Music Trade Review
Issue: 1882 Vol. 5 N. 13 - Page 4
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190
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
of the voice. The correct singing-breath must
always be a deep inhalation, and must be re-
tained, controlled, and economized by the motive
power.
Deep breathing alone is by no means difficult to
accomplish; but to properly retain, control, and
economize the deep breath requires careful study
and practice. Correct breathing is half the battle.
When the vibratory waves of the mouth—the res-
onant cavity of the voice—are of the same form
as those from the larynx, then the mouth is in
form, or is in tune, and only harmonic over-tones
are developed. The mouth must be formed or
tuned for every vowel sound. Correct form will
wonderfully develope the beauties of the voice.
Correct placing is directing the vibrating column
of air from the larynx well forward against the roof
of the mouth. Ail the rays of sound must be con-
centrated to one point.
Correct touch is the manner in which the vi-
brating column of air is controlled and directed
against the roof of the mouth.
A correct touch is of vast importance; it is
the most beautiful accomplishment of the artist;
it is the soul of the voice. Correct placing,
with a correct touch, is largely a matter of will-
power, and must never be attempted by any mus-
cular throat effort. I cannot enlarge upon these
points, interesting and important as they are,
in this article, but hope to be able to do so in the
near future.
LOCAL THHOAT EFFORT.
The great obstacle in the way of the success of a
large majority of vocalists is a habit of pinching
and contracting certain strong muscles of the
throat in producing tone.
This is evidence of an unnatural effort. This
contracted condition of the strong muscles pre-
vents a free and natural action of the larynx and
of the vocal muscles; hence it follows that a free
and natural delivery and use of the voice is im-
possible.
This is especially so in the case of the tenor, or
the upper chest tones of any male voice. The
singer who does not understand the upper chest
tones will almost invariably bring into action the
strong muscles of the throat in the abnormal
effort to produce either a high chest tone or a
higher medium tone; and why? All his singing
is done by local throat effort. It often appears as
though he purposely pinches his throat shut, and
then by sheer physical strength forces the tone
thi'ough.
How little beauty there is in voices used in this
way! They are always uneven. One tone may be
fairly good, the next one very bad. It will depend
upon the vowel sound and the pitch.
reflect that there is BO much teaching and study,
and yet so little attention paid to building and
toning the voice—the foundation work—that which
8 absolutely necessary in order to correctly and
fully develope the power and beauty of the voice.
It is indeed a rare thing to hear a beautiful tone
of voice, or a voice that is evenly developed and
of equal beauty throughout its entire compass.
I can account for this condition of things in no
other way than that there is too much one-sided
study, which is the result of the voice not being
enerally understood.
I repeat, that only through the development of
orrect form, correct placing, correct touch, and
the proper control of the motive power, whereby
the action of the vocal apparatus is rendered per-
fectly natural and free—only through this devel-
opment of the acoustic properties—is it possible to
fully develope all the beauties of any voice.
A REPLY TO "BALTIMORE."
BY WHITFIELD WAED, A.M., M.D., PHYSICIAN TO
THE METROPOLITAN THROAT HOSPITAL.
RESPONSE to "Baltimore's" criticism of my
entitled ' 'Some Effects of Bad Teach-
I ing N on paper
the Voice," and which appeared in the Jan-
uary 5 edition of THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE
REVIEW, I would beg leave to state that much as I
should like to enter into an extended argument
on the subject, the limited amount of time at my
disposal will only allow of my touching upon its
most salient points.
"Baltimore" thinks that I have made a grave
error in stating "that many teachers compel
their pupils to sing during the existence of
hoarseness."
REASSERTING HIS STATEMENTS.
February 5th, 1882.
repeatedly examined these cases with the idea of
testing this point, I have failed to find a single
case of prolonged hoarseness that was unaccom-
panied with some inflammatory action of the vocal
mnda.
I know that there is a certain degree of hoarse-
ness which occasionally follows singing, but this
is due to an excessive amount of the natural con-
gestion which takes place during the vocalatory
action, and which is principally superinduced by
faulty singing.
Regarding the exception taken by "B" to my
statement, "that the peculiar differences in throats
an be accurately mapped out and the range of a
given voice be almost invariably ascertained," I
must refer the above gentleman and the skep-
tical reader to my work on "The Throat in Rela-
tion to Singing," where the subject is fully entered
upon and discussed in all its bearings pro and con.
