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]