,,how ,,to ,,sing ,,meine ,,gesangskunst ,,by ,,lilli ,,lehmann ,illustration3 ,,madame ,,lilli ,,lehmann4 ,,translated ,,from ,,the ,,german ,,by ,,richard ,,aldrich ,new ,york ,,the ,,macmillan ,,company ,,london3 ,,macmillan ,,co41 ,,ltd4 #aijb ,all rights reserved ,,copyright1 #aijb1 ,,by ,,the ,,macmillan ,,company4 ,set up and electrotyped ,november1 #aijb4 ,norwood ,press ,j4,s4 ,cushing ,co4--,berwick ,smith ,norwood ,mass4 ,u4,s4,a4 ,transcriber's ,note3 ,in this e-text1 characters with macrons are preceded by an equal sign and enclosed in brackets1 e4g41 a4 ,characters with breves are preceded by a right parenthesis and enclosed in brackets1 e4g41 7e4 ,superscripted characters are preceded by a carat1 e4g41 ,gretele4 ,,contents ,,page ,,my ,,purpose #a ,,my ,,title ,,to ,,write ,,on ,,the ,,art ,,of ,,song #e ,,section ,i ,,preliminary ,,practice #aa ,,section ,,ii ,,of ,,the ,,breath #ai ,,section ,,iii ,,of ,,the ,,breath ,,and ,,whirling ,,currents #bg ,,section ,,iv ,,the ,,singer',s ,,physiological ,,studies #ce ,,section ,v ,,equalizing ,,the ,,voice2 ,,breath2 ,,form #de ,,section ,,vi ,,the ,,attack #fi ,,section ,,vii ,,nasal4 ,,nasal ,,singing #gc ,,section ,,viii ,,singing ,,toward ,,the ,,nose4 ,,head ,,voice #gh ,,section ,,ix ,,the ,,head ,,voice #hf ,,section ,x ,,sensation ,,and ,,position ,,of ,,the ,,tongue #ii ,,section ,,xi ,,the ,,sensations ,,of ,,the ,,palate #ajb ,,section ,,xii ,,the ,,sensation ,,of ,,the ,,resonance ,,of ,,the ,,head ,,cavities #ajh ,,section ,,xiii ,,singing ,,covered #abc ,,section ,,xiv ,,on ,,vocal ,,registers #acc ,,section ,,xv ,,development ,,and ,,equalization #adb ,,section ,,xvi ,,white ,,voices #aed ,,section ,,xvii ,,theodor ,,wachtel #aeh ,,section ,,xviii ,,the ,,highest ,,head ,,tones #afb ,,section ,,xix ,,extension ,,of ,,the ,,compass ,,and ,,equalization ,,of ,,registers #afi ,,section ,,xx ,,the ,,tremolo #agj ,,section ,,xxi ,,the ,,cure #agf ,,section ,,xxii ,,the ,,tongue #aha ,,section ,,xxiii ,,preparation ,,for ,,singing #ahi ,,section ,,xxiv ,,the ,,position ,,of ,,the ,,mouth 7,,contraction ,,of ,,the ,,muscles ,,of ,,speech7 #aib ,,section ,,xxv ,,connection ,,of ,,vowels #aif ,,section ,,xxvi ,,the ,,lips #bab ,,section ,,xxvii ,,the ,,vowel ,,sound ,,ah #bad ,,section ,,xxviii ,,italian ,,and ,,german #bai ,,section ,,xxix ,,auxiliary ,,vowels #bbf ,,section ,,xxx ,,resonant ,,consonants #bbi ,,section ,,xxxi ,,practical ,,exercises #bcb ,,section ,,xxxii ,,the ,,great ,,scale #bci ,,section ,,xxxiii ,,velocity #bde ,,section ,,xxxiv ,,trill #bea ,,section ,,xxxv ,,how ,,to ,,hold ,,one',s ,,self ,,when ,,practising #bef ,,section ,,xxxvi ,,concerning ,,expression #bfc ,,section ,,xxxvii ,,before ,,the ,,public #bfe ,,section ,,xxxviii ,,interpretation #bgj ,,section ,,xxxix ,,in ,,conclusion #bgi ,,note4--,a ,,good ,,remedy ,,for ,,catarrh ,,and ,,hoarseness #bha ,,my ,,purpose ,my purpose is to discuss simply1 intelligibly1 yet from a scientific point of view1 the sensations known to us in singing1 and exactly ascertained in my experience1 by the expressions singing open1 covered1 dark1 nasal1 in the head1 or in the neck1 forward1 or back4 ,these expressions correspond to our sensations in singing2 but they are unintelligible as long as the causes of those sensations are unknown1 and everybody has a different idea of them4 ,many singers try their whole lives long to produce them and never succeed4 ,this happens because science understands too little of singing1 the singer too little of science4 ,i mean that the physiological explanations of the highly complicated processes of singing are not plainly enough put for the singer1 who has to concern himself chiefly with his sensations in singing and guide himself by them4 ,scientific men are not at all agreed as to the exact functions of the several organs2 the humblest singer knows something about them4 ,every serious artist has a sincere desire to help others reach the goal--the goal toward which all singers are striving3 to sing well and beautifully4 ,the true art of song has always been possessed and will always be possessed by such individuals as are dowered by nature with all that is needful for it--that is1 healthy vocal organs1 uninjured by vicious habits of speech2 a good ear1 a talent for singing1 intelligence1 industry1 and energy4 ,in former times eight years were devoted to the study of singing--at the ,prague ,conservatory1 for instance4 ,most of the mistakes and misunderstandings of the pupil could be discovered before he secured an engagement1 and the teacher could spend so much time in correcting them that the pupil learned to pass judgment on himself properly4 ,but art to-day must be pursued like everything else1 by steam4 ,artists are turned out in factories1 that is1 in so-called conservatories1 or by teachers who give lessons ten or twelve hours a day4 ,in two years they receive a certificate of competence1 or at least the diploma of the factory4 ,the latter1 especially1 ,i consider a crime1 that the state should prohibit4 ,all the inflexibility and unskilfulness1 mistakes and deficiencies1 which were formerly disclosed during a long course of study1 do not appear now1 under the factory system1 until the student's public career has begun4 ,there can be no question of correcting them1 for there is no time1 no teacher1 no critic2 and the executant has learned nothing1 absolutely nothing1 whereby he could undertake to distinguish or correct them4 ,the incompetence and lack of talent whitewashed over by the factory concern lose only too soon their plausible brilliancy4 ,a failure in life is generally the sad end of such a factory product2 and to factory methods the whole art of song is more and more given over as a sacrifice4 ,i cannot stand by and see these things with indifference4 ,my artistic conscience urges me to disclose all that ,i have learned and that has become clear to me in the course of my career1 for the benefit of art2 and to give up my secrets1 which seem to be secrets only because students so rarely pursue the path of proper study to its end4 ,if artists1 often such only in name1 come to a realization of their deficiencies1 they lack only too frequently the courage to acknowledge them to others4 ,not until we artists all reach the point when we can take counsel with each other about our mistakes and deficiencies1 and discuss the means for overcoming them1 putting our pride in our pockets1 will bad singing and inartistic effort be checked1 and our noble art of singing come into its rights again4 ,,my ,,title ,,to ,,write ,,on ,,the ,,art ,,of ,,song ,rarely are so many desirable and necessary antecedents united as in my case4 ,the child of two singers1 my mother being gifted musically quite out of the common1 and active for many years not only as a dramatic singer1 but also as a harp virtuoso1 ,i1 with my sister ,marie1 received a very careful musical education2 and later a notable course of instruction in singing from her4 ,from my fifth year on ,i listened daily to singing lessons2 from my ninth year ,i played accompaniments on the pianoforte1 sang all the missing parts1 in ,french1 ,italian1 ,german1 and ,bohemian2 got thoroughly familiar with all the operas1 and very soon knew how to tell good singing from bad4 ,our mother took care1 too1 that we should hear all the visiting notabilities of that time in opera as well as in concert2 and there were many of them every year at the ,deutsches ,landestheater in ,prague4 ,she herself had found a remarkable singing teacher in the ,frankfort basso1 ,foeppel2 and kept her voice noble1 beautiful1 young1 and strong to the end of her life1--that is1 till her seventy-seventh year1--notwithstanding enormous demands upon it and many a blow of fate4 ,she could diagnose a voice infallibly2 but required a probation of three to four months to test talent and power of making progress4 ,i have been on the stage since my eighteenth year2 that is1 for thirty-four years4 ,in ,prague ,i took part every day in operas1 operettas1 plays1 and farces4 ,thereafter in ,danzig ,i sang from eighteen to twenty times a month in coloratura and soubrette parts2 also in ,leipzig1 and later1 fifteen years in ,berlin4 ,in addition ,i sang in very many oratorios and concerts1 and gave lessons now and then4 ,as long as my mother lived she was my severest critic1 never satisfied4 ,finally ,i became such for myself4 ,now fifteen years more have passed1 of which ,i spent eight very exacting ones as a dramatic singer in ,america1 afterward fulfilling engagements as a star1 in all languages1 in ,germany1 ,austria1 ,hungary1 ,france1 ,england1 and ,sweden4 ,my study of singing1 nevertheless1 was not relaxed4 ,i kept it up more and more zealously by myself1 learned something from everybody1 learned to hear myself and others4 ,for many years ,i have been devoting myself to the important questions relating to singing1 and believe that ,i have finally found what ,i have been seeking4 ,it has been my endeavor to set down as clearly as possible all that ,i have learned through zealous1 conscientious study by myself and with others1 and thereby to offer to my colleagues something that will bring order into the chaos of their methods of singing2 something based on science as well as on sensations in singing2 something that will bring expressions often misunderstood into clear relation with the exact functions of the vocal organs4 ,in what ,i have just said ,i wish to give a sketch of my career only to show what my voice has endured1 and why1 notwithstanding the enormous demands ,i have made upon it1 it has lasted so well4 ,one who has sung for a short time1 and then has lost his voice1 and for this reason becomes a singing teacher1 has never sung consciously2 it has simply been an accident1 and this accident will be repeated1 for good or for ill1 in his pupils4 ,the talent in which all the requirements of an artist are united is very rare4 ,real talent will get along1 even with an inferior teacher1 in some way or another2 while the best teacher cannot produce talent where there is none4 ,such a teacher1 however1 will not beguile people with promises that cannot be kept4 ,my chief attention ,i devote to artists1 whom ,i can1 perhaps1 assist in their difficult1 but glorious1 profession4 ,one is never done with learning2 and that is especially true of singers4 ,i earnestly hope that ,i may leave them something1 in my researches1 experiences1 and studies1 that will be of use4 ,i regard it as my duty2 and ,i confide it to all who are striving earnestly for improvement4 ,g,r,ue,n,e,w,a,l,d1 ,oct4 #ca1 #aijj4 ,,section ,i ,,preliminary ,,practice ,it is very important for all who wish to become artists to begin their work not with practical exercises in singing1 but with serious practice in tone production1 in breathing in and out1 in the functions of the lungs and palate1 in clear pronunciation of all letters1 and with speech in general4 ,then it would soon be easy to recognize talent or the lack of it4 ,many would open their eyes in wonder over the difficulties of learning to sing1 and the proletariat of singers would gradually disappear4 ,with them would go the singing conservatories and the bad teachers who1 for a living1 teach everybody that comes1 and promise to make everybody a great artist4 ,once when ,i was acting as substitute for a teacher in a conservatory1 the best pupils of the institution were promised me1--those who needed only the finishing touches4 ,but when1 after my first lesson1 ,i went to the director and complained of the ignorance of the pupils1 my mouth was closed with these words1 ,for ,heaven's sake1 don't say such things1 or we could never keep our conservatory going6 ,i had enough1 and went4 ,the best way is for pupils to learn preparatory books by heart1 and make drawings4 ,in this way they will get the best idea of the vocal organs1 and learn their functions by sensation as soon as they begin to sing4 ,the pupil should be subjected to strict examinations4 ,in what does artistic singing differ from natural singing8 ,in a clear understanding of all the organs concerned in voice production1 and their functions1 singly and together2 in the understanding of the sensations in singing1 conscientiously studied and scientifically explained2 in a gradually cultivated power of contracting and relaxing the muscles of the vocal organs1 that power culminating in the ability to submit them to severe exertions and keep them under control4 ,the prescribed tasks must be mastered so that they can be done without exertion1 with the whole heart and soul1 and with complete understanding4 ,how is this to be attained8 ,through natural gifts1 among which ,i reckon the possession of sound organs and a well-favored body2 through study guided by an excellent teacher who can sing well himself1--study that must be kept up for at least six years1 without counting the preliminary work4 ,only singers formed on such a basis1 after years of work1 deserve the title of artist2 only such have a right to look forward to a lasting future1 and only those equipped with such a knowledge ought to teach4 ,of what consists artistic singing8 ,of a clear understanding1 first and foremost1 of breathing1 in and out2 of an understanding of the form through which the breath has to flow1 prepared by a proper position of the larynx1 the tongue1 and the palate4 ,of a knowledge and understanding of the functions of the muscles of the abdomen and diaphragm1 which regulate the breath pressure2 then1 of the chest-muscle tension1 against which the breath is forced1 and whence1 under the control of the singer1 after passing through the vocal cords1 it beats against the resonating surfaces and vibrates in the cavities of the head4 ,of a highly cultivated skill and flexibility in adjusting all the vocal organs and in putting them into minutely graduated movements1 without inducing changes through the pronunciation of words or the execution of musical figures that shall be injurious to the tonal beauty or the artistic expression of the song4 ,of an immense muscular power in the breathing apparatus and all the vocal organs1 the strengthening of which to endure sustained exertion cannot be begun too long in advance2 and the exercising of which1 as long as one sings in public1 must never be remitted for a single day4 ,as beauty and stability of tone do not depend upon excessive pressure of the breath1 so the muscular power of the organs used in singing does not depend on convulsive rigidity1 but in that snakelike power of contracting and loosening1#a which a singer must consciously have under perfect control4 ,footnote #a3 ,in physiology when the muscles resume their normal state1 they are said to be relaxed4 ,but as ,i wish to avoid giving a false conception in our vocal sensations1 ,i prefer to use the word loosening4 ,the study needed for this occupies an entire lifetime2 not only because the singer must perfect himself more and more in the roles of his repertory--even after he has been performing them year in and year out1--but because he must continually strive for progress1 setting himself tasks that require greater and greater mastery and strength1 and thereby demand fresh study4 ,he who stands still1 goes backward4 ,nevertheless1 there are fortunately gifted geniuses in whom are already united all the qualities needed to attain greatness and perfection1 and whose circumstances in life are equally fortunate2 who can reach the goal earlier1 without devoting their whole lives to it4 ,thus1 for instance1 in ,adelina ,patti everything was united1--the splendid voice1 paired with great talent for singing1 and the long oversight of her studies by her distinguished teacher1 ,strakosch4 ,she never sang roles that did not suit her voice2 in her earlier years she sang only arias and duets or single solos1 never taking part in ensembles4 ,she never sang even her limited repertory when she was indisposed4 ,she never attended rehearsals1 but came to the theatre in the evening and sang triumphantly1 without ever having seen the persons who sang and acted with her4 ,she spared herself rehearsals which1 on the day of the performance1 or the day before1 exhaust all singers1 because of the excitement of all kinds attending them1 and which contribute neither to the freshness of the voice nor to the joy of the profession4 ,although she was a ,spaniard by birth and an ,american by early adoption1 she was1 so to speak1 the greatest ,italian singer of my time4 ,all was absolutely good1 correct1 and flawless1 the voice like a bell that you seemed to hear long after its singing had ceased4 ,yet she could give no explanation of her art1 and answered all her colleagues' questions concerning it with an ,ah1 je n'en sais rien6 ,she possessed1 unconsciously1 as a gift of nature1 a union of all those qualities that all other singers must attain and possess consciously4 ,her vocal organs stood in the most favorable relations to each other4 ,her talent1 and her remarkably trained ear1 maintained control over the beauty of her singing and of her voice4 ,the fortunate circumstances of her life preserved her from all injury4 ,the purity and flawlessness of her tone1 the beautiful equalization of her whole voice1 constituted the magic by which she held her listeners entranced4 ,moreover1 she was beautiful and gracious in appearance4 ,the accent of great dramatic power she did not possess2 yet ,i ascribe this more to her intellectual indolence than to her lack of ability4 ,,section ,,ii ,,of ,,the ,,breath ,the breath becomes voice through the operation of the will1 and the instrumentality of the vocal organs4 ,to regulate the breath1 to prepare a passage of the proper form through which it shall flow1 circulate1 develop itself1 and reach the necessary resonating chambers1 must be our chief task4 ,concerning the breath and much more besides there is so much that is excellent in ,oscar ,guttmann's ,gymnastik der ,stimme that ,i can do no better than to refer to it and recommend it strongly to the attention of all earnest students4 ,how do ,i breathe8 ,very short of breath by nature1 my mother had to keep me as a little child almost sitting upright in bed4 ,after ,i had outgrown that and as a big girl could run around and play well enough1 ,i still had much trouble with shortness of breath in the beginning of my singing lessons4 ,for years ,i practised breathing exercises every day without singing1 and still do so with especial pleasure1 now that everything that relates to the breath and the voice has become clear to me4 ,soon ,i had got so far that ,i could hold a swelling and diminishing tone from fifteen to eighteen seconds4 ,i had learned this3 to draw in the abdomen and diaphragm1 raise the chest and hold the breath in it by the aid of the ribs2 in letting out the breath gradually to relax the body and to let the chest fall slowly4 ,to do everything thoroughly ,i doubtless exaggerated it all4 ,but since for twenty-five years ,i have breathed in this way almost exclusively1 with the utmost care1 ,i have naturally attained great dexterity in it2 and my abdominal and chest muscles and my diaphragm1 have been strengthened to a remarkable degree4 ,yet ,i was not satisfied4 ,a horn player in ,berlin with the power of holding a very long breath1 once told me in answer to a question1 that he drew in his abdomen and diaphragm very strongly1 but immediately relaxed his abdomen again as soon as he began to play4 ,i tried the same thing with the best results4 ,quite different1 and very naive1 was the answer ,i once got from three ,german orchestral horn players in ,america4 ,they looked at me in entire bewilderment1 and appeared not to understand in the least my questions as to how they breathed4 ,two of them declared that the best way was not to think about it at all4 ,but when ,i asked if their teachers had never told them how they should breathe1 the third answered1 after some reflection1 ,oh1 yes6 and pointed in a general way to his stomach4 ,the first two were right1 in so far as too violent inhalation of breath is really undesirable1 because thereby too much air is drawn in4 ,but such ignorance of the subject is disheartening1 and speaks ill for the conservatories in which the players were trained1 whose performances naturally are likely to give art a black eye4 ,undoubtedly ,i took in too much air in breathing1 and thereby stiffened various organs1 depriving my muscles of their elasticity4 ,yet1 with all my care and preparation1 ,i often1 when ,i had not given special thought to it1 had too little breath1 rather than too much4 ,i felt1 too1 after excessive inhalation1 as if ,i must emit a certain amount of air before ,i began to sing4 ,finally ,i abandoned all superfluous drawing in of the abdomen and diaphragm1 inhaled but little1 and began to pay special attention to emitting the smallest possible amount of breath1 which ,i found very serviceable4 ,how do ,i breathe now8 ,my diaphragm ,i scarcely draw in consciously1 my abdomen never2 ,i feel the breath fill my lungs1 and my upper ribs expand4 ,without raising my chest especially high1 ,i force the breath against it1 and hold it fast there4 ,at the same time ,i raise my palate high and prevent the escape of breath through the nose4 ,the diaphragm beneath reacts against it1 and furnishes pressure from the abdomen4 ,chest1 diaphragm1 the closed epiglottis1 and the raised palate all form a supply chamber for the breath4 ,only in this way is the breath under the control of the singer1 through the pressure against the chest tension muscles4 7,this is very important47 ,from now on the breath must be emitted from the supply chamber very sparingly1 but with unceasing uniformity and strength1 without once being held back1 to the vocal cords1 which will further regulate it as far as possible4 ,the more directly the breath pressure is exerted against the chest1--one has the feeling1 in this1 of singing the tone against the chest whence it must be pressed out1--the less breath flows through the vocal cords1 and the less1 consequently1 are these overburdened4 ,in this way1 under control1 in the passage formed for it above the tongue by that organ1 it reaches the resonance chambers prepared for it by the raising and lowering of the soft palate1 and those in the cavities of the head4 ,here it forms whirling currents of tone2 these now must circulate uninterrupted for as long as possible and fill all the accessible resonating surfaces1 which must be maintained in an elastic state4 ,this is necessary to bring the tone to its perfect purity4 ,not till these currents have been sufficiently used up and passed through the bell1 or cup-shaped resonating cavity1 of the mouth and lips1 may it be allowed to stream from the mouth unimpeded4 ,yet the sensation must be as if the breath were constantly escaping from the mouth4 ,to observe and keep under control these many functions1 singly or in conjunction1 forms the ceaseless delight of the never failing fountain of song study4 ,thus1 in shaping the passage for the breath1 the larynx1 tongue1 and palate1 which can be placed at will1 are employed4 ,the vocal cords1 which can best be imagined as