
interested in this process, a large majority will do the breathing
exercises with great diligence, and, besides the one who receives
the prize, all will benefit by the practice.
31. The exercise should be a simple one, as follows Direct :

a full breath to be taken through the nostrils, while the body is-
held in an erect position and lightly clad, so as to allow the lungs
full play. Let the breath be retained as long as possible, and
then slowly ejected through the mouth, while the lips are held
together, and only allow a very thin stream of air to escape
between them continue till all the breath has been ejected, and
;

then commence again and repeat the process six times. The
exercises should be performed once every day, in the morning on
rising. This, then, together with a constant insistence on deep
breathing while singing, will soon make a vast difference in the
tone of the choir and any teacher adopting such a plan will be
;

well repaid for the extra trouble it involves.

32. After considering the breathing, the next point is the
position of the body when singing. Insist on boys standing (a)
upright, (6) with the shoulders thrown easily back, and (c) the
arms at rest by the sides. It will now be seen how advantageous
it is to have a proper music stand ( 10), so that the arms may be
free. If one or both hands be constantly required to hold up the
music, the result will be unnecessary strain upon the muscles,
which should be left free for tone production.
all

33. Also, it a good plan to teach boys to beat time when

is

practising, which cannot be done if the music is held in the hands.

34. Insist then on two things
:

Left hand down.

(i^
Right hand beating.
(2)
35. The head should be thrown well back; so far, that if
standing against a flat wall, the back of the head would just
touch it. The chin should be kept down, and on no account
protruded forward.
36. We are now prepared to commence singing. Let us
consider the way in which vocal tone is caused.
37. The sound is generated by the vocal cords,
a pair of
delicate lips, situated in the larynx, which, being tightly held
together and set in motion by the pressure of the breath, produce
synchronous vibrations in other words, vocal tone the pitch of ;
 17

the sound depending upon the weight of the lips and the tension
with which they are stretched. For a full account of their
structure and action the reader is referred to an> good work on
"
vocal physiology e.g., " Voice, Song, and Speech (Browne
and Behnke).
38. It is the function of the vocal cords merely to generate the
sound, its volume is mainly determined by the form and
substance of the parts of the body which it sets in vibration, and
the amount and shape of the air enclosed in the various cavities
of the mouth, &c. If the larynx could be removed from its
natural surroundings and the vocal cords then set in vibration,
the result would be only a feeble buzzing sound, quite different
from vocal tone.
39. Above the vocal cords, in the upper part of the larynx, is a
"
second pair of lips, commonly called "the false vocal cords
more correctly, the " breath controllers." We
must pause to
consider what is their use and how to secure their correct
action.
40. If the reader is in doubt as to where these lips are
situated, let him take a full breath, and, after holding it a moment,
whisper sharply any vowel sound, avoiding vocal tone the ;

result will be a distinctly felt explosion at the commencement

of the sound, and this is caused by the lips in question
suddenly opening to release the air after having been tightly
closed.
41. Let the reader next sound a vowel with vocal tone, thus
bringing the vocal cords into play, and compare its effect with
the whisper. It will be plain that the tone is now generated
lower down.
42. The vocal cords proper are very delicately constructed,
and their work is to set the expelled air in vibration, not to-
govern its egress : for this latter they are quite unfit, and if it
is forced upon them the effect will be disastrous. All outgoing
air should be controlled by the breath controllers, and, in properly
managed voices, it always is but owing to the exigencies of
;

language, this natural function is frequently usurped by other

organs. Let us see how this happens.
43. Words are composed of vowels and consonants, the
former are musical tones proceeding from the vocal cords, the
latter are noises of various kinds, caused by a complete or
partial stoppage of the outgoing air passing through the mouth.
" "
The consonant P
is made by completely stopping the out-

going breath by the lips, and then suddenly allowing it to escape,

T," "CH," and "K" by
thus causing a sharp explosion. "

doing the same thing with the tongue pressed against the roof
of the mouth, at the front, middle, and back respectively.
44. Every time one of these consonants is sounded the breath
is completely stopped or controlled at that particular point ;
and the breath controllers of the larynx, not being then required,
will remain at rest.
 i8

But in a language like ours, where the consonants are

45.
so numerous, and so little attention is given, in ordinary
conversation, to pure vowel tone, the real breath controllers in
many cases get hardly any employment, and in
consequence
become weakened and sometimes entirely lose power of
their

acting in a proper way when required. With an ordinary talker

then, who is musically uncultivated, the mouth in .speaking is
kept almost closed, consonants follow in quick succession, and so
the egress of the breath is being continually checked and a
balance is maintained. But tell "the same person to open the
mouth and sing a vowel alone, he will at first feel quite helpless ;

the breath rushes through in an unimpeded flow, being no longer

"
checked by consonants, and the true " controllers being in a
state of partial disablement from want of employment. A poor,
feeble, unmusical tone will be the result.

46. Often enough, though, the throat, finding itself thus, as it

were, thrown on its own resources, will make an effort to stay
this unwonted flow, and may do so in two ways either by a ;

contraction of the pharynx causing "throaty" tone, or by the

descent of the soft palate with the uvula, causing " nasal" tone.
Directly the breath is cpntrolled, in the proper way, at the larynx,
these two evils will disappear, and in the majority of cases a
pure vocal sound will be heard.
47. We have entered at some length into this question, as it
is at the outset of the greatest importance for the choirmaster
to understand it. Remember that "husky" tone, "throaty"
" nasal " tone are all caused
tone, and by an inadequate
control of the breath at the proper point, and may be without
much difficulty cured in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred.
"Husky tone!" This most objectionable fault (only next to
"
"
throaty and " nasal ") is caused, as we say, by the same
want of control, only that here much more breath is allowed to
pass than is required for tone production and, instead of being
;

impeded in a wrong way, it is not impeded at all, and so escapes

through the mouth, causing a dull, dead tone. This brings us
to the question of

48. ATTACK, which is, in fact, involved in all we have said.

"
Correct " attack takes place when the tone starts at exactly the
same time as the emission of breath, and is secured by the
explosion at the breath controllers with the initial vibration of the
vocal cords. The result must not be a jerk, but simply a clear
start of sound ; the ear must judge when this has been acquired.
Avoid the two extremes of a husky tone and a jerked tone but ;

if the former proves obstinate, it may be cured by leaning in the

direction of the latter; just as to straighten a crooked stick, you
bend it in an opposite direction.
49. as we shall see further, a proper course of training
When,
is kept up with exercises on vowel sounds only, it will not be
necessary to say much on this matter to boys. Tell them to
 19

keep the larynx* low this gives a better chance to the breath
controllers and insist upon clear, pure tone.
50. Occasionally an obstinate case will appear. Take this
boy separately, and instruct him to practise privately an exercise
for reviving the disused parts. This may consist of the breath-
ing exercise already described, only substituting for the emission
of breath through the closed lips, a rapid repetition of a whispered
vowel, with the mouth open, commencing each time with a
decided click at the point of contact. This will probably soon
put things right.!
51. Wehave seen that the vocal cords can only start the
tone, its volume will depend upon the action of other parts of the
body.
52. It has been truly said, that in singing, every portion of the
frame is brought into play and assists in the production of tone.
And further than this, the voice of a singer will be affected by the
substance upon which he stands, and also by the size and shape of
the surrounding building. There is music in all nature. Every
substance is ready to vibrate to musical tone. Every particle of
air has its own voice to utter if it can meet with suitable environ-
ment. Take an illustration. Strike a tuning fork, hold it in mid
air, and listen a faint humming note will be heard.
: Press its
stem, while still vibrating, against any solid substance, as a table
or a chair, and immediately a clear tone will ring out, its strength
depending upon the elasticity of the solid substance. Strike the
fork again, this time hold its vibrating ends over any empty vessel
if no reinforcement of the tone takes place,
{as a jar or bottle) ;

reduce the bulk of the enclosed air, by gradually filling the vessel
with water at a certain point the tone will be suddenly increased
; ;

but the filling process be continued, it will again be reduced in

if
volume until it dies away. Notice that in the first experiment
the resonance does not depend upon the size and shape of the
vibrating substance any substance will answer the purpose,
provided it is elastic in the second, however, it is necessary
;

that the column of air should be of a certain definite size and

shape to reinforce the tone, and for any given note only at one
point will the resonance take place.
* We would not recommend the use of a scientific term like this when teach-
"
ing a mixed class of boys. Speak of the throat," and point to the place you
mean. That will be quite sufficient.
f Perhaps no subject connected with Science or Art has given rise to more
discussion and differences of opinion than the action of the vocal organs in
singing. No two theorists agree on all points, and at every step we are met
with contradictory views, often supported by weighty authority and apparently
sound arguments on both sides. Among the theories that have given rise to
acrimonious discussion, none have been more hotly contested than the
principle of breath control here set forth. The writer states what he, from
observation and experience, believes to be true, though he is fully aware that
his views will be met with opposition in some quarters. For arguments on
both sides of the question the reader is referred to Lunn's "Philosophy
of Voice," to Browne and Behnke's " Voice, Song, and Speech," and to
" Mind and
Voice," by J. Barnard Baylis (Bosworth and Co.).
 20

53- Here we have the principle of the structure of all musical

instruments, the vibration either of a solid substance or of im-
prisoned air, and they may be roughly divided into these two
classes. All stringed instruments belong to the first class and
all wind instruments to the second.

