Now further care must be given that the point of attack on the palate—that is, the focal point of the breath—be not subjected to pressure, and that the entire supply of breath be not expended upon the palatal resonance.
For this the palate must remain elastic, for it has a twofold duty to perform. It must not only furnish resistance for the focal point of the breath,—except in the very highest head tones,—around which it can be diffused; the same resistance, which stands against the stream of breath from below, must also afford a firm, pliant, and elastic floor for the overtones, which, soaring above the palate, shift, as is needed, to or above the hard and soft palate, or are divided in the nose, forehead, and head cavities. It can easily be seen how any pressure in singing can be dangerous everywhere, and how careful the singer is forced to be to avoid such mistakes.
SECTION XXIV
THE POSITION OF THE MOUTH (CONTRACTION OF THE MUSCLES OF SPEECH)
What must my sensations be with the muscles of speech? How shall I control them?
The best position of the mouth, the means of securing the proper use of the muscles of speech and of the vocal organs, is established by pronouncing the vowel ā, not too sharply, in the middle range of the voice, and trying to retain the position of the muscles after the sound has ceased.
This cannot be done without a smiling position of the mouth, consequently with a strong contraction of the muscles of the mouth, tongue, and throat, which can be felt to be drawn up as far as the ears.
In doing so the tongue—as far as the tip—lies of a pretty nearly even height to the back