But music in school brings us to daily tasks in tone. What do we
learn? After the difficulties of reading the notes and making the
voice responsive are somewhat overcome, we study for greater power in
both, the one-, two-, or three-part exercises and songs; the exercises
for skill and the songs to apply the skill, and make us acquainted
with the music of great masters.

In one Talk, one of the first, we spoke of the major scale. It has
eight tones only, and though it has existed for many hundreds of
years, no one has yet dreamed of all the wonderful tone-pictures which
are contained in it. It is out of it that all the great composers have
written their works, and for centuries to come men will find in it
beauties great, and pure, and lasting.

As we sing in school, we are learning to put the major scale to some
use. It calls upon us in the melodies which it expresses, to be
careful that each tone shall be right in length, in pitch, in
loudness, in place. We must sing exactly with the others, not
offensively loud, nor so softly as to be of no service. And this
demands precision of us; and precision demands thought. And if we are
singing to gain a better use of voice we must, in every sound we make,
have our thoughts exactly upon what we are doing. This is
Concentration. If, on the other hand, we are trying our skill on a
song, we shall have, in addition, to be careful to give the right
expression, to sing not only the tones clearly, but the words, to feel
the true sentiment both of the poem and of the music, and to express
from our hearts as much of the meaning of poet and composer as we
understand. All these things are more particularly required of us if
we are singing in parts. The melody must be properly sustained and
must not cover the under parts; while the under parts themselves