54. With the human voice, the resonance is of both kinds ;

it is a summing up of all instruments it resembles all, yet it re-

;

sembles none it is contained the completeness and perfection

;
in
of musical tone hence its glory. Hence its beauty.
55. The resonance we have chiefly to deal with is (of the first
class) that caused by the vibration of the bones of the chest and
head and (of the second class) that caused by the air enclosed
within the cavities of the throat and mouth. For the first, we
must secure a connection between the source of vibration and
the solid substance and see that the latter is free to vibrate ;

for the second, we must insure that the bulk of enclosed air
corresponds with what is required at any given pitch.

56. Before proceeding farther with this question, we must

pause to consider the material of language vowels and con-
sonants. What is a vowel ?
" a modification of an
57. It may be defined as original quality
of tone, proceeding from the vocal cords, caused by the position
of the tongue and lips."
58. If the tongue is allowed to lie flat in the mouth, and the
lips are held well apart, the sound of Ah will be the result.
This is the great central vowel, the stem from which all other
vowels branch out. These are formed by either (a) closing the
lips or (b) raising the tongue.
59. If the lips are gradually closed the following series will
be produced, "Or," " O," " OO," the last being the closest
vowel sound.*
60. If we return to "Ah," and, instead of closing the lips r
raise the middle of the tongue gradually, we pass through the
" "
following: Er," "A," E," the last being the thinnest vowel
sound possible to produce.
it is

61. Other arrangements are possible: for instance, to produce

the German "ii" the tongue is raised and the lips closed
" "
in fact, a combination of and " OO." But we are now
E
concerned with the vowels of our own language only.
62. In addition to the seven long ones already mentioned, there
are six short vowels " " " " "
do," o," a," u," e," "i," produced
by a widening at the back of the throat, and these thirteen
sounds include all the possible variations of vowel tone in the
English language. We give a diagram of the same with key

* Itmust be noted that for the sound of " OO," besides the closing of the
the tongue must be raised at the back
lips, but this does not affect the-
;

argument the closing of the lips is the essential part of the vowel.
 21

words. The exact sound of the vowel can be identified by

singing the key word, first as written, and then repeating it
-without its consonants.

63. Diagram of Vowels :

Position of tongue - "

Position of lips -
O O *""""

/-> Ah ~,
n Or Er
Long vowels - - OO

Keyword,- -
hoop
h P*
^ """ *""*

6 u
Short vowels - - do
hat
hot hut Ko
Key words - - - hood headA

These are the single vowels. There are also four double vowels
which are produced, not by a new position, but by a combination
of two of the foregoing :

Key words
(1) I. = A'h + i - - -
(high)

(2) OI. = O'r + i -

(boy)
OU. = A'h + 06 - - -
(3)

(4) U. = i + 00' ... (how)

(huge)

It will be observed that, in the first three, the accent falls on

the first part in the last, upon the second part.
;
In singing,
the unaccented part must be very lightly touched just as the
note finishes. Ignorance of this rule frequently causes odious
-errors of pronunciation.

64. If we look again at "the table of long vowels, it will be

noticed that, taking " AH
as the centre, the third from it on
" O " and " A
either side (viz., ") are, in spoken English, usually
terminated with the fourth on either side respectively, and so
become double vowels. Thus: + OO," + E." "6 "A This is

quite unnecessary in singing and should be avoided.

65. The short vowel ""D" requires special attention; it is
"
frequently indicated by the consonant R," when it is called
"
4<
the vocal 'R In such cases, when followed by a
5

(as in "fear.")
word commencing with a consonant it should be treated as a vowel and
not rolled. When followed by another vowel a slight roll is necessary.
 22

66. The consonants of our language may be divided into

(1) Explosive. (3) Mixed (smothered vocal tone).

P. b. M.
T. d. N.
Ch. g. (soft). Ng.
K. g. (hard). L.

(2) Sustained. R.
F. v. Y.
Th. th. (soft). W.
S. z. (4) Aspirate.
Sh. sh. (soft). H.

67. Our concern is at present chiefly with vowels, as these are

the musical sounds. The consonants are necessary to convey
thought, but all real vocal tone lies in the vowel sounds. Our
preliminary training should, therefore, be confined to vowels, the
consonants being added when the tone has been formed. This
will be obvious when it is remembered that a certain definite
arrangement of the parts of the mouth is required for every
particular vowel at any given pitch, and directly a consonant is-
introduced this arrangement is upset. When, however, by
constant training the singer has become accustomed to producing
pure correct tone, the upsetting effect of the consonant will
not so much matter, as the force of habit will insure a return
to the correct position as soon as the consonant has been,
sounded.
68. Here we must revert to the question of Resonance, and
consider it in connection with Pitch and Vowel quality. In
listening to a correctly produced voice, it will be noticed that the
quality is not the same throughout its entire compass. The
lower notes have a clear penetrating tone partaking somewhat of
the reed timbre; the upper notes, on the other hand, are full and
round with a distinct flute quality ; the middle notes have an
intermediate colour.
69. What causes this variation ? Not any difference in the
vocal cords they do not change but the different ways in?
;

which the tones are reinforced at various pitches the different

methods of resonance.
70. The treble voice may be roughly divided into three parts :
the lower, in which the resonance depends mainly upon the
vibration of the chest bones, hence called "chest voice";* the

*
These old-fashioned terms, as describing the actual sensations experienced
in singing, are more convenient for teaching than the terms " thick register,"
"thin register," &c., used by some, which, based upon the action of the
vocal cords at varying pitches, though perfectly intelligible to the teacher
who has mastered the subject, are confusing and often misleading to the
learner.
middle, where the air enclosed within the cavities of the mouth
mainly reinforces the tone, called "middle voice";* and the
upper, where the bones of the head are brought into play, called
"head voice."*

Chest. Middle. Head.

71. It must be clearly borne in mind that, though as a guide

to teaching these divisions are useful, they must only be taken as
approximately accurate and (i) it is possible to extend any
;

register up or down considerably beyond the limits indicated ;

(2) in a well trained voice no break should be heard anywhere ;

it ought to be impossible to tell exactly where one register begins

and another ends.
72. Now for the lower notes, the resonance depending upon
the chest, we can produce a good tone with any position of the
lips, consequently all the vowels can be used with equal ease, as
in speaking for it must be remembered that the speaking voice
;

is almost invariably low-pitched, as compared with the singing

voice.
73. When we
reach the middle notes, we depend for resonance
upon the enclosed in the mouth, and this, as we have seen
air
in our experiment (p. 19), must be of a definite shape to reinforce
any given note the more air we confine, the better and fuller
;

will be the tone. Therefore, the lips should here tend to close
and become rounded, thus causing a modification of some of the
vowel sounds.
74. As we ascend the scale and reach the head register, the
lips must again part and make as wide an opening as possible.
Here is a diagram showing the most favourable position of the
lips for vowel sounds at varying pitches :

o
o J

Let these positions be insisted upon for all practising upon

vowel sounds.

*
See note on previous page.
 24

75- part that will give most trouble is the middle, and we
The
must remember that in any given piece of music the majority of
the notes will be written there it is the exception when we go
;

very high or very low the middle part, then, will require the most
;

careful attention. Remember that the cavity of enclosed air

must be tuned to every note by the opening or closing of the
lips the effect of opening being to enclose less air and of
closing to confine more.
76. We at obtaining the maximum of tone with the
must aim
minimum of effort. This will be secured when the tone is
centred against the roof of the mouth, just behind the upper
teeth. Here the vibration must be distinctly felt ; the tone being
"
as itwere, focussed."
77. To find out the true focus, the simplest plan is to use an
exercise employing alternately the smallest and the widest
opening of the lips (i.e., OO
and AH), and so we are bound to
pass through the correct position ; when this takes place, the
" fixed " will induce a
pleasurable feeling of finding the note
return to that position, and by constant repetition the pure tone
will in time appear with ease and certainty.
78. For teaching boys the following exercise is invaluable :

OO. AH. OO. AH. OO. AH. OO.

