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From the music studio .
Conducted by Albert Gerard-Thiers.
This is a department of questions and answers, through which music lovers
and students of music may be brought in contact with one of the foremost
teachers in the South. Any one interested in music, either vocal or in
strumental, may submit questions to Mr. Gerard-Thiers. The only require
ments are that they be concise, written in good faith and signed by the sender.
They will be answered through this department only, but as promptly as pos
sible and in the order received, the editors reserving the right to select such
as they deem of sufficient importance. All letters should be addressed to Al
bert Gerard-Thiers, care of The Golden Age.
Can One Learn to Sing Without
Temperament?
Can I learn to sing without tempera
ment? I am very fond of music and
have a good voice, but I never feel
what the great artists portray on the
stage. Is that a matter of cultivation
with them, or do they really feel all
that they sing or say? S. G. I.
If you have a good voice and plenty
of brains, which you are not the least
bit lazy about using, you can learn to
sing even if you are devoid of tem
perament. You may never move an
audience to frenzy, but you will be
able to portray emotions. If you were
to portray tears, and really cry, I fear
the effect on your voice of real tears
would be disastrous. The actress or
singer has decided advantages over
the concert artist, as movements,
stage setting, etc., all add to the gen-
“The Georgia Cyclone” in Alabama
Dear Golden Age: Without the genial
editor’s knowledge or permission, I am
sending this little appreciation of his
work among us for your read
ers. I am sure The Golden .Age
will publish it that it may greet his
•eye and mayhap give him a word of
cheer while he is ever in the thick
of the fight for his Master.
And, moreover, we want others to
know what a glorious good time we
had together over here in “Old Ala
bam,” for the Master through the edi
tor’s gracious visit and blessed work
among us.
Fraternally,
T. M. THOMAS, Pastor.
The unique, inimitable and übiqui
tous editor of The Golden Age, Mr.
Will D. Upshaw, author, preacher and
platform lecturer and otherwise known
as “The Georgia Cyclone,” spent ten
days recently in Clio, Ala., holding a
series of gospel meeting at the Bap
tist church.
The entire town and community
eral effect. In the interpretation of
dramatic songs, or in purely dramatic
singing, the temperament of the singer
is no small factor to his success, and
this temperament is an item over
which the individual has merely a sec
ondary control. It is born with him,
the result of racial development, of
heredity, of the many complex laws
which govern the destiny of human
beings. Certainly education may and
does mold and to a certain extent al
ter it, but still the temperament re
mains to tinge and color the atrist’s
work. It is like looking at a beautiful
landscape through colored glasses.
The scene is the same, but the light
upon it varies, as we look through the
cold blue, the enriching yellow, or
warm red. But though this question
of temperament is largely decided for
us, and will always color our work,
still it is possible for us to bear a full
NEWS FROM THE WORKERS
came out en masse to hear this won
derfully eloquent and sweet gospel
preacher unfold the beauties of the
Christ life in such a winning way as
to hold the large audiences enwrapt
from opening sentence to the last fare
well.
A great revival broke out and swept
over the entire town and community.
Many souls were saved, large num
bers were converted from the careless,
indifferent life and consecrated them
selves anew to the Master’s service.
And all who heard this consecrated
man of God gained a larger vision of
the realities of spiritual and divine
things and were constrained to lay
hold of the beauties of the larger and
unselfish life.
The pastor has been in meetings
with some of the leading evangelists of
the age ,such as Munhall, Sam Jones,
Len G. Broughton and George Truitt,
but never yet has he seen a meeting
get such a hold upon the hearts of the
people.
Strong men broke down under the
powerful preaching, the persuasive elo
quence, the touching and irresistible
appeals of this matchless and lovable
brother, and came forward and pledged
THE GOLDEN AGE FOR JULY 3, 1913
MUSIC DEPARTMENT
and honorable testimony of the com
poser whose work we would interpret.
Never try to sing without an intelli
gent understanding of the text, no
matter what the language. Nowadays
we have very fair translations, and
you must know the story before you
try to tell it to others. It was once
my good fortune (good or bad, the
reader may judge for himself) to hear
a so-called singing master give a les
son. His pupil was attempting a love
song in Italian, without the usual
translation, and naturally the pupil
wanted to know what he was singing
about. The teacher confessed entire
ignorance of the meaning of the words,
but said he knew just how they should
be pronounced, and the correct posi
tion of the throat while he was sing
ing them. Truly a sufficient knowl
edge to rightly interpret a song brim
ming with passion! A song in which
the poet had used words expressive of
the ideas teeming in his brain and in
which the composer had endeavored to
clothe these words in fitting harmo
nies. Let us avoid a like ignorance
for which there is no excuse.
