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The aim of all training is to establish good habits—ways of doing things which will leave the subject with more capital to invest so to speak, as he wastes less. It follows that the same methods should always be used in trying to attain the same end. There are few subjects of equal importance so little considered by students of music in a conscious intelligent way. A clear conviction as to the foundation for close adherence to certain methods of doing things is an invaluable mental asset for any student.
The whole subject of breathing has been so fully considered in previous chapters—indeed more or less in all parts of this work—that it is not necessary to go into much detail now. The investigations of physiologists in the internal have only emphasised the author's teaching on this subject. The present position of the subject may be stated thus: (1) In inspiration the whole chest is enlarged, this involving the descent of the diaphragm. (2) The amount of mobility is much greater in the lower half of the chest. (3) This lower half of the chest and the diaphragm act together, constituting a special mechanism of great importance. (4) The abdominal muscles discharge a cooeperative function. It follows that the advice of a present day famous tenor to "breathe low" is sound. Nevertheless, it must not be forgotten that inspiration begins above and that the upper chest has its functions also. It is not merely a region of support for the lower mechanism, important as this function is. The terms "abdominal" and "diaphragmatic" respiration have led to misunderstanding. Neither the abdominal muscles nor the diaphragm ever act alone in normal respiration, though they are important cooeperative factors.
Breathing exercises should be based on broad views of the subject, and no part of the respiratory mechanism should be neglected.
Small an organ as is the larynx it is through it the energy of the expiratory act is transmitted effectively or the reverse to the all-important resonance chambers. This should be so done that there is no waste; in other words, that there be perfect co-ordination between the breathing and the laryngeal mechanism. The vocal bands must be so related in function to the expiratory mechanism that the outgoing blast of air shall be as effective as possible. There must be no waste of power—i.e., of the expiratory blast through escape of air that accomplishes no purpose. The blast must be so applied to the vocal bands, or, in other words, they must be so adapted to the blast that there is no waste of energy. If the bands approximate a little too late there is waste of breath power. The bands must further so beat the air of the resonance chambers as to get the greatest possible result with the least possible expenditure of energy. As all these co-ordinations imply the action of many muscles in a related way, it is plain that intelligent and prolonged training is necessary; and if our scientific knowledge had no other result than to establish such a conviction on a sure basis it would be well worth while; but it is a light unto the feet of the student and teacher at every step, only it must be a clear light, not one seen through a mental haze. If there be failure the fault must not be set down to science but to ourselves.
It is ever to be borne in mind that when anything is done in the right way not only is there no pain, unpleasant feeling or evil after-effects, but when real skill has been attained through training, the result is accomplished with a sense of ease and all the accompanying feelings are agreeable. The singer need not know that he has a throat by any disagreeable reminder. At the same time a function may be correctly discharged but continued too long, so that weariness or positive fatigue with some evil consequences may follow. Fatigue always implies more or less poisoning of the system.
Of the resonance chambers, the mouth cavity, the pharyngeal cavity and the naso-pharynx, which may both be regarded as a part of the mouth cavity, and the nasal chambers, the latter may be considered the least variable in shape; nevertheless they can, by means of the soft palate, be to a large extent shut off from the other parts of this series of chambers.
The means by which the size and shape of the resonance chambers can be varied are chiefly the soft palate and the tongue, the latter being of the greatest importance. The changes in the shape of the mouth cavity necessary for the formation of vowels are due chiefly to the movements of the tongue, and the tongue is more largely concerned in the utterance of consonants than any other moveable part of the upper voice mechanism.
For practical ends it is important to realize that one speaks with the tongue; and if one believed that everything depended on this organ, other parts—including the outer mouth or lips merely to be kept out of the way—the result would on the whole likely be gain.
