Scan 17
Musical Courier 1895-04-17: Vol 30 Iss 789, 1895
98 lines. Read by computer on 23 September 2026. Printed page 18. See the scan on archive.org.
A town on its own line is one of the directory's headings. That is where the town on a maker's page comes from.
1contends Mr. Howard's are. The first part of the extract quoted from his physiology is a case in point, for it is seriously to be doubted that at the break the resonance is removed from under the vocal chords to above them; and more questionable still is his assertion that the "sound resounds exclusively in the vocal tube (the space between chords and lips)." And with all due respect to Mr. Belari's sayings (I doubt not in good faith), that he has attested the soundness of this fact and the existence of such a phenomenon, I am constrained to question his conclusions. In personal experiments I do not notice that with the hand placed on the sternum and trachea there will be felt vibrations which will cease when the medium register is reached. Quite and positively to the contrary I notice the reverse, not alone in my own case but in the case of ten differently trained singers upon whom I have tried the experiment. Fournié's assertion and Mr. Belari's proof are therefore inconclusive, and the whole superstructure of reasoning falls to the ground. The very kernel of his argument is disprovable, the very corner stone is defective.
3Is it not, may I ask, rational to suppose that, the larynx being always in vibration, the connective parts are also always in vibration with varying but corresponding intensity? Is sympathetic vibration of the parts surrounding the larynx dependent primarily or exclusively on the shape of the vocal chords? Are large cartilages, thick muscles, strong bones, governable by feeble membranes three-quarters of an inch in length at the most? Does the sympathetic vibration of the cerebral column vary according to the pitch of the note—above for high notes, below for low? Is the "obliquity" of the ribbons sufficient to control the vibrations of such a large mass of bone? It were reasonable to argue that it is, according to Fournié's theory, seeing that there is almost as intimate a connection through the cricoid to the spine as there is through the same cartilage to the trachea, to say nothing of the greater ease in setting up vibrations in bone than in cartilage.
5What shall we say of a brass instrument player? Does the air inside his mouth (corresponding to the air in the trachea) vibrate with the lower notes he plays? and does it cease to do so when he pinches with thinned, differently contoured, more highly tensed lips for the upper tones?
7In truth, at the first blush it would appear that this discovery of Fournié's was nothing more than the exploded, abandoned theory of variable resonance cavities, and not an explanation of the break at all. It is my humble opinion that Fournié went astray, formed false premises, from a lack of larger or more intimate knowledge of acoustics, and I am of the opinion that were Mr. Belari to apply the severe tests of modern acoustical science to this resonance part of the discovery he would find at any rate doubts arising in his mind. