As surely as singing – that is the Italian school of singing – is allowed to die out, its decease will react upon instrumental music. Instrumental music gets its legato and the more subtle parts of its phrasing from the singer, while the singer owes his precision and more musicianly qualities to the instrumentalist. The two branches help one another, and while the vocalist acknowledges his obligation to the instrumentalist it is rank ingratitude on the part of the instrumentalist not to be equally candid. If persisted in, this ingratitude will be suicidal.

Deacon, H. C., Article on ‘Voice,’ in Groves Dictionary of Music and Musicians, London, 1890.