In the formation of vowels the result may be good when the lips take but the slightest active part, and the student is advised to practice vowel formation without the use of the lips. He is likely to use them enough in any case provided he ensures the formation of pure vowel sounds, and people seem to have an extraordinary facility for over-doing the use of lip movements, for getting the teeth in the way and thus spoiling tone, that was begun well, before it has escaped from the mouth. It may be observed that those who get their living on the streets by the use of the voice, and who use the voice much and often speak rapidly, and in spite of this are heard well, so construct their words that the lips are not seen to move to any appreciable extent except as the lower jaw moves. The lips seem to be always apart. It is not the amount of movement that is important but the kind of movement, especially its rapidity.
Muscular efforts for the production of consonants should be neat, decisive, sharp, rather than held ones, which tend to spoil the word as a whole. As a rule, one is safe in holding the vowel as long as possible and in making the time dwelt on the consonant as short as possible—i.e., consistent with distinct and musical utterance.
The same applies to singing with even greater force. In speaking especially short pauses not printed in the text may be made to great advantage, and this is often better than dwelling on consonants. The mouth of the speaker and still more that of the singer should not attract the attention of the listener, so the less movement of the lips of a kind readily open to observation, the better. Besides such movements being unnecessary are a waste of muscular and nervous energy.
Singers are not warranted in departing to any appreciable extent from the pronunciation of words laid down as standard for speakers—e.g., "shall" should not be sung as "sholl," and in such a word as "motion," the final syllable should not be made equally important with the first one. Singers should observe the laws of a good elocution; in other words, such treatment of the language of the song as an approved reader would employ. The author would go so far as to say that no singer should appear in public till he can utter every syllable as he sings so that it is readily recognised by the listener. At present such is rarely the case even with the best vocalists. All prospective vocalists should study utterance by the speaking voice first and continue it when the study of singing has been begun. The words of every song, etc., should be mastered in all respects before they are sung.
As the degree of success in singing or speaking depends so far as technique is concerned on a series of co-ordinations the condition of both the psychic and bodily mechanism as determined by training and the general health of the individual is of great importance; and it is not to be forgotten that the mind as well as the body is to be considered in all questions of hygiene.
INDEX.
A
Abdominal muscles, 66
Acoustics, 97
Adam's apple, 80
Adductors, 82
Air, 48 complemental, 70 quantity of, in lungs, 70 residual, 70 supplemental, 70 tidal, 70
Amateurs, 274
American speech, 146
Americans, pitch of, 224
Antagonists, 53
Anatomy, 35
Art, 17, 272
Artist, isolation of, 254
Artistic, 246 perception, 245 temperament, 31
Arytenoid cartilages, 77
Aspirates, 228
Attack, 30, 125, 127, 208 best tests of a good, 129 good, 127, 232
Auditory messages, 250
Auto-laryngoscopy, 109, 110, 152, 161
B
"Backward" production, 213
Bel Canto, 211
Break, 162
Breath, 60, 72 control of, 20, 21 exercise for, 133, 134 in phonation, 130 manner of using, 172, 208 stream, 22, 125, 194
