t birth, in the second verse.
With the emotional change of thought in the last verse, from a travail
and birth in nature to a human soul's struggle and rebirth, the
deepening color which creeps into the tone indicates the entrance of
personal passion. The key does not change. The inflections are still and
straight. The tone simply deepens and glows in the last two lines, as a
prayerful ecstasy possesses the one who reads.

PART III

STUDIES IN VOCAL TECHNIQUE

STUDIES IN VOCAL TECHNIQUE

THE UNINTERRUPTED TONE

When a rich, dramatic temperament seeks for its instrument of expression
the control of faultless technique the result ought to be art of the
highest order. Such is the art of Gracia Ricardo. She has translated her
English name into musical Italian, but does her country the honor to
announce her beautiful voice as an American soprano.

Every tone of Gracia Ricardo's singing voice is as absolutely free from
effort as the repeated note of the hermit thrush's song, and her tone as
pure tone has the effect of that liquid call. But could you freight the
thrush note with knowledge of human passion,--with throb of joy or pulse
of pain, you would get from it the effect of Gracia Ricardo's singing of
a Heine-Schubert song, a Schumann, Brahms, or Franz _lied_, or one of
our English ballads. It must always be a song, for Gracia Ricardo does
not exploit her voice in astonishing vocal feats. She simply _sings her
song_. It was her wish to interpret the _lieder_ of all countries that
sent her in search of a method which would free her voice to that high
use. She found that method, not in her own country, alas, but in
Germany, where for twelve years she has used it in the guidance of her
own voice and that of many others. She finds the American pupil
"difficult," because "You are so impatient of a long, quiet preparation.
You wish to try your skill at every step of the way--and not in the
privacy of your study, but in a public's hearing." Poor American public!
How it has suffered from this _impatience_. It is true, is it not, we
are not willing to take time to establish a right condition for tone
before using the tone in what should be final efforts of the perfected
instrument. _Blessed be drudgery_ has not become a beatitude in the
gospel of the American artist. When it is so recognized by the student
of vocal expression perhaps we can reclaim this great singer and
teacher, Madame Ricardo. This book woul