I will add, however, that, inasmuch as several
other persons have severely criticised my ability
to differentiate the "voices" of singers, I am fully
convinced of the truth of the statement above
recorded, not having arrived at this conclusion by
a few observations, but by a course of experimen-
tation extending over several months, during which
time I examined the healthy throats of many of
the best singers of New York and vicinity.
I will likewise add a paragraph taken from the
54th page of the work referred to above: "That
it would be impossible for any one, no matter how
reat may be his skill in the use of the laryngo-
scope, to ascertain any given voice without first
having examined a great number of cases, and
made himself perfectly familiar with the appear-
ances of each individual condition referred to by
me I cannot, in thus speaking, be considered
egotistical, when one will bear in mind the large
number of singers examined by me before the
slightest point was ascertained which would serve
as a groundwork te construct the ideas and for-
mula' tabulated above."
With reference to the
Now, while the reverse may be the experience of
"Baltimore," I am positive that I am right; and as
I see from one to two hundred singers per month,
I speak with a degree of positiveness not to be
ASTOUNDING STATEMENT,
gainsaid.
Time and again have singers informed me that "that in the production of the higher notes of
their masters have striven to make them perform the register, the tone-waves go entirely through
acts of vocalization when they have hardly been the nose."
The egregious error, for such it was, was either
able to speak.
If it were necessary, I am sure that many would a mistake of the copyist, or printer, the word
attest to the truth of the above assertion. The hitjh.er being inserted instead of lower, as it origi-
next important point advanced by "Baltimore" nally appeared in my manuscript, which I have
is, "that it would be impossible to produce a just consulted.
If there exists any doubt in the mind of "B" on
paralysis of the vocal cords by an improper or
this point, if he will consult pages 29 and 30 of
injudicious course of vocal teaching."
By referring to my note book, I find at least my book, "The Throat in Relation to Singing," the
five cases of this variety of paralysis which have first edition of which appeared over nine months
ago, he will find the correct theory stated amply,
been under my care.
THE REMEDY.
The most marked instance of the cases above illustrated with drawings.
What is the remedy? The development of the alluded to was that of a young lady aged sixteen,
I must still most emphatically adhere to the
acoustic properties of the voice. How is this de- who applied to me for treatment in April of last statement "that the rise and fall of the voice is
velopment to be attained? By a thorough mastery year. About six weeks previous to her consulting accompanied by a rise and fall of the larynx, not-
of correct form, placing, touch, and the motive me she had joined a conservatory of music in this withstanding "B's" assertion to the contrary.
power. It is absolutely wrong to produce tone city for the purpose of taking vocal lessons.
If the ske2>tical person will place his hand firmly
by any local throat effort. The mind directs and
The "professor" under whose care she was on the voice-box, and sing correctly up and down
controls every m»vement of the voice.
placed initiated her into the mysteries of the the scale, he will be at once convinced of the cor-
Direct the mind to a point beyond local throat vocal art by means of a series of most difficult rectness of the above statement. Mind, I say sing
effort. That point is the acoustics of the voice, for and tiresome exercises.
correctly. There are hundreds who, from false
only through the development of correct form,
This course was persevered in by the master for ideas, endeavor, in a measure, to keep the larynx
placing, and touch is it possible to entirely over- several weeks, although the singing was produc- still during vocalization, and perhaps ' 'Baltimore's'
come the contracted condition of the strong mus- tive of a considerable amount of weariness, and observations have been confined to this class of
cles of the throat and render the voice natural the pupil complained of pain and weariness in the singers.
and free.
In conclusion, I would say that if I have seemed
neighborhood of the larynx during vocalization.
As form, placing, and touch approximate per- At the time of her application for treatment, my too positive in my statements, it has only been
fection, the strong muscles will always relax and patient informed me that after several of the latter from a firm conviction as to their correctness,
the throat will gradually but surely unfold; then lessons she could hardly speak. Upon laryngeal based not on theoretical grounds, but simply an
chest tones, and of the natural transition from the not only inflamed but also paralyzed, as regards
339 WEST TWENTY-THIRD STREET.
chest to the medium register, becomes but a ques- adduction, acts of phonation producing only a
WAKKEN
DAVENPORT'S VIEWS.
tion of time and careful practice.
slight movement of the vocal bodies.