To be repeated on every semitone from

In singing this, let the teeth be fixed apart with a small piece of
cork,* about three-quarters of an inch thick, held lightly, not
pressed. This is necessary to avoid any closing of the teeth for
41
OO," which will otherwise invariably happen with an untrained
"
singer. The " OOsound should be made to approach that of
" (30 "
(as in pull) to avoid a contraction at the back of the throat,
which will be induced by the former. The exercise must be sung
very softly, and may be taken slowly at first, afterwards
gradually increasing the speed. Let this exercise precede all
others, and be reverted to again and again throughout the
practice. After this, we can take exercises over the whole
compass of the voice.
79. Here we must enquire what is the compass of boys'
voices. Boys' voices vary like women's there are contraltos,
;

mezzo-sopranos, and sopranos low, medium, and high. The

boy contralto is a rarity, the usual voice being either the second
or third.

* The
pieces of cork may be cut from a solid block, but trouble will be saved
ifsmall corks are purchased at a corkcutter's They can readily be obtained just
the size required.
 25

80. There is considerable difference of opinion as to whether

fooy contraltos should be employed in choirs as altos, or whether
this part should be taken by adults only. are strongly in We
favour of the latter arrangement. It is sometimes urged that
male altos are scarce, and in some cases cannot be obtained
at all. The male
alto is, however, an artificial voice and can be
made. There are plenty of baritones who could sing alto if
trained, and we recommend that when none ready-formed present
themselves, the choirmaster should take some young men who
have served their time as choir boys, and start them as altos.
The male alto, though not often effective as a solo voice, is very
useful for purposes of harmony, and blends admirably with boys'
.and men's natural voices.
81. If boys are used for the alto part, the difficulties of
training are enormously increased. To train boys thoroughly
well, it is necessary at the ordinary boys' practice for the choir-
master to give his whole attention to the treble part this cannot ;

be done if some of the boys are singing alto at the same time.
'The only really satisfactory plan would be to take these latter
separately, thus placing a double burden upon the choirmaster's
.already well-laden shoulders.
82. We
advise, then, that when a boy alto appears, he should
be trained with the trebles his voice will serve for most of the
;

treble part, and will be a useful addition when the music is

written low.
83. The usual compass of a boy's voice is
to J2Q.

rmany boys can sing ZZL: with ease, but almost all can

easily be trained to B flat.

84. The voice production exercises then should cover the two
octaves indicated, special attention being given to the middle
part, after that to the upper. They should be sung to the vowel
AH, with modifications, as shown in the diagram (p. 23). When

.singing the note Jgr- = slightly close the lips ; continue the

closing as the pitch rises until -/K

" is reached, when the

rounded as " OO." For

lips should be well in singing jZJt

the opening must be again increased, as in singing " OR," and so

 26

continue to the highest note. Remember that the chin must

always be held well back, the larynx as low as possible, and all
the muscles of the throat kept loose and unconstrained.
85. In order to keep up the interest in the exercises it is well
to introduce as much variety as possible. Do not go through
exactly the same routine at any two successive practices, but
keep introducing some change.
86. Vocal exercises for boys can be founded on variations of
three figures (i) the octave, (2) the arpeggio, and (3) the scale,
passing through all keys, with the usual modulations, thus :

it
 27
on a soft tone. When we get a little higher, the C will occur as
the second note of the phrase

Take this separately in the same manner as before. All this

requires great care and patience at first, but in actual practice it
is astonishing how soon the true tone will be acquired, if it is

distinctly understood that the teacher will be satisfied with

nothing less and it is soon sufficient, when a passage is
;

unsatisfactory, merely to touch the pianoforte and ask for it

again. After a time the arpeggio may be extended, thus

ultimately -/fi

THE SCALE.
bg. In rising by conjunct degrees the danger of forcing the
registers upwards is so great that it is best to confine the
practice at first to the downward scale. Here is a good form

LIPS:
jZ^^g
I
--g=*-L-J-L.

In this thereis plenty of time to secure a full tone for the highest

note, and round, vibrating against the roof of the mouth

soft ;

this can be taken right down to the bottom of the

scale, only
changing to the chest register for the last note. Taking the
same figure higher up, the plan will be different. Here it is on F

LIPS:

Listen always for the middle C, and never rest until

you are
satisfied with it.
 28

go. Now may follow the ascending scale-

^
'but before trying it in its complete form, it is well to take it in
.fragments e.g., two notes

'Three notes :

Four notes :
jg

.and so on ; always one more

till the eight are reached.

91. As advance gradually made, the choirmaster can invent

is
-new figures for himself, derived from the three types already
.given. Here are a few

m
i

^i

^8
i i

m
-^ &-=* ^i
^2_
i
 29

92. It will be noticed that we have not included either

chromatic scales or minor keys; if desired, the choirmaster can,
add them himself. Such figures can be multiplied ad infinitum,
according to the ingenuity of the choirmaster.
93. To start a new figure, play it over on the pianoforte, once
if simple, several times if complicated it will soon be caught up
;

if it be an interesting musical phrase.

94. We have written all the examples in C these will, of

;

course, be transposed into every key, ascending by steps of semi--

tones, as already indicated.
95. Though we have given a considerable variety, we recom-
mend, for early practice, only the simplest figures ; the actual
form of the figure is of little consequence, it is the tone that is
important. This must be constantly in the mind of the choir-
master. Let him have his own ideal of tone, and be satisfied
with nothing until he realises it. Let him, whenever opportunity
occurs, go and hear the best choirs, and aim at making his own
as much like them as possible. Remember that harsh, forced
tone is never necessary, it is always the result of a wrong method.
Every boy can be made^to produce his voice properly, though it
is a task of much greater difficulty in some cases than in others ;
but we venture to believe that in no cases, except those of natural
deformity, is it an impossibility.
96. In practising vocal exercises, always insist on soft singing
the softer the better the loud tone will come soon enough
when required it is only by practising softly that a full even
;

tone can be gained.

97. After some progress has been made with the foregoing,
exercises, we must turn back to our table of vowels, and take the.
seven long ones in the order given, viz. :

OO. O. OR. AH. ER. A. E.

Let these now be sung in succession upon the lower parts of the.
voice,again placing that invaluable little article, the cork,
between the teeth. It will be seen that in practising OO, AH,
we have already passed through the positions for O and OR ;

these, therefore, will give little trouble.

98. O needs the most care;it should be well opened and
rounded. pronounced with the mouth almost closed,
It is often

reducing it to a shabby sort of ER, and depriving it of its fine,,

bold character. Insist then always upon a " Round O."
99. Passing to the other side, we have some new sounds.
ER will give little trouble; it very much resembles AH, the
difference being that for it the tongue is slightly raised. See
that it is pronounced with a broad, full sound.
100. A is the most difficult vowel to give a satisfactory sound
to ; it is often made so thin as to be hardly distinguishable from
E. Correct this by making it lean in the direction of ERthat
is to say, let the tongue lie as low as possible without actually

departing from the vowel.

 30

IQI. Ewill sometimes give trouble; to form it, the tongue is

raised high against the roof of the mouth, thus blocking the way
of the tone. Let the sound ring well in the front of the mouth,
and if any difficulty is experienced, direct the tip of the tongue to
be curled over in a downward direction, touching the gums below
the front teeth ;
this will allow room for the resonance to take
place.
102. When good vowel-tone has been formed, we must turn
to the consonants. These, though they interfere as we have
seen with the vowel quality, are yet of the utmost importance, if
singing is to answer its true purpose, to convey thought. We
must then consider how to get the maximum of learness and*

distinctness with the least possible disturbance to the resonance

cavities. Remember two things (i) Untrained singers, when
:

pronouncing a consonant, will invariably allow the teeth to close.

in no case necessary; but, on the other hand, the
(2) This is
consonant will be much clearer if the teeth are still kept apart.
Further, if the teeth are allowed to close, they will either remain
so and spoil the vowel that follows, or, being again opened, the
two actions will involve a considerable waste of energy.
103. It is useless to tell a class of singers to keep the teeth
apart while sounding a consonant, the force of habit will be so
strong as to utterly prevent them doing so. However, we can
remedy this in a moment. Take up the cork again and place it
in position ;
then go through the series of vowels but this time
;

with the consonant placed before each, the desired effect will be
obtained at once without the slightest trouble. At first the corks
will be pinched so hard as to be, perhaps, bitten in two. The
learners must be warned against this. Let them aim at keeping
a perfect cork, if possible, without a dent. When this has been
achieved, the improvement in the tone will be astonishing.
104. Take first the simpler consonants, as P, T, K, making
the artificial words Poo, Po, Por, &c. ;
then add a consonant
after the vowel e.g., Poot, Pot, Port, &c. ;
then when skill has
been acquired, double and triple combinations can be gone
through e.g., Kloot, Klot, Klort, &c. These exercises should
be practised only on the lower and easier parts of the voice,
where the vowel quality can be well produced without difficulty.
They should not be continued for long together with beginners,
as they are somewhat tiring.
105. And now, having studied vocal tone, vowel quality, and
consonant utterance, we are prepared for the interpretation of
music combined with words.
 PART III.

