Hawaiian Singers Urged to Preserve Native Characteristic Song Tones

By A. K. POEPOE

With the advent of various mechanical music devices in the homes and public places, foreign tone qualities are being heard and are gradually replacing the distinct Hawaiian tones, so noticeable in Hawaiian songs. I feel it my duty to call the attention of the Hawaiian singers and lovers of Hawaiian vocal art to the fact that the peculiar Hawaiian tone quality that made Hawaii famous has a distinct focus in the vocal organs.

I feel that unless we distinguish the placement of our tones with its characteristics, and our phonetic system, in the vocal organs, from those we hear, the future generations will sing Hawaiian compositions, Hawaiian words, Hawaiian interpretation, with a foreign tone quality.

In written music we have artificial means of preserving the music by musical notations, whereas, in vocal singing we have to depend upon sensations felt in the vocal organs. Continue reading →