Breathing, 44-73, 118, 124 abdominal, 118 clavicular, 118, 119 deep, 63 diaphragmatic, 118, 119 exercises, 131 mechanism, control of, 120 method of, 64, 177 nose, 131
C
Cartilage of Santorini, 77 Wrisberg, 77
Cells, 36
Chest, 50, 62, 71 cavity of, 71 complete control of, 62 position of, in singing, 123 in speaking, 123
Children, public appearance of, 116 register of, 234
Choral singing, 247
Choristers, 256
Circulatory system, 37
Clergyman's sore-throat, 88
Cold, a, 77, 92 prevention of, 93
Color, 214
Composers, 116
Consonant, a, 195, 196
Consonants, 223, 225, 226, 230-235 mouth positions of, 226-228
Corsets, evil effects of, 72
Coup de glotte, 124-127, 139
Cramming, 46
Cricoid cartilage, 77, 81 thyroid, 83, 85 membrane, 81
Curwen, 156
D
Dialects, 225, 235
Diameters, 50
Diaphragm, 52, 53, 66, 71
E
Ear, 182, 236, 245, 248 connection with mouth cavity, 203 drum-head of, 240 external, purpose of, 240 for music, 244 lack of, 245, 249 inner, 237, 241 middle, 237, 241 musical, 31 outer, 237 purpose of, 238
Ease, 123, 233
English, 198 speech, 146
Epiglottis, 79
Eustachian tube, 241
Execution, 179, 256
Exercises, 131-135, 139 practical, 73
Expiration, 49
Expiratory blast, 60, 68, 88, 103, 177 current, 136, 208
Explosives, 226
Expression, 254
F
Falsetto, 154 high, 170, 178 in males, 160, 179
"Feeling-tone", 212
Food, 263
"Forward" production, 213
Fundamental principles, 179-194 application of, 195-206 tone, 231
G
Garcia, Manuel, 105, 138, 159
German language, 198 speech, 146
Germans, pitch of, 224
Glide, 258
Glottis, 47, 78, 82, 88, 126, 159 in barytone voices, 157 bass voices, 157 contralto voices, 158 mezzo-soprano voices, 158 tenor voices, 157 ligamentous, 157
H
Head, position of, 205
Hearing, 101, 236-250 difference in animals, 101 highest limit of, 102 lower limit of, 102
Helmholtz, 167
Hygiene, 33, 72, 92, 93, 251-275
Hyoid bone, 81, 95
I
Illustration of principles, 27, 28
Impulses, 236
Inhibitions, 184
Inspiration, 48, 51, 71
Intonation, 195, 196, 230 correct position for good, 131
Italian language, 198
K
Knowledge, principle of, 34
L
Larynx, 60, 74-96, 136, 148, 258 anatomy of, 21 as a musical instrument, 102 change in size of, 111 control over, 112 difference in size, 110 growth of, 138 in action, 109 in singing and speaking, 198 muscles of, 81, 95 of the male 138 photography of, 161 physiology of, 21 ventricle of, 80 vibrations of, 96 whole, 94
Laryngoscope, 91, 103, 136
Ligamentous glottis, 157
Lips, 202
Lungs, 49, 63
Lymph, 37
M
Mackenzie, Sir Morell, 156, 167, 168
Mara, Madame, range of, 111
Marcato production, 209
Marchesi, Madame, teaching of, 159
Men, register of, 234
Messages, Auditory, 250
Methods, correct, 22, 23 faulty, 32
Middle production, 214
Midriff, see diaphragm
Mind, 210
Mirror, use of, 235
Mouth, as a resonance chamber, 221 resonator, 148 cavity, 149 respiration, 131 toilet of, 262
Movements, 192
Muscles, 36, 82 abdominal, 66
Muscular action, 71 mechanism, 42 movements, 179
Music, 243 appreciation of, 247 intellectuality in, 256 intelligence in, 108 interpretation of, 21
Musical artist, 198 ear, 31 prodigy, 243 faculty develops early, 115 faults, 258 sounds, practical range of, 102 tones, 231
Musician, fundamental qualities of, 246
N
Nasal chambers, 144, 149, 214
Nasality, 231
Nerve-cells, 38
Nervous centres, 39 impulses, 244, 250 system, 38
Nervousness, 274
Neuro-muscular mechanisms, 17, 42, 181 processes, 183 system, 43
New language, learning of, 224
Noise, 218
O
Open mouth, 203, 204, 217
Ordinary speech, 230
Overtones, 231, 235
P
Palate, cleft, 149 hard, 149, 213 soft, 145, 214, 216, 231
