ch Devonshire
cream,' was afflicted, but usually free from the vice. Clara Novello
was greatly admired because she indulged in it with such
discrimination, and Campanini, entirely free from the fault, was
greeted with enthusiastic pleasure whenever he appeared. (The present
writer heard Campanini in 1858, and he was one of the grandest man
singers I ever heard. Stigelli was also one of the same style of
singers at that time and I heard them both in grand opera and there
was never a tremolo in either of their voices but perfect art in messa
di voce, Bel Canto singing.) Another reference to Mr. Henderson will
show that the weed still flourishes. Almost every singer of today
tries from the beginning to acquire an habitual vibrato, (the present
writer infers that Mr. Henderson does not use 'vibrato' with the
Italian meaning messa di voce) to be used at all times without regard
to fitness. Some of our singers have cultivated the trick, they have
developed it into a perpetual tremolo. He thinks it would be
interesting to know what Porpora, or Fedi, would have thought of a
twentieth century tremolo, especially when introduced in an aria by
Carissimi.

"It seems that the tremolo came into general use as an imitation of
the so-called 'musical sob' of Rubini, which he used to express
certain phases of emotion and excitement, and then it was cultivated
by those whose tastes were lowered or having a desire to acquire more
power than their organ was capable of safely obtaining or to conceal
under the claim of artistic and real expression, the decay of their
singing voice.

"Emma Seiler (voice in singing) has this to say: 'Unhappily our whole
music is vitiated by this sickly sentimentalism, the perfect horror of
every person of cultivated taste. This sickly sentimental style has
also naturalized in singing a gross trick unfortunately very
prevalent, the tremolo of the notes.' In a letter to Dr. S.B. Matthews
(Music 1900), L.G. Gottschalk so succinctly gives his opinion as to
leave no doubt as to his position on the subject: 'Tremolo of the
voice is the result of either of the three following causes--diseased
vocal organs, old age, or defective breathing, and as such has no
excuse for its existence.' This is in agreement with Madam Marchesi in
answer to a question in regard to the tremolo. 'The continued vibrato
is the worst defect in singing and is a certain sign that a voice has
been forced and spoiled. It is the result of the re