Any system or method of voice-teaching or voice In the treatment of the above case, my first ef-
BOSTON, January 18, 1882.
culture which does not in the end render every forts were directed towards combatting the in- Editor of THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW :
movement of the voice natural and free is, to a flammatory process, which was happily accom-
is much in Dr. Ward's writings that
great extent, a failure. There is too much arti- plished after a few applications of the sulphate of is There
true; but there are also many statements
ficial and superficial teaching and study. Nature, copper to the vocal cords.
induce me to believe that he is not a singer;
as a rule, has endowed man with a perfect vocal After the inflammation had entirely subsided, I which
and if he is, he must be a bad one.
apparatus.
found, after careful examination, that the vocal I have never met an M. D. yet who knew any-
The abnormal condition in which we find the bodies were as much paralyzed as before, showing thing
the true theory of voice-production
great majority of voices is, in almost all cases, due conclusively that the paresis was not due to in- and its about
control.
to a forced and unnatural manner of using the flammatory action, but to an undue stretching of Anatomical
knowledge, with all the laryngo-
speaking or singing voice.
the adductor muscles.
scopic investigations in the world, have no bearing
"All error and weakness, and all defect in tone,
My patient subsequently fully recovered after a
on the matter of vocal culture.
each and all of these are induced, and can there- persistent course of electricity applied into her whatever
What the material is, out of which tones are
fore be removed."
larynx, directly upon the vocal cords. My large
and what the parts look like in forming
The great majority of singers who fail, fail not and varied experience with the throat troubles of formed,
tliem,
and
other similar experiences from
from a want of musical knowledge, nor from a lack vocalists, both professional and amateur, forces me observation many
of
the
vocal organs, are unnecessary
of musical sense, but from physical inability, to refute the statement made by "B," "that hoarse-
in the cultivation and control of the voice.
which might in almost all cases be entirely re- ness can exist without a diseased condition of the facts
They all regard the matter from the money end,
moved by a proper method of voice development vocal cords."
and hence the irrelevance of their scientific; re-
well mastered.
A PET THEORY.
searches. I have a lecture (or, rather, three lec-
VOICE BUILDING.
I know that the above is the pet theory of quite tures) entitled "Vocal Vagaries, or the Nonsense
It is a matter for serious consideration when we a number of laryngoscopists, but, although I have of Singing Teachers," which I hope to give through
190
THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
of the voice. The correct singing-breath must
always be a deep inhalation, and must be re-
tained, controlled, and economized by the motive
power.
Deep breathing alone is by no means difficult to
accomplish; but to properly retain, control, and
economize the deep breath requires careful study
and practice. Correct breathing is half the battle.
When the vibratory waves of the mouth—the res-
onant cavity of the voice—are of the same form
as those from the larynx, then the mouth is in
form, or is in tune, and only harmonic over-tones
are developed. The mouth must be formed or
tuned for every vowel sound. Correct form will
wonderfully develope the beauties of the voice.
Correct placing is directing the vibrating column
of air from the larynx well forward against the roof
of the mouth. Ail the rays of sound must be con-
centrated to one point.
Correct touch is the manner in which the vi-
brating column of air is controlled and directed
against the roof of the mouth.
A correct touch is of vast importance; it is
the most beautiful accomplishment of the artist;
it is the soul of the voice. Correct placing,
with a correct touch, is largely a matter of will-
power, and must never be attempted by any mus-
cular throat effort. I cannot enlarge upon these
points, interesting and important as they are,
in this article, but hope to be able to do so in the
near future.
LOCAL THHOAT EFFORT.
The great obstacle in the way of the success of a
large majority of vocalists is a habit of pinching
and contracting certain strong muscles of the
throat in producing tone.
This is evidence of an unnatural effort. This
contracted condition of the strong muscles pre-
vents a free and natural action of the larynx and
of the vocal muscles; hence it follows that a free
and natural delivery and use of the voice is im-
possible.
This is especially so in the case of the tenor, or
the upper chest tones of any male voice. The
singer who does not understand the upper chest
tones will almost invariably bring into action the
strong muscles of the throat in the abnormal
effort to produce either a high chest tone or a
higher medium tone; and why? All his singing
is done by local throat effort. It often appears as
though he purposely pinches his throat shut, and
then by sheer physical strength forces the tone
thi'ough.
How little beauty there is in voices used in this
way! They are always uneven. One tone may be
fairly good, the next one very bad. It will depend
upon the vowel sound and the pitch.
reflect that there is BO much teaching and study,
and yet so little attention paid to building and
toning the voice—the foundation work—that which
8 absolutely necessary in order to correctly and
fully develope the power and beauty of the voice.