THE RENDERING OF CHURCH MUSIC.

i.

HYMNS.
106. The choral parts of the Service may be divided into four
groups :

(1) Metrical Hymns.

(2) The Responses, &c.
(3) The Psalms.
(4)Services and Anthems, including Oratorios, &c.
We will consider these in order :

First, the Hymn. The poor Hymn What shameful treat- !

ment it sometimes receives It is pushed aside as if it were a

!

thing of no consequence it is scrambled through, dragged or

;

hurried, as the case may be often sung quite inaccurately, seldom

;

really well. This does not apply only to weak choirs, but to
many that in other respects are good. have heard a choir We
that boasts of its reputation, and considers itself second to none,
simply murder a hymn rush through it, regardless of time, tone,
;

phrasing, and all that goes to make musical expression. We

would urge a strong plea in favour of more care being bestowed
upon this really important item of a musical service. If we
consider the object of music in worship, its importance is manifest.
Music is an aid to devotion and a means of edification. Now,
only a certain number of the mass of worshippers can follow the
intricacies of an elaborate anthem not all the expressions in the
;

Psalms are clearly understood; but the meaning of the simple

hymn is plain to all. The words are usually without obscurity,
the form of the tune can be grasped without any musical educa-
tion. If then this simple, homely material is used with all the

advantages of musical expression, its power and usefulness are

boundless ; appeals to all, its message is never lost.
it

107. Amongst the points that are often overlooked in singing

hymns are the following :

(1) Accent and emphasis.

(2) Breath-taking and phrasing.
(3) Accuracy of time.
(4) (a) Endings with vowels.
(6) Endings with consonants.
 108. Accent is the regular alternation of strong and weak
beats, which takes place in every bar. Though every musician
understands this matter theoretically, in actual teaching too often
it receives insufficient attention. The best way to secure its.

correctness is to teach boys to

BEAT TIME
and insist upon them always doing so when practising measured
music. Whenthe habit has been acquired, all that is necessary
is to point out that the first beat in the bar, which is always the
down beat, bears the strong accent if this is mastered the other ;

beats may be left to take care of themselves.

109. The accent of the words should correspond with that of
the music. It generally does. When, however, the two differ, a
compromise must be effected the musical accent must be
;

reduced to a minimum, so as to clash as little as possible with

that of the words. Many instances will occur to the reader we
give a very familiar one :

j=s - &c.

Spi - rit of mer -

cy
no. Emphasis a special and irregular accent.
is It occurs
both in music and words. In the former certain notes will
stand out more prominently than others on account of their
position, and sh'ould be dwelt on for a somewhat longer time
than actually written, e.g.

the note marked * should be sung slightly longer than written,

besides bearing a strong accent. This is a matter that requires
great taste and judgment. As a general rule in singing, when a
phrase ascends and descends again the highest note must be
slightly prolonged, the time thus lost being deducted from the
following note.
in. Verbal emphasis is a simpler matter. It is constantly
necessary to bring out the sense of the words (which, remember,
is the object of singing). Notwithstanding, it is even more
frequently overlooked than accent certain words will require ;

dwelling upon more than others, or else, in some cases, the

sense will be entirely lost, e.g.

and

""
Here faith is ours '

'but there are per

- feet .

112. The words in singing should be rendered just as in

speaking, as regards emphasis important words should be
;

k
shown to be so by an extra amount of tone, unimportant ones
should be taken simply with the natural accent. Emphasis
should not supersede accent it should assist and amplify it.
"
113. Many hymns end with a refrain or Chorus," e.g.
" Let us with a
gladsome mind."
" Hark soul."
!
hark, my
" OParadise " !

" All
glory, laud and honour."
And all Litanies.
commence with a motto or "
114. Others text," as
" Thine for ever."
" Peace,
perfect peace."
Holy, Holy, Holy."
115. Some have both these characteristics, as
"Just as I am."
"
Nearer, my God, to Thee."
116. In every case these points of structure should be noticed
by the choirmaster, and the phrases taken in a special manned
manner.
117. (2) Breath-taking and phrasing. mention these We
separately as they are not quite identical, all breath-taking
involves phrasing, but not all phrasing necessitates breath-taking.
The rule for the first is negative:
(a) Never take breath
when so doing destroys the sense of
the words,
for the second positive

(b) Always
make a break (i.e., end a phrase) when so doing
will bring out the meaning of the words.
118. This is an extremely important matter in hymns, as often
in no two successive verses are the words written to suit the
same plan of phrasing, and in such cases we must each time
adapt the music afresh to the words.
119. Only passages of a certain length can be sung in one
breath beyond a certain point it becomes a physical necessity to
;

renew the breath we must then choose the place most suitable
;

in regard to the words not always at the end of a line, this will
sometimes quite spoil the sense. Indeed, a case occurs to us in
which it would be best not to make any break at the end of the
verse in Hymn 17 (A. and M.) the verse ends thus, with only a
comma

"A - bid -
ing in the breast,"

If we go straight on to the next

" Save that will be

Thy done,"
without any break, the improvement in the effect will be marked.
But such refinement as this is only possible with a very highly
trained choir. Under ordinary circumstances it is advisable to
make a pause at the conclusion of every stanza.
120. Here is a case where the taking of breath should be
delayed beyond the end of a line

O'er moor and fen, o'ercragand torrent, till *

. .
Thenightis gone."

If a breath is made at * the sense is lost ;

breath should be taken
"
after "fen and "torrent," and also, if required, night." after "
Here a case where, though a fresh supply of breath is not
is

required, a break should be made in order to make the sense

clear

" of lights * when falls the even."

Light

and such sentences as these

" The * breadth * and * to

length depth height prove.

i=
Find - fol - * - * -
lowing keep ing Strug gling.*

Here each word introduces a fresh thought. When a breac io

made at * the meaning is brought home.
121. Though more breath is not required in these cases, to
insure the break it is useful to tell beginners to take it, so that
there may be no misunderstanding. When good habits begin to
be formed, it is sufficient to explain that there must be a
momentary cessation of sound at such phrases.
122. No singing can be called satisfactory without correct
phrasing. Let it therefore be regarded as a matter of the first
importance.
123. If any doubt arises as to where the phrase should be
marked, read over the words, simply thinking of the meaning,
regardless of the music in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred
;

the required phrasing will be obvious.

124. In teaching boys, let them understand that you rely upon
their intelligence that as they would not talk nonsense, so they
;

should not sing it. Drive home the rule that " Breath should :

be taken according to the sense." When it is incorrectly taken,

repeat the passage and ask whv it is wrong. Let the answer
come " Because it makes nonsense " Ask where the best
: !
 35

place would be (for a sensible person). Then notice how intelligent

boys sometimes can be.
125. Accuracy of time. Let us before all things be accurate.
Think of musical time as representing truth of mistakes, in this
;

respect, as falsehood. Measured music should be sung rhythmi-

cally, though this must not be taken to imply that the time
should always rival the accuracy of a mechanical organ.
126. A certain liberty is sometimes necessary, but this should
never go so far as to obscure the rhythm. When the boundary
is overstepped, and, for instance, a bar of quadruple time is made
to sound like triple, an egregious error has been committed.
Who has not heard such performances as this

E3^S &c.
 36

prevail. The above rule, if invariably followed, will secure this

unanimity. Let us consider that, supposing a horizontal line
represents continuous musical sound and this be intersected by
vertical lines representing a division into beats, each beat will
continue in force until another takes its place, thus :

Here we have written down five beats, the last being the point
where silence commences but the horizontal line being taken
;

to represent the vocal tone, the sound will be only that of four
beats, ceasing at the end of the fourth beat that is, the com-
mencement of the fifth.

