Books › Musical Courier 1927-11-10: Vol 95 Iss 19, 1927 › scan 48
Scan 48
Musical Courier 1927-11-10: Vol 95 Iss 19, 1927
104 lines. Read by computer on 29 September 2026. Printed page 49. See the scan on archive.org.
A town on its own line is one of the directory's headings. That is where the town on a maker's page comes from.
1November 10, 1927
3QUESTIONS ABOUT VIOLIN STUDY ANSWERED
4By Leon Sametini
6Leon Sametini, distinguished violinist, pedagog and teacher at the Chicago Musical College, has been secured by the MUSICAL COURIER to conduct this department and will answer questions pertaining to violin study. Teachers and students may address Mr. Sametini at 830 Orchestra Building, Chicago. Mr. Sametini's time is so well occupied at the Chicago Musical College that he will only be able to answer a certain number of questions—naturally the most important—each week.
8Q.—When ascending to the higher positions I find constant difficulty in playing octaves in tune. Is there some way to overcome this?—W. K.
10A.—It seems to me very likely that you have a wide hand, and that, therefore, the distance between the first and fourth fingers is a large one. Since all intervals or distances diminish when ascending, violinists with wide hands consequently have much more difficulty in getting the first and fourth fingers closer to each other in the higher positions. It is, therefore, advisable to raise or lift the second and third fingers considerably, thus enabling the first and fourth fingers gradually to get closer, instead of dropping the second and third fingers below the fingerboard. Another reason why octaves are often out of tune is because the student does not seem to concentrate sufficiently on the first finger, which always moves, whether ascending or descending, a fraction more than the fourth. The lower the tone the larger the distance.
12Q.—What is the cause of pulling the strings when placing the fingers? Some of my pupils have this habit and although I have told them not to do this they do not seem to lose their bad habit.—K. C.
14A.—Pulling the string is a bad habit which originates from holding the elbow too far under the violin. The beginner who has never had any instruction is inclined to keep the elbow turned away from the instrument, which, of course, is decidedly bad. When starting to study with a so-called "good teacher" the latter will immediately tell the pupil to turn the elbow under the violin to the extent of going to the other extreme which is nearly as bad. Now that the elbow is far under the violin so that the pupil when playing can "see" the elbow, the fingers will drop beyond instead of on the string. In other words, when the fingers have to be placed on the D string, for example, they will fall or drop almost between the D and G string instead, which means on the fingerboard rather than on the string. Especially when the fingers have to be sustained the pupil naturally pulls the string. You will find this fault among pupils generally on the D and G strings. Another thing which the pupils should be taught is that not only the right arm moves up or down according to the string we play on, but that the left arm or elbow moves right and left, although very little.
16"TO SING OR NOT TO SING"
17(Continued from page 42)
18on short humming exercises and gradually passes to more sustained ones. Special humming exercises and exercises on consonants for the development of resonance are given in another chapter.
20THE BENEFITS OF HUMMING
21Humming acts as a gentle massage upon the vocal apparatus and will often remove the feeling of roughness and congestion caused by dampness in the air, smoke or any slight irritation in the throat caused by talking or singing excessively. The singer will find the exercises with the nasal consonants ending with "T," such as "mi-ni-at," "ma-ni-at," etc., most most valuable in establishing resonance and strengthening the breathing muscles. The object of these exercises ending with the consonant "T," is to induce deep breathing and to create involuntary correct adjustment of the diaphragmatic abdominal muscles. This act of releasing the breath after the sound expires and the intake of the breath, was explained in the previous chapter.
23THE EXERCISE "OOT"
24The short humming exercises involved very little effort of sustained breathing and in order to concentrate the pupil's attention on the sensation of resonance he should not think of breath. As soon as he acquires the sensation of resonance, short sustained notes are given and his attention thereby is directed to the breath. The first short sustained exercise given to the pupil is on "oot."
26Before proceeding with short sustained notes, the attacks of the tone should be explained to the pupil. Each time he proceeds to sing the exercise, he first exhales on "oot" several times, evenly and steadily. Then he pronounces it several times and notes the natural position of the lips in a pout-like shape. When he learns the natural flexible position of the lips and acquires a state of looseness in the throat, he begins with a sustained emission of the tone without pushing the breath at the attack, and then gently reinforcing the breath pressure, he brings the tone on the lips and in the head. In the beginning, the lips will quiver, but with practice the difficulty will be overcome and they will attain any desired shape and elasticity.