It is indeed a rare thing to hear a beautiful tone
of voice, or a voice that is evenly developed and
of equal beauty throughout its entire compass.
I can account for this condition of things in no
other way than that there is too much one-sided
study, which is the result of the voice not being
enerally understood.
I repeat, that only through the development of
orrect form, correct placing, correct touch, and
the proper control of the motive power, whereby
the action of the vocal apparatus is rendered per-
fectly natural and free—only through this devel-
opment of the acoustic properties—is it possible to
fully develope all the beauties of any voice.
A REPLY TO "BALTIMORE."
BY WHITFIELD WAED, A.M., M.D., PHYSICIAN TO
THE METROPOLITAN THROAT HOSPITAL.
RESPONSE to "Baltimore's" criticism of my
entitled ' 'Some Effects of Bad Teach-
I ing N on paper
the Voice," and which appeared in the Jan-
uary 5 edition of THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE
REVIEW, I would beg leave to state that much as I
should like to enter into an extended argument
on the subject, the limited amount of time at my
disposal will only allow of my touching upon its
most salient points.
"Baltimore" thinks that I have made a grave
error in stating "that many teachers compel
their pupils to sing during the existence of
hoarseness."
REASSERTING HIS STATEMENTS.
February 5th, 1882.
repeatedly examined these cases with the idea of
testing this point, I have failed to find a single
case of prolonged hoarseness that was unaccom-
panied with some inflammatory action of the vocal
mnda.
I know that there is a certain degree of hoarse-
ness which occasionally follows singing, but this
is due to an excessive amount of the natural con-
gestion which takes place during the vocalatory
action, and which is principally superinduced by
faulty singing.
Regarding the exception taken by "B" to my
statement, "that the peculiar differences in throats
an be accurately mapped out and the range of a
given voice be almost invariably ascertained," I
must refer the above gentleman and the skep-
tical reader to my work on "The Throat in Rela-
tion to Singing," where the subject is fully entered
upon and discussed in all its bearings pro and con.
I will add, however, that, inasmuch as several
other persons have severely criticised my ability
to differentiate the "voices" of singers, I am fully
convinced of the truth of the statement above
recorded, not having arrived at this conclusion by
a few observations, but by a course of experimen-
tation extending over several months, during which
time I examined the healthy throats of many of
the best singers of New York and vicinity.
I will likewise add a paragraph taken from the
54th page of the work referred to above: "That
it would be impossible for any one, no matter how
reat may be his skill in the use of the laryngo-
scope, to ascertain any given voice without first
having examined a great number of cases, and
made himself perfectly familiar with the appear-
ances of each individual condition referred to by
me I cannot, in thus speaking, be considered
egotistical, when one will bear in mind the large
number of singers examined by me before the
slightest point was ascertained which would serve
as a groundwork te construct the ideas and for-
mula' tabulated above."
With reference to the
Now, while the reverse may be the experience of
"Baltimore," I am positive that I am right; and as
I see from one to two hundred singers per month,
I speak with a degree of positiveness not to be
ASTOUNDING STATEMENT,
gainsaid.
Time and again have singers informed me that "that in the production of the higher notes of
their masters have striven to make them perform the register, the tone-waves go entirely through
acts of vocalization when they have hardly been the nose."
The egregious error, for such it was, was either
able to speak.
If it were necessary, I am sure that many would a mistake of the copyist, or printer, the word
attest to the truth of the above assertion. The hitjh.er being inserted instead of lower, as it origi-
next important point advanced by "Baltimore" nally appeared in my manuscript, which I have
is, "that it would be impossible to produce a just consulted.
If there exists any doubt in the mind of "B" on
paralysis of the vocal cords by an improper or
this point, if he will consult pages 29 and 30 of
injudicious course of vocal teaching."
By referring to my note book, I find at least my book, "The Throat in Relation to Singing," the
five cases of this variety of paralysis which have first edition of which appeared over nine months
ago, he will find the correct theory stated amply,
been under my care.
THE REMEDY.
The most marked instance of the cases above illustrated with drawings.
