Plucked from a pile of what appeared to be old sheet music was one outstanding item , a slim book, with an intriguing cover of birds , discovered to be woodcuts of German songbirds, on what was a reprint of a 1934 Australian guide to singing by Irish born singer and teacher , Roland Foster (l874-l966).
In the opening chapter , Foster wrote that at the start of his professional career in London , more than 50 years previously , there was virtually a " Battle of the Methods" in teaching singing, with advocates of rival systems ranging furiously together on lecture platforms and in the public press .
Ten years later, in New York, he found an even greater number and diversity of vocal methods in operation.
Faced with intense competition, he went on to say , many teachers and pseudo- scientific authorities sought to centre attention upon themselves by claiming to have discovered some revolutionary principle ; some short cut to success reducing the period of study from years to months ; some exclusive " secret" hitherto hidden and unrevealed.
The 64 page book is illustrated and includes a large diagram of the vocal organs and vocal chords , physical exercises . There is much underlining of the text by a former owner .
Included in the text is a letter of support from New York resident Dudley Buck , said to be the son of "the well known composer ", organist and writer of music who wrote several books including a Dictionary of Musical Terms and The Influence of the Organ on History .
During his career Foster trained hundreds of singers , adjudicated at the Queensland Eisteddfod , officated in New Zealand , was director of the City of Sydney Eisteddfod and president of the Sydney Philharmonic Society. He was made an honorary member of the Society of English Singers , an honorary member of the Guildhall School of Music and received an Order of the British Empire in l954.
(Singing. German. America.)