inner lips1 we have under control neither as beginners nor as artists4 ,we do not feel them4 ,we first become conscious of them through the controlling apparatus of the breath1 which teaches us to spare them1 by emitting breath through them in the least possible quantity and of even pressure1 whereby a steady tone can be produced4 ,i even maintain that all is won1 when--as ,victor ,maurel says--we regard them directly as the breath regulators1 and relieve them of all overwork through the controlling apparatus of the chest-muscle tension4 ,through the form prepared by the larynx1 tongue1 and palate1 we can direct the breath1 previously under control and regulation1 toward the particular resonating surfaces on the palate1 or in the cavities of the head1 which are suitable to each tone4 ,this rule remains the same for all voices4 ,as soon as the breath leaves the larynx1 it is divided4 7,previously1 in inhalation1 a similar thing happens2 but this does not concern us immediately1 and ,i prefer to direct the singer's chief attention to the second occurrence47 ,one part may press toward the palate1 the other toward the cavities of the head4 ,the division of the breath occurs regularly1 from the deepest bass to the highest tenor or soprano1 step for step1 vibration for vibration1 without regard to sex or individuality4 ,only the differing size or strength of the vocal organs through which the breath flows1 the breathing apparatus1 or the skill with which they are used1 are different in different individuals4 ,the seat of the breath1 the law of its division1 as well as the resonating surfaces1 are always the same and are differentiated at most through difference of habit4 ,,section ,,iii ,,of ,,the ,,breath ,,and ,,whirling ,,currents 7,,singing ,,forward7 ,the veriest beginner knows that in order to use the breath to the fullest advantage1 it must remain very long diffused back in the mouth4 ,a mistaken idea of singing forward misleads most to press it forward and thus allow it to be speedily dissipated4 ,the column of breath coming in an uninterrupted stream from the larynx1 must1 as soon as it flows into the form prepared for it according to the required tone1 by the tongue and palate1 fill this form1 soaring through all its corners1 with its vibrations4 ,it makes whirling currents1 which circulate in the elastic form surrounding it1 and it must remain there till the tone is high enough1 strong enough1 and sustained enough to satisfy the judgment of the singer as well as the ear of the listener4 ,should there be lacking the least element of pitch1 strength1 or duration1 the tone is imperfect and does not meet the requirement4 ,learning and teaching to hear is the first task of both pupil and teacher4 ,one is impossible without the other4 ,it is the most difficult as well as the most grateful task1 and it is the only way to reach perfection4 ,even if the pupil unconsciously should produce a flawless tone1 it is the teacher's duty to acquaint him clearly with the causes of it4 ,it is not enough to sing well2 one must also know how one does it4 ,the teacher must tell the pupil constantly1 making him describe clearly his sensations in singing1 and understand fully the physiological factors that cooeperate to produce them4 ,the sensations in singing must coincide with mine as here described1 if they are to be considered as correct2 for mine are based logically on physiological causes and correspond precisely with the operation of these causes4 ,moreover1 all my pupils tell me--often1 to be sure1 not till many months have passed--how exact my explanations are2 how accurately1 on the strength of them1 they have learned to feel the physiological processes4 ,they have learned1 slowly1 to be sure1 to become conscious of their errors and false impressions2 for it is very difficult to ascertain such mistakes and false adjustments of the organs4 ,false sensations in singing and disregarded or false ideas of physiological processes cannot immediately be stamped out4 ,a long time is needed for the mind to be able to form a clear image of those processes1 and not till then can knowledge and improvement be expected4 ,the teacher must repeatedly explain the physiological processes1 the pupil repeatedly disclose every confusion and uncertainty he feels1 until the perfect consciousness of his sensations in singing is irrevocably impressed upon his memory1 that is1 has become a habit4 ,among a hundred singers hardly one can be found whose single tones meet every requirement4 ,and among a thousand listeners1 even among teachers1 and among artists1 hardly one hears it4 ,i admit that such perfect tones sometimes1 generally quite unconsciously1 are heard from young singers1 and especially from beginners1 and never fail to make an impression4 ,the teacher hears that they are good1 so does the public4 ,only a very few know why1 even among singers1 because only a very few know the laws governing perfect tone production4 ,their talent1 their ear perchance1 tell them the truth2 but the causes they neither know nor look for4 ,on such unconscious singing directors1 managers1 and even conductors1 build mistakenly their greatest hopes4 ,no one hears what is lacking1 or what will soon be lacking1 and all are surprised when experienced singers protest against it4 ,they become enthusiastic1 properly1 over beautiful voices1 but pursue quite the wrong path in training them for greater tasks4 ,as soon as such persons are obtained1 they are immediately bundled into all roles2 they have hardly time to learn one role by heart1 to say nothing of comprehending it and working it up artistically4 ,the stars must shine immediately6 ,but with what resources8 ,with the fresh voice alone8 ,who is there to teach them to use their resources on the stage8 ,who to husband them for the future8 ,the manager8 the director8 ,not at all4 ,when the day comes that they can no longer perform what1 not they themselves1 but the directors1 expected of them1 they are put to one side1 and if they do not possess great energy and strength1 often entirely succumb4 ,they could not meet the demands made upon them1 because they did not know how to use their resources4 ,i shall be told that tones well sung1 even unconsciously1 are enough4 ,but that is not true4 ,the least unfavorable circumstance1 over-exertion1 indisposition1 an unaccustomed situation1 anything can blow out the unconscious one's light1 or at least make it flicker badly4 ,of any self-help1 when there is ignorance of all the fundamentals1 there can be no question4 ,any help is grasped at4 ,then appears the so-called 7but false7 individuality1 under whose mask so much that is bad presents itself to art and before the public4 ,this is not remarkable1 in view of the complexity of the phenomena of song4 ,few teachers concern themselves with the fundamental studies2 they often do not sing at all themselves1 or they sing quite wrongly2 and consequently can neither describe the vocal sensations nor test them in others4 ,theory alone is of no value whatever4 ,with old singers the case is often quite the contrary--so both seize whatever help they can lay hold of4 ,the breath1 that vibrates against the soft palate1 when it is raised1 or behind it in the cavities of the head1 produces whirling currents through its continuous streaming forth and its twofold division4 ,these currents can circulate only in unbroken completeness of form4 ,the longer their form remains unimpaired1 and the more economically the continuous breath pressure is maintained1 the less breath do these currents need1 the less is emitted unused from the mouth4 ,if an elastic form is found in the mouth in which the currents can circulate untouched by any pressure or undue contraction or expansion of it1 the breath becomes practically unlimited4 ,that is the simple solution of the paradox that without deep breathing one may often have much breath1 and1 after elaborate preparations1 often none at all2 because the chief attention is generally directed to inhalation1 instead of to the elastic forming of the organs for the breath1 sound currents1 and tone4 ,the one thing needed is the knowledge of the causes1 and the necessary skill in preparing the form1 avoiding all pressure that could injure it1 whether originating in the larynx1 tongue1 or palate1 or in the organs that furnish the breath pressure4 ,the singer's endeavors1 consequently1 must be directed to keeping the breath as long as possible sounding and vibrating not only forward but back in the mouth1 since the resonance of the tone is spread upon and above the entire palate1 extends from the front teeth to the wall of the throat4 ,he must concern himself with preparing for the vibrations1 pliantly and with mobility1 a powerful1 elastic1 almost floating envelope1 which must be filled entirely1 with the help of a continuous vocal mixture1--a mixture of which the components are indistinguishable4 ,,section ,,iv ,,the ,,singer',s ,,physiological ,,studies ,science has explained all the processes of the vocal organs in their chief functions1 and many methods of singing have been based upon physiology1 physics1 and phonetics4 ,to a certain extent scientific explanations are absolutely necessary for the singer--as long as they are confined to the sensations in singing1 foster understanding of the phenomenon1 and summon up an intelligible picture4 ,this is what uninterpreted sensations in singing cannot do2 of which fact the clearest demonstration is given by the expressions1 bright1 dark1 nasal1 singing forward1 etc41 that ,i began by mentioning and that are almost always falsely understood4 ,they are quite meaningless without the practical teachings of the sensations of such singers as have directed their attention to them with a knowledge of the end in view1 and are competent to correlate them with the facts of science4 ,the singer is usually worried by the word physiology2 but only because he does not clearly understand the limits of its teachings4 ,the singer need1 will1 and must1 know a little of it4 ,we learn so much that is useless in this life1 why not learn that which is of the utmost service to us8 ,what1 in brief1 does it mean8 ,perfect consciousness in moving the vocal organs1 and through the aid of the ear1 in placing them at will in certain relations with each other2 the fact that the soft palate can be drawn up against the hard palate2 that the tongue is able to take many different positions1 and that the larynx1 by the assistance of the vocal sound oo1 takes a low position1 and by that of the vowel a a high one2 that all muscles contract in activity and in normal inactivity are relaxed2 that we must strengthen them by continued vocal gymnastics so that they may be able to sustain long-continued exertion2 and must keep them elastic and use them so4 ,it includes also the well-controlled activity of diaphragm1 chest1 neck1 and face muscles4 ,this is all that physiology means for the vocal organs4 ,since these things all operate together1 one without the others can accomplish nothing2 if the least is lacking1 singing is quite impossible1 or is entirely bad4 ,illustration3 ,cavity of the forehead1 high range4 ,nasal cavity1 middle range4 ,palatal resonance1 low range4 ,soft palate laid back against the wall of the throat in low tones1 lowered in high tones4 ,red lines denote the resonance4 ,physiology is concerned also with muscles1 nerves1 sinews1 ligaments1 and cartilage1 all of which are used in singing1 but all of which we cannot feel4 ,we cannot even feel the vocal cords4 ,certainly much depends for the singer upon their proper condition2 and whether as voice producers or breath regulators1 we all have good reason always to spare them as much as possible1 and never to overburden them4 ,though we cannot feel the vocal cords1 we can1 nevertheless1 hear1 by observing whether the tone is even1--in the emission of the breath under control1--whether they are performing their functions properly4 ,overburdening them through pressure1 or emitting of the breath without control1 results in weakening them4 ,the irritation of severe coughing1 thoughtless talking or shouting immediately after singing may also set up serious congestion of the vocal cords1 which can be remedied only through slow gymnastics of the tongue and laryngeal muscles1 by the pronunciation of vowels in conjunction with consonants4 ,inactivity of the vocal organs will not cure it1 or perhaps not till after the lapse of years4 ,a good singer can never lose his voice4 ,mental agitation or severe colds can for a time deprive the singer of the use of his vocal organs1 or seriously impair them4 ,only those who have been singing without consciously correct use of their organs can become disheartened over it2 those who know better will1 with more or less difficulty1 cure themselves1 and by the use of vocal gymnastics bring their vocal organs into condition again4 ,for this reason1 if for no other1 singers should seek to acquire accurate knowledge of their own organs1 as well as of their functions1 that they may not let themselves be burnt1 cut1 and cauterized by unscrupulous physicians4 ,leave the larynx and all connected with it alone2 strengthen the organs by daily vocal gymnastics and a healthy1 sober mode of life2 beware of catching cold after singing2 do not sit and talk in restaurants4 ,students of singing should use the early morning hours1 and fill their days with the various branches of their study4 ,sing every day only so much1 that on the next day you can practise again1 feeling fresh and ready for work1 as regular study requires4 ,better one hour every day than ten to-day and none tomorrow4 ,the public singer should also do his practising early in the day1 that he may have himself well in hand by evening4 ,how often one feels indisposed in the morning6 ,any physical reason is sufficient to make singing difficult1 or even impossible2 it need not be connected necessarily with the vocal organs2 in fact1 ,i believe it very rarely is4 ,for this reason1 in two hours everything may have changed4 ,i remember a charming incident in ,new ,york4 ,albert ,niemann1 our heroic tenor1 who was to sing ,lohengrin in the evening1 complained to me in the morning of severe hoarseness4 ,to give up a role in ,america costs the singer1 as well as the director1 much money4 ,my advice was to wait4 ,niemann4 ,what do you do1 then1 when you are hoarse8 ,i4 ,oh1 ,i practise and see whether it still troubles me4 ,niem4 ,indeed2 and what do you practise8 ,i4 ,long1 slow scales4 ,niem4 ,even if you are hoarse8 ,i4 ,yes2 if ,i want to sing1 or have to1 ,i try it4 ,niem4 ,well1 what are they8 ,show me4 ,the great scale1 the infallible cure4 ,i showed them to him2 he sang them1 with words of abuse in the meantime2 but gradually his hoarseness grew better4 ,he did not send word of his inability to appear in the evening1 but sang1 and better than ever1 with enormous success4 ,i myself had to sing ,norma in ,vienna some years ago1 and got up in the morning quite hoarse4 ,by nine o'clock ,i tried my infallible remedy1 but could not sing above ,a flat1 though in the evening ,i should have to reach high ,d flat and ,e flat4 ,i was on the point of giving up1 because the case seemed to me so desperate4 ,nevertheless1 ,i practised till eleven o'clock1 half an hour at a time1 and noticed that ,i was gradually getting better4 ,in the evening ,i had my ,d flat and ,e flat at my command and was in brilliant form4 ,people said they had seldom heard me sing so well4 ,i could give numberless instances1 all going to show that you never can tell early in the day how you are going to feel in the evening4 ,i much prefer1 for instance1 not to feel so very well early in the day1 because it may easily happen that the opposite may be the case later on1 which is much less agreeable4 ,if you wish to sing only when you are in good form1 you must excuse yourself ninety-nine times out of a hundred4 ,you must learn to know your own vocal organs thoroughly and be able to sing2 must do everything that is calculated to keep you in good condition4 ,this includes chiefly rest for the nerves1 care of the body1 and gymnastics of the voice1 that you may be able to defy all possible chances4 ,before all1 never neglect to practise every morning1 regularly1 proper singing exercises through the whole compass of the voice4 ,do it with painful seriousness2 and never think that vocal gymnastics weary the singer4 ,on the contrary1 they bring refreshment and power of endurance to him who will become master of his vocal organs4 ,,section ,v ,,equalizing ,,the ,,voice2 ,,breath2 ,,form ,through the lowering of the pillars of the fauces1 which is the same as raising the soft palate1 the outflowing breath is divided into two parts4 ,i have sketched the following representation of it3-- ,division of the breath4 ,by raising the pillars of the fauces1 which closes off the throat from the cavities of the head1 the chest voice is produced2 that is1 the lowest range of all kinds of voices4 ,this occurs when the main stream of breath1 spreading over against the high-arched palate1 completely utilizes all its resonating surfaces4 ,this is the palatal resonance1 in which there is the most power 7,plate ,a74 ,illustration3 ,a ,red lines denote division of the breath in palatal resonance1 lower range of male and female voices4 ,when the soft palate is raised high behind the nose1 the pillars of the fauces are lowered1 and this frees the way for the main stream of breath to the head cavities4 ,this now is poured out1 filling the nose1 forehead1 and head cavities4 ,this makes the head tone4 ,called head tone in women1 falsetto in men1 it is the highest range of all classes of voices1 the resonance of the head cavities 7,plate ,c74 ,illustration3 ,c ,resonance of the cavity of the forehead4 ,red lines denote division of the breath in the resonance of the head cavity1 high range4 ,between these two extreme functions of the palate and breath1 one stream of breath gives some of its force to the other2 and when equally divided they form the medium range of all classes of voices 7,plate ,b74 ,illustration3 ,b ,red lines denote division of the breath in the middle range4 ,the singer must always have in his mind's eye a picture of this divided stream of breath4 ,as ,i have already said1 in the lowest tones of all voices the main stream of breath is projected against the palate2 the pillars of the fauces1 being stretched to their fullest extent1 and drawn back to the wall of the throat1 allow almost no breath to reach the head cavities4 ,i say almost none1 for1 as a matter of fact1 a branch stream of breath1 however small1 must be forced back1 behind and above the pillars1 first into the nose1 later into the forehead and the cavities of the head4 ,this forms the overtones 7head tones7 which must vibrate with all tones1 even the lowest4 ,these overtones lead over from the purest chest tones1 slowly1 with a constantly changing mixture of both kinds of resonance1 first to the high tones of bass and baritone1 the low tones of tenor1 the middle tones of alto and soprano1 finally1 to the purest head tones1 the highest tones of the tenor-falsetto or soprano4 7,see the plates47 ,the extremely delicate gradation of the scale of increase of the resonance of the head cavities in ascending passages1 and of increase of palatal resonance in descending1 depends upon the skill to make the palate act elastically1 and to let the breath1 under control of the abdominal and chest pressure1 flow uninterruptedly in a gentle stream into the resonating chambers4 ,through the previous preparation of the larynx and tongue1 it must reach its resonating surfaces as though passing through a cylinder1 and must circulate in the form previously prepared for it1 proper for each tone and vowel sound4 ,this form surrounds it gently but firmly4 ,the supply of air remains continuously the same1 rather increasing than diminishing1 notwithstanding the fact that the quantity which the abdominal pressure has furnished the vocal cords from the supply chamber is a very small one4 ,that it may not hinder further progression1 the form must remain elastic and sensitive to the most delicate modification of the vowel sound4 ,if the tone is to have life1 it must always be able to conform to any vowel sound4 ,the least displacement of the form or interruption of the breath breaks up the whirling currents and vibrations1 and consequently affects the tone1 its vibrancy1 its strength1 and its duration4 ,in singing a continuous passage upward1 the form becomes higher and more pliant2 the most pliable place on the palate is drawn upward4 7,see ,plate ,a47 ,when ,i sing a single tone ,i can give it much more power1 much more palatal or nasal resonance1 than ,i could give in a series of ascending tones4 ,in a musical figure ,i must attack the lowest note in such a way that ,i can easily reach the highest4 ,i must1 therefore1 give it much more head tone than the single tone requires4 7,very important47 ,when advancing farther1 ,i have the feeling on the palate1 above and behind the nose1 toward the cavities of the head1 of a strong but very elastic rubber ball1 which ,i fill like a balloon with my breath streaming up far back of it4 ,and this filling keeps on in even measure4 ,that is1 the branch stream of the breath1 which flows into the head cavities1 must be free to flow very strongly without hindrance4 7,see ,plate ,b47 ,i can increase the size of this ball above1 to a pear shape1 as soon as ,i think of singing higher2 and1 indeed1 ,i heighten the form before ,i go on from the tone just sung1 making it1 so to speak1 higher in that way1 and thus keep the form1 that is1 the propagation form1 ready for the next higher tone1 which ,i can now reach easily1 as long as no interruption in the stream of breath against the mucous membrane can take place4 ,for this reason the breath must never be held back1 but must always be emitted in a more and more powerful stream4 ,the higher the tone1 the more numerous are the vibrations1 the more rapidly the whirling currents circulate1 and the more unchangeable must the form be4 ,catarrh often dries up the mucous membrane2 then the tones are inclined to break off4 ,at such times one must sing with peculiar circumspection1 and with an especially powerful stream of breath behind the tone3 it is better to take breath frequently4 ,in a descending scale or figure ,i must1 on the contrary1 preserve very carefully the form taken for the highest tone4 ,i must not go higher1 nor yet1 under any circumstances1 lower1 but must imagine that ,i remain at the same pitch1 and must suggest to myself that ,i am striking the same tone again4 ,the form may gradually be a little modified at the upper end3 that is1 the soft palate is lowered very carefully behind the nose3 keeping almost always to the form employed for the highest tone1 sing the figure to its end1 toward the nose1 with the help of the vowel oo4 7,this auxiliary vowel oo means nothing more than that the larynx is slowly lowered in position47 ,when this happens1 the resonance of the head cavities is diminished1 that of the palate increased2 for the soft palate sinks1 and the