Music Trade Review
Issue: 1881 Vol. 4 N. 3 - Page 8
46
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
March 5 th, 1881.
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
no tine is the soft palate free from the guardianship of the uvula. As any voice register: thus, for the production of the lowest note, the least tension
one who has carefully followed me through the foregoing lines will assert, is required; for the sounding of the highest note, the greatest amount is
the uvula is the supporter of the soft palate, using the back of the tongue as necessary, the vocal cords being stretched to their utmost. When the
a basis of support in the first instance, and the back wall of the throat, that highest note is reached, if an attempt be made to advance in the slightest
degree, no vibrations will occur for the simple reason that the amount of
is the pharynx, in the second.
What would happen if the palate were to be deprived of the valuable tension required cannot be produced.
The strings of a violin will serve as a good illustration of "this point.
services of the little grape-shaped appendage? Why, of course, it would
lose its support, and losing its support it would vibrate to and fro by the It is well known that when the bow is drawn over any one of the violin strings,
action of the air currents passing from the body during the production of if such a string be lose, the resulting note will be very low and feeble. Now
musical tones; and this vibration would cause a certain tremulousness to be supposing you desired to use the instrument, what would you proceed to
do? Why, you would immediately turn the screw by means of which the
imparted to the voice.
The annexed cut will show the positions of the soft palate and uvula, string is tightened until the proper note is reached. At every turn of the
screw the pitch of the string is raised, and this will be the case as long as
and the relation which the latter body bears to the tongue.
the string will allow itself to be stretched. Each string has its limit of tension,
beyond which it will be impossible to go without breaking.
In the case of the human musical instrument, the tensor muscles act the
part of the violin strings, and tighten the vocal cords, the reeds of the
larynx, in a similar manner. The effect which is produced upon the voice,
by the movement styled relaxation, is exactly the reverse of that which has
just been described with reference to tension.
During vocalization, when it is necessary to change from a higher to a
lower note, the aid of the relaxor muscles is especially invoked.
These muscles perform their important duty by pulling together the
Fig. 13.—The Soft Palate and Uvula during singing.
two points of attachment of the vocal cords, the thyroid cartillage in front,
8. P.. 80ft Palate. U.. Uvula. T., Tongue?
and the arytenoids behind. This action must, of necessity, loosen the bands.
Dottel lines-—Different positions assumed by the uvula andpalatt during their action
It being fully established then that the uvula is an important vocal As with tension, the amount of relaxation which must be exerted upon the
organ, let us look into a subject which should particularly interest the vocal bodies depends entirely upon the position of the note in the scale,
that required for the sounding of the lowest note being the greatest. To
vocalist.
I speak of the operation for the removal of this little body, or, as it is sum up the above statements; during the singing of the middle note of the
register of any voice, all other things being equal, the two forces, tension
technically called, uvulotomy.
It will no doubt seem strange to many that after expending so much and relaxation, must be exerted in the same degree; when, however, a higher
space in describing the action of the uvula, I should now treat of its tone is required, the tensor muscles overbalance the relaxors, but when a
removal; but the operation when scientifically performed is not a total ampu- lower note is sounded, the relaxor muscles must overbalance the tensors.
The relaxor muscles, from their peculiar relationship to the cords, and
tation, but only an excision of a portion of the member, and that too when
it is abnormally long. When the uvula is preternaturally long, it forms because they regulate in a great measure the many different shapes which
quite a serious impediment to singing. In the first place the voice is more the glottis assumes during vocal action, have been styled the vocal muscles
difficult to manage; in the second place it requires a much greater effort to par excellence.
The Action of the Air Current.—The air which is contained in the
produce vocal sounds; and lastly, tones so produced are deficient in quality.
