CONTENTS
| PART I | |
| Modern Methods of Instruction in Singing | |
| PAGE | |
| [CHAPTER I] | |
| Tone-Production and Voice Culture | [3] |
| [CHAPTER II] | |
| Breathing and Breath-Control | [20] |
| [CHAPTER III] | |
| Registers and Laryngeal Action | [34] |
| [CHAPTER IV] | |
| Resonance | [54] |
| [CHAPTER V] | |
| Empirical Materials of Modern Methods | [67] |
| [CHAPTER VI] | |
| A General View of Modern Voice Culture | [92] |
| PART II | |
| A Critical Analysis of Modern Methods | |
| [CHAPTER I] | |
| Mechanical Vocal Management as the Basis of Voice Culture | [109] |
| [CHAPTER II] | |
| The Fallacy of the Doctrine of Breath-Control | [117] |
| [CHAPTER III] | |
| The Fallacies of Forward Emission, Chest Resonance, and Nasal Resonance | [125] |
| [CHAPTER IV] | |
| The Futility of the Materials of Modern Methods | [130] |
| [CHAPTER V] | |
| The Error of the Theory of Mechanical Vocal Management | [135] |
| PART III | |
| The Basis of a Real Science of Voice | |
| [CHAPTER I] | |
| The Means of Empirical Observation of the Voice | [151] |
| [CHAPTER II] | |
| Sympathetic Sensations of Vocal Tone | [162] |
| [CHAPTER III] | |
| Empirical Knowledge of the Voice | [176] |
| [CHAPTER IV] | |
| The Empirical Precepts of the Old Italian School | [186] |
| [CHAPTER V] | |
| Empirical Knowledge in Modern Voice Culture | [198] |
| [CHAPTER VI] | |
| Scientific Knowledge of the Voice | [210] |
| PART IV | |
| Vocal Science and Practical Voice Culture | |
| [CHAPTER I] | |
| The Correct Vocal Action | [237] |
| [CHAPTER II] | |
| The Causes of Throat Stiffness and of Incorrect Vocal Action | [247] |
| [CHAPTER III] | |
| Throat Stiffness and Incorrect Singing | [262] |
| [CHAPTER IV] | |
| The True Meaning of Vocal Training | [275] |
| [CHAPTER V] | |
| Imitation the Rational Basis of Voice Culture | [291] |
| [CHAPTER VI] | |
| The Old Italian Method | [304] |
| [CHAPTER VII] | |
| The Disappearance of the Old Italian Method and the Development of Mechanical Instruction | [320] |
| [CHAPTER VIII] | |
| The Materials of Rational Instruction in Singing | [341] |
| [CHAPTER IX] | |
| Outlines of a Practical Method of Voice Culture | [361] |
| Bibliography | [369] |
| [Index] | |
[CHAPTER I]
TONE-PRODUCTION AND VOICE CULTURE
In no other form of expression do art and nature seem so closely identified as in the art of singing. A perfect voice speaks so directly to the soul of the hearer that all appearance of artfully prepared effect is absent. Every tone sung by a consummate vocal artist seems to be poured forth freely and spontaneously. There is no evidence of calculation, of carefully directed effort, of attention to the workings of the voice, in the tones of a perfect singer. Yet if the accepted idea of Voice Culture is correct, this semblance of spontaneity in the use of the voice can result only from careful and incessant attention to mechanical rules. That the voice must be managed or handled in some way neither spontaneous nor instinctive, is the settled conviction of almost every authority on the subject. All authorities believe also that this manner of handling the voice must be acquired by every student of singing, in the course of carefully directed study.
This training in the use of the voice is the most important feature of education in singing. Voice Culture embraces a peculiar and distinct problem, that of the correct management of the vocal organs. Vocal training has indeed come to be considered synonymous with training in the correct use of the voice. Every method of instruction in singing must contain as its most important element some means for dealing with the problem of tone-production.
No complete and satisfactory solution of this problem has ever been found. Of this fact every one acquainted with the practical side of Voice Culture must be well aware. As the present work is designed solely to suggest a new manner of dealing with this question, it is advisable to define precisely what is meant by the problem of tone-production.