pillars of the fauces are raised more and more4 ,yet the head tone must not be entirely free from palatal resonance4 ,both remain to the last breath united1 mutually supporting each other in ascending and descending passages1 and alternately but inaudibly increasing and diminishing4 ,these things go to make up the form3-- ,the raising and lowering of the soft palate1 and the corresponding lowering and raising of the pillars of the fauces4 ,the proper position of the tongue3 the tip rests on the lower front teeth--mine even as low as the roots of the teeth4 ,the back of the tongue must stand high and free from the throat1 ready for any movement4 ,a furrow must be formed in the tongue1 which is least prominent in the lowest tones1 and in direct head tones may even completely disappear4 ,as soon as the tone demands the palatal resonance1 the furrow must be made prominent and kept so4 ,in my case it can always be seen4 ,this is one of the most important matters1 upon which too much emphasis can hardly be laid4 ,as soon as the furrow in the tongue shows itself1 the tone must sound right2 for then the mass of the tongue is kept away from the throat1 and1 since its sides are raised1 it is kept out of the way of the tone4 ,illustration3 ,side of the tongue kept high4 ,furrow4 ,illustration3 ,red line denotes3 ,sensation in raising the soft palate for high notes4 ,sensation of the form in rapid upward passages4 ,division of the breath favors the resonance of head cavities4 ,it lies flattest in the lowest tones because the larynx then is in a very low position1 and thus is out of its way4 ,illustration3 ,red line denotes sensation of the form in slow progression of tones4 ,illustration3 ,red line denotes sensation for the propagation form4 ,furthermore1 there is the unconstrained position of the larynx1 which must be maintained without pressure of the throat muscles4 ,from it the breath must stream forth evenly and uninterruptedly1 to fill the form prepared for it by the tongue and palate and supported by the throat muscles4 ,this support must not1 however1 depend in the least upon pressure1--for the vibrating breath must float above1--but upon the greatest elasticity4 ,one must play with the muscles1 and be able to contract and relax them at pleasure1 having thus perfect mastery over them4 ,for this incessant practice is required1 increasing control of the breath through the sense of hearing and the breath pressure4 ,at first a very strong will power is needed to hold the muscles tense without pressure2 that is1 to let the tone1 as it were1 soar through the throat1 mouth1 or cavities of the head4 ,the stronger the improper pressure in the production of the tone1 the more difficult it is to get rid of4 ,the result is simply1 in other words1 a strain4 ,the contraction of the muscles must go only so far that they can be slowly relaxed2 that is1 can return to their normal position easily4 ,never must the neck be swelled up1 or the veins in it stand out4 ,every convulsive or painful feeling is wrong4 ,,section ,,vi ,,the ,,attack ,to attack a tone1 the breath must be directed to a focal point on the palate1 which lies under the critical point for each different tone2 this must be done with a certain decisiveness4 ,there must1 however1 be no pressure on this place2 for the overtones must be able to soar above1 and sound with1 the tone4 ,the palate has to furnish1 besides1 the top cover against which the breath strikes1 also an extremely elastic floor for the breath sounding above it against the hard palate or in the nose4 ,this breath1 by forming the overtones1 makes certain the connection with the resonance of the head cavities4 ,in order to bring out the color of the tone the whirling currents must vivify all the vowel sounds that enter into it1 and draw them into their circles with an ever-increasing1 soaring tide of sound4 ,the duration of the tone must be assured by the gentle but uninterrupted outpouring of the breath behind it4 ,its strength must be gained by the breath pressure and the focal point on the palate1 by the complete utilization of the palatal resonance2 without1 however1 injuring the resonance of the head cavities4 7,see plate1 representing the attack47 ,illustration3 ,sensation of pitch4 ,red line denotes sensation in the attack4 ,,section ,,vii ,,nasal4 ,,nasal ,,singing ,by raising the back of the tongue toward the soft palate and lowering the soft palate toward the tongue1 we produce nasal sound1 such as is heard in the pronunciation of the word hanger1 for instance4 ,the air is then expelled chiefly through the nose4 ,the nasal sound can be much exaggerated--something that very rarely happens2 it can be much neglected--something that very often happens4 ,certain it is that it is not nearly enough availed of4 ,that is my own everyday experience4 ,we ,germans have only small opportunity to make the acquaintance of the nasal sound2 we know it in only a few words3 ,engel1 lange1 mangel1 etc41--always where ng occurs before or after a vowel4 ,the ,french1 on the contrary1 always sing and speak nasally1 with the pillar of the fauces raised high1 and not seldom exaggerate it4 ,on account of the rounding up of the whole soft palate1 which1 through the power of habit1 is cultivated especially by the ,french to an extraordinary degree1 and which affords the breath an enormous space as a resonating surface to act upon1 their voices often sound tremendous4 ,the tenor ,silva is a good example of this4 ,such voices have only the one drawback of easily becoming monotonous4 ,at first the power of the organ astonishes us2 the next time we are disappointed--the tone color remains always the same4 ,the tone often even degenerates into a hollow quality4 ,illustration3 ,red lines denote movement of the tongue and palate for the nasal tone4 ,on the other hand1 voices that are not sufficiently nasal sound clear and expressionless4 ,madame ,melba1 for instance1 whose voice is cultivated to favor the head tones1 and sounds equally well in all its ranges1 apparently lowers the pillars of the fauces too much1 and has her chief resonance in the head cavities2 she cannot draw upon the palatal resonance for single accents of expression4 ,consequently she loses in vocal color4 ,this procedure1 as soon as it becomes a habit1 results in monotony4 ,in the first case somewhat less1 in the second somewhat more1 nasal resonance would help to a greater variety of effect4 ,there are singers1 too1 who pursue the middle path with consummate art4 ,thus ,madame ,sembrich1 in recent years1 appears to have devoted very special study to nasal tones1 whereby her voice1 especially in the middle register1 has gained greatly in warmth4 ,to fix the pupil's attention on the nasal tone and the elasticity of the palate1 he should often be given exercises with ,french words4 ,,section ,,viii ,,singing ,,toward ,,the ,,nose4 ,,head ,,voice ,when the peak of the softest part of the palate is placed forward toward the nose1 instead of being drawn up high behind the nose1 as in the head voice 7see plate1 head voice and nasal tone71 it forms a kind of nasal production which1 as ,i have already said1 cannot be studied enough1 because it produces very noble tonal effects and extraordinary connections4 ,it ought always to be employed4 ,by it is effected the connection of tones with each other1 from the front teeth back to a point under the nose2 from the lower middle tones to the head tones4 ,in truth1 all the benefit of tonal connection depends upon this portion of the soft palate2 that is1 upon its conscious employment4 ,this is all that singers mean when they speak of nasal singing--really only singing toward the nose4 ,the soft palate placed toward the nose offers a resonating surface for the tone4 ,the reason why teachers tell their pupils so little of this is that many singers are quite ignorant of what nasal singing means1 and are tormented by the idea of singing toward the nose1 when by chance they hear something about it4 ,they generally regard the voice as one complete organ acting by itself1 which is once for all what it is4 ,what can be made of it through knowledge of the functions of all the cooeperating organs they know nothing of4 ,blind voices are often caused by the exaggerated practice of closing off the throat too tightly from the head cavities2 that is1 drawing the pillars of the fauces too far toward the wall of the throat4 ,the large resonating chamber thus formed yields tones that are powerful close at hand1 but they do not carry1 because they are poor in overtones4 ,the mistake consists in the practice of stretching the pillars too widely in the higher vocal ranges1 also4 ,in proportion as the pillars are extended1 the breath spreads over the entire palate1 instead of being concentrated on only one point of it1 and bringing at the same time the resonance of the head cavities into play4 ,the soft palate must first be drawn up to1 then behind1 the nose1 and the attack of the higher tones be transferred thither4 ,the pillars of the fauces must necessarily be relaxed by this action of the soft palate4 ,thereby breath is introduced into the cavities of the head to form the overtones1 which contribute brilliancy and freshness to the voice4 ,many singers persist in the bad habit here described1 as long as nature can endure it2 in the course of time1 however1 even with the most powerful physiques1 they will begin to sing noticeably flat2 with less powerful1 the fatal tremolo will make its appearance1 which results in the ruin of so many singers4 ,illustration3 ,red lines denote vocal sensations of soprano and tenor singers4 ,illustration3 ,the singer's nasal tone4 ,red line denotes3 ,the soft palate raised high in the back1 for further progression with the head tone4 ,vocal sensation4 ,red line denotes3 ,soft palate drawn toward the nose1 for a descending progression4 ,vocal sensation4 ,,section ,,ix ,,the ,,head ,,voice ,the head tone signifies1 for all voices1 from the deepest bass to the highest soprano1--excepting for the fact that it furnishes the overtones for each single tone of the whole vocal gamut1--youth4 ,a voice without vibrancy is an old voice4 ,the magic of youth1 freshness1 is given by the overtones that sound with every tone4 ,so to utilize the head voice 7resonance of the head cavities7 that every tone shall be able to carry and shall remain high enough to reach higher tones easily1 is a difficult art1 without which1 however1 the singer cannot reckon upon the durability of his voice4 ,often employed unconsciously1 it is lost through heedlessness1 mistaken method1 or ignorance2 and it can hardly ever be regained1 or1 if at all1 only through the greatest sacrifice of time1 trouble1 and patience4 ,the pure head voice 7the third register7 is1 on account of the thinness that it has by nature1 the neglected step-child of almost all singers1 male and female2 its step-parents1 in the worst significance of the word1 are most singing teachers1 male and female4 ,it is produced by the complete lowering of the pillars of the fauces1 while the softest point of the palate--behind the nose--is thrown up very high1 seemingly1 almost into the head2 in the highest position1 as it were1 above the head4 ,the rear of the tongue stands high1 but is formed into a furrow1 in order that the mass of the tongue may not be in the way1 either in the throat or in the mouth4 ,in the very highest falsetto and head tones the furrow is pretty well filled out1 and then no more breath at all reaches the palatal resonance4 ,the larynx stands high--mine leans over to one side4 7,see plates of larynx47 ,illustration3 ,a ,normal position of the larynx4 ,b ,the position of my larynx in the high range4 ,the vocal cords1 which we cannot feel1 now approach very near each other4 ,the pupil should not read about them until he has learned to hear correctly4 ,i do not intend to write a physiological work1 but simply to attempt to examine certain infallible vocal sensations of the singer2 point out ways to cure evils1 and show how to gain a correct understanding of that which we lack4 ,up to a certain pitch1 with tenors as well as with sopranos1 the head tones should be mixed with palatal resonance4 ,with tenors this will be a matter of course1 though with them the chest tones are much abused2 with sopranos1 however1 a judicious mixture may be recommended because more expression is required 7since the influence of ,wagner has become paramount in interpreting the meaning of a composition1 especially of the words7 than in the brilliant fireworks of former times4 ,the head voice1 too1 must not be regarded as a definite register of its own1 which is generally produced in the middle range through too long a persistence in the use of the palatal and nasal resonance4 ,if it is suddenly heard alone1 after forcing tones that have preceded it1 which is not possible under other circumstances1 it is of course noticeably thin1 and stands out to its disadvantage--like every other sharply defined register--from the middle tones4 ,in the formation of the voice no register should exist or be created2 the voice must be made even throughout its entire range4 ,i do not mean by this that ,i should sing neither with chest tones nor with head tones4 ,on the contrary1 the practised artist should have at his command all manner of different means of expression1 that he may be able to use his single tones1 according to the expression required1 with widely diverse qualities of resonance4 ,this1 too1 must be cared for in his studies4 ,but these studies1 because they must fit each individual case1 according to the genius or talent of the individual1 can be imparted and directed only by a good teacher4 ,the head voice1 when its value is properly appreciated1 is the most valuable possession of all singers1 male and female4 ,it should not be treated as a ,cinderella1 or as a last resort1--as is often done too late1 and so without results1 because too much time is needed to regain it1 when once lost1--but should be cherished and cultivated as a guardian angel and guide1 like no other4 ,without its aid all voices lack brilliancy and carrying power2 they are like a head without a brain4 ,only by constantly summoning it to the aid of all other registers is the singer able to keep his voice fresh and youthful4 ,only by a careful application of it do we gain that power of endurance which enables us to meet the most fatiguing demands4 ,by it alone can we effect a complete equalization of the whole compass of all voices1 and extend that compass4 ,this is the great secret of those singers who keep their voices young till they reach an advanced age4 ,without it all voices of which great exertions are demanded infallibly meet disaster4 ,therefore1 the motto must be always1 practice1 and again1 practice1 to keep one's powers uninjured2 practice brings freshness to the voice1 strengthens the muscles1 and is1 for the singer1 far more interesting than any musical composition4 ,if in my explanations ,i frequently repeat myself1 it is done not unintentionally1 but deliberately1 because of the difficulty of the subject1 as well as of the superficiality and negligence of so many singers who1 after once hastily glancing through such a treatise1--if they consider it worth their while at all to inform themselves on the subject1--think they have done enough with it4 ,one must read continually1 study constantly by one's self1 to gain even a faint idea of the difficulty of the art of singing1 of managing the voice1 and even of one's own organs and mistakes1 which are one's second self4 ,the phenomenon of the voice is an elaborate complication of manifold functions which are united in an extremely limited space1 to produce a single tone2 functions which can only be heard1 scarcely felt--indeed1 should be felt as little as possible4 ,thus1 in spite of ourselves1 we can only come back again to the point from which we started1 as in an eddy1 repeating the explanations of the single functions1 and relating them to each other4 ,since in singing we sense none of the various activities of the cartilage1 muscles1 ligaments1 and tendons that belong to the vocal apparatus1 feel them only in their cooeperation1 and can judge of the correctness of their workings only through the ear1 it would be absurd to think of them while singing4 ,we are compelled1 in spite of scientific knowledge1 to direct our attention while practising1 to the sensations of the voice1 which are the only ones we can become aware of1--sensations which are confined to the very palpable functions of the organs of breathing1 the position of the larynx1 of the tongue1 and of the palate1 and finally1 to the sensation of the resonance of the head cavities4 ,the perfect tone results from the combined operations of all these functions1 the sensations of which ,i undertake to explain1 and the control of which the ear alone can undertake4 ,this is the reason why it is so important to learn to hear one's self1 and to sing in such a way that one can always so hear4 ,even in the greatest stress of emotion the power of self-control must never be lost2 you must never allow yourself to sing in a slovenly1 that is1 in a heedless1 way1 or to exceed your powers1 or even to reach their extreme limit4 ,that would be synonymous with roughness1 which should be excluded from every art1 especially in the art of song4 ,the listener must gain a pleasing impression from every tone1 every expression of the singer2 much more may be given if desired4 ,strength must not be confounded with roughness2 and the two must not go hand in hand together4 ,phenomenal beings may perhaps be permitted to go beyond the strength of others2 but to the others this must remain forbidden4 ,it cannot become a regular practice1 and is best limited to the single phenomenon4 ,we should otherwise soon reach the point of crudest realism1 from which at best we are not far removed4 ,roughness will never attain artistic justification1 not even in the case of the greatest individual singers1 because it is an offence4 ,the public should witness from interpretative art only what is good and noble on which to form its taste2 there should be nothing crude or commonplace put before it1 which it might consider itself justified in taking as an example4 ,of the breath sensation ,i have already spoken at length4 ,i must add that it is often very desirable in singing to breathe through the nose with the mouth closed2 although when this is done1 the raising of the palate becomes less certain1 as it happens somewhat later than when the breath is taken with the mouth open4 ,it has1 however1 this disadvantage1 that neither cold air nor dust is drawn into the larynx and air passages4 ,i take pleasure in doing it very often4 ,at all events1 the singer should often avail himself of it4 ,we feel the larynx when the epiglottis springs up 7stroke of the glottis1 if the tone is taken from below upward74 ,we can judge whether the epiglottis springs up quickly enough if the breath comes out in a full enough stream to give the tone the necessary resonance4 ,the low position of the larynx can easily be secured by pronouncing the vowel oo2 the high1 by pronouncing the vowel a4 ,often merely thinking of one or the other is enough to put the larynx1 tongue1 and palate in the right relations to each other4 ,whenever ,i sing in a high vocal range1 ,i can plainly feel the larynx rise and take a diagonal position4 7,see plate47 ,the movement is1 of course1 very slight4 ,yet ,i have the feeling in my throat as if everything in it was stretching4 ,i feel the pliability of my organs plainly as soon as ,i sing higher4 ,,section ,x ,,sensation ,,and ,,position ,,of ,,the ,,tongue ,we feel the placing of its tip against or beneath the front teeth2 and place the tip very low1 so that it really curves over in front4 7,see plate47 ,its hinder part must be drawn back toward the palate1 in the pronunciation of every letter4 ,furthermore1 by looking in the mirror we can see that the sides of the tongue are raised as soon as we wish to form a furrow in it2 that is1 as we must do to produce the palatal resonance4 7,only in the head tone--that is1 the use of the resonance of the head cavities without the added palatal resonance--has the tongue no furrow2 it must1 however1 lie very high1 since otherwise its mass1 when it lies flat1 presses against the larynx and produces pinched or otherwise disagreeable tones47 ,the best way is to get the mass of the tongue out of the way by forming the furrow in it4 ,in high notes1 when the larynx must stand as high as possible1 the back of the tongue also must stand very high2 but since there is a limit to this1 we are often compelled to make the larynx take a lower position4 ,illustration3 ,correct4 ,incorrect4 ,the correct position of the tongue1 preparatory to singing1 is gained by saying the vowel sound aou1 as if about to yawn4 ,the tongue must not scrape around upward with its tip4 ,as soon as the tip has been employed in the pronunciation of the consonants l1 n1 s1 t1 and z1 in which its service is very short and sharp1 it must return to its former position1 and keep to it4 ,it is best to watch the movements of the tongue in the mirror until we have formed the correct habit permanently4 ,the more elastic the tongue is in preparing the form for the breath to pass through1 the stiller will it appear1 the stiller will it feel to us4 ,it is well1 however1 for a considerable time to watch in a mirror all functions of the organs that can be seen2 the expression of the face1 the position of the mouth1 and the movement of the lips4 ,,section ,,xi ,,the ,,sensations ,,of ,,the ,,palate ,the sensations of the palate are best made clear to us by raising the softest part behind the nose4 ,this part is situated very far back4 ,try touching it carefully with the finger4 ,this little part is of immeasurable importance to the singer4 ,by raising it the entire resonance of the head cavities is brought into play--consequently the head tones are produced4 ,when it is raised1 the pillars of the fauces are lowered4 ,in its normal position it allows the pillars to be distended and to close the head cavities off from the throat1 in order to produce the chest tones2 that is1 to permit the breath to make fullest use of the palatal resonance4 ,as soon as the soft palate is lowered under the nose1 it makes a point of resonance for the middle range of voice1 by permitting the overtones to resound at the same time in the nose4 7,see plate1 middle range47 ,illustration3 ,red lines denote middle range of soprano1 contralto1 and tenor4 ,in the ,german names of the notes1 h represents b in the ,english4 ,illustration3 ,red line denotes peak1 or softest point of the palate4 ,thus the palate performs the whole work so far as concerns the different resonances1 which can be united and separated by it1 but must always work together in close relation1 always bound together in all tones1 in all kinds of voices4 ,the lowest chest tones of the bass1 the highest head tones of the soprano1 are thus the two poles between which the entire gamut of all voices can be formed4 ,from this it can be perceived that with a certain degree of