Singing and Imagination: A Human Approach to a Great Musical Tradition - Tapa dura

This text is written in the belief that the essential basic principles underlying good singing are in themselves rather few, and very simple, but that their application is amazingly varied in light of the individual's needs. It is not intended as a manual of voice production, and does not concern itself with medical matters, nor directly with anatomy, physiology, and acoustics. While not belittling the value of appropriate scientific investigation, Hemsley believes that modern methods of training have gone too far in the direction of the materialistic approach; that singing in all its aspects and at all times should be guided by the imagination, the feelings, and the intuition; that we have become so pre-occupied by voice per se and the vocal function since the advent of vocal science, that we too easily forget that singing is not voice, but modification of voice - "not only a langauge through which we understand the emotions of others, but also a means of exciting our sympathy with such emotions." (H. Spencer). Addressed to those "with a gift for singing who would like to understand better how to approach putting that gift to use", the text should appeal to a wide range of singers, both professional and amateur.

Retired singer.