Phonation, 192, 193 breath in, 130 example of, 193
Physics, principles of involved, 135
Physiological considerations, 34-43 teachings, 26, 31
Piano production, 259
Pillars of the fauces, 145
Pitch, 101, 136, 150, 214 favorite, 273
Portamento production, 258
Practical considerations, 88
Practice, 132, 185-192 best time to, 186, 187 by wrong method, 191 for sustained tone, 132 methods of, 194
Puberty, at, 112, 138 in boys, 114, 115 in girls, 113
Public singing, age to begin, 115 speaking, 212
Pumping, 259
Q
Quality, 101, 136, 214
R
R and s, interval between, 225
Reed, long, 157 short, 157
Reflex action, 40
Reflexes, associated, 183 protective character of, 58, 59 sets of, 184
Register, 233 change in, 169, 177 chest, 160 definition of, 176 in female voices, 160 of basses and barytones, 170 of tenors, 170
Registers, 151-178 Behnke on, 155, 156, 167 Garcia on, 155 Mackenzie on, 156, 167, 168 Madame Seiler on, 153, 165, 170 Mandl on, 158
Resonance chambers, 102, 136, 140-150, 175, 182, 198, 213, 223, 224, 228, 234 in sounding bodies, 140 of musical instruments, 140, 141
Resonants, 228
Resonator, 148
Respiration, 46, 48, 68, 69 forced, 119 hygiene of, 55 mouth, 131
Respiratory centre, 57, 58, 172 efficiency, 124 organs, 47 system, 37 tract, 26
S
Science, 17
Scripture, Prof., 150
Seiler, Madame, 153, 165, 170
Selections in public, 271
Sensations, 172, 174, 175, 178
Septum nasi, 149
Singer, purpose of, 99 range of, 269
Singing, choral, 256 class, 257 fortissimo, 121 good, 259 in schools, 247
Song, elements of, 218-229
Soprano, highest tones of, 137 light, 232
Sound, 60, 97-103, 135, 225 quality of, 102, 246 Tyndall on, 97 volume of, 101, 102, 136
Sounding body, 99
Speaker, purpose of, 99
Speaking, good, 259
Speech, elements of, 218-229 organs of, 233 purity of, 135
Sphincter action, 86
Staccato production, 209
Stammering, 268
Stop-closure, 158
Straining, 86, 175
Straw bass, 88
Stuttering, 268
Style, 254
Swell, 207, 212
T
Technique, 23, 179, 183, 185, 186, 254, 255
Teeth, 202
Temperament, 245
Tenors, 232
Throat mirror, 107 sore, 265
Thyro-arytenoideus, 84, 85 hyoid membrane, 81
Thyroid cartilage, 76, 81
Timbre, 136
Tone, 132, 135, 136 carrying power of, 126 color of, 214 ground, 231 head, 160 piano, 233 pitch of, 126 production, 132, 207-217 quality of, 128, 142, 150, 231 the sustained, 208 volume of, 126
Tones, 189 head, 177 highest, 137 lower, 137 quality of, 146 timbre of, 136 upper, 86
Tongue, 131, 145, 149, 214 control of, 202 influence of, 201
Tonsils, 145, 149
Trachea, 81
Tremolo, 128, 258, 259
Tuning fork, 99
U
Uvula, 145
V
Vibrations, 61, 98, 100, 236
Vibratives, 228
Vibrato, 258
Vital capacity, 71
Vocal athlete, 182
Vocal bands, 87, 103, 126 action of, 137 false, 78 true, 77, 78, 80, 94 vibrations of, 136 cords, false, 95 Madame Seiler on, 154 true, 95 methods, 32 physiology, 17-32 training, early weeks of, 246
Vocalises, 207
Vocalist, ideal, 198
Vocalization, 19, 31
Voice, 44, 254 breaking of, 114 brightening the, 216 carrying power of, 232 darkening the, 216 even, 84 harsh, 232 head, in females, 166 in ill health, 114 loud, 272 placed, 215 position in use of, 206 production, 22, 244 small in volume, 272 user, 17, 33, 46 exercises for, 135 well placed, 175
Voices, classification of, 260, 261 injured, 26
Vowel, a, 195 purity of, 199 sounds, 196, 197, 216
Vowels, adaptation of, to ideas, 222 and consonants, 230, 235 dark, 235 formation of, 218-221 low-pitched, 235 mouth positions of, 218 perfect sound of, 221 pitch of, 221, 225, 230 quality of, 221
W
Wagner, 257
Whispering, 225, 226
Women, register of, 234
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