Blanche Yurka's '07 Blog

My Daily Entries This Week

Sat Jan 5

The first sunny day for weeks. Hurrah! Helped Rose with the housework till 10:30 then went down for another lesson with Mrs. C. -- the 3rd this week -- The breath wouldn't work, so she took me to luncheon with her and I sang a little after luncheon. It went better.  The chief thing is to pour more breath into the high tones.  She is a dear, charming wonder! I helped her don her gorgeous blue gown, as she was going to the opera matinee and we had such fun getting her dressed.  I never saw her look prettier. Then I took the car up to Ella's. After examining her Xmas presents we went out for a long walk in the park, and watched the equestrians.  We walked till 5.30. In the evening, I saw Eleanor Robson in "The Girl who has Everything." Very enjoyable.

Sun Jan 6

Wanted to walk to church but my clothes needed so much mending that I couldn't make time.  Ella, Miss Doxrood and myself walked home to 59th  talking French and having a merry time. Miss D. also has a lover on her hands.  Dear me! I am very slow! Afternoon at home, finishing "Italian Classic Art'' which has been just the thing to give me the textbook knowledge which I wanted. In the evening had Annual Parish Service at church.  Had a scene with Mother before leaving because she wouldn't go, which rather upset me.  Then coming home, Ella and Miss D., as a joke, ran and hid as we (Mila, a Miss Hov. and I) were getting on the car.  Well, the joke fell pretty flat, and I guess I showed it pretty plainly. Ella apologised, so I shall forgive her, but I fear that I "let the sun go down on my anger."  Service was uninteresting.

Mon Jan 7

A good mornings study. Did a little "elocutioning'' for my speaking voice. After theory lesson shopped a little with Ella, walked home with Mrs. C. who is going to speak to Mr. Sch. about stopping the Yersin lessons, and at 4 had a lesson with Mrs. Emery (Miss Cornett) as Miss Thursby is still in Florida.  She helped me in the high tones, as hers are lovely and I could feel how they stayed in the same place as the middle.  I stole into Giraudet's room (class was over) and practised there for almost an hour. Wrote to Agnes Fiske.  In the evening, I went to the library and obtained Ibsen's "Doll's House'', and read it. I am going to see Nazimova in it.

Tues Jan 8

Have an awful ``carbuncle'' on my forehead and a stiff jaw (new ailments!) so do not feel supremely joyful! Went to Institute at 11. Krehbiel on "opera''. Italian at 1:30.  We are translating an amusing little play, and have lots of fun. It was raining so Miss De Bow took me to the ``L''.  Mr. Sch. is willing so I wrote Yersins that I would stop.  Gave Anna Lesson and then practised. Oh those beastly high notes!  In the evening, an industrious rehearsal with Leopold, who was in a heavenly mood.  One of his speeches was that there is a nucleus to everything and in music it is called the climax point.  In a word it is the accented syllable, in a phrase the accented word, in a composition, the great phrase and the true musician feels this intuitively. La-la.

Wed Jan 9

Oh! what a raking over the coals I received from Mme. C. today! She said that the trouble with me is that I accept the ideas of every new person whom I sing for and whom I hear sing, and try one after another without perseverance and the result is, I get nowhere.  And of course she is right. She always is! Now for three months I am going to try to forget all the monkey tricks I ever heard of and sing without preparing for effects and thinking of sustaining only the highest notes.  This helped me a great deal in the afternoon and I shall persist in it. Ah. There is not one teacher in a thousand who will take the trouble that Mrs. C. does. My forehead keeps swelling more and more.

Thurs Jan 10

Studied all morning.  Am going to persist in my "childish singing''. My face is a sight to behold: a lump between the eyes, and the skin drawn taut. Nevertheless I went down for a lesson and it was a good one. After lesson called on Mrs. C. who was deep in work and not feeling very well.  She finished her work and we had tea and chatted.  She gently informed Mr. Sch., in the course of telephone conversation that I had a "grand envie'' to hear "Don Giovanni'' -- Result - a ticket is to be sent to me. Oh, those two angel people!  At 6:30 I rushed home for a bite then went down to hear the Boston Symphony Concert. The ensemble is perfect and Muck an extra-ordinarily fine conductor.  And so simple! In several passages he simply stood still and did not conduct at all.  I enjoyed the Beethoven 7th Symphony the most. - Willy Hess played with a tone particularly sweet and pure on the E string.

Fri Jan 11

A most interesting morning.  Piano lesson at 10, on Mendelsohn's Scherzo. At 11 a splendid lecture by Mr. Tapper. He is perfectly delightful in his manner of putting things, and today in particular his subject appealed to me.  He said that the average person's knowledge consists of many diverse facts or lines of thought, each quite isolated, and without sequence. What he wishes to help us to is the ability to associate contemporaneous events and conditions, and to realize that the culture of any time or people grows out of the trend of opinions and ideas of the time.  That promises well. Walked up with Miss De Bow, whom I find very congenial.  P.M. gave Anna lesson and practised.  I find the high notes fuller, altho' a little stiff. The ease will probably come. Leopold felt very gay at rehearsal and I felt like saying "Think you're human?" after each "spooch."

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