What is the remedy? The development of the alluded to was that of a young lady aged sixteen,
I must still most emphatically adhere to the
acoustic properties of the voice. How is this de- who applied to me for treatment in April of last statement "that the rise and fall of the voice is
velopment to be attained? By a thorough mastery year. About six weeks previous to her consulting accompanied by a rise and fall of the larynx, not-
of correct form, placing, touch, and the motive me she had joined a conservatory of music in this withstanding "B's" assertion to the contrary.
power. It is absolutely wrong to produce tone city for the purpose of taking vocal lessons.
If the ske2>tical person will place his hand firmly
by any local throat effort. The mind directs and
The "professor" under whose care she was on the voice-box, and sing correctly up and down
controls every m»vement of the voice.
placed initiated her into the mysteries of the the scale, he will be at once convinced of the cor-
Direct the mind to a point beyond local throat vocal art by means of a series of most difficult rectness of the above statement. Mind, I say sing
effort. That point is the acoustics of the voice, for and tiresome exercises.
correctly. There are hundreds who, from false
only through the development of correct form,
This course was persevered in by the master for ideas, endeavor, in a measure, to keep the larynx
placing, and touch is it possible to entirely over- several weeks, although the singing was produc- still during vocalization, and perhaps ' 'Baltimore's'
come the contracted condition of the strong mus- tive of a considerable amount of weariness, and observations have been confined to this class of
cles of the throat and render the voice natural the pupil complained of pain and weariness in the singers.
and free.
In conclusion, I would say that if I have seemed
neighborhood of the larynx during vocalization.
As form, placing, and touch approximate per- At the time of her application for treatment, my too positive in my statements, it has only been
fection, the strong muscles will always relax and patient informed me that after several of the latter from a firm conviction as to their correctness,
the throat will gradually but surely unfold; then lessons she could hardly speak. Upon laryngeal based not on theoretical grounds, but simply an
chest tones, and of the natural transition from the not only inflamed but also paralyzed, as regards
339 WEST TWENTY-THIRD STREET.
chest to the medium register, becomes but a ques- adduction, acts of phonation producing only a
WAKKEN
DAVENPORT'S VIEWS.
tion of time and careful practice.
slight movement of the vocal bodies.
Any system or method of voice-teaching or voice In the treatment of the above case, my first ef-
BOSTON, January 18, 1882.
culture which does not in the end render every forts were directed towards combatting the in- Editor of THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW :
movement of the voice natural and free is, to a flammatory process, which was happily accom-
is much in Dr. Ward's writings that
great extent, a failure. There is too much arti- plished after a few applications of the sulphate of is There
true; but there are also many statements
ficial and superficial teaching and study. Nature, copper to the vocal cords.
induce me to believe that he is not a singer;
as a rule, has endowed man with a perfect vocal After the inflammation had entirely subsided, I which
and if he is, he must be a bad one.
apparatus.
found, after careful examination, that the vocal I have never met an M. D. yet who knew any-
The abnormal condition in which we find the bodies were as much paralyzed as before, showing thing
the true theory of voice-production
great majority of voices is, in almost all cases, due conclusively that the paresis was not due to in- and its about
control.
to a forced and unnatural manner of using the flammatory action, but to an undue stretching of Anatomical
knowledge, with all the laryngo-
speaking or singing voice.
the adductor muscles.
scopic investigations in the world, have no bearing
"All error and weakness, and all defect in tone,
My patient subsequently fully recovered after a
on the matter of vocal culture.
each and all of these are induced, and can there- persistent course of electricity applied into her whatever
What the material is, out of which tones are
fore be removed."
larynx, directly upon the vocal cords. My large
and what the parts look like in forming
The great majority of singers who fail, fail not and varied experience with the throat troubles of formed,
tliem,
and
other similar experiences from
from a want of musical knowledge, nor from a lack vocalists, both professional and amateur, forces me observation many
of
the
vocal organs, are unnecessary
of musical sense, but from physical inability, to refute the statement made by "B," "that hoarse-
in the cultivation and control of the voice.
which might in almost all cases be entirely re- ness can exist without a diseased condition of the facts
They all regard the matter from the money end,
moved by a proper method of voice development vocal cords."
and hence the irrelevance of their scientific; re-
well mastered.
A PET THEORY.
searches. I have a lecture (or, rather, three lec-
VOICE BUILDING.
I know that the above is the pet theory of quite tures) entitled "Vocal Vagaries, or the Nonsense
It is a matter for serious consideration when we a number of laryngoscopists, but, although I have of Singing Teachers," which I hope to give through
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