129. It is sometimes supposed that it is sufficient to arrive

at the last beat indicated by the written note, without extending
the sound as far as the next beat, thus :

I-

That this is incorrect will be seen if we suppose the note, instead

of being of four beats, to be reduced to one here, if the same ;

plan be adopted, we shall get quite a short note, not at all like
what is expected t 2

I I

and the inaccuracy apparent. If, further, we suppose

will be
the time to be very slow indeed, we shall then have a long pause
of silence instead of sound, which could not be tolerated for a
moment. But for however many beats the note may be supposed
to be prolonged, the principle remains the same. If, then, we
have proved our case for one beat, the same will apply for
any number.
130. In the case of a consonant ending, the matter is not
quite so apparent, though it is of still greater consequence. The
importance of a choir clearly and sharply sounding the final
consonants will be readily admitted. With what fatal errors
do we meet when this is neglected we may hear "Lor" for
"Lord," "she" for "sheep," "throw" for "throne," and a
hundred other absurdities. Yet if all the voices are not exactly
together the remedy will be almost worse than the evil we shall ;
"
hear a shower of " ss and " ts," resembling the explosion of
crackers or the scaring of cats.

12345
written, thus

hear
Lor
:

...
-
we then recommend that the
131. As a cure for these evils
consonant should be sounded on the beat following the last

1 1 1 1

ts.
d.
 37
If it not so arranged we wander in a fog. Where else shall
is
it come No two persons will agree as to tne answer and the
?

result will be dire confusion. If it is objected that this plan

will result in prolonging the note unduly, the reply will be that
the consonant, being presumably sounded instantaneously, may
be regarded as a negligible quantity further, that the consonant
;

is not a musical sound, only a noise of a definite character ;

and that the written notes, being admittedly to indicate the

music, do not of necessity include the consonant.
Now if this rule be accepted and acted upon, we are in a
strong position as regards aiming at accuracy. The time
beating, already established, will furnish an infallible guide to
the exact length of a note, and then, except from carelessness
or want of practice, no mistake can arise.
*
132. Hymn tunes may be divided into three classes :

(1) The ancient Choral

Instances
" The. old Hundredth."
" O Sacred Head."

(2) The modern variety of the same form, of a lighter

character, well adapted for congregational singing
Instances
" How sweet the Name."
" O Love Divine."

(3) The modern developed tune, partaking more of the

character of the part-song not so well adapted
;

for congregational singing, but often most effective

when well sung by a choir
Instances
" O Paradise " !

"
Lead, kindly Light."
" and moments."
Days
133. There no
istraining for boys' voices than the
better
practising of hymns. The tune taken
alone serves as a vocal
exercise, and when the words are added, all the principles of
musical expression can be illustrated on a small and simple scale;
this simplicity allowing the learner to give attention to the
minutest details, which might be overlooked in a more compli-
cated work. Remember that only by taking pains over small
and apparently unimportant matters have all great works been
"
accomplished. Despise not the day of small things." Practise
every hymn diligently and carefully, let not a single point escape
notice. Aim at the highest possible standard, and only there
rest content.

* The writer has not included Plain

Song tunes, which require special
treatment.
 38

T34- Always regard then

(1) The production of vowel tone.
(2) Distinctness of consonants.
(3) Accent and emphasis.
(4) Breath-taking and phrasing.
(5) Accuracy of time.
(6) Endings, (a) with vowels (b) with consonants.
;

^
135. To illustrate what we have been saying, let us take a
well-known hymn

tret
O Love Divine, how sweet thou art ! When shall I find my willing heart

'

' !

1
1
 39
" To prove the greatness of redeeming love."
Here is the " greatness " again. Let this word take the
emphasis and receive special attention. Neither of the vowels
contained in it is easy on the notes given try them separately
;

if the tone is not good, and do not go farther until it satisfies

you. Insist upon the rule that

The top note must be the best.
If boys always bear this in mind, and once acquire the habit of
producing the extreme notes well, the choirmaster will have little
else to trouble him as regards production.
" The love of Christ to me."
"
Here the thought is again limited the " sweetness is returned
;

to, and not so much emphasis is required. It will be noticed

how admirably the tune suits the words, rising when the emotion
increases and falling when it becomes quieter. Observe the
ending, secure a good tone for the E, and hold it three beats,
stopping it on the fourth.
137. We have here given a specimen of a lesson. All the
points touched upon should be in the mind of the choirmaster ;
it would not, however, be advisable to notice them all at once with

beginners, this would only give rise to confusion. Draw atten-

tion to one thing at a time, and when this is plainly understood,
add another. " Line upon line here a little and there a little."
How this shall be done must of course be left to the judgment of
the individual choirmaster. All we would say is, never let a
defect finally pass if it can be remedied.

2.

THE RESPONSES.
138. Under heading we must include all the parts of the
this
Service that are on one note.
recited
" The
Confession,"
"Lord's Prayer," "Apostles' Creed," and the " Amens." We
will consider them in order.

THE GENERAL CONFESSION.

139. Faults to look out for here are (a) sinking in pitch, (b)
false accents.
140. The Confession sometimes taken on a low note, some-
is
times on a middle note. Opinions differ as to which is the more
desirable probably the balance is in favour of the former.
; As,
however, a middle note is better for boys' voices, we will suppose
that we are using one.
141. Sinking in pitch, as a habitual fault, is never necessary.
Sometimes, through adverse circumstances, the best choirs will
be guilty of it but it is almost always caused by a wrong
;
 40

production, the forcing of a lower register upwards, which results

in a harsh, vulgar tone, and makes the sustaining of pitch
a most difficult matter. The difficulty, as a rule, is not that a
note is too high, as we shall hear some complain, but that the
part of the voice used is too low. "
142. To secure the right register with boys try
the " OO, AH
exercise on the reciting note very softly the right tone is
{ 78) ;

then sure to appear. Proceed then to practise the words.

"
Directly the tone becomes thin and forced, revert to OO, AH,"
and continue this until the tone used in reciting matches that of
the exercise.
143. If a middle note is used, we
recommend one well up in
the scale. A in preference to G. It is easier for boys to

produce good tone in the manner indicated on the former than

on the latter, and is better practice for the voices.
144. Under our second heading comes a common and gross error.
Untrained singers will often insist upon throwing an accent on the
first and last syllables of a sentence, whether they naturally bear one

or not. We hear such renderings as these "Almighty, restore,

according, Father, sinners, penitent." The choirmaster, when this
occurs, should repeat the word as maltreated, and remark that no
such word occurs in the English language ; the singers are therefore
talking nonsense. This will probably soon put matters right
145. In the Confession it is also necessary to carefully insist
upon the accurate and distinct enunciation of every vowel and
consonant. Do not a boy say, " Strayed'm Thy ways,"
let
" "
offend'd," things 'ch we ought 'ooa done." It is hardly

necessary to remark that all aspirates must be rigidly demanded.

146. The Confession must be taken at a moderate pace. Not
so slow as to sound tedious not so fast as to lose distinctness
;

and sound irreverent. In practising it is well to take it slowly

at first, and afterwards to increase the pace as much as is
desired.
147. Let the Confession invariably be taken softly. There is

only one place in the Prayer Book where any direction as to

musical expression occurs, and that is here. We are directed to
" an humble voice " this is
say the Confession with usually
understood to mean a soft subdued tone and so let it be
:

observed.
" Lord's
148. All the above remarks apply equally to the
" "
Prayer and Creed," except that these are almost invariably
taken on a middle note and in a rather louder tone of voice.
149. There is one further matter worth notice. When the
Priest recites with the people, there is often doubt as to how the
commencement shall be made. Very frequently the Priest
alone takes the opening words, the people joining in with what
follows. This is sometimes objected to on the ground that in such
a case the people are excluded from their rightful part, and with
some show of reason too. There is really no principle involved
at all, it is merely a matter of convenience.
 A plan which meets all requirements is as follows :

(Priest." Our Father art."

" Our Father jwhich art."
(People {which
(Priest. " I believe ....
"
fin God the Father."
(People I believe (in God the Father."