skill and willingness to work1 every voice will be capable of great extension4 ,,section ,,xii ,,the ,,sensation ,,of ,,the ,,resonance ,,of ,,the ,,head ,,cavities ,the sensation of the resonance of the head cavities is perceived chiefly by those who are unaccustomed to using the head tones4 ,the resonance against the occipital walls of the head cavities when the head tones are employed1 at first causes a very marked irritation of the nerves of the head and ear4 ,but this disappears as soon as the singer gets accustomed to it4 ,the head tones can be used and directed by the breath only with a clear head4 ,the least depression such as comes with headaches1 megrim1 or moodiness may have the worst effect1 or even make their use quite impossible4 ,this feeling of oppression is lost after regular1 conscious practice1 by which all unnecessary and disturbing pressure is avoided4 ,in singing very high head tones ,i have a feeling as if they lay high above the head1 as if ,i were setting them off into the air4 7,see plate47 ,here1 too1 is the explanation of singing in the neck4 ,the breath1 in all high tones which are much mixed with head tones or use them entirely1 passes very far back1 directly from the throat into the cavities of the head1 and thereby1 and through the oblique position of the larynx1 gives rise to the sensations just described4 ,a singer who inhales and exhales carefully1 that is1 with knowledge of the physiological processes1 will always have a certain feeling of pleasure1 an attenuation in the throat as if it were stretching itself upward4 ,the bulging out of veins in the neck1 that can so often be seen in singers1 is as wrong as the swelling up of the neck1 looks very ugly1 and is not without danger from congestion4 ,with rapid scales and trills one has the feeling of great firmness of the throat muscles1 as well as of a certain stiffness of the larynx4 7,see ,trills47 ,an unsteady movement of the latter1 this way and that1 would be disadvantageous to the trill1 to rapid scales1 as well as to the cantilena4 ,for this reason1 because the changing movements of the organs must go on quite imperceptibly and inaudibly1 it must be more like a shifting than a movement4 ,in rapid scales the lowest tone must be placed with a view to the production of the highest1 and in descending1 the greatest care must be exercised that the tone shall not tumble over each other single1 but shall produce the sensation of closely connected sounds1 through being bound to the high tone position and pressed toward the nose4 ,in this all the participating vocal organs must be able to keep up a muscular contraction1 often very rigid3 a thing that is to be achieved only gradually through long years of careful and regular study4 ,excessive practice is of no use in this--only regular and intelligent practice2 and success comes only in course of time4 ,illustration3 ,red line denotes vocal sensation of soprano and tenor4 ,never should the muscular contractions become convulsive and produce pressure which the muscles cannot endure for a long time4 ,they must respond to all necessary demands upon their strength1 yet remain elastic in order that1 easily relaxing or again contracting1 they may promptly adapt themselves to every nuance in tone and accent desired by the singer4 ,a singer can become and continue to be master of his voice and means of expression only as long as he practises daily correct vocal gymnastics4 ,in this way alone can he obtain unconditional mastery over his muscles1 and1 through them1 of the finest controlling apparatus1 of the beauty of his voice1 as well as of the art of song as a whole4 ,training the muscles of the vocal organs so that their power to contract and relax to all desired degrees of strength1 throughout the entire gamut of the voice1 is always at command1 makes the master singer4 ,as ,i have already said1 the idea of singing forward leads very many singers to force the breath from the mouth without permitting it to make full use of the resonating surfaces that it needs1 yet it streams forth from the larynx really very far back in the throat1 and the straighter it rises in a column behind the tongue1 the better it is for the tone4 ,the tongue must furnish the surrounding form for this1 for which reason it must not lie flat in the mouth4 7,see plate1 the tongue47 ,the whirling currents of tone circling around their focal point 7the attack7 find a cup-shaped resonating cavity when they reach the front of the mouth and the lips1 which1 through their extremely potent auxiliary movements1 infuse life and color into the tone and the word4 ,of equal importance are the unimpeded activity of the whirling currents of sound and their complete filling of the resonating spaces in the back of the throat1 the pillars of the fauces1 and the head cavities in which the vocalized breath must be kept soaring above the larynx and soaring undisturbed4 ,in the lowest range of the voice the entire palate from the front teeth to the rear wall of the throat must be thus filled4 7,see plate47 ,illustration3 ,red lines denote division of the breath in the palatal resonance3 lower range of male and female voices4 ,with higher tones the palate is lowered1 the nostrils are inflated1 and above the hard palate a passage is formed for the overtones4 7,see plate47 ,illustration3 ,red lines denote division of the breath in the middle range and higher middle range4 ,this air which soars above must1 however1 not be in the least compressed2 the higher the tone1 the less pressure should there be2 for here1 too1 whirling currents are formed1 which must be neither interrupted nor destroyed4 ,the breath must be carried along on the wall of the throat without compression1 in order to accomplish its work4 7,see plate1 high tones47 ,illustration3 ,resonance of the cavity of the forehead4 ,red lines denote division of the breath in the resonance of the head cavities1 high range4 ,singing forward1 then1 does not mean pressing the whole of the breath or the tone forward1 but only part of it2 that is1 in the middle register1 finding a resonating focus in front1 caused by the lowering of the front of the palate4 ,this permits a free course only to that part of the breath which is used up by the whirling currents in the resonant throat form1 and serves to propagate the outer waves1 and carry them farther through space4 ,,section ,,xiii ,,singing ,,covered ,we sing covered as soon as the soft palate is lowered toward the nose 7that is1 in the middle register71 and the resonance and attack are transferred thither so that the breath can flow over the soft palate through the nose4 ,this special function of the palate1 too1 should be carefully prepared for in the tones that precede it1 and mingled with them1 in order not to be heard so markedly as it often is4 ,in men's voices this is much more plainly audible than in women's2 but both turn it to account equally on different tones4 ,this often produces a new register that should not be produced4 ,this belongs to the chapter on registers4 ,music illustration ,the tone is concentrated on the front of the palate instead of being spread over all of it--but this must not be done too suddenly4 ,see illustrations on pages #abg1 #abi1 #aca1 #acc4 ,illustration3 ,red lines denote covered tones for contralto and soprano4 ,illustration3 ,red lines denote covered tones for bass and baritone4 ,illustration3 ,red lines denote change of attack4 7,soprano1 contralto1 and tenor47 ,illustration3 ,red lines denote change of attack4 7,bass and baritone47 ,,section ,,xiv ,,on ,,vocal ,,registers ,what is a vocal register8 ,a series of tones sung in a certain way1 which are produced by a certain position of the vocal organs--larynx1 tongue1 and palate4 ,every voice includes three registers--chest1 middle1 and head4 ,but all are not employed in every class of voice4 ,two of them are often found connected to a certain extent in beginners2 the third is usually much weaker1 or does not exist at all4 ,only very rarely is a voice found naturally equalized over its whole compass4 ,do registers exist by nature8 ,no4 ,it may be said that they are created through long years of speaking in the vocal range that is easiest to the person1 or in one adopted by imitation1 which then becomes a fixed habit4 ,if this is coupled with a natural and proper working of the muscles of the vocal organs1 it may become the accustomed range1 strong in comparison with others1 and form a register by itself4 ,this fact would naturally be appreciated only by singers4 ,if1 on the other hand1 the muscles are wrongly employed in speaking1 not only the range of voice generally used1 but the whole voice as well1 may be made to sound badly4 ,so1 in every voice1 one or another range may be stronger or weaker2 and this is1 in fact1 almost always the case1 since mankind speaks and sings in the pitch easiest or most accustomed1 without giving thought to the proper position of the organs in relation to each other2 and people are rarely made to pay attention as children to speaking clearly and in an agreeable voice4 ,in the most fortunate instances the range thus practised reaches limits on both sides1 not so much those of the person's power1 as those set by his lack of skill1 or practice4 ,limitations are put on the voice through taking account only of the easiest and most accustomed thing1 without inquiring into the potentialities of the organs or the demands of art4 ,illustration3 ,red lines denote a register is formed when as many tones as possible are forced upon one and the same point of resonance4 7,bass and baritone47 ,illustration3 ,red lines denote a register is formed when as many tones as possible are forced upon one and the same point of resonance4 7,soprano1 contralto1 and tenor47 ,now1 suppose such a peculiarity which includes1 let us say1 three or four tones1 is extended to six or eight1 then1 in the course of time1 in the worst cases1 a break is produced at the outside limits4 ,in the most favorable cases the tones lying next beyond these limits are conspicuously weak and without power compared with those previously forced4 ,this one way of singing can be used no farther2 another must be taken up1 only1 perhaps1 to repeat farther the incorrect procedure4 ,three such limits or ways of singing can be found and used4 ,chest1 middle1 and head voice1 all three form registers when exaggerated2 but they should be shaded off and melt into each other4 ,the organs1 through the skilful training of the teacher1 as well as by the exercise of the pupil's talent and industry1 must be accustomed to taking such positions that one register leads into another imperceptibly4 ,in this way beauty1 equality1 and increased compass of the voice will be made to enhance its usefulness4 ,when the three ways of singing are too widely different and too sharply contrasted1 they become separate registers4 ,these are everywhere accepted as a matter of course1 and for years have been a terror in the teaching of singing1 that has done more than anything else to create a dreadful bewilderment among singers and teachers4 ,to eradicate it is probably hopeless4 ,yet1 these registers are nothing more than three disconnected manners of using the vocal and resonating apparatus4 ,with all the bad habits of singers1 with all the complete ignorance of cause and effect1 that prevail1 it is not surprising that some pretend to tell us that there are two1 three1 four1 or five registers1 although as a matter of fact there can be at most three in any voice4 ,it will be much more correct to call every tone of every voice by the name of a new additional register1 for in the end1 every tone will and must be taken in a different relation1 with a different position of the organs1 although the difference may be imperceptible1 if it is to have its proper place in the whole4 ,people cling to the appellations of chest1 middle1 and head register1 confounding voice with register1 and making a hopeless confusion1 from which only united and very powerful forces can succeed in extricating them4 ,as long as the word register is kept in use1 the registers will not disappear4 ,and yet1 the register question must be swept away1 to give place to another class of ideas1 sounder views on the part of teachers1 and a truer conception on the part of singers and pupils4 ,,section ,,xv ,,development ,,and ,,equalization ,naturally1 a singer can devote more strength to the development of one or two connected ranges of his voice than to a voice perfectly equalized in all its accessible ranges4 ,for this are required many years of the most patient study and observation1 often a long-continued or entire sacrifice of one or the other limit of a range for the benefit of the next-lying weaker one2 of the head voice especially1 which1 if unmixed1 sounds uneven and thin in comparison with the middle range1 until by means of practised elasticity of the organs and endurance of the throat muscles a positive equalization can take place4 ,voices which contain only one or two registers are called short voices1 for their availability is as limited as they are themselves4 ,yet it must be remembered that all voices alike1 whether short or long1 even those of the most skilful singers1 when age comes on1 are apt to lose their highest ranges1 if they are not continually practised throughout their entire compass with the subtlest use of the head tones4 ,thence it is to be concluded that a singer ought always to extend the compass of his voice as far as possible1 in order to be certain of possessing the compass that he needs4 ,on the formation of the organs depends much of the character of the voice4 ,there are strong1 weak1 deep1 and high voices by nature2 but every voice1 by means of proper study1 can attain a certain degree of strength1 flexibility1 and compass4 ,unfortunately1 stubbornness enters largely into this question1 and often works in opposition to the teacher4 ,many1 for instance1 wish to be altos1 either because they are afraid of ruining their voices by working for a higher compass1 or because it is easier for them1 even if their voices are not altos at all4 ,nowadays operas are no longer composed for particular singers and the special characteristics of their voices4 ,composers and librettists express what they feel without regard to an alto singer who has no high ,c or a soprano who has no low ,a flat or ,g4 ,but the artist will always find what he needs4 ,registers exist in the voices of almost all singers1 but they ought not to be heard1 ought not1 indeed1 to exist4 ,everything should be sung with a mixed voice in such a way that no tone is forced at the expense of any other4 ,to avoid monotony the singer should have at his disposal a wealth of means of expression in all ranges of his voice4 7,see the ,varieties of ,attack and ,dynamic ,power47 ,before all else he should have knowledge of the advantages in the resonance of certain tones1 and of their connection with each other4 ,the soul must provide the color2 skill and knowledge as to cause and effect1 management of the breath1 and perfection of the throat formation must give the power to produce every dynamic gradation and detail of expression4 ,registers are1 accordingly1 produced when the singer forces a series of tones1 generally ascending1 upon one and the same resonating point1 instead of remembering that in a progression of tones no one tone can be exactly like another1 because the position of the organs must be different for each4 ,the palate must remain elastic from the front teeth to its hindmost part1 mobile and susceptible1 though imperceptibly1 to all changes4 ,very much depends on the continuous harmony of action of the soft and hard palate1 which must always be in full evidence1 the raising and extension of the former producing changes in the tone4 ,if1 as often happens when the registers are sharply defined1 tones fall into a cul de sac1 escape into another register is impossible1 without a jump1 which may lead to disaster4 ,with every tone that the singer has to sing1 he must always have the feeling that he can go higher1 and that the attack for different tones must not be forced upon one and the same point4 ,the larynx must not be suddenly pressed down nor jerked up1 except when this is desired as a special effect4 ,that is1 when one wishes to make a transition1 legato1 from a chest tone to a tone in the middle or head register1 as the old ,italians used to do1 and as ,i1 too1 learned to do1 thus3-- ,music illustration ,in this case the chest tone is attacked very nasal1 in order that the connection may remain to the upper note1 and the larynx is suddenly jerked up to the high tone4 ,this was called breaking the tone2 it was very much used1 and gave fine effects when it was well done4 ,i use it to-day1 especially in ,italian music1 where it belongs4 ,it is an exception to the rule for imperceptible or inaudible change of position of the organs1--that it should not be made suddenly4 ,the scale proceeds from one semitone to another2 each is different2 each1 as you go on1 requires greater height1 wherefore the position of the organs cannot remain the same for several different tones4 ,but1 as there should never be an abrupt change audible in the way of singing1 so should there never be an abrupt change felt in the sensations of the singer's throat4 ,every tone must be imperceptibly prepared in an elastic channel and must produce an easy feeling in the singer1 as well as an agreeable impression upon the listener4 ,the small peak indicated in the illustration is enormously extensible and can be shifted into infinite varieties of position4 ,however unimportant its raising and lowering may appear1 they are nevertheless of great importance for the tone and the singer4 ,the focal point of the breath1 that forms simultaneously the attack and the body of the tone1 by the operation of the abdominal breath pressure against the chest1 is always firmly placed on1 beneath1 or behind the nose4 ,without body even the finest pianissimo has no significance4 ,the very highest unmixed head tones are an exception1 and they can express nothing4 ,there can be no body expected in them4 ,their soaring quality of sound endures no pressure1 and consequently gives no expression1 which is possible only through an admixture of palatal resonance4 ,their only significance is gained through their pure euphony4 ,all vowels1 too1 must keep their point of resonance uninterruptedly on the palate4 ,all beauty in the art of song1 in cantilena as well as in all technique1 consists chiefly in uninterrupted connection between the tone and the word1 in the flexible connection of the soft palate with the hard1 in the continually elastic adjustment of the former to the latter4 ,this means simply the elastic form1 which the breath must fill in every corner of resonating surface without interruption1 as long as the tone lasts4 ,illustration3 ,red line denotes softest point on the palate4 ,if the singer will control his tone1--and in practising he must always do so1--he needs only to test it to see whether he can easily make it softer without perceptible change in the position of the organs1 and carry it higher toward the nose and the cavities of the forehead2 that is1 prepare a form for its continuation upward4 ,in this way he can learn how much height a tone needs without being too high1 and how much it often lacks in height and duration to sound high enough4 ,in this way remarkable faults become evident6 ,the reason why a tone sounds too low--the so-called transition tones from the lower to the middle range and from this to the higher1 come up for consideration chiefly--is that the pillars of the fauces are raised too high toward the back1 preventing the head tones from sounding at the same time2 or the soft palate is lowered too far under the nose1 which results in pressing the tone too long and too far toward the teeth4 ,this fault is met with in very many singers1 in all kinds of voices1 and in almost the same places4 ,it comes only from an unyielding retention of the same resonating point for several tones and a failure to bring in the resonance of the head cavities4 ,the propagation form1 or continuing form1#b must always be prepared consciously1 for without it artistic singing is not to be thought of4 ,footnote #b3 ,fortpflanzungsform3 the preparation made in the vocal organs for taking the next tone before leaving the one under production1 so that the succeeding tones shall all be of like character and quality4 ,the neglect of this most important principle usually results in overstraining the vocal cords and throat muscles4 ,this is followed first by singing flat1 and later by the appearance of the hideous tremolo 7see ,tremolo7 to which so many singers fall victims4 ,the cause of a tone's being too sharp is the dwelling too long on the resonance of the head cavities1 where the tone should already have been mixed with palatal resonance4 ,with very young voices this can easily happen1 and can also result from weariness1 when the bodily strength is not developed sufficiently to endure the fatigue of practising4 ,a very circumspect course must then be followed4 ,,section ,,xvi ,,white ,,voices ,there are also singers1 male and female1 who use too much head tone through their entire compass2 such voices are called white4 ,their use of the palatal resonance being insufficient1 they are not able to make a deeper impression1 because their power of expression is practically nothing4 ,frau ,wedekind and ,madame ,melba are instances of this4 ,in such cases it would be advisable to raise the pillars of the fauces a little higher1 and place the larynx somewhat lower1 and to mingle judiciously with all the other vowels1 the vowel sound oo1 that requires a lower position of the larynx4 ,the voices would become warmer and would sound more expressive4 ,as soon as the singer is able to create easily and inaudibly on every tone the correct propagation form for the next tone1 all questions as to register must disappear4 ,he must not1 however1 be drilled on registers2 several tones must not be forced on one and the same point4 ,every tone should be put naturally into its own place2 should receive the pitch1 duration1 and strength it needs for its perfection4 ,and one master rules it all1--the ear6 ,the goal is1 unfortunately1 so seldom reached because it can be reached only through the moderation that comes from mastery2 and1 alas6 only true masters practise it4 ,it may be accepted as true that the lower ranges of the voice have the greatest strength1 the middle ranges the greatest power of expression1 the higher the greatest carrying power4 ,the best mixture--all three together--may be developed to the highest art by the skill of the individual1 often1 indeed1 only by a good ear for it4 ,whenever expression of the word's significance1 beauty of the vocal material1 and perfection of phrasing are found united in the highest degree1 it is due either to knowledge or to a natural skill in the innumerable ways of fitting the sung word to the particular resonance--connections that are suitable to realize its significance1 and hence its spirit4 ,they are brought out by a