The principal manner in which these effects are produced is by the bearing lungs or human bellows, and which is forced up therefrom through the
down of the soft palate by the extra weight which the elongated body windpipe, is the motor power of the vocal instrument.
imposes upon it, or to speak more plainly, by preventing the palate from
One can hardly estimate the influence which the lungs exert upon sing-
ascending normally, a feat which, as we have hitherto seen, is absolutely ing. Unless respiration be properly performed, and the air be discharged
necessary to the correct rendition of certain portions of the vocal register from the pulmonary organs in the correct way, the resulting tones must be
chiefly the upper.
faulty. The air in its passage through the glottis sets the two cords vibrat-
There is another way in which an elongated uvula may seriously affect ing. Generally speaking, the higher the note—that is, the greater the rapi-
the voice, and that is by acting as an irritant to certain parts of the throat dity of vibration—the swifter must the air pass through the vocal cords and
against which it comes in contact. The irritation thus set up will in time vice versa.
In the production of some tones, the air current has a direct influence upon
result in inflammation, if the offending body be not speedily removed.
I have seen very mauy cases of laryngitis caused in the above manner, the size of the glottis. This element, when powerful, makes the above
when the uvula has been long enough to extend into the larynx itself. There opening smaller, by pushing directly on the under surface of the cords.
is a popular dread amongst members of the musical profession of having this This effect is especially noticeable in the rendition of the higher notes,
little operation performed, and very many not only suffer a great deal^from where the glottis is extremely fine. A point which I neglected to speak of
its non-performance, but their voices become impaired, and in time seri- in connection with the formation of the glottis, but, which, however, will
be more intelligable here, is, that the diameters of this opening are greater
ously injured.
The arguments which are generally brought to bear against the excision during tlie production of the lowest notes, and smaller during the singing
of the uvula are two-fold : First, that it will injure the voice, and, second, of the higher ones.
that after extraction the organ will grow again to an unnatural length.
MAUD MORGAN.
_ I do not hesitate a moment in saying that the human voice may be
ISS MAUD MORGAN, the
seriously injured by having too much of this useful little organ removed,
harpist, daughter of Geo.
and a knowledge of this 'fact alone has deterred many from obtaining the
W. Morgan, organist, is a native of
benefits of the operation when skillfully performed.
New York. She studied the harp
I have never seen a case in which the proper amount was extracted that
under Alfred Toulniin, and played
there did not almost immediately follow a wonderful improvement as re-
first in New York City at the request
gards the singing voice, as many vocalists whom I have operated upon can
of Mrs. R. Ogden Doremus, in the
testify. The great secret in the performance of uvulotomy lies simply in
Academy of Music, at a performance
the gauging of the amount of the body that it is proper to remove, this
of " Cinderella " given by children
can only be learned by practice and experience. He who removes the whole
and managed by the ladies of New
of the uvula for simple elongation performs a grevious error, and one which
York in aid of the Women's Pavil-
-will seriously impair the vocal powers, as any one acquainted with the
ion at the Centennial Exhibition.
physiology of the organ under consideration will understand. Several
Miss Morgan was on that occasion
times has it been my lot to find the whole of the uvula cleanly shaved off
highly complimented by the Em-
from the soft palate in singers who have consulted regarding some defect in
press of Brazil, to whom (at the re-
the vocal apparatus.
quest of Her Majesty) she was pre-
The principal symptom developed in these cases is a sort of tremulous-
sented by Mrs. Doremus, a lady
ness, as already stated, caused by the free vibration of the palate, its sup-
who is always quick to apjjreciate
porter, the uvula, being gone. In time the tongue may be so managed as to
talent and ready with her kindly
partially obviate the difficulty, but sooner or later the voice will be irrepar-
aid to encourage young artists, and
ably injured.
to whom Miss Morgan owes much
The idea that the operation is superfluous because the organ will grow
FROM A PHOTOGRAPH BY FALK.
of h e r a r t i s t i c success.
again to an unnatural length is a fallacy, for I have never, notwithstanding
Her professional'debut was made the next year, at fifteen years of age,
the many times I have extracted the uvula, seen this body become a second
at Booth's Theatre, at a concert given by Ole Bull and Miss Thursby under
time elongated.
