Hidden in Plain Sight: The Herman Klein Phono-Vocal Method Based upon the Famous School of Manuel Garcia

An Englishman and Londoner, Hermann Klein (1856-1934) was a prolific writer, voice teacher, and student of the legendary voice teacher Manuel Garcia (1805-1906). After arriving in New York City in 1901 to teach Garcia’s method, Klein became the Chairman of the newly-formed National Association of Teachers of Singing. To further the organization’s goal of bringing standards and certification to the singing teacher profession, Klein wrote an 84-page singing manual utilizing the new technology of the gramophone. In doing so, Klein documented the studio teaching of the father of voice science, revealing details of Garcia’s method for the first time. However, Klein’s manual was subsequently lost for more than a century after the quest for certification failed, Klein returned to England, and the recordings perished in a fire–twice.

In a well-documented introduction, the author recounts how he discovered Klein’s manual hidden in plain sight, discusses its history and significance for modern students and teachers of singing, and addresses Garcia’s controversial teaching of voice placement.

While this historic manual was originally published for four voice types, this publication is a facsimile of the tenor voice edition. Please note that it does not contain the tenor recordings, which, despite a decade of searching, have not been found. However, in a curious twist of fate, the contralto recordings were discovered during the book’s publication and can be heard at YouTube and Soundcloud. We owe their existence to the foresight and generosity of John Wolfson, a record collector and patron of the arts in New York City.