stronger inclination toward one or the other of the resonance surfaces1 without1 however1 injuring the connection or the beauty of the musical phrase4 ,here aesthetic feeling plays the chief part1 for whatever may be its power and its truthfulness1 the result must always be beautiful1--that is1 restrained within proper limits4 ,this law1 too1 remains the same for all voices4 ,it is a question of the entire compass of a voice trained for artistic singing1 one that is intrusted with the greatest of tasks1 to interpret works of art that are no popular songs1 but1 for the most part1 human tragedies4 ,most male singers--tenors especially--consider it beneath them1 generally1 indeed1 unnatural or ridiculous1 to use the falsetto1 which is a part of all male voices1 as the head tones are a part of all female voices4 ,they do not understand how to make use of its assistance1 because they often have no idea of its existence1 or know it only in its unmixed purity--that is1 its thinnest quality4 ,of its proper application they have not the remotest conception4 ,their singing is generally in accordance with their ignorance4 ,the mixture is present by nature in all kinds of voices1 but singers must possess the skill and knowledge to employ it1 else the natural advantage goes for nothing4 ,,section ,,xvii ,,theodor ,,wachtel ,the most perfect singer that ,i remember in my ,berlin experience was ,theodor ,wachtel in this respect1 that with his voice of rare splendor1 he united all that vocal art which1 as it seems1 is destined quite to disappear from among us4 ,how beautiful were his coloratura1 his trills1--simply flawless6 ,phrasing1 force1 fulness of tone1 and beauty were perfect1 musically without a blemish4 ,if he did not go outside the range of ,arnold1 ,g4 ,brown1 ,stradella1 ,vasco1 the ,postillion and ,lionel1 it was probably because he felt that he was not equal to interpreting the ,wagnerian spirit4 ,in this he was very wise4 ,as one of the first of vocal artists1 whose voice was superbly trained and was preserved to the end of his life1 ,i have had to pay to ,wachtel the tribute of the most complete admiration and recognition1 in contrast to many others who thought themselves greater than he1 and yet were not worthy to unloose the latchet of his shoes4 ,recently the little ,italian tenor ,bonci has won my hearty admiration for his splendidly equalized voice1 his perfect art1 and his knowledge of his resources2 and notwithstanding the almost ludicrous figure that he cut in serious parts1 he elicited hearty applause4 ,cannot ,german tenors1 too1 learn to sing well1 even if they do interpret ,wagner8 ,will they not learn1 for the sake of this very master1 that it is their duty not to use their voices recklessly8 ,is it not disrespectful toward our greatest masters that they always have to play hide and seek with the bel canto1 the trill1 and coloratura8 ,not till one has fully realized the difficulties of the art of song1 does it really become of value and significance4 ,not till then are one's eyes opened to the duty owed not only to one's self but to the public4 ,the appreciation of a difficulty makes study doubly attractive2 the laborious ascent of a summit which no one can contest1 is the attainment of a goal4 ,voices in which the palatal resonance--and so1 power--is the predominating factor1 are the hardest to manage and to preserve4 ,they are generally called chest voices4 ,uncommon power and fulness of tone in the middle ranges are extremely seductive4 ,only rarely are people found with sense enough to renounce such an excess of fulness in favor of the head tones1--that is1 the least risky range to exploit and preserve1--even if this has to be done only temporarily4 ,copious vocal resources may with impunity be brought before the public and thereby submitted to strain1 only after long and regular study4 ,the pure head tone1 without admixture of palatal resonance1 is feeble close at hand1 but penetrating and of a carrying power equalled by no other4 ,palatal resonance without admixture of the resonance of the head cavities 7head tones7 makes the tone very powerful when heard near by1 but without vibrancy for a large auditorium4 ,this is the proof of how greatly every tone needs the proper admixture4 ,,section ,,xviii ,,the ,,highest ,,head ,,tones ,as we have already seen1 there is almost no limit to the height that can be reached by the pure head tone without admixture of palatal resonance4 ,very young voices1 especially1 can reach such heights1 for without any strain they possess the necessary adaptability and skill in the adjustment to each other of the larynx1 tongue1 and pillars of the fauces4 ,a skill that rests on ignorance of the true nature of the phenomenon must be called pure chance1 and thus its disappearance is as puzzling to teacher and listener as its appearance had been in the first place4 ,how often is it paired with a total lack of ability to produce anything but the highest head tones6 ,as a general rule such voices have a very short lease of life1 because their possessors are exploited as wonders1 before they have any conception of the way to use them1 of tone1 right singing1 and of cause and effect in general4 ,an erroneous pressure of the muscles1 a wrong movement of the tongue 7raising the tip1 for instance1 ,illustration71 an attempt to increase the strength of the tone1--all these things extinguish quickly and for all time the wonder-singer's little light4 ,we ,lehmann children in our youth could sing to the very highest pitch4 ,it was nothing for my sister ,marie to strike the #d-line e a hundred times in succession1 and trill on it for a long time4 ,she could have sung in public at the age of seven4 ,but since our voices1 through the circumstances of our life and surroundings1 were forced to early exertions1 they lost their remarkable high notes2 yet enough was left to sing the ,queen of ,night 7in ,mozart's opera ,die ,zauberfloete71 with the high f4 ,after ,i had been compelled to use my lower and middle ranges much more1 in the study of dramatic parts1 ,i omitted the highest notes from my practice1 but could not then always have relied on them4 ,now that ,i know on what it all depends1 it is very easy for me to strike high f1 not only in passing1 but to combine it with any tone through three octaves4 ,but upon the least pressure by any organ1 the head resonance loses its brilliancy2 that is1 the breath no longer streams into the places where it should1 and can create no more whirling currents of sound to fill the spaces4 ,but one should not suppose that the head tones have no power4 ,when they are properly used1 their vibrancy is a substitute for any amount of power4 ,as soon as the head tones come into consideration1 one should never attempt to sing an open ah1 because on ah the tongue lies flattest4 ,one should think of an a1 and in the highest range even an e2 should mix the a and e with the ah1 and thereby produce a position of the tongue and soft palate that makes the path clear for the introduction of the breath into the cavities of the head4 ,illustration3 ,red lines denote vocal sensation in the highest head tones without mixture4 ,singers who1 on the other hand1 pronounce a and e too sharply1 need only introduce an admixture of oo2 they thereby lower the position of the larynx1 and thus give the vowel and tone a darker color4 ,since the stream of breath in the highest tones produces currents whirling with great rapidity1 the more rapidly the higher the tone is1 the slightest pressure that may injure the form in which they circulate may ruin the evenness of the tone1 its pitch1 perhaps the tone itself4 ,each high tone must soar gently1 like the overtones4 ,the upper limits of a bass and baritone voice are ,music illustration where1 consequently1 the tones must be mixed4 ,pure head tones1 that is1 falsetto1 are never demanded higher than this4 ,i regard it1 however1 as absolutely necessary for the artist to give consideration to his falsetto1 that he may include it among his known resources4 ,neither a bass nor a baritone should neglect to give it the proper attention1 and both should learn to use it as one of their most important auxiliary forces4 ,with what mastery did ,betz make use of it2 how noble and beautiful his voice sounded in all its ranges2 of what even strength it was1 and how infallibly fresh6 ,and let no one believe that ,nature gave it to him thus4 ,as a beginner in ,berlin he was quite unsatisfactory4 ,he had the alternative given him either to study with great industry or to seek another engagement1 for his successor had already been selected4 ,betz chose to devote himself zealously to study2 he began also to play the 'cello2 he learned to hear1 and finally raised himself to be one of our first singers1 in many roles never to be forgotten4 ,betz knew1 like myself1 many things that to-day are neither taught nor learned4 ,,section ,,xix ,,extension ,,of ,,the ,,compass ,,and ,,equalization ,,of ,,registers ,the whole secret of both consists in the proper raising and lowering of the soft palate1 and the pillars of the fauces connected with it4 ,this divides into two resonating divisions the breath coming from the source of supply1 and forced against the chest1 whereby it is put under control1 as it escapes vocalized from the larynx4 ,it consists also in the singer's natural adaptability and skill1 in so placing the palate and resonance of the head cavities1 or keeping them in readiness for every tone1 as the pitch1 strength1 and duration of the individual tones or series of connected tones1 with their propagation form1 shall demand4 ,,section ,,xx ,,the ,,tremolo ,big voices1 produced by large1 strong organs1 through which the breath can flow in a broad1 powerful stream1 are easily disposed to suffer from the tremolo1 because the outflow of the breath against the vocal cords occurs too immediately4 ,the breath is sent directly out from the lungs and the body1 instead of being driven by the abdominal pressure forward against the chest and the controlling apparatus4 ,not till this has been done1 should it be admitted1 in the smallest amounts1 and under control to the vocal cords4 ,it does not pause1 but streams through them without burdening them1 though keeping them always more or less stretched1 in which the muscular power of contraction and relaxation assists4 ,streaming gently out from the vocal cords1 it is now led1 with the support of the tongue1 to its resonance chambers1 all the corners of which it fills up equally4 ,even the strongest vocal cords cannot for any length of time stand the uncontrolled pressure of the breath4 ,they lose their tension1 and the result is the tremolo4 ,in inhaling1 the chest should be raised not at all or but very little4 7,for this reason exercises for the expansion of the chest must be practised47 ,the pressure of the breath against the chest must be maintained as long as it is desired to sustain a tone or sing a phrase4 ,as soon as the pressure of the abdomen and chest ceases1 the tone and the breath are at an end4 ,not till toward the very end of the breath1 that is1 of the tone or the phrase1 should the pressure be slowly relaxed1 and the chest slowly sink4 ,while ,i am singing1 ,i must press the breath against the chest evenly1 for in this way alone can it be directed evenly against the vocal cords1 which is the chief factor in a steady tone and the only possible and proper use of the vocal cords4 ,the uninterrupted control of the breath pressure against the chest gives to the tone1 as soon as it has found a focal point on the raised palate at the attack1 the basis1 the body1 which must be maintained even in the softest pianissimo4 ,control of the breath should never cease4 ,the tone should never be made too strong to be kept under control1 nor too weak to be kept under control4 ,this should be an inflexible rule for the singer4 ,i direct my whole attention to the pressure against the chest1 which forms the door of the supply chamber of breath4 ,thence ,i admit to the vocal cords uninterruptedly only just so much as ,i wish to admit4 ,i must not be stingy1 nor yet extravagant with it4 ,besides giving steadiness1 the pressure against the chest 7the controlling apparatus7 establishes the strength and the duration of the tone4 ,upon the proper control depends the length of the breath1 which1 without interruption1 rises from here toward the resonating chambers1 and1 expelled into the elastic form of the resonating apparatus1 there must obey our will4 ,illustration3 ,vocal ,cords4 ,it can now be seen how easily the vocal cords can be injured by an uncontrolled current of breath1 if it is directed against them in all its force4 ,one need only see a picture of the vocal cords to understand the folly of exposing these delicate little bands to the explosive force of the breath4 ,they cannot be protected too much2 and also1 they cannot be too carefully exercised4 ,they must be spared all work not properly theirs2 this must be put upon the chest tension muscles1 which in time learn to endure an out-and-out thump4 ,even the vibrato1 to which full voices are prone1 should be nipped in the bud1 for gradually the tremolo1 and later even worse1 is developed from it4 ,life can be infused into the tone by means of the lips--that is1 in a way that will do no harm4 ,but of that later4 ,vibrato is the first stage1 tremolo the second2 a third and last1 and much more hopeless1 shows itself in flat singing on the upper middle tones of the register4 ,referable in the same way to the overburdening of the vocal cords is the excessive straining of the throat muscles1 which1 through continual constriction1 lose their power of elastic contraction and relaxation because pitch and duration of the tone are gained in an incorrect way1 by forcing4 ,neither should be forced2 pitch should be merely maintained1 as it were1 soaring2 strength should not be gained by a cramped compression of the throat muscles1 but by the completest possible filling with breath of the breath-form and the resonance chambers1 under the government of the controlling apparatus4 ,neglect of the head tones 7overtones7 is paid for dearly4 ,the more violent exertions are made to force them1 and to keep them1 the worse are the results4 ,for most of the unhappy singers who do this1 there is but one result3 the voice is lost4 ,how pitiful6 ,if the first and second stages of tremolo are difficult to remedy1 because the causes are rarely understood and the proper measures to take for their removal still more rarely1 the repair of the last stage of the damage is nothing less than a fight1 in which only an unspeakable patience can win the victory4 ,,section ,,xxi ,,the ,,cure ,there are no magic cures for the singer4 ,only slowly1 vibration upon vibration1 can the true pitch be won back4 ,in the word soaring lies the whole idea of the work4 ,no more may the breath be allowed to flow uncontrolled through the wearied vocal cords2 it must be forced against the chest1 always1 as if it were to come directly out thence4 ,the throat muscles must lie fallow until they have lost the habit of cramped contraction2 until the overtones again soar as they should1 and are kept soaring long1 though quite piano4 ,at first this seems quite impossible1 and is indeed very difficult1 demanding all the patient's energy4 ,but it is possible1 and he cannot avoid it1 for it is the only way to a thorough cure4 ,the patient has an extremely disagreeable period to pass through4 ,if he is industrious and careful1 he will soon find it impossible to sing in his old way2 but the new way is for the most part quite unfamiliar to him1 because his ear still hears as it has previously been accustomed to hear4 ,it may be that years will pass before he can again use the muscles1 so long maltreated4 ,but he should not be dismayed at this prospect4 ,if he can no longer use his voice in public as a singer1 he certainly can as a teacher--for a teacher must be able to sing well4 ,how should he describe to others sensations in singing which he himself never felt8 ,is it not as if he undertook to teach a language that he did not speak himself8 or an instrument that he did not play himself8 ,when he himself does not hear1 how shall he teach others to hear8 ,the degree of the evil1 and the patient's skill1 naturally have much to do with the rapidity of the cure4 ,but one cannot throw off a habit of years' standing like an old garment2 and every new garment1 too1 is uncomfortable at first4 ,one cannot expect an immediate cure1 either of himself or of others4 ,if the singer undertakes it with courage and energy1 he learns to use his voice with conscious understanding1 as should have been done in the beginning4 ,and he must make up his mind to it1 that even after a good cure1 the old habits will reappear1 like corns in wet weather1 whenever he is not in good form physically4 ,that should not lead to discouragement2 persistence will bring success4 ,as ,i have already said1 singers with disabled voices like best to try magic cures2 and there are teachers and pupils who boast of having effected such magic cures in a few weeks or hours4 ,of them ,i give warning6 and equally1 of unprincipled physicians who daub around in the larynx1 burn it1 cut it1 and make everything worse instead of better4 ,i cannot comprehend why singers do not unite to brand such people publicly and put an end to their doings once for all4 ,there is no other remedy than a slow1 very careful study of the causes of the trouble1 which in almost all cases consist in lack of control of the stream of breath through the vocal cords1 and in disregard of the head tones1 that is1 of the overtones2 as well as in forcing the pitch and power of the tone upon a wrong resonating point of the palate1 and in constricting the throat muscles4 ,in these points almost invariably are all mistakes to be looked for2 and in the recognition of them the proper means for correcting them are already indicated4 ,the cure is difficult and tedious4 ,it needs an endless patience on the part of the sufferer as well as of the physician--that is1 of the pupil and the singing teacher 7the only proper physician for this disease7--because the nerves of the head are already sufficiently unstrung through the consciousness of their incapacity2 yet they should be able to act easily and without effort in producing the head tones4 ,the repairing of a voice requires the greatest sympathetic appreciation and circumspection on the part of the teacher1 who should always inspire the pupil with courage2 and on the part of the pupil1 all his tranquillity1 nervous strength1 and patience1 in order to reach the desired goal4 ,where there is a will there is a way6 ,,section ,,xxii ,,the ,,tongue ,since it is the function of the tongue to conduct the column of breath above the larynx to the resonance chambers1 too much attention cannot be given to it and its position1 in speaking as well as in singing4 ,if it lies too high or too low1 it may1 by constricting the breath1 produce serious changes in the tone1 making it pinched or even shutting it off entirely4 ,it has an extremely delicate and difficult task to perform4 ,it must be in such a position as not to press upon the larynx4 ,tongue and larynx must keep out of each other's way1 although they always work in cooeperation2 but one must not hamper the other1 and when one can withdraw no farther out of the way1 the other must take it upon itself to do so4 ,for this reason the back of the tongue must be raised high1 the larynx stand low4 ,the tongue must generally form a furrow4 ,with the lowest tones it lies relatively flattest1 the tip always against and beneath the front teeth1 so that it can rise in the middle4 ,as soon as the furrow is formed1 the mass of the tongue is put out of the way1 since it stands high on both sides4 ,it is almost impossible to make drawings of this2 it can best be seen in the mirror4 ,as soon as the larynx is low enough and the tongue set elastically against the palate and drawn up behind 7see plate a71 the furrow is formed of itself4 ,in pronouncing the vowel ah 7which must always be mixed with oo and o71 it is a good idea to think of yawning4 ,the furrow must be formed in order to allow the breath to resonate against the palate beneath the nose1 especially in the middle range2 that is1 what a bass and a baritone 7whose highest range is not now under consideration7 would call their high range1 all other voices their middle4 ,without the furrow in the tongue1 no tone is perfect in its resonance1 none can make full use of it4 ,the only exception is the very highest head and falsetto tones1 which are without any palatal resonance and have their place solely in the head cavities4 ,strong and yet delicate1 it must be able to fit any letter of the alphabet2 that is1 help form its sound4 ,it must be of the greatest sensitiveness in adapting itself to every tonal vibration1 it must assist every change of tone and letter as quick as a flash and with unerring accuracy2 without changing its position too soon or remaining too long in it1 in the highest range it must be able almost to speak out in the air4 ,with all its strength and firmness this furrow must be of the utmost sensitiveness toward the breath1 which1 as ,i have often said1 must not be subjected to the least pressure above the larynx or in the larynx itself4 ,pressure must be limited to the abdominal and chest muscles2 and this might better be called stress than pressure4 ,without hindrance the column of breath1 at its upper end like diverging rays of light1 must fill and expand all the mucous membranes with its vibrations equally1 diffuse itself through the resonance chambers and penetrate the cavities of the head4 ,when the back of the tongue can rise no higher1 the larynx must be lowered4 ,this often happens in the highest ranges1 and one needs only to mingle an oo in the vowel to be sung1 which must1 however1 be sounded not forward in the mouth but behind the nose4 ,when the larynx must stand very low1 the tongue naturally must not be too high1 else it would affect the position of the larynx4 ,the mass of the tongue must then be disposed of elsewhere2 that is1 by the formation of a furrow 7see plate74 ,one must learn to feel and hear it4 ,to keep the larynx1 the back of the tongue1 and the palate always in readiness to offer mutual assistance1 must become a habit4 ,i feel the interplay of tongue and larynx in my own case as shown in the plates4 ,as soon as we have the tongue under control1--that is1 have acquired the habit of forming a furrow1--we can use it confidently as a support for the breath and the tone1 and for vowels4 ,on its incurving back it holds firmly the vowels2 with its tip1 many of the consonants4 ,with all its elasticity1 it must be trained to great strength and endurance4 ,i1 for instance1 after every syllable1 at once jerk my tongue with tremendous power back to its normal position in singing2 that is1 with its tip below the front teeth and the base raised ,illustration4 ,that goes on constantly1 as quick as a flash4 ,at the same time my larynx takes such a position that the tongue cannot interfere with it1 that is1 press upon