Secondly, to the trivial style of embellishments
introduced by singers.
A celebrated singer thought nothing of refusing to sing an air in an opera if it did not show off his voice to the best advantage. He would then induce the composer to write some bare trivial air to replace the one rejected, and was quite pleased so long as it served as an excuse for the introduction of countless and wonderful embellishments, as a rule entirely out of keeping with the dramatic situation and style of the composer. Few composers possessed the backbone of old Handel, who, as we know, promptly informed the rebellious prima donna that if she did not sing his melody as he had written it, he would pitch her out of the window. Frederick the Great also refused to tolerate any of this nonsense in his theatre. He generally stood behind the conductor and looked over his shoulder. If any unfortunate singer exer- cised his imagination a little, the king promptly stopped the performance and administered a sharp reprimand to the delinquent. The singer, strange to say, did not appreciate this beneficent drilling, the consequence being that we read of midnight flights from the opera-house at Berlin. Naturally this wholesale introduction of embellish- ments disgusted composers and artists of taste and education, and made them lose all sympathy with the florid style. Instead of guarding against its abuse, they were in favour of its total suppression. Yet surely there are situations in an opera, oratorio, or cantata where florid music would not only be legitimate, but proper. The Italian composers, although justly considered the chief offenders, could not maintain that they were following the principles of the great Italian Schools. The cardinal rule of these schools was 'expression the great object of study, embellishments to be valued only as the means of expression. There is a charming anecdote told of Farinelli, the most renowned singer of jiis time. When still a young man, he was invited to sing before the Emperor Charles, a true judge of good singing. The Emperor was astonished at the power and flexibility of his voice, and at the wonder- ful vocal feats he executed, but remarked to him afterwards, 'Remember, if you wish to reach the heart, you must take a plainer and a simpler course.' Farinelli had the good sense to take the advice, and, according to contemporary accounts, was simple and pathetic as well as grand and powerful. Thirdlij, the neglect of florid vocal music might be ascribed to the insuflicient training of present- day vocalists. In this connection it will be interesting to com- pare the routine of some of the old Italian Schools with the system pursued at present. The following is the routine of the Mazocchi School, as given by Bontempi in his Historia Mtmca : — ■ One hour to singing difficult passages, one hour to practising shake, one hour to feats of agility, one hour to Yocal exercises under a master, one hour to the study of letters. In the afternoon, an hour to study of letters, half an hour to the theory of sing- ing, half an hour to counterpoint, one hour to rules of composition, the rest of the day to practis- ing harpsichord or to composition. A^^lat would the majority of modern aspirants for vocal fame say if a similar course of study were suggested to them. As very little stress is now laid on flexibility of voice, many vocalists, after two or three years' desultory training, think they can sing a legato melody very well, and should a few scale passages happen to cross their path, why, they can manage to scramble through them. That this is no exaggeration any candid master will admit. How many singers do we hear either on the concert platform or in the drawing-room who are able to sing a scale passage smoothly and correctly. Our amateur singers of com-se cannot be expected to give so much time as professionals to practising, yet if they would only be less eager for songs and more jealous in practising exercises and acquiring flexibility of voice, they would find themselves amply rewarded by increased ease in singing. A slow and progressive method of tuition is the only one calculated to produce excellence.
It is therefore in what the writer believes to be the best interests of good singing that he ventures to make this plea for a little more attention to florid vocal writing. Let our composers cease to neglect it, and vocalists will be obliged to study more, much to the benefit of their voices and to the advantage of the musical public. Many of our young com- posers are so anxious to give a definite musical colouring to the words, that they seem to forget they are not writing for an artificial instrument but for the human voice, the consequence being, that few singers are able to do justice to the composer's creation, no matter how innately musically beautiful it may be.
There is every sign that a glorious era is opening for British music, when our composers will exercise much influence abroad as well as at home. Let them, by the careful study of the masterpieces of vocal writing of the old Italian masters — the Scarlatti, Stradella, Lotti, Calvara, Pergolesi and Piccini — regain the secret of writing for the voice, which almost seems a lost art ; they will then have the pleasure of hearing their own works well rendered, and they will earn the cordial gratitude of all true lover's of il bel canto. S. W,
