make past experience contribute to the joy of the
present is to add abundance to riches.

VIII

HOW TO STUDY A SONG

The accent of truth apparent in the voice when speaking
naturally is the basis of expression in singing.

Garcia. _Hints on Singing_.

First determine the general character of the song. A careful study of
the words will enable the student to find its general classification. It
may be dramatic, narrative, reminiscent, introspective, contemplative,
florid, sentimental.

The following are examples:

Dramatic, _The Erl King_, Schubert.

Narrative, _The Two Grenadiers_, Schumann.

Reminiscent, _Der Doppelgaenger_, Schubert.

Florid, _Indian Bell Song_, from Lakme, Delibes.

Introspective, _In der Fruehe_, Hugo Wolf.

Contemplative, _Feldeinsamkeit_, Brahms.

Songs of sentiment. This includes all songs involving the affections and
the homely virtues.

To these might be added songs of exaltation, such as Beethoven's
"Nature's Adoration." Character songs, in which the singer assumes a
character and expresses its sentiments. A good example of this is "The
Poet's Love" cycle by Schumann. Classifying the song in this way is the
first step toward discovering its atmosphere. There is always one tempo
at which a song sounds best and this tempo must grow out of a thorough
understanding of its character. Metronome marks should be unnecessary.
Intelligent study of a song will unerringly suggest the proper tempo.

Next, study the poem until it creates the mood. Read it, not once, but
many times. Imbibe not only its intellectual but its emotional content.
It is the office of poetry to stimulate the imagination. It is under the
influence of this stimulus that songs are written, and under its
influence they must be sung. Hugo Wolf said that he always studied the
poem until it composed the music. This means that he studied the poem
until he was so filled with its mood that the proper music came of
itself. Fix in mind the principal points in the poem and the order in
which they occur. There usually is development of some kind in a poem.
Learn what it is. Notice which part of the poem contains the great or
central idea. Read it aloud. Determine its natural accent. The singing
phrase grows out of the spoken phrase. Singing is elongated, or
sustained, speech, but it should be none the less intelligent by reason
of this.

Now adapt the words to the music. I