it4 ,by quickly raising the tongue toward the back1 it is taken out of the way of the larynx1 and the mass of the tongue is cleared from the throat4 ,in the middle range1 where the tongue or the larynx might be too high or too low1 the furrow1 which is of so much importance1 is formed1 in order to lead the vocalized breath first against the front of the palate beneath the nose1 then slowly along the nose and behind it4 ,then when the highest point 7the peak1 which is extremely extensible7 is reached1 the pillars of the fauces are lowered1 in order to leave the way for the head tones to the head cavities entirely free4 ,in doing this1 the sides of the tongue are raised high4 ,every tongue should occupy only so much space as it can occupy without being a hindrance to the tone4 ,the bad1 bad tongue6 one is too thick1 another too thin1 a third too long1 a fourth much too short4 ,ladies and gentlemen1 these are nothing but the excuses of the lazy6 ,illustration3 ,red lines denote that with the inspiration of breath3 ,i1 the diaphragm is sensibly stretched backward2 ,,ii1 enlarges the capacity of the chest by the drawing down of its floor2 ,,iii1 and so forms the supply chamber for the breath2 ,,iv1 indicates the pressure of the breath against the chest tension muscles2 ,v1 the attack4 ,,section ,,xxiii ,,preparation ,,for ,,singing ,no one can sing properly without first preparing for it1 mentally and physically1 with all the organs concerned in the production of the voice4 ,we have in this to perform three functions1 simultaneously3-- ,first1 to draw breath quietly1 not too deeply2 to force the breath against the chest and hold it there firmly till the upward and outward streaming--that is1 singing--begins4 7,see plate1 ,the ,path of the ,breath47 ,second1 to raise the soft palate at the same time toward the nose1 so that the breath remains stationary until the singing begins4 ,third1 to jerk the tongue backward at the same time1 its back being thus raised1 and elastic1 ready to meet all the wishes of the singer1--that is1 the needs of the larynx4 ,the larynx must not be pressed either too low or too high1 but must work freely4 ,the breath is enabled to stream forth from it like a column1 whose form is moulded above the larynx by the base of the tongue4 ,when these three functions have been performed1 all is ready4 ,now the pitch of the tone is to be considered1 as the singing begins4 ,the consummation 7,hoehepunkt7 of the tone1 above the palate1 gives the point of attack itself1 under the palate4 ,now further care must be given that the point of attack on the palate--that is1 the focal point of the breath--be not subjected to pressure1 and that the entire supply of breath be not expended upon the palatal resonance4 ,for this the palate must remain elastic1 for it has a twofold duty to perform4 ,it must not only furnish resistance for the focal point of the breath1--except in the very highest head tones1--around which it can be diffused2 the same resistance1 which stands against the stream of breath from below1 must also afford a firm1 pliant1 and elastic floor for the overtones1 which1 soaring above the palate1 shift1 as is needed1 to or above the hard and soft palate1 or are divided in the nose1 forehead1 and head cavities4 ,it can easily be seen how any pressure in singing can be dangerous everywhere1 and how careful the singer is forced to be to avoid such mistakes4 ,,section ,,xxiv ,,the ,,position ,,of ,,the ,,mouth 7,,contraction ,,of ,,the ,,muscles ,,of ,,speech7 ,what must my sensations be with the muscles of speech8 ,how shall ,i control them8 ,the best position of the mouth1 the means of securing the proper use of the muscles of speech and of the vocal organs1 is established by pronouncing the vowel a1 not too sharply1 in the middle range of the voice1 and trying to retain the position of the muscles after the sound has ceased4 ,this cannot be done without a smiling position of the mouth1 consequently with a strong contraction of the muscles of the mouth1 tongue1 and throat1 which can be felt to be drawn up as far as the ears4 ,in doing so the tongue--as far as the tip--lies of a pretty nearly even height to the back ,illustration1 the soft palate soars without arching1 but rather somewhat depressed over it4 ,in pronouncing the vowels a and e1 the bright vowels1 the full stream of the breath1 in the given position1 can only partly pass between the tongue and the palate4 ,the other part is forced--unless the larynx stands too high and can choke it off--above the palate into the nasal cavities1 to seek its opportunity for resonance4 ,the path for a and e above the palate is worthy of all attention as a place for the overtones of the middle voice4 ,if the soft palate1 in the lower middle tones1 is forced too far toward the hard palate1 the covered tones are without vibrancy4 ,one must needs secure the help of the nose especially1 when the palate is sunk beneath the nose1 by inflating the nostrils and letting air stream in and out of them4 ,i repeat the warning1 not to force several tones upon the same resonating point1 but to see that upon each tone the form necessary for succeeding tones is prepared4 ,neglect of this will sooner or later be paid for dearly4 ,notwithstanding the strong muscular contraction that the vocal organs must undergo in pronouncing the vowel a1 the breath must be able to flow gently and without hindrance through its form1 in order completely to fill up its resonance chambers4 ,again1 and always1 attention must be given that in singing1 and in speaking as well1 nothing shall be cramped or held tense1 except the pressure of the breath against the chest4 ,it is of the utmost importance to maintain this position for all vowels1 with the least possible perceptible modifications4 ,how can this be done8 ,a and e are bright vowels1 must be sung with a pleasant1 almost smiling1 position of the mouth4 ,u and o1 on the contrary1 are dark vowels1 for which the lips must be drawn into a sort of spout4 ,look at the position of the throat in these vowels3 7#a7 as they are usually sung and spoken2 7#b7 as ,i feel it1 in singing1 as ,i sing them1 and as they must be sung and felt4 ,,section ,,xxv ,,connection ,,of ,,vowels ,how do ,i connect them with each other8 ,if ,i wish to connect closely together two vowels that lie near to or far from each other1 ,i must first establish the muscular contractions for a1 and introduce between the two vowels1 whether they lie near together or far apart1 a very well-defined y4 ,then 7supposing1 for instance1 that ,i want to connect a and e7 ,i must join the a closely to the y1 and the y closely to the e1 so that there is not the least resonating space between the two that is not filled during the changes in the position of the organs1 however carefully this is undertaken4 ,there must be no empty space1 no useless escape of breath1 between any two of the sounds4 ,illustration3 oo e o a ah oo o e y ah y a y ,illustration3 ,bad4 oo e o a ah ,good4 oo o e ah a ,illustration3 ,wrong4 oo e o a ah ,right4 oo o e ah a ,at first only two1 then three and four1 and then all the vowels in succession must be so practised3-- ,a-ye1 a-ye-yu1 a-ye-yoo-yue1 a-ye-yo-yue-yu-ye-yah4 ,but there must be never more than so much breath at hand as is needed to make the vowel and the tone perfect4 ,the more closely the vowels are connected with the help of the y1 the less breath is emitted from the mouth unused1 the more intimate is the connection of tone1 and the less noticeable are the changes of the position of the organs in relation to each other4 ,when ,i pass from ya-ye to yoo1 ,i am compelled to develop very strongly the muscular contraction of the lips1 which are formed into a long projecting spout2 and this movement cannot be sufficiently exaggerated4 ,with every new y ,i must produce renewed muscular contractions of the vocal organs1 which gradually1 through continuous practice1 are trained to become almost like the finest1 most pliable steel1 upon which the fullest reliance may be placed4 ,from yoo it is best to go to yue1 that lies still farther forward and requires of the lips an iron firmness2 then to yo1 touching slightly on the e that lies above the o2 then return to ya1 and not till then going to ye-ah1 which must then feel thus3-- e oo-o ah-a y ,the y is taken under the ah1 that the word may not slide under2 for usually the thought of ah relaxes all the organs3 the tongue lies flat1 the larynx becomes unsteady1 is without definite position1 and the palate is not arched and is without firmness4 ,in this way ah becomes the most colorless and empty vowel of the whole list4 ,with every change of vowel1 or of any other letter1 there are changes in the position of the organs1 since tongue1 palate1 and larynx must take different positions for different sounds4 ,with a and e the larynx stands higher1 the palate is sunk1 or in its normal position4 ,with oo1 o1 and ah the larynx stands low1 the palate is arched4 ,with a1 e1 and ah the lips are drawn back4 ,with oo1 o1 ue1 and oe they are extended far forward4 ,the auxiliary sound y connects them all with each other1 so that the transitions are made quite imperceptibly4 ,since it is pronounced with the tongue drawn high against the palate1 it prevents the base of the tongue from falling down again4 ,this should be practised very slowly1 that the sensations may be clearly discerned1 and that no vibration that gives the vowel its pitch and duration may escape attention4 ,the muscular contraction described comprises the chief functions of the vocal organs1 and is as necessary for singing as the breath is for the tone4 ,year in and year out every singer and pupil must practise it in daily exercises as much as possible1 on every tone of the vocal compass4 ,in the lowest as well as in the highest range the sharpness of the a is lost1 as well as the clear definition of all single vowels4 ,a should be mingled with oo1 ah1 and e4 ,in the highest range1 the vowels are merged in each other1 because then the principal thing is not the vowel1 but the high sound4 ,even the thought of a and e1 the latter especially1 raises the pitch of the tone4 ,the explanation of this is that a and e possess sympathetic sounds above the palate that lead the breath to the resonance of the head cavities4 ,for this reason tenors often1 in high notes1 resort to the device of changing words with dark vowels to words with the bright vowel e4 ,they could attain the same end1 without changing the whole word1 by simply thinking of an e4 ,illustration3 ,pronounce in ,english a e ueoo oahe ,without over-exertion1 the singer can practise the exercises given above twenty times a day1 in periods of ten to fifteen minutes each1 and will soon appreciate the advantage of the muscular strengthening they give4 ,they make the voice fresh1 not weary1 as doubtless many will suppose4 ,what1 then1 can be expected of an untrained organ8 ,nothing6 ,without daily vocal gymnastics no power of endurance in the muscles can be gained4 ,they must be so strong that a great operatic role can be repeated ten times in succession1 in order that the singer may become able to endure the strain of singing in opera houses1 in great auditoriums1 and make himself heard above a great orchestra1 without suffering for it4 ,when ,i1 for instance1 was learning the part of ,isolde1 ,i could without weariness sing the first act alone six times in succession1 with expression1 action1 and a full voice4 ,that was my practice with all my roles4 ,after ,i had rehearsed a role a thousand times in my own room1 ,i would go into the empty theatre and rehearse single scenes1 as well as the whole opera1 for hours at a time4 ,that gave me the certainty of being mistress of my resonances down to the last note2 and very often ,i felt able to begin it all over again4 ,so must it be1 if one wishes to accomplish anything worth while4 ,another end also is attained by the same exercise1--the connection1 not only of the vowels1 but of all letters1 syllables1 words1 and phrases4 ,by this exercise the form for the breath1 tone1 and word1 in which all the organs are adjusted to each other with perfect elasticity1 is gradually established4 ,slowly but surely it assures greatest endurance in all the organs concerned in speaking and singing1 the inseparable connection of the palatal resonance with the resonance of the head cavities4 ,in this way is gained perfection in the art of singing1 which is based1 not on chance1 but on knowledge2 and this slow but sure way is the only way to gain it4 ,by the above-described method all other alphabetical sounds can be connected1 and exercises can be invented to use with it1 which are best adapted to correct the mistakes of pupils1 at first on one1 then step by step on two and three connected tones1 etc4 ,at the same time it is necessary to learn to move the tongue freely1 and with the utmost quickness1 by jerking it back1 after pronouncing consonants1 as quick as a flash1 into the position in which it conducts the breath to the resonating chambers for the vowels4 ,with all these movements is connected the power of elastically contracting and relaxing the muscles4 ,,section ,,xxvi ,,the ,,lips ,of special importance for the tone and the word are the movements of the lips1 which are so widely different in the bright and in the dark vowels4 ,these movements cannot be too much exaggerated in practising4 ,the same strength and elasticity to which we have to train the muscles of the throat and tongue must be imparted to the lips1 which must be as of iron4 ,upon their cooeperation much of the life of the tone depends1 and it can be used in many shadings1 as soon as one is able to exert their power consciously and under the control of the will4 ,every vowel1 every word1 every tone1 can be colored as by magic in all sorts of ways by the well-controlled play of the lips2 can1 as it were1 be imbued with life1 as the lips open or close more or less in different positions4 ,the lips are the final cup-shaped resonators through which the tone has to pass4 ,they can retard it or let it escape1 can color it bright or dark1 and exert a ceaseless and ever varying influence upon it long before it ceases and up to its very end4 ,no attempt should be made to use the play of the lips until complete mastery of the absolutely even1 perfect tone1 and of the muscular powers1 has been acquired4 ,the effect must be produced as a result of power and practice2 and should not be practised as an effect per se4 ,,section ,,xxvii ,,the ,,vowel-,,sound ,,ah ,there is much discussion as to whether ah1 oo1 or some other vowel is the one best adapted for general practice4 ,in former times practice was entirely on the vowel-sound ah4 ,the old ,italians taught it2 my mother was trained so1 and never allowed her pupils to use any other vowel during the first months of their instruction4 ,later1 to be sure1 every letter1 every word1 was practised and improved continually1 till it was correct1 and had impressed itself upon the memory1 as well as the ear1 of the pupil for all time4 ,i explain the matter thus3-- ,the singer's mouth should always make an agreeable impression4 ,faces that are forever grinning or showing fish mouths are disgusting and wrong4 ,the pleasing expression of the mouth requires the muscular contractions that form the bright vowel ah4 ,most people who are not accustomed to using their vocal resonance pronounce the ah quite flat1 as if it were the vowel-sound lying lowest4 ,if it is pronounced with the position of the mouth belonging to the bright vowels1 it has to seek its resonance1 in speaking as well as in singing1 in the same place as the dark vowels1 on the high-arched palate4 ,to permit this1 it must be mingled with oo4 ,the furrows in the tongue must also be formed1 just as with oo and o1 only special attention must be given that the back of the tongue does not fall1 but remains high1 as in pronouncing a4 ,in this way ah comes to lie between oo-o'ah'ya1 and forms at the same time the connection between the bright and the dark vowels1 and the reverse4 ,for this reason it was proper that ah should be preferred as the practice vowel1 as soon as it was placed properly between the two extremes1 and had satisfied all demands4 ,i prefer to teach it1 because its use makes all mistakes most clearly recognizable4 ,it is the most difficult vowel4 ,if it is well pronounced1 or sung1 it produces the necessary muscular contractions with a pleasing expression of the mouth1 and makes certain a fine tone color by its connection with oo and o4 ,if the ah is equally well formed in all ranges of the voice1 a chief difficulty is mastered4 ,those who have been badly taught1 or have fallen into bad ways1 should practise the vocal exercise ,i have given above1 with ya-ye-yah1 etc41 slowly1 listening to themselves carefully4 ,good results cannot fail2 it is an infallible means of improvement4 ,italians who sing well never speak or sing the vowel sound ah otherwise than mixed1 and only the neglect of this mixture could have brought about the decadence of the ,italian teaching of song4 ,in ,germany no attention is paid to it4 ,the ah1 as sung generally by most ,italians of the present day1 quite flat1 sounds commonplace1 almost like an affront4 ,it can range itself1 that is connect itself1 with no other vowel1 makes all vocal connection impossible1 evolves very ugly registers2 and1 lying low in the throat1 summons forth no palatal resonance4 ,the power of contraction of the muscles of speech is insufficient1 and this insufficiency misleads the singer to constrict the throat muscles1 which are not trained to the endurance of it2 thereby further progress is made impossible4 ,in the course of time the tone becomes flat at the transitions4 ,the fatal tremolo is almost always the result of this manner of singing4 ,try to sing a scale upward on ah1 placing the tongue and muscles of speech at the same time on a1 and you will be surprised at the agreeable effect4 ,even the thought of it alone is often enough1 because the tongue involuntarily takes the position of its own accord4 ,i remember very well how ,mme4 ,desiree ,artot-,padilla1 who had a low mezzo-soprano voice1 used to toss off great coloratura pieces1 beginning on the vowel-sound ah1 and then going up and down on a1 ee1 aueoah4 ,at the time ,i could not understand why she did it2 now ,i know perfectly1--because it was easier for her4 ,the breath is impelled against the cavities of the head1 the head tones are set into action4 ,behind the a position there must be as much room provided as is needed for all the vowels1 with such modifications as each one requires for itself4 ,the matter of chief importance is the position of the tongue in the throat1 that it shall not be in the way of the larynx1 which must be able to move up and down1 even though very slightly1 without hindrance4 ,all vowels must be able to flow into each other2 the singer must be able to pass from one to another without perceptible alteration1 and back again4 ,,section ,,xxviii ,,italian ,,and ,,german ,how easy it is for the ,italians1 who have by nature1 through the characteristics of their native language1 all these things which others must gain by long years of practice6 ,a single syllable often unites three vowels2 for instance1 tuoi 7tuoye71 miei 7myeaye71 muoja1 etc4 ,the ,italians mingle all their vowels4 ,they rub them into and color them with each other4 ,this includes a great portion of the art of song1 which in every language1 with due regard to its peculiar characteristics1 must be learned by practice4 ,to give only a single example of the difficulty of the ,german words1 with the everlasting consonant endings to the syllables1 take the recitative at the entrance of ,norma3-- ,wer laesst hier ,aufruhrstimmen1 ,kriegsruf ertoenen1 wollt ,ihr die ,goetter zwingen1 ,eurem ,wahnwitz zu froehnen8 ,wer wagt vermessen1 gleich der ,prophetin der ,zukunft ,nacht zu lichten1 wollt ,ihr der ,goetter ,plan vorschnell vernichten8 ,nicht ,menschenkraft ,koennen die ,wirren dieses ,landes schlichten4 ,twelve endings on n6 ,sediziosi voci1 voci di guerra1 avvi ,transcriber's ,note3 corrected avoi in original chi alzar si attenta presso all'ara del ,dio6 ,v'ha chi presume dettar responsi alla vegente ,norma1 e di ,roma affrettar il fato arcano4 ,ei non dipende1 no1 non dipende da potere umano6 ,from the ,italians we can learn the connection of the vowels1 from the ,french the use of the nasal tone4 ,the ,germans surpass the others in their power of expressiveness4 ,but he who would have the right to call himself an artist must unite all these things2 the bel canto1 that is1 beautiful--,i might say good--singing1 and all the means of expression which we cultivated people need to interpret master works of great minds1 should afford the public ennobling pleasure4 ,a tone full of life is to be produced only by the skilful mixture of the vowels1 that is1 the unceasing leaning of one upon the others1 without1 however1 affecting any of its characteristics4 ,this means1 in reality1 only the complete use of the resonance of the breath1 since the mixture of the vowels can be obtained only through the elastic conjunction of the organs and the varying division of the stream of breath toward the palatal resonance1 or that of the cavities of the head1 or the equalization of the two4 ,the larynx must rise and descend unimpeded by the tongue1 soft palate and pillars of the fauces rise and sink1 the soft palate always able more or less to press close to the hard4 ,strong and elastic contractions imply very pliable and circumspect relaxation of the same4 ,i think that the feeling ,i have of the extension of my throat comes from the very powerful yet very elastic contraction of my muscles1 which1 though feeling always in a state of relaxability1 appear to me like flexible steel1 of which ,i can demand everything1--because never too much1--and which ,i exercise daily4 ,even in the entr'actes of grand operas ,i go through with such exercises2 for they refresh instead of exhausting me4 ,the unconstrained cooeperation of all the organs1 as well as their individual functions1 must go on elastically without any pressure or cramped action4 ,their interplay must be powerful yet supple1 that the breath which produces the tone may be diffused as it flows from one to another of the manifold and complicated organs 7such as the ventricles of ,morgagni71 supporting itself on others1 being caught in still others1 and finding all in such a state of readiness as is required in each range for each tone4 ,everything must be combined in the right way as a matter of habit4 ,the voice is equalized by the proper ramification of the breath and the proper connection of the different resonances4 ,the tone is colored by the proper mixture of vowels2 oo1 o1 and ah demanding more palatal resonance and a lower position of the larynx1 a and e more resonance of the head cavities and a higher position of the larynx4 ,with oo1 o1 ue1 and ah the palate is arched higher 7the tongue forming a furrow7 than with a1 e1 and ue1 where the tongue lies high and flat4 ,there are singers who place the larynx too low1 and1 arching the