To: vocalist
From: Peter Louis van Dijk
Subject: Straining the voice
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

>>Does anyone have any suggestions on what books to read to prevent strain=
ing
>>and the ultimate care of your voice?
>
>Svetlana wrote:
>Hi,
>I haven't tried this yet, but Lilli Lehmann's "remedy for cattarh and
>hoarseness" seems to be a good technique. Pour boiling water into a dish =
and
>let a large sponge soak it all up, then squeeze it out again. Bring the
>sponge close to the mouth and nose. Breathe in the hot air and work on th=
e
>scales and passages this way, until the moist vapor permeates the vocal
>cords. But she warns against going immediately into the cold air.
>I'd like to know if the effect is as good as it seems? Thank you...



I recall the following story from the family archives:
My grandmother was taken by her father,Kammers=E4nger Heinrich Eggers, to =
Ms
Lehmann for an audition to find out if her voice was worth training. She
remembered the sponge, as Ms Lehmann was apparently walking in the garden,
vocalising through the sponge at the time. She also recalled how her mouth
area had become quite raw from the SALT in the sponge.The intention was to
simulate sea air.Perhaps she did that on alternate days?
Regards
Susi
RSA