28The object of the "oot" exercise is to give the pupil an understanding of resonance and conscious natural control of the larynx, which descends during the sound emission and gives him an automatic control of the action of the diaphragmatic abdominal muscles. These muscles set themselves into a correct position for the next attack after the intake of breath.
30When he finishes the "oot" sound the pupil is called upon to analyze the vibrating tone in the resonators—the head, the mouth and on the lips. The consonant "T," given audibly in these exercises is for exercises only and is to strengthen the breathing muscles and train them to work automatically.
32One often hears among singers even of fame, this way of letting out the breath at the end of a word giving a sound like a grunt, which is offensive to a trained ear.
33(To be continued in a later issue—The Editor.)
35Hilsberg Opens Philadelphia Studio
36Ignace Hilsberg, Polish pianist, who has lived in America for several years, and has a New York studio as well as being engaged at the Institute of Musical Art, has now opened a studio in Philadelphia. Mr. Hilsberg will be in Philadelphia on Thursdays. This fine pianist gives his first New York recital of this season at the Engineering Auditorium on November 21.
38Jeanne Laval Busy
39Jeanne Laval, contralto, sang in Montclair, N. J., November 6, and will broadcast over WJZ on November 25.
41OPPORTUNITIES
42WANTED—Sopranos and Contraltos for small vocal ensemble. Only young and attractive ladies need apply. Auditions 2 o'clock Thursday and Friday. Studio 810 Steinway Hall, New York.
44STUDENTS—The Arrighi Singers offer opportunity to a few ambitions students to earn part tuition fee by broadcasting. 2025 Broadway, New York. Telephone Endicott 0554.
46STEINWAY HALL—large, beautifully furnished studio with concert grand piano, very reasonable. Available for teaching, rehearsing or practising, Monday, Thursday and Saturday evenings or any part of Sunday. Sublet a few hours and gain the standing of possession. Phone Raymond 6795.
48The Vanderbilt Studios of New York
49Mrs. Mabel Duble-Scheele, Proprietor
5015 East 9th St., 13-15 East 38th St.
51Apply 15 East 38th Street
52Resident, non-resident studios, with or without bath.
53Furnished studios with piano for summer sub-let.
54Piano studios rented by the hour.
55Telephones: Lexington 8998 and 10125
56VANDERBILT STUDIOS INN
57At 13 East 38th Street
58Excellent food at moderate prices
60MME. LILLIAN CROXTON
61COLORATURA SOPRANO
62Mgt. Lillian Croxton, Hotel Hamilton, West 73d Street, New York City
64ALICE HACKETT
65In Musical Interpretations for Children and Musical Pictures for Women's Clubs
661510 3rd Ave., N. Fort Dodge, Ia.
68OPENING THE AMERICAN BRANCH OF THE RENOWNED MODERN INSTITUTE OF VIOLIN
69PARIS, FRANCE
70AMERICAN BRANCH
71Temporary studios (Apartment 1207)
72EITEL HOTEL, 900 Cass Street, Chicago
73MASTER CLASSES:
74S. JOACHIM—CHAIGNEAU
75Telephone Superior 4568
76PROFESSORS:
77MICHEL WILKOMIRSKI
78GEORGES SZPINALSKI
79EDGAR BOLOGNINI
80ASSISTANT:
81PHYLIS FRINGOLD
82PREPARATORY DEPARTMENT:
83LOUISE SILBER
85HAROLD BRYSON
86TEACHER OF SINGING
87151 W. 57th St.
88New York
89Phone: Circle 6151
91Mme. LAURA E. MORRILL
92Teacher of singing in all its branches
93New York—132 West 72nd Street
94Friday and Saturday
95Interviews only by appointment
96Boston—84 Fenway
97Remainder of week
99AVAILABLE FOR YOUR FRANZ SCHUBERT CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION 1828-1928
100"Der Wanderer" SUNG BY FRANK J. ELLER BARITONE
101A NEW CYCLE OF FAMOUS SONGS OF CARL SCHLEGEL BARITONE, FORMERLY WITH FRANZ SCHUBERT ALSO ADAPTED TO SCENIC SETTING METROPOLITAN OPERA CO.
102By FRANK J. ELLER
103For Dates Communicate with Management of "DER WANDERER," Box 3, Pratt Station, Brooklyn, N. Y.
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