it is asserted that the way in which modern composers write vocal
music is the cause of the evil. Certain it is that in the compositions
of the old Italian masters the voice is studied, and nothing introduced
which is hurtful or disadvantageous. Awkward intervals are avoided, no
fatigue is caused, and everything is eminently _singable_; but the music
is not always expressive of the sense of the words, which were clearly
considered to be of minor importance. With our modern (and especially
with the German) composers, it is just the opposite, their chief aim
being thoroughly to enter, not only into the spirit of their text, but
even into the slightest shade, the minutest detail of it, so as to make
the music, as it were, a translation of their words into a higher kind
of language. What, on the other hand, is possible or impossible for the
voice is, since the time of Beethoven, but rarely considered; many
composers, even the most distinguished ones, having evidently little
knowledge of the most beautiful of instruments, for which they are
nevertheless continually writing.

When one of the greatest living masters introduced the harp into his
works, he wrote for it just as though it were a piano--_i.e._, as though
it were to be played upon with the thumb and four fingers. But it so
happens that on that instrument the fourth finger is never used.
Consequently, when it came to the point harpists could not play that
gentleman's compositions: they had first to re-write them. Here the
composer, of course, was found out immediately, and he or any other man
would have the same fate if he attempted to write for an instrument the
properties of which he did not fully understand. But with the human
voice the case is different. Every musician believes himself to be
competent to write for it, though he may possibly be wholly unacquainted
with its many peculiarities. It is to be feared, therefore, that modern
composers must be held largely responsible for the sad state of affairs
concerning vocal art at the present time, and well might they learn a
lesson from Mozart, who, in spite of his genius, first carefully studied
the human voice, and then wrote for it.

Another explanation of the decline of singing is this, that the gradual
and very considerable rise of pitch during the last 150 years is at the
bottom of all the mischief, as the vocal organ is unable to bear the
strain to which it is subjected. With regard to tenors, however, the