palate too high1 sing too much toward oo4 ,such voices sound very dark1 perhaps even hollow2 they lack the interposition of the a1--that is1 the larynx is placed too low4 ,on the other hand1 there are others who press it upward too high2 their a position is a permanent one4 ,such voices are marked by a very bright1 sharp quality of tone1 often like a goat's bleating4 ,both are alike wrong and disagreeable4 ,the proper medium between them must be gained by sensitive training of the ear1 and a taste formed by the teacher through examples drawn from his own singing and that of others4 ,if we wish to give a noble expression to the tone and the word1 we must mingle its vocal sound1 if it is not so1 with o or oo4 ,if we wish to give the word merely an agreeable expression1 we mingle it with ah1 a1 and e4 ,that is1 we must use all the qualities of tonal resonance1 and thus produce colors which shall benefit the tone and thereby the word and its expression4 ,thus a single tone may be taken or sung in many different ways4 ,in every varying connection1 consequently1 the singer must be able to change it according to the expression desired4 ,but as soon as it is a question of a musical phrase1 in which several tones or words1 or tones alone1 are connected1 the law of progression must remain in force2 expression must be sacrificed1 partly at least1 to the beauty of the musical passage4 ,if he is skilful enough1 the singer can impart a certain expression of feeling to even the most superficial phrases and coloratura passages4 ,thus1 in the coloratura passages of ,mozart's arias1 ,i have always sought to gain expressiveness by crescendi1 choice of significant points for breathing1 and breaking off of phrases4 ,i have been especially successful with this in the ,entfuehrung1 introducing a tone of lament into the first aria1 a heroic dignity into the second1 through the coloratura passages4 ,without exaggerating petty details1 the artist must exploit all the means of expression that he is justified in using4 ,,section ,,xxix ,,auxiliary ,,vowels ,like the auxiliary verbs will and have1 a1 e1 and oo are auxiliary vowels1 of whose aid we are constantly compelled to avail ourselves4 ,it will perhaps sound exaggerated when ,i present an example of this1 but as a matter of fact pronunciation is consummated in this way2 only1 it must not become noticeable4 ,the method seems singular1 but its object is to prevent the leaving of any empty resonance space1 and to obviate any interruptions that could affect the perfection of the tone4 ,for example1 when ,i wish to sing the word ,fraeulein1 ,i must first1 and before all else1 think of the pitch of the tone1 before ,i attack the f4 ,with the f1 the tone must be there already1 before ,i have pronounced it2 to pass from the f to the r ,i must summon to my aid the auxiliary vowel oo1 in order to prevent the formation of any unvocalized interstices in the sound4 ,the r must not now drop off1 but must in turn be joined to the oo1 while the tongue should not drop down behind1 ,illustration but should complete the vibrations thus1 ,illustration in a straight line4 7,see plate47 ,illustration ,it is very interesting to note how much a word can gain or lose in fulness and beauty of tone4 ,without the use of auxiliary vowels no connection of the resonance in words can be effected2 there is then no beautiful tone in singing1 only a kind of hacking4 ,since it must be quite imperceptible1 the use of auxiliary vowels must be very artistically managed1 and is best practised in the beginning very slowly on single tones and words1 then proceeding with great care to two tones1 two syllables1 and so on4 ,in this way the pupil learns to hear4 ,but he must learn to hear very slowly and for a long time1 until there is no failure of vibration in the tone and word1 and it is all so impressed upon his memory that it can never be lost4 ,the auxiliary vowels must always be present1 but the listener should be able to hear1 from the assistance of the oo1 only the warmth and nobility of the tone1 from the a and e only the carrying power and brilliancy of it4 ,,section ,,xxx ,,resonant ,,consonants ,k1 l1 m1 n1 p1 s1 and r at the end of a word or syllable must be made resonant by joining to the end of the word or syllable a rather audible 7e 7eh72 for instance1 ,wandele1 ,gretele1 etc4 ,a thing that no one teaches any longer1 or knows or is able to do1 a thing that only ,betz and ,i knew1 and with me will probably disappear entirely1 is the dividing and ending of syllables that must be effected under certain conditions4 ,it may have originated with the ,italian school4 ,i was taught it especially upon double consonants4 ,when two come together1 they must be divided2 the first1 as in ,him-mel1 being sounded dull1 and without resonance1 the syllable and tone being kept as nasal as possible1 the lips closed1 and a pause being made between the two syllables2 not till then is the second syllable pronounced1 with a new formation of the second consonant4 ,and this is done1 not only in case of a doubling of one consonant1 but whenever two consonants come together to close the syllable2 for instance1 win-ter1 dring-en1 kling-en1 bind-en2 in these the nasal sound plays a specially important part4 ,the tediousness of singing without proper separation of the syllables is not appreciated till it has been learned how to divide the consonants4 ,the nasal close of itself brings a new color into the singing1 which must be taken into account2 and moreover1 the word is much more clearly intelligible1 especially in large auditoriums1 where an appreciable length of time is needed for it to reach the listener4 ,by the nasal close1 also1 an uninterrupted connection is assured between the consonant and the tone1 even if the latter has to cease1 apparently1 for an instant4 ,i teach all my pupils thus4 ,but since most of them consider it something unheard of to be forced to pronounce in this way1 they very rarely bring it to the artistic perfection which alone can make it effective4 ,except from ,betz1 ,i have never heard it from any one4 ,after me no one will teach it any more4 ,i shall probably be the last one4 ,a pity6 ,,section ,,xxxi ,,practical ,,exercises ,the practical study of singing is best begun with single sustained tones1 and with preparation on the sound of ah alone1 mingled with o and oo4 ,a position as if one were about to yawn helps the tongue to lie in the right place4 ,in order not to weary young voices too much1 it is best to begin in the middle range1 going upward first1 by semitones1 and then1 starting again with the same tone1 going downward4 ,all other exercises begin in the lower range and go upward4 ,the pupil must first be able to make a single tone good1 and judge it correctly1 before he should be allowed to proceed to a second4 ,later1 single syllables or words can be used as exercises for this4 ,the position of the mouth and tongue must be watched in the mirror4 ,the vowel ah must be mingled with o and oo1 and care must be taken that the breath is forced strongly against the chest1 and felt attacking here and on the palate at the same time4 ,begin piano1 make a long crescendo1 and gradually return and end on a well-controlled piano4 ,my feeling at the attack is as shown in the plate4 ,at the same instant that ,i force the breath against the chest1 ,i place the tone under its highest point on the palate1 and let the overtones soar above the palate--the two united in one thought4 ,only in the lowest range can the overtones1 and in the highest range the undertones 7resonance of the head cavities and of the palate71 be dispensed with4 ,with me the throat never comes into consideration2 ,i feel absolutely nothing of it1 at most only the breath gently streaming through it4 ,a tone should never be forced2 never press the breath against the resonating chambers1 but only against the chest2 and ,,never hold it back4 ,the organs should not be cramped1 but should be allowed to perform their functions elastically4 ,the contraction of the muscles should never exceed their power to relax4 ,a tone must always be sung1 whether strong or soft1 with an easy1 conscious power4 ,further1 before all things1 sing always with due regard to the pitch4 ,in this way the control of the ear is exercised over the pitch1 strength1 and duration of the tone1 and over the singer's strength and weakness1 of which we are often forced to make a virtue4 ,in short1 one learns to recognize and to produce a perfect tone4 ,illustration3 ,attack4 ,red lines denote that with the inspiration of breath3 ,i1 the diaphragm is sensibly stretched backward2 ,,ii1 enlarges the capacity of the chest by the drawing down of its floor2 ,,iii1 and so forms the supply chamber for the breath2 ,,iv1 indicates the pressure of the breath against the chest tension muscles2 ,v1 the attack4 ,in all exercises go as low and as high as the voice will allow without straining1 and always make little pauses to rest between them1 even if you are not tired1 in order to be all the fresher for the next one4 ,with a certain amount of skill and steady purpose the voice increases its compass1 and takes the proper range1 easiest to it by nature4 ,the pupil can see then how greatly the compass of a voice can be extended4 ,for amateurs it is not necessary2 but it is for every one who practises the profession of a singer in public4 ,for a second exercise1 sing connectedly two half-tones1 slowly1 on one or two vowels1 bridging them with the auxiliary vowels and the y as the support of the tongue1 etc4 ,every tone must seek its best results from all the organs concerned in its production2 must possess power1 brilliancy1 and mellowness in order to be able to produce1 before leaving each tone1 the propagation form for the next tone1 ascending as well as descending1 and make it certain4 ,no exercise should be dropped till every vibration of every tone has clearly approved itself to the ear1 not only of the teacher1 but also of the pupil1 as perfect4 ,it takes a long time to reach the full consciousness of a tone4 ,after it has passed the lips it must be diffused outside1 before it can come to the consciousness of the listener as well as to that of the singer himself4 ,so practise singing slowly and hearing slowly4 ,,section ,,xxxii ,,the ,,great ,,scale ,this is the most necessary exercise for all kinds of voices4 ,it was taught to my mother2 she taught it to all her pupils and to us4 ,but ,i am probably the only one of them all who practises it faithfully6 ,i do not trust the others4 ,as a pupil one must practise it twice a day1 as a professional singer at least once4 ,music illustration ,the breath must be well prepared1 the expiration still better1 for the duration of these five and four long tones is greater than would be supposed4 ,the first tone must be attacked not too piano1 and sung only so strongly as is necessary to reach the next one easily without further crescendo1 while the propagation form for the next tone is produced1 and the breath wisely husbanded till the end of the phrase4 ,the first of each of the phrases ends nasally in the middle range1 the second toward the forehead and the cavities of the head4 ,the lowest tone must already be prepared to favor the resonance of the head cavities1 by thinking of a1 consequently placing the larynx high and maintaining the resonating organs in a very supple and elastic state4 ,in the middle range1 ah is mingled particularly with oo1 that the nose may be reached2 further1 the auxiliary vowel e is added to it1 which guides the tone to the head cavities4 ,in descending the attack must be more concentrated1 as the tone is slowly directed toward the nose on oo or o1 to the end of the figure4 ,when oo1 a1 and e are auxiliary vowels1 they need not be plainly pronounced4 7,they form an exception in the diphthongs1 ,trauuum1 ,leiiid1 ,lauuune1 ,feuyer1 etc47 ,as auxiliary vowels they are only means to an end1 a bridge1 a connection from one thing to another4 ,they can be taken anywhere with any other sound2 and thence it may be seen how elastic the organs can be when they are skilfully managed4 ,the chief object of the great scale is to secure the pliant1 sustained use of the breath1 precision in the preparation of the propagation form1 the proper mixture of the vowels which aid in placing the organs in the right position for the tone1 to be changed for every different tone1 although imperceptibly2 further1 the intelligent use of the resonance of the palate and head cavities1 especially the latter1 whose tones1 soaring above everything else1 form the connection with the nasal quality for the whole scale4 ,the scale must be practised without too strenuous exertion1 but not without power1 gradually extending over the entire compass of the voice2 and that is1 if it is to be perfect1 over a compass of two octaves4 ,these two octaves will have been covered1 when1 advancing the starting-point by semitones1 the scale has been carried up through an entire octave4 ,so much every voice can finally accomplish1 even if the high notes must be very feeble4 ,the great scale1 properly elaborated in practice1 accomplishes wonders3 it equalizes the voice1 makes it flexible and noble1 gives strength to all weak places1 operates to repair all faults and breaks that exist1 and controls the voice to the very heart4 ,nothing escapes it4 ,by it ability as well as inability is brought to light--something that is extremely unpleasant to those without ability4 ,in my opinion it is the ideal exercise1 but the most difficult one ,i know4 ,by devoting forty minutes to it every day1 a consciousness of certainty and strength will be gained that ten hours a day of any other exercise cannot give4 ,this should be the chief test in all conservatories4 ,if ,i were at the head of one1 the pupils should be allowed for the first three years to sing at the examinations only difficult exercises1 like this great scale1 before they should be allowed to think of singing a song or an aria1 which ,i regard only as cloaks for incompetency4 ,for teaching me this scale--this guardian angel of the voice--,i cannot be thankful enough to my mother4 ,in earlier years ,i used to like to express myself freely about it4 ,there was a time when ,i imagined that it strained me4 ,my mother often ended her warnings at my neglect of it with the words1 ,you will be very sorry for it6 ,and ,i was very sorry for it4 ,at one time1 when ,i was about to be subjected to great exertions1 and did not practise it every day1 but thought it was enough to sing coloratura fireworks1 ,i soon became aware that my transition tones would no longer endure the strain1 began easily to waver1 or threatened even to become too flat4 ,the realization of it was terrible6 ,it cost me many1 many years of the hardest and most careful study2 and it finally brought me to realize the necessity of exercising the vocal organs continually1 and in the proper way1 if ,i wished always to be able to rely on them4 ,practice1 and especially the practice of the great1 slow scale1 is the only cure for all injuries1 and at the same time the most excellent means of fortification against all over-exertion4 ,i sing it every day1 often twice1 even if ,i have to sing one of the greatest roles in the evening4 ,i can rely absolutely on its assistance4 ,if ,i had imparted nothing else to my pupils but the ability to sing this one great exercise well1 they would possess a capital fund of knowledge which must infallibly bring them a rich return on their voices4 ,i often take fifty minutes to go through it only once1 for ,i let no tone pass that is lacking in any degree in pitch1 power1 and duration1 or in a single vibration of the propagation form4 ,,section ,,xxxiii ,,velocity ,singers1 male and female1 who are lacking velocity and the power of trilling1 seem to me like horses without tails4 ,both of these things belong to the art of song1 and are inseparable from it4 ,it is a matter of indifference whether the singer has to use them or not2 he must be able to4 ,the teacher who neither teaches nor can teach them to his pupils is a bad teacher2 the pupil who1 notwithstanding the urgent warnings of his teacher1 neglects the exercises that can help him to acquire them1 and fails to perfect himself in them1 is a bungler4 ,there is no excuse for it but lack of talent1 or laziness2 and neither has any place in the higher walks of art4 ,to give the voice velocity1 practise first slowly1 then faster and faster1 figures of five1 six1 seven1 and eight notes1 etc41 upward and downward4 ,if one has well mastered the great1 slow scale1 with the nasal connection1 skill in singing rapid passages will be developed quite of itself1 because they both rest on the same foundation1 and without the preliminary practice can never be understood4 ,put the palate into the nasal position1 the larynx upon oe2 attack the lowest tone of the figure with the thought of the highest2 force the breath1 as it streams very vigorously forth from the larynx1 toward the nose1 but allow the head current entire freedom1 without entirely doing away with the nasal quality2 and then run up the scale with great firmness4 ,in descending1 keep the form of the highest tone1 even if there should be eight to twelve tones in the passage1 so that the scale slides down1 not a pair of stairs1 but a smooth track1 the highest tone affording1 as it were1 a guarantee that on the way there shall be no impediment or sudden drop4 ,the resonance form1 kept firm and tense1 must adapt itself with the utmost freedom to the thought of every tone1 and with it1 to the breath4 ,the pressure of the breath against the chest must not be diminished1 but must be unceasing4 ,to me it is always as if the pitch of the highest tone were already contained in the lowest1 so strongly concentrated upon the whole figure are my thoughts at the attack of a single tone4 ,by means of ah-e-a1 larynx1 tongue1 and palatal position on the lowest tone are in such a position that the vibrations of breath for the highest tones are already finding admission into the head cavities1 and as far as possible are in sympathetic vibration there4 ,the higher the vocal figures go the more breath they need1 the less can the breath and the organs be pressed4 ,the higher they are1 the more breath must stream forth from the epiglottis2 therefore the a and the thought of e1 which keep the passages to the head open4 ,but because there is a limit to the scope of the movement of larynx and tongue1 and they cannot rise higher and higher with a figure that often reaches to an immense height1 the singer must resort to the aid of the auxiliary vowel oo1 in order to lower the larynx and so make room for the breath3 ,music illustration ,a run or any other figure must never sound thus3 ,music illustration but must be nasally modified above1 and tied2 and because the breath must flow out unceasingly in a powerful stream from the vocal cords1 an h can only be put in beneath1 which makes us sure of this powerful streaming out of the breath1 and helps only the branch stream of breath into the cavities of the head4 ,often singers hold the breath1 concentrated on the nasal form1 firmly on the lowest tone of a figure1 and1 without interrupting this nasal form1 or the head tones1 that is1 the breath vibrating in the head cavities1 finish the figure alone4 ,when this happens the muscular contractions of the throat1 tongue1 and palate are very strong4 ,music illustration3 ,l'oiselet4 ,chopin-,viardat ,the turn1 too1 based on the consistent connection of the tonal figure with the nasal quality1--which is obtained by pronouncing the oo toward the nose1--and firmly held there1 permits no interruption for an instant to the vowel sound4 ,how often have ,i heard the ha-ha-ha-haa1 etc41--a wretched tumbling down of different tones1 instead of a smooth decoration of the cantilena4 ,singers generally disregard it1 because no one can do it any more1 and yet even to-day it is of the greatest importance4 7,see ,tristan und ,isolde47 ,the situation is quite the same in regard to the appoggiatura4 ,in this the resonance is made nasal and the flexibility of the larynx1--which1 without changing the resonance1 moves quickly up and down--accomplishes the task alone4 ,here1 too1 it can almost be imagined that the thought alone is enough1 for the connection of the two tones cannot be too close4 ,but this must be practised1 and done consciously4 ,music illustration3 ,adelaide1 by ,beethoven ,a-bend-lueft-chen im zar-ten ,lau-be flue-stern ,transcriber's ,note3 ,corrected ,l'au-be in original to ,lau-be ,,section ,,xxxiv ,,trill ,there still remains the trill1 which is best practised in the beginning as follows3-- ,music illustration ,the breath is led very far back against the head cavities by the a1 the larynx kept as stiff as possible and placed high4 ,both tones are connected as closely1 as heavily as possible1 upward nasally1 downward on the larynx1 for which the y1 again1 is admirably suited4 ,they must be attacked as high as possible1 and very strongly4 ,the trill exercise must be practised almost as a scream4 ,the upper note must always be strongly accented4 ,the exercise is practised with an even strength1 without decrescendo to the end2 the breath streams out more and more strongly1 uninterruptedly to the finish4 ,trill exercises must be performed with great energy1 on the whole compass of the voice4 ,they form an exception to the rule in so far that in them more is given to the throat to do--always1 however1 under the control of the chest--than in other exercises4 ,that relates1 however1 to the muscles4 ,the breath vibrates above the larynx1 but does not stick in it1 consequently this is not dangerous4 ,the exercise is practised first on two half1 then on two whole1 tones of the same key 7as given above71 advancing by semitones1 twice a day on the entire compass of the voice4 ,it is exhausting because it requires great energy2 but for the same reason it gives strength4 ,practise it first as slowly and vigorously as the strength of the throat allows1 then faster and faster1 till one day the trill unexpectedly appears4 ,with some energy and industry good results should be reached in from six to eight weeks1 and the larynx should take on the habit of performing its function by itself4 ,this function gradually becomes a habit1 so that it seems as if only one tone were attacked and held1 and as if the second tone simply vibrated with it4 ,as a matter of fact1 the larynx will have been so practised in the minute upward and downward motion1 that the singer is aware only of the vibrations of the breath that lie above it1 while he remains mindful all the time only of the pitch of the upper note4 ,one has the feeling then as of singing or holding only the lower tone 7which must be placed very high71 while the upper one vibrates with it simply through the habitude of the accentuation4 ,the union of the two then comes to the singer's consciousness as if he were singing the lower note somewhat too high1 halfway toward the upper one4 ,this is only an aural delusion1 produced by the high vibrations4 ,but the trill1 when fully mastered1 should always be begun1 as in