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, although it may be possible for you, after using up our talent as quickly as possible, to look around for others, with whom you can do the same.