I must beg indulgence for taking up so much valuable space with such the direction of Mr. Maurice Strakosch, where she was enthusiastically
a seemingly unimportant subject, but I have done so simply to benefit a received. Her first appearance in Boston was at a concert given by Amer-
class of singers who are allowing their voices to degenerate by following the ica's greatest contralto, Adelaide Phillipps. She afterward played at all the
Wilhelmj concerts in New York, Boston, and Hartford, given by Mr. Stra-
advice of those who have had no practical experience on the subject.
The vibration of the cords.—This element is of the greatest importance kosch. She was also with Eemenyi at Philadelphia, Hartford, and at
to the production of the singing voice. The cords are set into vibration by numerous other concerts. Her first benefit concert was given April 4, 1879,
the air current, as it passes with a greater or less degree of velocity through at the Brooklyn Tabernacle, before an audience of nearly four thousand per-
sons, the lamented Ole Bull giving his services to "the daughter of his old
the glottis.
The number of vibrations which the vocal bodies make in any given friend and brother musician." The last three seasons Miss Morgan has played
period of time, depends entirely upon the location of the tone in the scale. at numerous concerts, but never at one where she has not been recalled and
The amount required for the intonation of the lowest note of the register is an encore insisted upon. Last year she assisted her father in a series of
the least, while that necessary for the production of the highest note, will be organ and harp concerts, which, proving very successful, will be repeated
this spring at Chickering Hall on five Thursdays in Lent, beginning
the greatest.
March 10th.
•
In order that the cords shall vibrate properly there must be:
Uniformity of action between the several sets of vocal muscles.—Pre-
The
German
operatic
company
at
Ghent
will
shortly
produce " Tann-
suming that adduction and abduction are correctly performed in a given
case let us watch the larynx during vocalization, and see if we can ascertain in hiiuser " for the first time.
The Becker Quartette will shortly make a tour in Holland, Belgium,
what manner the two remaining forces, tension and relaxation, perform the
and Germany.
arduous duties imposed upon them.
Mme. Jael played at a concert in Paris, at the Salle Erard, a pianoforte
The amount of tension required for the production of any particular
musical note, depends entirely upon the position which it occupies in the trio of her own composition.
M
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
March 5 th, 1881.
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
no tine is the soft palate free from the guardianship of the uvula. As any voice register: thus, for the production of the lowest note, the least tension
one who has carefully followed me through the foregoing lines will assert, is required; for the sounding of the highest note, the greatest amount is
the uvula is the supporter of the soft palate, using the back of the tongue as necessary, the vocal cords being stretched to their utmost. When the
a basis of support in the first instance, and the back wall of the throat, that highest note is reached, if an attempt be made to advance in the slightest
degree, no vibrations will occur for the simple reason that the amount of
is the pharynx, in the second.
What would happen if the palate were to be deprived of the valuable tension required cannot be produced.
The strings of a violin will serve as a good illustration of "this point.
services of the little grape-shaped appendage? Why, of course, it would
lose its support, and losing its support it would vibrate to and fro by the It is well known that when the bow is drawn over any one of the violin strings,
action of the air currents passing from the body during the production of if such a string be lose, the resulting note will be very low and feeble. Now
musical tones; and this vibration would cause a certain tremulousness to be supposing you desired to use the instrument, what would you proceed to
do? Why, you would immediately turn the screw by means of which the
imparted to the voice.
The annexed cut will show the positions of the soft palate and uvula, string is tightened until the proper note is reached. At every turn of the
screw the pitch of the string is raised, and this will be the case as long as
and the relation which the latter body bears to the tongue.
the string will allow itself to be stretched. Each string has its limit of tension,
beyond which it will be impossible to go without breaking.
In the case of the human musical instrument, the tensor muscles act the
part of the violin strings, and tighten the vocal cords, the reeds of the
larynx, in a similar manner. The effect which is produced upon the voice,
by the movement styled relaxation, is exactly the reverse of that which has
just been described with reference to tension.
During vocalization, when it is necessary to change from a higher to a
lower note, the aid of the relaxor muscles is especially invoked.