the exercise1 on the upper note4 ,every voice must master the trill1 after a period1 longer or shorter1 of proper practice4 ,stiff1 strong voices master it sooner than small1 weak ones4 ,i expended certainly ten years upon improving it1 because as a young girl ,i had so very little strength1 although my voice was very flexible in executing all sorts of rapid passages4 ,to be able to use it anywhere1 of course1 requires a long time and much practice4 ,for this reason it is a good plan to practise it on syllables with different vowels1 such as can all be supported on a1 and on words1 as soon as the understanding needed for this is in some degree assured4 ,if the larynx has acquired the habit properly1 the trill can be carried on into a piano and pianissimo and prolonged almost without end with crescendi and decrescendi1 as the old ,italians used to do1 and as all ,germans do who have learned anything4 ,,section ,,xxxv ,,how ,,to ,,hold ,,one',s ,,self ,,when ,,practising ,in practising the singer should always stand1 if possible1 before a large mirror1 in order to be able to watch himself closely4 ,he should stand upright1 quietly but not stiffly1 and avoid everything that looks like restlessness4 ,the hands should hang quietly1 or rest lightly on something1 without taking part in the interpretation of the expression4 ,the first thing needed is to bring the body under control1 that is1 to remain quiet1 so that later1 in singing1 the singer can do everything intentionally4 ,the pupil must always stand in such a way that the teacher can watch his face1 as well as his whole body4 ,continual movements of the fingers1 hands1 or feet are not permissible4 ,the body must serve the singer's purposes freely and must acquire no bad habits4 ,the singer's self-possession is reflected in a feeling of satisfaction on the part of the listener4 ,the quieter the singer or artist1 the more significant is every expression he gives2 the fewer motions he makes1 the more importance they have4 ,so he can scarcely be quiet enough4 ,only there must be a certain accent of expression in this quietude1 which cannot be represented by indifference4 ,the quietude of the artist is a reassurance for the public1 for it can come only from the certainty of power and the full command of his task through study and preparation and perfect knowledge of the work to be presented4 ,an artist whose art is based on power cannot appear other than self-possessed and certain of himself4 ,an evident uneasiness is always inartistic1 and hence does not belong where art is to be embodied4 ,all dependence upon tricks of habit creates nervousness and lack of flexibility4 ,therefore the singer must accustom himself to quietude in practising1 and make his will master of his whole body1 that later he may have free command of all his movements and means of expression4 ,the constant playing of single tones or chords on the piano by the teacher during the lesson is wrong1 and every pupil should request its discontinuance4 ,the teacher can hear the pupil1 but the latter cannot hear himself1 when this is done2 and yet it is of the utmost importance that he should learn to hear himself4 ,i am almost driven distracted when teachers bring me their pupils1 and drum on the piano as if possessed while they sing4 ,pupils have the same effect on me when they sit and play a dozen chords to one long note4 ,do they sit in the evening when they sing in a concert8 ,do they hear themselves1 when they do this8 ,unfortunately1 ,i cannot hear them4 ,poor pupils6 ,it is enough for a musical person to strike a single note on the piano when he practises alone1 or perhaps a common chord1 after which the body and hands should return to their quiet natural position4 ,only in a standing posture can a free deep breath be drawn1 and mind and body be properly prepared for the exercise or the song to follow4 ,it is also well for pupils to form sentences with the proper number of syllables upon which to sing their exercises1 so that even such exercises shall gradually gain a certain amount of expressiveness4 ,thus the exercises will form pictures which must be connected with the play of the features1 as well as with an inner feeling1 and thus will not become desultory and soulless and given over to indifference4 ,of course not till the mere tone itself is brought under complete control1 and uncertainty is no longer possible1 can the horizon of the pupil be thus widened without danger4 ,only when a scene requires that a vocal passage be sung kneeling or sitting must the singer practise it in his room long before the performance and at all rehearsals1 in accordance with dramatic requirements of the situation4 ,otherwise the singer should always ,,stand4 ,we must also look out for unaccustomed garments that may be required on the stage1 and rehearse in them2 for instance1 hat1 helmet1 hood1 cloak1 etc4 ,without becoming accustomed to them by practice1 the singer may easily make himself ridiculous on the stage4 ,hence comes the absurdity of a ,lohengrin who cannot sing with a helmet1 another who cannot with a shield1 a third who cannot with gauntlets2 a ,wanderer who cannot with the big hat1 another who cannot with the spear1 a ,jose who cannot with the helmet1 etc4 ,all these things must be practised before a mirror until the requirements of a part or its costume become a habit4 ,to attain this1 the singer must be completely master of his body and all his movements4 ,it must be precisely the same with the voice4 ,the singer must be quite independent of bad habits in order consciously to exact from it what the proper interpretation of the work to be performed requires4 ,he should practise only so long as can be done without weariness4 ,after every exercise he should take a rest1 to be fresh for the next one4 ,after the great scale he should rest at least ten minutes2 and these resting times must be observed as long as one sings4 ,long-continued exertion should not be exacted of the voice at first2 even if the effects of it are not immediately felt1 a damage is done in some way4 ,in this matter pupils themselves are chiefly at fault1 because they cannot get enough1 as long as they take pleasure in it4 ,for this reason it is insane folly to try to sing important roles on the stage after one or two years of study2 it may perhaps be endured for one or two years without evil results1 but it can never be carried on indefinitely4 ,agents and managers commit a crime when they demand enormous exertions of such young singers4 ,the rehearsals1 which are held in abominably bad air1 the late hours1 the irregular life that is occasioned by rehearsals1 the strain of standing around for five or six hours in a theatre1--all this is not for untrained young persons4 ,no woman of less than twenty-four years should sing soubrette parts1 none of less than twenty-eight years second parts1 and none of less than thirty-five years dramatic parts2 that is early enough4 ,by that time proper preparation can be made1 and in voice and person something can be offered worth while4 ,and our fraternity must realize this sooner or later4 ,in that way1 too1 they will learn more and be able to do more1 and fewer sins will be committed against the art of song by the incompetent4 ,,section ,,xxxvi ,,concerning ,,expression ,when we wish to study a role or a song1 we have first to master the intellectual content of the work4 ,not till we have made ourselves a clear picture of the whole should we proceed to elaborate the details1 through which1 however1 the impression of the whole should never be allowed to suffer4 ,the complete picture should always shine out through all4 ,if it is too much broken into details1 it becomes a thing of shreds and patches4 ,so petty accessories must be avoided1 that the larger outline of the whole picture shall not suffer4 ,the complete picture must ever claim the chief interest2 details should not distract attention from it4 ,in art1 subordination of the parts to the whole is an art of itself4 ,everything must be fitted to the larger lineaments that should characterize a masterpiece4 ,a word is an idea2 and not only the idea1 but how that idea in color and connection is related to the whole1 must be expressed4 ,therein is the fearsome magic that ,wagner has exercised upon me and upon all others1 that draws us to him and lets none escape its spell4 ,that is why the elaboration of ,wagner's creations seems so much worth while to the artist4 ,every elaboration of a work of art demands the sacrifice of some part of the artist's ego1 for he must mingle the feelings set before him for portrayal with his own in his interpretation1 and thus1 so to speak1 lay bare his very self4 ,but since we must impersonate human beings1 we may not spare ourselves1 but throw ourselves into our task with the devotion of all our powers4 ,,section ,,xxxvii ,,before ,,the ,,public ,in the wide reaches of the theatre it is needful to give an exaggeration to the expression1 which in the concert hall1 where the forms of society rule1 must be entirely abandoned4 ,and yet the picture must be presented by the artist to the public from the very first word1 the very first note2 the mood must be felt in advance4 ,this depends partly upon the bearing of the singer and the expression of countenance he has during the prelude1 whereby interest in what is coming is aroused and is directed upon the music as well as upon the poem4 ,the picture is complete in itself2 ,i have only to vivify its colors during the performance4 ,upon the management of the body1 upon the electric current which should flow between the artist and the public1--a current that often streams forth at his very appearance1 but often is not to be established at all1--depend the glow and effectiveness of the color which we impress upon our picture4 ,no artist should be beguiled by this into giving forth more than artistic propriety permits1 either to enhance the enthusiasm or to intensify the mood2 for the electric connection cannot be forced4 ,often a tranquillizing feeling is very soon manifest on both sides1 the effect of which is quite as great1 even though less stimulating4 ,often1 too1 a calm1 still understanding between singer and public exercises a fascination upon both1 that can only be attained through a complete devotion to the task in hand1 and renunciation of any attempt to gain noisy applause4 ,to me it is a matter of indifference whether the public goes frantic or listens quietly and reflectively1 for ,i give out only what ,i have undertaken to4 ,if ,i have put my individuality1 my powers1 my love for the work1 into a role or a song that is applauded by the public1 ,i decline all thanks for it to myself personally1 and consider the applause as belonging to the master whose work ,i am interpreting4 ,if ,i have succeeded in making him intelligible to the public1 the reward therefor is contained in that fact itself1 and ,i ask for nothing more4 ,of what is implied in the intelligent interpretation of a work of art1 as to talent and study1 the public has no conception4 ,only they can understand it whose lives have been devoted to the same ideals4 ,the lasting understanding of such1 or even of a part of the public1 is worth more than all the storm of applause that is given to so many4 ,all the applause in the world cannot repay me for the sacrifices ,i have made for art1 and no applause in the world is able to beguile me from the dissatisfaction ,i feel over the failure of a single tone or attempted expression4 ,what seems to me bad1 because ,i demand the greatest things of myself1 is1 to be sure1 good enough for many others4 ,i am1 however1 not of their opinion4 ,in any matter relating to art1 only the best is good enough for any public4 ,if the public is uncultivated1 one must make it know the best1 must educate it1 must teach it to understand the best4 ,a naive understanding is often most strongly exhibited by the uncultivated--that is1 the unspoiled--public1 and often is worth more than any cultivation4 ,the cultivated public should be willing to accept only the best2 it should ruthlessly condemn the bad and the mediocre4 ,it is the artist's task1 through offering his best and most carefully prepared achievements1 to educate the public1 to ennoble it2 and he should carry out his mission without being influenced by bad standards of taste4 ,the public1 on the other hand1 should consider art1 not as a matter of fashion1 or as an opportunity to display its clothes1 but should feel it as a true and profound enjoyment1 and do everything to second the artist's efforts4 ,arriving late at the opera or in the concert hall is a kind of bad manners which cannot be sufficiently censured4 ,in the same way1 going out before the end1 at unfitting times1 and the use of fans in such a way as to disturb artists and those sitting near1 should be avoided by cultivated people4 ,artists who are concentrating their whole nature upon realizing an ideal1 which they wish to interpret with the most perfect expression1 should not be disturbed or disquieted4 ,on the other hand1 operatic performances1 and concerts especially1 should be limited in duration and in the number of pieces presented4 ,it is better to offer the public a single symphony or a short list of songs or pianoforte pieces1 which it can listen to with attention and really absorb1 than to provide two or three hours of difficult music that neither the public can listen to with sufficient attention nor the artist perform with sufficient concentration4 ,,section ,,xxxviii ,,interpretation ,let us return to the subject of ,expression1 and examine a song2 for example1 ,der ,nussbaum by ,schumann4 ,the prevailing mood through it is one of quiet gayety1 consequently one demanding a pleasant expression of countenance4 ,the song picture must rustle by us like a fairy story4 ,the picture shows us the fragrant nut tree putting forth its leaves in the spring2 under it a maiden lost in reverie1 who finally falls asleep1 happy in her thoughts4 ,all is youth and fragrance1 a charming little picture1 whose colors must harmonize4 ,none of them should stand out from the frame4 ,only one single word rises above the rustling of the tree1 and this must be brought plainly to the hearing of the listening maiden--and hence1 also1 of the public--the second next year4 ,the whole song finds its point in that one word4 ,the nut tree before the house puts forth its green leaves and sheds its fragrance2 its blossoms are lovingly embraced by the soft breezes1 whispering to each other two by two1 and offer their heads to be kissed1 nodding and bowing2 the song must be sung with an equal fragrance1 each musical phrase in one breath3 that is1 with six inaudible breathings1 without ritenuto4 ,they whisper of a maiden who night and day is thinking1 she knows not of what herself4 ,between selber and nicht was a slight separation of the words can be made1 by breaking off the r in selber nasally2 and holding the tone nasally1 without taking a fresh breath1 attacking the nicht anew4 ,in this way an expression of uncertainty is lent to the words nicht was4 ,but now all becomes quite mysterious4 ,they whisper1 they whisper--one must bend one's thoughts to hear it2 who can understand so soft a song8 ,but now ,i hear plainly1 even though it be very soft--the whisper about the bridegroom and the next year1 and again quite significantly1 the next year4 ,that is so full of promise1 one can scarcely tear one's self away from the thoughts1 from the word in which love is imparted1 and yet that1 too1 comes to an end6 ,now ,i am the maiden herself who listens1 smiling in happiness1 to the rustling of the tree1 leaning her head against its trunk1 full of longing fancies as she sinks to sleep and to dream1 from which she would wish never to awaken4 ,feldeinsamkeit by ,brahms4 ,this song interprets the exalted mood of the soul of the man who1 lying at rest in the long grass1 watches the clouds float by1 and whose being is made one with nature as he does so4 ,a whole world of insects buzzes about him1 the air shimmers in the bright sunlight1 flowers shed their perfume2 everything about him lives a murmuring life in tones that seem to enhance the peace of nature1 far from the haunts of men4 ,as tranquil as are the clouds that pass by1 as peaceful as is the mood of nature1 as luxurious as are the flowers that spread their fragrance1 so tranquil and calm must be the breathing of the singer1 which draws the long phrases of the song over the chords of the accompaniment1 and brings before us in words and tones the picture of the warm peace of summer in nature1 and the radiant being of a man dissolved within it4 ,i mark the breathing places with ,v4 ,ich liege still im ,nohen gruenen ,gras ,v und sende lange meinen ,blick ,v nach oben ,v and again comfortably1 calmly nach oben4 ,von ,grillen rings umschwaermt ,v ohn' ,unterlass ,v von ,himmelsblaeue wundersam umwoben ,v von ,himmelsblaeue ,v wundersam umwoben4 ,each tone1 each letter1 is connected closely with the preceding and following2 the expression of the eyes and of the soul should be appropriate to that of the glorified peace of nature and of the soul's happiness4 ,the last phrase should soar tenderly1 saturated with a warm and soulful coloring4 ,die schoenen weissen ,wolken zieh'n dahin ,v durch's tiefe ,blau ,v1 ,i gaze at it for a moment wie schoene1 stille ,traeume ,v losing one's self wie schoene stille ,traeume4 ,v ,a feeling of dissolution takes away every thought of living and being4 ,mir ist ,v als ob ,v ich laengst ,v gestorben bin6 ,the whole being is dissolved in the ether2 the end comes with outstretched wings soaring above the earth4 und ziehe selig mit ,v durch ew'ge ,raeume ,v und ziehe selig mit ,v durch ew'ge ,raeume4 ,dissolution of the soul in the universe must sound forth from the singer's tone4 ,the ,erlking1 by ,schubert4 ,for him who is familiar with our native legends and tales1 the willows and alders in the fields and by the brooks are peopled with hidden beings1 fairies1 and witches4 ,they stretch out ghostly arms1 as their veils wave over their loose hair1 they bow1 cower1 raise themselves1 become as big as giants or as little as dwarfs4 ,they seem to lie in wait for the weak1 to fill them with fright4 ,the father1 however1 who rides with his child through the night and the wind1 is a man1 no ghost2 and his faithful steed1 that carries both1 no phantom4 ,the picture is presented to us vividly2 we can follow the group for long4 ,the feeling is of haste1 but not of ghostliness4 ,the prelude should consequently sound simply fast1 but not overdrawn4 ,the first phrases of the singer should be connected with it as a plain narrative4 ,suddenly the child hugs the father more closely and buries his face in terror in his bosom4 ,lovingly the father bends over him2 quietly he asks him the cause of his fear4 ,frightened1 the child looks to one side1 and asks1 in disconnected phrases1 whether his father does not see the ,erlking1 the ,erlking with his crown and train4 ,they had just ridden by a clump of willows4 ,still quietly1 the father explains smilingly to his son that what he saw was a bank of fog hanging over the meadow4 ,but in the boy's brain the ,erlking has already raised his enticing whisper4#c ,the still1 small voice1 as though coming from another world1 promises the child golden raiment1 flowers1 and games4 ,footnote #c3 ,the voice of the ,erlking is a continuous1 soft1 uninterrupted stream of tone1 upon which the whispered words are hung4 ,the ,erlking excites the thoughts of the fever-sick boy4 ,the three enticements must be sung very rapidly1 without any interruption of the breath4 ,the first ,i sing as far as possible in one breath 7if ,i am not hampered by the accompanist71 or at most in two2 the second in two1 the third in three2 and here for the first time the words reizt and branch ich ,gewalt emerge from the whispered pianissimo4 ,fearfully he asks his father if he does not hear the ,erlking's whispered promises4 ,it is only the dry leaves rustling in the wind4 ,the father quiets him1 and his voice is full of firm and loving reassurance1 but he feels that his child is sick4 ,for but a few seconds all is still2 then the voice comes back again4 ,in a low whisper sounds and words are distinguished4 ,erlking invites the boy to play with his daughters1 who shall dance with him and rock him and sing to him4 ,in the heat of fever the boy implores his father to look for the ,erlking's daughters4 ,the father sees only an old gray willow2 but his voice is no longer calm4 ,anxiety for his sick child makes his manly tones break2 the comforting words contain already a longing for the journey's end--quickly1 quickly1 must he reach it4 ,erlking has now completely filled the feverish fancy of the child4 ,with ruthless power he possesses himself of the boy--all opposition is vain--the silver cord is loosened4 ,once more he cries out in fear to his father1 then his eyes are closed4 ,the man1 beside himself1 strains every nerve--his own and his horse's2 his haste is like a wild flight4 ,the journey's end is reached2 breathless they stop--but the race was in vain4 ,a cold shudder runs through even the narrator2 his whole being is strained and tense1 he must force his mouth to utter the last words4 ,,section ,,xxxix ,,in ,,conclusion ,the class of voice is dependent upon the inborn characteristics of the vocal organs4 ,but the development of the voice and all else that appertains to the art of song1 can1 providing talent is not lacking1 be learned through industry and energy4 ,if every singer cannot become a famous artist1 every singer is at least in duty bound to have learned something worth while1 and to do his best according to his powers1 as soon as he has to appear before any public4 ,as an artist1 he should not afford this public merely a cheap amusement1 but should acquaint it with the most perfect embodiments of that art whose sole task properly is to ennoble the taste of mankind1 and to bestow happiness2 to raise it above the miseries of this workaday world1 withdraw it from them1 to idealize even the hateful things in human nature which it may have to represent1 without departing from truth4 ,but what is the attitude of artists toward these tasks8 ,,cleveland1 ,january #aa1 #aijb4 ,,note ,a ,good ,remedy for ,catarrh and ,hoarseness ,pour boiling hot water into a saucer1 and let a large sponge suck it all up4 ,then squeeze it firmly out again4 ,hold the sponge to the nose and mouth1 and breathe alternately through the nose and mouth1 in and out4 ,i sing my exercises1 the great scale1 passages1 etc41 and all the vowels into it1 and so force the hot steam to act upon the lungs1 bronchial tubes1 and especially on the mucous membranes1 while ,i am breathing in and out through the sponge4 ,after this has been kept up for ten or fifteen minutes1 wash the face in cold water4 ,this can be repeated four to six times a day4 ,the sponge should not be full of water1 but must be quite squeezed out4 ,this has helped me greatly1 and ,i can recommend it highly4 ,it can do no injury because it is natural4 ,but after breathing in the hot steam1 do not go out immediately into the cold air4