Breathing of Men and Women
Identical.
Is the breathing of men and women
just the same? I am a young teacher
and my women pupils do not hold a
long passage with the same ease as
my men do. Is there any reason?
P. S. T.
The breathing of men and women
should be the same except for the re
striction of the clothing worn by the
women. But a woman who really
cares for the health and development
vocally will see to it that her clothing
is not tight across the lungs and dia
phragm. Select good exercises and
have your pupils practice lengthening
the exercises and add runs and caden-
themselves to a larger service for the
Master, to erect the family altar, go
into partnership with God and give a
tenth of their income henceforth to
his service.
Two of Bro. Upshaw’s well known
and famous lectures were given in the
auditorium of the Barbour County
High School. The first of these, to
ward the close of the meeting, was
given under the auspices of the local
W. C. T. U. This address on prohibi
tion, styled by Bro. Upshaw as “The
very euphonious and aromatic subject,
rattlesnakes, polecats and blind tig
ers,” was one of the greatest on the
subject ever heard in this part of the
country.
It was fitting timely and opportune.
Coming at the close of the meeting
at church, one could not help but read
the inevitable conclusion, that the on
ward flow of the gospel stream sent
out from the churches must absolute
ly and finally sweep away the demon
of the liquor traffic, or else all that
the churches stand for will continue
to receive the blighting and wither
ing curse of the rum god. We can
not help but say that Brother Up
shaw was one of the greatest single
forces in Alabama during the “amend
ment” campaign to help put down the
liquor traffic.
After the close of the meeting, Bro.
Upshaw was persuaded to remain over
zas, etc., until they acquire facility and
breath control.
Abdominal Breathing.
I had( arranged to study with a
teacher, but on my first lesson he told
me that abdominal breathing is the
only proper way to breathe. Is it
synonymous with diaphramatic breath
ing, and shall I proceed? It is so puz
zling to hear so many ways of breath
ing suggested. T. D. K.
Abdominal breathing is in no way
synonymous with diaphramatic, and as
you are a woman it is to be shunned.
The bearing down and pushing out
which are part of this method, cause
no end of trouble in the way of mis
placements, and in time your figure
will be ruined by the enlargement of
the abdomen, which must be the re
sult. To breathe diapragmatically,
keep the chest up and the shoulders
in an easy position. Inflate the lungs
to their utmost as an exercise, and for
increased power, etc., pull the dia
phragm up or in, as you may under
stand it. This places this enormous
strength up against the base of the
lungs and steadies the inflow of air
or breath. As the breath exhausts,
the diaphragm goes up and up, thus
forcing muscularly from below, the
lungs and throat are left free for the
unobstructed emission of tone. Other
wise, as the supply of breath dimin
ishes the throat unconsciously closes
to help retain the breath until the end
of the phrase, with the natural conse
quence of pinched tone and tired
throat, and after much singing much
hoarseness, which lasts for hours, and
the entire loss of the voice after a
few years of such abuse. Do not be
afraid to use the abdomen in the pull
ing in. It can never do you harm, but
never push out.
and deliver his famous lecture on
“John and His Hat” to a large audi
ence in the high school auditorium.
This lecture was a gem of eloquence,
rare wit, human and pathos, on patrio
tic citizenship, clean personal living,
community interest and nation build
ing.
• At the earnest solicitation of the
pastor, Bro. Upshaw was persuaded
to run over to Louisville on Sunday
afternoon and speak to the people
there. A large crowd greeted the
speaker and hung on the gracious
words that fell from his lips with
bated breath.
Now ithat these halcyon days of
golden glory are fled and Bro. Upshaw,
whom our hearts have learned to love
so fondly, is way out west in a meet
ing, yet the sweet fragrance and the
blessed memory of these days will
linger with us till we reach the bliss
ful shore.
We waft a grateful prayer to the
throne and with a heart overflowing
with love we send a hearty word of
good cheer and good wishes to our
brother, beloved, wherever in the prov
idence of God he may go in the glor
ious work he is doing, as our hearts
shall always follow him, as we are
greeted by the weekly visits of the
noble, inspiring and uplifting pages of
The Golden Age.