Article November 26, 1932 Issue

Voice and Singing

ROBERT LAWRENCE WEER

FOR many generations men and women have been interested in the study of voice culture and singing. During this period a large number of so-called singing methods have been evolved, hundreds of vocal theories advanced, and a never ending sequence of books written on the subject. Yet in spite of earnest research, intellectual theorizing, and the promotion of singing processes, many of those studying singing become confused, discouraged, and at times doubtful of attaining success.

One student of Christian Science, who had devoted over fifteen years to the study of singing, became utterly discouraged and bewildered by the ever changing and conflicting theories presented for his consideration. He underwent disappointment after disappointment, until success seemed very remote, if not impossible. But one glad day he learned that, as Mrs. Eddy states in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 485), "Science declares that Mind, not matter, sees, hears, feels, speaks," which pointed to the fact that the one true voice is spiritual. This furnished a key which completely revolutionized his previous concept of singing. The unreality of fearful and limiting beliefs was revealed, a material sense of decreasing vocal ability overcome, and a steadily increasing singing ability attained.

Not many years ago the musical world was much disturbed by what was termed "the lost vocal art." This confusion of thought was the direct result of widespread research, conducted by natural scientists and others, in an endeavor to find voice in the human body and to discover, if possible, the muscular processes responsible for its creation. The results obtained through this research now constitute the basis of certain decisions about the human voice. But Christian Science challenges the correctness of these decisions, for Mrs. Eddy has written (Science and Health, p. 304): "Left to the decisions of material sense, music is liable to be misapprehended and lost in confusion. Controlled by belief, instead of understanding, music is, must be, imperfectly expressed."

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