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8 i illF*^3l* —‘ —sr - ]® —*T r r iSR V~ ) lly 11 "p if >1 j 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.