This seems to be, on the whole, far the most satisfactory

solution of the question.
150. The Festal and Ferial Responses. Here take pains over
(a) Tone.
(b) Emphasis.
(c) Endings.
151. As the Responses are not measured music, the time is
of necessity somewhat free this makes the matter of endings
;

more important. We
recommend that in all cases of doubt the
choirmaster should cause to be written in each book the number
of beats he expects for any given final note, e.g.

rail.

take
IIIHo
not Thy
-&>-
-1

4-J -'

Here the rallentando makes the ending a matter of less

certainty. Insist that the last word " us " shall be double the
length of "from," with the consonant as always counting one
more beat.
152. In this last Response notice the place for breath. The
length of the phrase makes it almost imperative to replenish the
lungs, otherwise the ending will suffer. It should be taken after
" not after " as is sometimes done.
Spirit," Holy,"
153. Amongst mistakes of emphasis, the following is common :

" And our mouth shall shew forth

Thy praise."
154. The Responses should be taken at the pace of good
reading, neither dragged nor hurried. With a well trained choir,
the effect is best when they are sung with A as the reciting note ;

but G is admissible, and this must be left to the judgment of the

choirmaster sometimes A flat is used.
; Whatever the pitch,
when the choir sings unaccompanied, no flattening should be
allowed ;
this will require equal care and patience with the
Confession.
155. The Amens. Whatever form these take, insist upon the
two notes being of equal value. Frequently the last note is made
 42

quite short and ragged. A good plan is to regard each note as

bearing two beats, the last syllable will then count three, thus

A -
men.

i. 2. 3. 4.

The manner in Amen is sung is the test of a.

which a simple
good choir. The tone should be round and full all voices ;

should commence exactly together and end in the same manner.

Before every Amen a deep breath should be inhaled, and this,
done while the last words of the preceding prayer are being read,.
so that there may be no intervening pause. It is necessary for
the choir to be always on the alert and prepared to commence
exactly at the right moment.

3-

THE PSALMS.
156. A whole treatise might be written on the rendering of the
Psalms alone. In them is opportunity for the display of all the
finest qualities of a first-rate choir, and in them difficulties to-
lax to the uttermost the skill of the most accomplished.
157. A great deal of discussion is heard nowadays as to what
system of pointing shall be adopted and what kind of chants
used. We hear fiery arguments, and see pitched battles raging
around these questions but there is very little attention given
;

as to how this pointing and these chants are to be rendered.

We speak of course generally. There are notable exceptions,
where admirable chanting is .heard but, as a rule, the standard
;

of chantingextremely low.
is

158. Taking for granted that we have selected our Psalter and
chosen our Chants, the following points in chanting occur as.
demanding attention :

(1) The Recitation.

(2) The Accent Mark.
Middle words.
(3)
Endings.
(4)

159. The Recitation. This should be taken at exactly the

same pace as the inflexion that follows, neither quicker nor
slower. At the end of any given sentence, the final syllables
must be regarded as being inflected primarily, for the sake of
variety ; secondarily, to intensify the emotion but the pace with
;

which the words are taken should not vary from beginning to-
 43

end. If it does, the inference is that the words so prolonged are

of more importance than the others whereas often the words
;

occurring in the middle of a long sentence are the chief ones.

160. Equal attention should be given to all words, whether
they are sung on one note or another. To insure this, it is
important to point out that in the course of a long sentence
many accents will occur and certain emphatic syllables. In
rhymed verse the accents occur regularly ; in the poetry of the
Psalms, irregularly. Hence the difficulty.
161. This brings in our second division.
The Accent Mark. Nothing has given rise to more misunder-
standing and error in chanting than this. So much so, that some
authorities have advocated its being abolished altogether. We
do not think this would be desirable, and will endeavour to show
why.
162. It is important to make clear (a) what the accent does
not mean, and (b) what it does mean. It does not always mean
that the syllable over which it is placed is the strongest in the
recitation frequently this is far from the case.
;
Neither does it
mean that this syllable must of necessity be held longer than
others. But it does mean this That the syllable over which it
:

is placed the last before the bar that will bear any stress at
is all..
If this is clearly understood, its usefulness will be apparent.
163. Here is an instance
" Wherewithal shall a
young man cleanse his way."| |

"Young" should be slightly accented, but it must not be so>

strong as "wherewithal," nor as "cleanse," which follows;
neither must it be held longer than " man," but for an exactly
equal time.
" Even
by ruling himself |
after | Thy |
law."
Here "self" a slight accent, but should not be as
will bear
" "
strong as ruling," nor as law," which follows. Again
" With
my whole heart have I sought Thee "
| |
:

" Heart " bears an "

accent, but the principal word is whole,"
which should be still stronger and later, " sought " bears a stress.
;
"
If " heart is rendered more strongly than the other syllables,
the meaning of the thought is entirely changed. The point is-
"
not that the " heart as distinguished from any other member
does the action. What the Psalmist dwells upon is the
"seeking," and that thoroughly (" whole heart"}.
164. What we require, then, may be thus briefly put We want :

more accents, not less. By all means retain the present marks for
their proper use, to guide the singer at the point where the
inflection takes place ; but let us also add the other necessary
accents and emphasis which the sense of the words require.
165. The "accent" then, indicating the last strong syllable
before the bar, should be taken as representing the first semi-
breve before the chant. When it is followed by one or more weak
 44
semibreve should be divided according to the sense
syllables, this
of the words. For rules for such division, the reader is referred
to Sir John Stainer's admirable Introduction to the " Cathedral
Psalter."
166. Middle Words that is, words occurring on notes inter-
mediate between the reciting note and close or half-close. These
need special attention. When in any bar are set two correspond-
ing syllables to the two notes of the chant, there is little
difficulty, though it is important to notice that the first of the
two must always bear an accent, though sometimes only a
weak one, e.g.
*
" With my whole heart |
have I
| sought Thee."
" have " shouldbe light and the emphasis given to
Here,
" When to one note of the music, either the up or
sought."
down beat, are set two syllables, the matter requires more
attention. A badly trained choir will invariably clip the first of
these syllables short and prolong the second. This is just the
opposite to what should be done. Insist that where two syllables
take the place of one, the first should always be longer and
stronger than the second.
167. This applies to a sub-division both of the down beat and
the up beat. Instances
*
" O come let us sing unto the Lord."
| |

Here " un " should be distinctly longer than "to," and " the "
which takes the second beat, being an unimportant syllable, may
be somewhat lessened, so that the three syllables together will
be rendered almost like a triplet. Of course we should not
actually so describe it, but, if done properly, the effect will be
nearly so.
168. A familiar instance of two syllables on the up beat is
*
" and
Glory be to the Father |
to the |
Son."

"This is more difficult to get rendered correctly but the teacher ;

should insist on the distinctness of both syllables, and that the

first should be slightly longer than the second.

169. When three syllables occur to one note, the same

principle applies. Here the lengthening of the musical note
must be apparent e.g., trisyllables such as " vanity," "multitude,"
" "
are set in this way and should be " spread out," taken
verily
.as an even triplet, with the stress on the first syllable.

170. All this applies to endings; but when two syllables are
here set to the last note, they divide the time of a semibreve;
not, as in other cases, that of a minim so that, according to our
;

rule, the semibreve will become two minims, with the accent, as
(before, invariably on the first syllable, e.g.
*
" With whole heart have
my |
I
| sought Thee."
 45

Here obviously the first takes the accent and slightly more thai*
half the semibreve yet one frequently hears such a rendering as
;
;

sought Thee : . . .

t r
the absurdity of which is apparent when written down.

171. Three syllables should as a rule be rendered as a triplet,

four syllables as a quadruplet, on the same plan.
172. This question of endings in chanting is one of the most
important to observe, and one with respect to which lack of
intelligence is most frequently displayed.
173. To sum up, we will take some complete sentences, and
apply to them what has been said. The sentences will be written,
out in full, just as they should be sung.
>- Represents a light syllable.
an accent.
'/

= an emphasis.
/

(a) come, let us sing un - to the Lord :

(b) let us heart-i- ly re-joice in the strength of our sal - va - tion.

(c) Let us come be-fore His pre-sence with thanks -

giv ing :

and shew our- selves glad in Him with Psalms.

^4_i
t-*
i

m E
*d-

is the Lord our God :

(f) and we are the peo-ple of His pas-lure, dnd the sheep of His hand..
(g) In His hand are all the cor - ners of earth
^J

and the strength of the hills is His al - so.

