ratsonjulia

Dear ratsonjulia

Today's your birthday! As the last thing you posted about was about your debut as a music performer, I sincerely hope that the explanation for your long absence from SG pages is, you kept on singing continually since then, thus having no time left for anything else...
If it is so, it's a good thing...
... so as a birthday gift, accept this encouragement :

Reasons briefly set downe by th'auctor, to perswade euery one to learne to singe:
-First, it its a knowledge easily taught, and quickly learned, where there is a good Master, and an apt Scholer.
-2. The exercise of singing is delightfull to Nature, and good to preserve the health of Man.
-3. It doth strenghten all parts of the brest, and doth open the pipes.
-4. It is a singuler remedie for a stutting and stamering in the speech.
-5. It is the best meanes to procure a perfect pronunciation, and to make a good Orator.
-6. It is the onely way to know where Nature hath bestowed the benefit of a good voyce; which guift is so rare, as there is not one among a thousand that hath it: and in many, that excellent guift is lost, because they want Art to expresse Nature.
-7. There is not any Musicke of Instruments whatsoever, comparable to that which is made of the voyces of Men, where the voyces are good, and the same well sorted and ordered.
-8. The better the voyce is, the meeter it is to honour and serue God there-with, and the voyce of Man is chiefely to be imployed to that ende.

Since singing is so good a thing, I wish all Men would learne to singe.

WILLIAM BYRD
(Preface to The Songs of Sadnes)





I wish you the best 32th year, dear 'onjulia.

[Edited on Jun 27, 2005 2:27AM]