These muscles perform their important duty by pulling together the
Fig. 13.—The Soft Palate and Uvula during singing.
two points of attachment of the vocal cords, the thyroid cartillage in front,
8. P.. 80ft Palate. U.. Uvula. T., Tongue?
and the arytenoids behind. This action must, of necessity, loosen the bands.
Dottel lines-—Different positions assumed by the uvula andpalatt during their action
It being fully established then that the uvula is an important vocal As with tension, the amount of relaxation which must be exerted upon the
organ, let us look into a subject which should particularly interest the vocal bodies depends entirely upon the position of the note in the scale,
that required for the sounding of the lowest note being the greatest. To
vocalist.
I speak of the operation for the removal of this little body, or, as it is sum up the above statements; during the singing of the middle note of the
register of any voice, all other things being equal, the two forces, tension
technically called, uvulotomy.
It will no doubt seem strange to many that after expending so much and relaxation, must be exerted in the same degree; when, however, a higher
space in describing the action of the uvula, I should now treat of its tone is required, the tensor muscles overbalance the relaxors, but when a
removal; but the operation when scientifically performed is not a total ampu- lower note is sounded, the relaxor muscles must overbalance the tensors.
The relaxor muscles, from their peculiar relationship to the cords, and
tation, but only an excision of a portion of the member, and that too when
it is abnormally long. When the uvula is preternaturally long, it forms because they regulate in a great measure the many different shapes which
quite a serious impediment to singing. In the first place the voice is more the glottis assumes during vocal action, have been styled the vocal muscles
difficult to manage; in the second place it requires a much greater effort to par excellence.
The Action of the Air Current.—The air which is contained in the
produce vocal sounds; and lastly, tones so produced are deficient in quality.
The principal manner in which these effects are produced is by the bearing lungs or human bellows, and which is forced up therefrom through the
down of the soft palate by the extra weight which the elongated body windpipe, is the motor power of the vocal instrument.
imposes upon it, or to speak more plainly, by preventing the palate from
One can hardly estimate the influence which the lungs exert upon sing-
ascending normally, a feat which, as we have hitherto seen, is absolutely ing. Unless respiration be properly performed, and the air be discharged
necessary to the correct rendition of certain portions of the vocal register from the pulmonary organs in the correct way, the resulting tones must be
chiefly the upper.
faulty. The air in its passage through the glottis sets the two cords vibrat-
There is another way in which an elongated uvula may seriously affect ing. Generally speaking, the higher the note—that is, the greater the rapi-
the voice, and that is by acting as an irritant to certain parts of the throat dity of vibration—the swifter must the air pass through the vocal cords and
against which it comes in contact. The irritation thus set up will in time vice versa.
In the production of some tones, the air current has a direct influence upon
result in inflammation, if the offending body be not speedily removed.
I have seen very mauy cases of laryngitis caused in the above manner, the size of the glottis. This element, when powerful, makes the above
when the uvula has been long enough to extend into the larynx itself. There opening smaller, by pushing directly on the under surface of the cords.
is a popular dread amongst members of the musical profession of having this This effect is especially noticeable in the rendition of the higher notes,
little operation performed, and very many not only suffer a great deal^from where the glottis is extremely fine. A point which I neglected to speak of
its non-performance, but their voices become impaired, and in time seri- in connection with the formation of the glottis, but, which, however, will
be more intelligable here, is, that the diameters of this opening are greater
ously injured.
The arguments which are generally brought to bear against the excision during tlie production of the lowest notes, and smaller during the singing
of the uvula are two-fold : First, that it will injure the voice, and, second, of the higher ones.
that after extraction the organ will grow again to an unnatural length.
MAUD MORGAN.
_ I do not hesitate a moment in saying that the human voice may be
ISS MAUD MORGAN, the
seriously injured by having too much of this useful little organ removed,
harpist, daughter of Geo.
and a knowledge of this 'fact alone has deterred many from obtaining the
W. Morgan, organist, is a native of
benefits of the operation when skillfully performed.
