‘A gallery of French tenor singers would not be the least edifying chamber in the Pantheon of Art. Few traces would be there found, it is...

‘During my sojourn in the Holy City, I often went to hear the choir of the Sistine Chapel, which was at that time under the direction of...

How to sing the words under the notes Final lesson Before the beginning singer commences [singing] the words, several conditions must...

‘Rubini appeared, raised his eyes to heaven, extended his arms, planted himself firmly on his calves, inflated his breast, opened his...

‘The chief exercise of the chest and vocal organs is “vociferation”, which is singing, reading, or crying [loud shouting], which has the...

‘There are those whose habit it is to lead songs with unsightly gestures, thinking that they know distinguished customs and a special...

‘The Voice of a Singer is not more strictly ty’d to Time and Tune, than that of an Actor in Theatrical Elocution: The least Syllable too...

‘Our quarrel with excess of tremolo is twofold. When passion is simulated by tremor, it is forgotten that an Englishman, when he is...

'It cannot be too clearly understood at the outset that the voice is generated solely in the larynx. It is necessary to insist on this...

‘Although our declamation cannot be notated, it seems to me that one might be able to preserve it in some way. It would be sufficient if...

‘The Music, lovely science, awakens the spirits and comforts people. There is nothing as sweet as hearing different voices intoned...

‘Many great lovers of Singing are discouraged from Learning for want of a good Voice; which by experience I know they ought not to be,...

‘There is a type of passionate delivery of speech that stands midway between actual song and common declamation. It occurs, like song, in...

Verse makes Heroick Vertue live, But you can life to Verses give: As when in open aire we blow The breath (though strain'd) sounds flat...

‘Reasons briefly set down by the author, to persuade everyone to learn to sing First, it is a knowledge easily taught, and quickly...

[pp. 44-45] 'No historical method mentions this type of voice [the voix sombrée] ; it is only since Gilbert Duprez's debut that we have...

'Here is another point which beginners should take to heart, and follow as far as they are able. Try to avoid over-anxiety. Students...

‘Turn into a town Church, for instance, and what does one hear? Fifty charity children squalling their little windpipes to pieces in...

Relax, Maestro, put your baton down; Only the fogiest of the old will frown If you the trials of the Prince prorogue To let Sarastro...

Sunday, July 22… It was by far the best singing, in every respect, that I had heard since my arrival in Italy; where there is so much,...