culture, the German comic operas lead immediately to destruction of the
voice, especially of the sensitive, easily injured German tenor voice.

Here I take occasion to remark upon the universal prejudice, that "a
tenor ought to develop the chest-tones as far as possible, that they are
the finest." In tenors, with very few exceptions, this mistaken
treatment has been speedily followed by the loss both of voice and
health. Nicely shaded singing, from _piano_ onwards, is thereby rendered
impossible; and tones which are always forced must remain unpleasant,
even although powers thus laboriously gained may sometimes have a fine
effect in the opera. A tenor who wishes to preserve his voice and not to
scream in the upper tones, who desires always to have a _piano_ at
command and to possess the necessary shading and lightness as well as
elegance and flexibility, should cultivate the _falsetto_, and endeavor
to bring it down as far as possible into the chest-register. This is as
indispensable as is the use of the head-tones for the soprano. When the
_falsetto_ has too striking a resemblance to the chest-voice, and is
even inferior to it in power, it is the result of want of perseverance
and prudence in its cultivation. It ought to be almost imperceptibly
connected with the chest-register by the introduction of the mixed
tones.

* * * * *

We shall probably soon be called upon to read an "Address of Young
Female Singers to the Composers of Germany," as follows: "Freedom of
thought! freedom in composition! freedom in the opera! but no
annihilation of the throat! You are hereby notified that we protest
against all operas which are repugnant to the true art of singing; for
it is not in your power to compensate us for the loss of our voices,