>(j) Glo -
ry be to the Fa -
ther, and to the Son

and to the Ho -
ly Ghost ;

As it was in thebe- gin-ning. is now, and ev - er shall be:

(>n) world without end. . . A men

174. The length of time occupied in singing any sentence

should depend upon the number of words it contains. All syllables
before the accent should be reckoned up mentally into so many
bars, and these bars taken at exactly the same pace as the
inflected portion of the chant. This is nothing new. In the
old days of Gregorian chant a separate note was invariably set
to every syllable of a sentence, thus clearly showing the relative
pace of the whole. This plan was dropped with the gradual
introduction of the modern Anglican chant, in consequence of the
complications that would have arisen from the necessity of
indicating a separate note for every part of the harmony. But
the Anglican chant is the legitimate descendant of the Gregorian
tone, and the proper method of chanting is precisely the same in
both.
A
great deal of unnecessary pains have been taken to
175.
show an imaginary difference between the two, sometimes to the
disparagement of the latter. One writer argues that in the
Anglican chant a stress should fall on the last note another, that ;
 47
this should occur in the penultimate bar. Both are right, and
both are wrong. The stress and accent should follow the sense
of the words if the last syllable of the sentence be an emphatic
;

one, it should be so rendered and, if not, it should be sung

;

lightly. Everywhere intelligence and common sense should be

the guide as regards accent and emphasis, the words must
;

lead, the music following. Whenever this is not so, the render-
ing is incorrect.
To teach a choir, it is not necessary that the whole
176.
sentence should be written out with musical notes, as in the
examples. These have been given merely as a guide to the
teacher. Supposing this plan were adopted, it might help in
cases of dulness or insufficient practice but it is far better to
;

rely upon the mental power of the singers themselves, and when,
through this, a really good interpretation has been attained, the
necessity of constantly considering the meaning of the words
will throw life and reality into the singing, otherwise unattainable.
177. In practising the Psalms, the process in the mind of the
trainer should be as follows :

(1) Good tone

production.
(2) Evenness of pace throughout a sentence.
(3) The addition of emphasis when required.
(4) The subtraction of accents when not required.
(5) Graduation of tone, soft and loud which is, however, a
;

matter of little importance compared with the foregoing vital

points.
178. To one
not accustomed to teaching in such a way, this
method sound complicated and difficult but when
will possibly ;

put into actual practice the difficulties are much less than might
be supposed. In most sentences of the Psalms, when it is made
clear that the meaning and natural accent of the words are thi
one thing to be considered, a moment's thought will show what
the correct rendering will be in the rare cases when any doubt
;

can arise the choirmaster will have to decide, and himself first
sing the phrase in question in the manner he feels best, the choir
repeating it after him.
179. Let the teacher himself feel, and then endeavour to
impress upon his pupils the beauty and dignity of the Psalms,
and how great a privilege it is to have the opportunity of inter-
preting such glorious poetry. How every word should be
treated with reverence and awe how every sentence contains
;

some golden thought, which we should be wiser and better for

making our own. If teacher and learner alike regard the
Psalms in this way, no trouble will seem too great to give them
a true rendering. The labour thus spent will' be a joy, and its
fruits a great reward.*

* The foregoing remarks upon chanting apply equally to the Confession in

the Communion Service, as set in Stainer's " Marbeck," which is really a kind
of irregular chant.
 43
180. In respect to antiphonal singing, we strongly recommend
the use of the half-verse arrangement. There is every argument
in its favour. As a rule, it assists immensely in bringing out the
structure of the poetry, and in the great majority of Psalms it is
obviously intended to be employed. It also makes good chanting
much easier to attain, as with it in use each side has always just
as much to sing as can conveniently be taken in one breath.
Then follows a pause for replenishing, and so a brightness and
vigour can be insured, which, with a whole long verse to sing in
one breath, is hardly possible.
1 8 1. Whatever plan be let any one
adopted, enforce this rule
side take a full breath while the other side are singing their last
bar ; not wait until they have finished. If this rule be carefully
followed, no unpleasant break need ever occur.
182. As regards the structure of the Psalms, and the way irt
which chants should be set to them in accordance with the
structure of the poetry and the spirit of the words, there is no-
"
better guide than Westcott's Paragraph Psalter."

4-

ANTHEMS AND SERVICES.

183. All that we have said under the heading of Hymns-
applies to the practice of these, and if the Hymn has been
thoroughly studied, the Anthem ought to give little trouble.
184. Two new points may be noticed
" leads " in
(a) The contrapuntal music.
(b) Pauses.

185. In all chorus singing, a good start and a good finish are-
half the battle. Take the greatest care that when any part
enters alone, its first note shall be firm and decided, without the
slightest hesitation. Insist that every singer of a part shall
sing his first note at the proper time. When the note is a
difficult one to take, you may help the singers in two ways :
either point out some other part that has the same note in a
different octave which may be listened for, or else stop and let
the singers sing their own first note clearly and decidedly, and,
when they have well heard and felt its pitch, go back a bar
or more, pointing out how many beats there will be before the
lead. Then, if the fact that the singers have heard their note
with their own voices will instinctively guide them in returning"
to it, the difficulty is reduced to a matter of time only, which, if
the beatingis being rigidly enforced, will be soon overcome.
186. Pauses. It is to be hoped that the day is approaching:
when all indefinite pauses in vocal music will be abolished,
 49

and the exact length that the composer requires for any given
note clearly indicated. Whenconductor beats time the
a
difficulty is not so much felt, though even then it would be
much better to know exactly what is expected than to be left
to the taste and caprice of each individual conductor. But when
no conductor is present, there ensues a state of " confusion worse
confounded." No one knows exactly how long the pause note
is to be held and therefore no one is to blame and the pause
;

coming as it does so often as the final note of a piece, just

when we want complete unanimity and decision we get the
very opposite.
187. The only remedy, since composers continue to write
indefinitely in this go over
respect, is for the choirmaster to
the music carefully, and, having decided for how many beats any
particular pause-note should, in his opinion, be held, to have
that number clearly marked in each copy, and see that it is
observed.

5-

READING AT SIGHT AND LEARNING NEW MUSIC.

188. Sight reading is the power of mentally picturing the
musical sounds represented by written notes, and of promptly
reproducing these sounds. It is only acquired by practice,
constant repetition, and unwearied attention to small details.
189. In teaching boys to read at sight, the main points to
consider are
(1) Pitch.
(2) Duration.

190. Under the first heading, it is necessary for the sake of

clearness to teach the names of the lines and spaces and the
names of the various intervals though the mere name of a
;

thing is only a small matter it is its meaning that is important.

:

It is not necessary to say anything about the theoretical nature

of intervals, but only to point out that from any line or space to
the next adjacent space or line is called a second ; from any line
to the next line, and from any space to the next space a third, &c.
Then refer to the vocal exercises, and show that all scales are
composed of seconds; that the first two steps of an arpeggio of
the common chord are thirds, the final step a fourth that from ;

the first to the third note of the same is a fifth, from the second
to the fourth a sixth. The octave will be constantly recurring.
191. If these figures are by incessant practice imprinted upon
the mind, it ought not to be a matter of any difficulty to repro-
duce them when appearing in other surroundings.
 50

192. There is no need when teaching boys to speak of minor

and major, perfect and imperfect intervals. When the music is
diatonic, it win naturally be sung correctly when chromatic, the
;

only needful thing is a clear understanding of the accidentals.

The $ raises.
The I? lowers.
The t]
restores.

Refer often to this simple formula, and the boys will take pleasure
in applying it to the work they are doing.
193. As to the second head, the names and value of the notes
must be learnt but the one important thing to grasp is that
;

every bar will occupy the same time in singing, whether it

contains few or many notes. If, then, the beginning of every bar
be made certain through time beating, the difficulties will be
much lessened by enabling a general outline of the rhythm to be
gained almost at once, into which the details can be filled by
degrees.
194. In learning new music it is well to have a definite plan
before starting, and the following will be found helpful :

First, go right through the piece with the help of the pianoforte,
and secure a general idea of the time and style of the whole.
Secondly, commence again at the beginning, and go on until a
difficulty arises ; stop here and learn this difficult part, then take
a few bars back, and fit in the fragment so learnt with its sur-
roundings. If it should be a florid passage, take it slowly and
secure perfect accuracy for every note; if it rises and falls again,
take the highest note first, and when the production of that is
perfect, add the rest. When the difficulty lies in the intervals,
select the worst faults again. The least accurate note should be
first aimed at. When that comes with ease, its fellows will
soon join it. Lastly, turn to expression to small details of
;

finish ;
to gradation of tone accents emphasis, and the various
; ;

other points already noticed in this work.

195. In the beginning, do not worry over small points until a
general idea of the whole has been clearly grasped. When first
commencing a new piece, it is a great mistake to keep stopping.
Such a plan only disheartens a choir and retards progress.
Think how a building is erected

(1) The foundation is laid.