New York. She studied the harp
I have never seen a case in which the proper amount was extracted that
under Alfred Toulniin, and played
there did not almost immediately follow a wonderful improvement as re-
first in New York City at the request
gards the singing voice, as many vocalists whom I have operated upon can
of Mrs. R. Ogden Doremus, in the
testify. The great secret in the performance of uvulotomy lies simply in
Academy of Music, at a performance
the gauging of the amount of the body that it is proper to remove, this
of " Cinderella " given by children
can only be learned by practice and experience. He who removes the whole
and managed by the ladies of New
of the uvula for simple elongation performs a grevious error, and one which
York in aid of the Women's Pavil-
-will seriously impair the vocal powers, as any one acquainted with the
ion at the Centennial Exhibition.
physiology of the organ under consideration will understand. Several
Miss Morgan was on that occasion
times has it been my lot to find the whole of the uvula cleanly shaved off
highly complimented by the Em-
from the soft palate in singers who have consulted regarding some defect in
press of Brazil, to whom (at the re-
the vocal apparatus.
quest of Her Majesty) she was pre-
The principal symptom developed in these cases is a sort of tremulous-
sented by Mrs. Doremus, a lady
ness, as already stated, caused by the free vibration of the palate, its sup-
who is always quick to apjjreciate
porter, the uvula, being gone. In time the tongue may be so managed as to
talent and ready with her kindly
partially obviate the difficulty, but sooner or later the voice will be irrepar-
aid to encourage young artists, and
ably injured.
to whom Miss Morgan owes much
The idea that the operation is superfluous because the organ will grow
FROM A PHOTOGRAPH BY FALK.
of h e r a r t i s t i c success.
again to an unnatural length is a fallacy, for I have never, notwithstanding
Her professional'debut was made the next year, at fifteen years of age,
the many times I have extracted the uvula, seen this body become a second
at Booth's Theatre, at a concert given by Ole Bull and Miss Thursby under
time elongated.
I must beg indulgence for taking up so much valuable space with such the direction of Mr. Maurice Strakosch, where she was enthusiastically
a seemingly unimportant subject, but I have done so simply to benefit a received. Her first appearance in Boston was at a concert given by Amer-
class of singers who are allowing their voices to degenerate by following the ica's greatest contralto, Adelaide Phillipps. She afterward played at all the
Wilhelmj concerts in New York, Boston, and Hartford, given by Mr. Stra-
advice of those who have had no practical experience on the subject.
The vibration of the cords.—This element is of the greatest importance kosch. She was also with Eemenyi at Philadelphia, Hartford, and at
to the production of the singing voice. The cords are set into vibration by numerous other concerts. Her first benefit concert was given April 4, 1879,
the air current, as it passes with a greater or less degree of velocity through at the Brooklyn Tabernacle, before an audience of nearly four thousand per-
sons, the lamented Ole Bull giving his services to "the daughter of his old
the glottis.
The number of vibrations which the vocal bodies make in any given friend and brother musician." The last three seasons Miss Morgan has played
period of time, depends entirely upon the location of the tone in the scale. at numerous concerts, but never at one where she has not been recalled and
The amount required for the intonation of the lowest note of the register is an encore insisted upon. Last year she assisted her father in a series of
the least, while that necessary for the production of the highest note, will be organ and harp concerts, which, proving very successful, will be repeated
this spring at Chickering Hall on five Thursdays in Lent, beginning
the greatest.
March 10th.
•
In order that the cords shall vibrate properly there must be:
Uniformity of action between the several sets of vocal muscles.—Pre-
The
German
operatic
company
at
Ghent
will
shortly
produce " Tann-
suming that adduction and abduction are correctly performed in a given
case let us watch the larynx during vocalization, and see if we can ascertain in hiiuser " for the first time.
The Becker Quartette will shortly make a tour in Holland, Belgium,
what manner the two remaining forces, tension and relaxation, perform the
and Germany.
arduous duties imposed upon them.
Mme. Jael played at a concert in Paris, at the Salle Erard, a pianoforte
The amount of tension required for the production of any particular
musical note, depends entirely upon the position which it occupies in the trio of her own composition.
M
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