Garcia the Centenarian and His Times: Being a Memoir of Manuel Garcia's Life and Labours for the Advancement of Music and ScienceMackinlay, M. (Malcolm) Sterling
History
Garcia the Centenarian and His Times: Being a Memoir of Manuel Garcia's Life and Labours for the Advancement of Music and Science
The training of Johanna Wagner by Garcia raises an interesting point in
connection with German singing. Richard Wagner was so delighted upon
hearing the improvement in his niece's voice on her return from Paris,
that he wrote the maestro a letter full of the warmest recognition of
the progress which she had made under his tuition.
But the gratitude did not end here: over twenty-five years later there
came a very signal proof of the extent to which he had been impressed
with Garcia's powers, for, when he was making the arrangements for the
first Bayreuth Festival, he wrote to his old friend, asking whether he
would undertake the training of the singers who were to take part in it.
Garcia was so busy with his teaching in London at this time that he was
unable to accept the offer; but the mere fact that he was asked to do
this is a very material answer to those who would have it that Wagner's
music is not supposed to be treated according to the Italian ideals, but
should be rendered in the style of _Sprechgesang_, which has been a
current German cry.
After the publication of his 'Mémoire sur la Voix,' Señor Garcia had
continued to labour incessantly in perfecting his method, and in 1847
(the year in which Jenny Lind made her triumphant _début_ in London as
Alice in "Roberto," took the town by storm, and earned the name of the
"Swedish Nightingale") this culminated in the publication of what is
without question the most valuable contribution to the books upon the
study of singing. It was issued in two parts, under the title of
'Traité complet de l'Art du Chant,' and was dedicated to King Oscar I.
of Sweden, as a tribute to the nationality of the greatest of the
maestro's pupils.
The work was translated into various languages, and thereby gained a
world-wide reputation. The 'Traité' was acknowledged on all sides to be
invaluable, and it laid the foundations of all important subsequent
investigations into the emission of the voice.
As to Garcia's treatment of his pupils, he exhibited ever the most
untiring patience. The infinite pains he took with them never failed to
win their affection as well as their admiration, and this undoubtedly
contributed in some considerable degree to the progress which they made
under his care. A story has been told by Jourdan, which gives a good
illustration of the great master's care of his pupils.
One day, being upset and ruffled at some remarks made upon his singing
by the maestro, Jourdan left the class in a temper, and did not return
for the next lesson. Garcia, noticing his absence, went to his lodging,
a small room on the fifth floor, and took the young student by the ear,
saying, "Come along, _méchant garçon_, come and have your lesson."
And now we come to 1848, the year in which Manuel Garcia terminated his
residence in Paris.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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