(2) The structure is built up.
(3) The ornaments are added.
On such lines teach new music
(1) Consider pace and general outline.
(2) Accuracy of notes.
(3) Finish of phrasing and expression.

So will a true, firm, artistic result be gained.

 1
5

196. No expression is of any avail without accuracy. No

accuracy is complete without expression. The two may be
taken as representing the masculine and feminine elements in
musical performance, neither sufficient without the other. The
two combined forming one perfect whole. The union of Strength
and Elegance. The union of Truth and Beauty.

6.

CHOIR PRACTICES AS A WHOLE.

197. According to the plan we recommend, there will be three
types of practice :

(1) For Boys only.

(2) For Men only.
(3) Full.

198. The course of study at the first may be as follows.

Commence with a series of vocal exercises, as described then ;

take the Hymns; after they are finished, return to vocal exercises
for afew minutes. Then proceed with the Psalms following ;

with Services, Anthems, and other work but between each

;

division insert some vocal exercise of short duration. When

properly taught, boys can sing for an immense time without
fatigue. The length of the practice will depend to a great
extent on the time at the disposal of the choirmaster, but from
an hour to an hour and a half can be well filled in as a rule.
Keep the boys lively, but do not allow chatting or inattention.
Ask questions frequently. Let them see that you depend on
their intelligence, and that without brains no singing is of any
use. Whenever anything goes wrong, ask a boy to explain the
error, and only when the answer fails in accuracy correct it
yourself. It is remarkable how many boys will be found to

possess the sense of absolute pitch. Test this frequently during

the singing of vocal exercises. At any particular moment pause
and ask what was the last note sung. Very often the answer
will be quite correct, and the habit of being thus on the alert to
name any sound will be of great importance in acquiring those
powers which are the essence of sight reading seeing with the
:

ear and hearing with the eye.

199. For Men only. Practise all the music just as with the
boys. Do not omit small things. Give most attention to the
Hymns and Psalms, remembering that no choir able to render
these really well is likely to do badly with an Anthem. With a
weak choir, try each part separately with an efficient one this
;

will not always be necessary; but in any case, whenever an

 52

uncertainty occurs, practise each part alone. Sometimes it is a

help to add one part after another, thus

(1) Bass alone.

(2) Bass and Tenor.
(3) Bass, Tenor, and Alto.

At the men's practice, make all the music note-perfect.

Questions of expression may be sometimes left for the full
practice, but it should not then be needful to learn the notes.
200. Full Practices. As already stated, these should be
regarded as a summing up of the others. It should not be
necessary to learn any parts at the full practice the points to
;

consider should be balance of tone, leads, beginnings, endings,

and expression generally. The full practice should be held in
Church, with the choir in their places and the choirmaster in the
centre of the Chancel, with or without a pianoforte. Voice-
training exercises will now be out of place. The choir should
wear their cassocks. Nothing in the shape of joking or
irreverence should be allowed, as the practice should be regarded
as the actual preparation for singing a service.
 BY THE SAME AUTHOR.

"VOICE PRODUCTION
IN

CHOIR TRAINING."
A PAPER READ IN THE ALBERT HALL AT THE
CHURCH CONGRKSS, 1899.

PRICE SIXPENCE,
\

To be obtained of

The DEAN'S VERGER, S. SAVIOUR'S COLLEGIATE CHURCH, S.E.

ALSO

Communion &*rime in C,
FOR FEMALE VOICES.

PRICE ONE SHILLING.

LONDON :

THE VINCENT MUSIC COMPANY, LIMITED.

9, BERNERS STREET, W.
 HARMONY :

DIATONIC AND CHROMATIC,

BY

CHARLES VINCENT, Mus. Doc., Oxon.

Bound in Cloth, price js. net.

THE Author bases his System on the Diatonic, Chromatic and

Enharmonic Scales, and discards altogether the so called " Root
" The Scale interval
Theory," his definition of "Root" being
upon which the identity of a chord depends."
The student is here taught to compose his own basses and
hannonize simple diatonic melodies from the very first.
Elementary form is also considered, and much practical infor-
mation given on the subjects treated.
There are Thirty Chapters :

I. Chords of the Major Scale.

II. Writing a Bass Part.
III. Progression of Parts.
IV. Adding a Treble Part to a given Bass.
V. Adding Inner Parts.
VI.
Sequences.
VII. Wnting in Four Parts.
VIII. Accents, Rhythm, Cadences, and Elementary
Form.
IX. Chords from the Minor Scale.
X. Harmonization of Diatonic Melodies.
XI. Suspensions.
XII. Passing Notes.
XIII-XV. Inversions.
XVI-XX. Chords of the Seventh.
XXI-XXIV. Chromatic Chords.
XXV. Chord of the Dominant Ninth.
XXVI. Modulation.
XXVII. Chords of the Diminished Seventh.
XXVIII. Free Resolution of Discords.
XXIX. Pedal Point.
XXX. Harmonization of Melodies, and the Addition
of Simple Accompaniments.

LONDON :

THE VINCENT MUSIC CO. LTD., 9, BERNERS STREET, W

Rudiments of Musical Knowledge,
BY

CHARLES W. PEARCE,
Mus. D., Cantab., F.R.G.O.

Bound in Cloth, price Is. net.

HIS Primer is a text book of the rudiments of musical

knowledge, and should prove of the utmost value to all
students in practical and theoretical music.

The language is clear and concise, and the information

contained is thoroughly modern.

be found most valuable for those who may be pre-

It will

paring one of the various paper-work examinations in

for

rudimentary musical knowledge, or who may be desirous of

being able to answer fluently the viva voce questions put by
the examiners in practical subjects, such as pianoforte and
"iolin playing, singing, &c.

Aseparate chapter is devoted to the complete consideration

of each special branch of information such as pitch-names and
places, sharps and flats, rests, time-duration, scales, &c., &c.,
instead of grading and combining these different subjects into
somany progressive lessons. A teacher will know quite easily
how much of any particular chapter can be omitted at first,
and be afterwards studied as the need for this knowledge
makes itself felL

At the end of the book are 150 Questions and Exercises,

.arranged in chapters to correspond with the chapters in the
book, these will be found most valuable.

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THE VINCENT MUSIC COMPANY, LIMITED,

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 OQusiG SBXIP Boo^s.

i. d.
ELEMENTARY EAR-TRAINING ... Dr. Fred. G. Shinn 2 o
TONALITY AND ROOTS Dr. A. J. Greenish i 6
STUDENTS' COUNTERPOINT Dr. Charles W. Pearce 2 o
COMPOSERS' COUNTERPOINT
HINTS TO SINGERS
...

R. White, Mus. Doc,

,, ,,20
o 3
SCORING FOR AN ORCHESTRA ... Dr. Charles Vincent i 6
THE READING OF Music ... M. E. P. Zeper i 6>
MUSICAL MEMORY AND ITS
CULTIVATION ^. Dr. Fred. G. Shinn 2 6
ON ORGAN PLAYING ... Arthur Page, F.R.C.O. 2 o
VOICE CULTURE ... ... ... Guido Porpora 3 o
COMBINED RHYTHMS ... ... ... R. 1. Rowe o 8
MANUAL OF SIGHT-SINGING ... Dr. F. y. Sawyer i o
t M ,, PART II i a
GRADED SCHOOL SONG-BOOK ... Dr. F. y. Sawytr
Designed for use with the Manual of Sight-Singing.
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Ten Parts each o 2
NEW-CENTURY PIANOFORTE METHOD Dr. C. Vincent 2 o>
THE FINGERING OF ARPEGGIOS, S. Myerscough, Mus. B. i 6-
FORM IN Music y. Humfrey Anger 3 o
HARMONY, DIATONIC AND CHROMATIC Dr. C. Vincent 3 o-
RUDIMENTS OF MUSIC FOR CHOIRS AND
SCHOOLS Harvey Lohr o 6
RUDIMENTS OF MUSICAL KNOWLEDGE Dr. C. IV. Pearce i o-
HANDBOOK OF THE TECHNIQUK AND THE
STUDY OF PIANOFORTE PLAYING Lillie Wagstaff
ON MENDELSSOHN'S ORGAN SONATAS, Dr. C. W. Pearce
How WE HEAR, A TREATISE ON SOUND F. C. Baker
SCHOOL OF ARPEGGIO FINGERING ... A Myerscough
SCALES AND ARPEGGIOS ... S. Midgley .

THE ART OF VIOLIN BOWING... ... Paul Stoeving

CHOIR TRAINING BASED ON VOICE
PRODUCTION A. Madeley Richardson 2 6

To be continued.

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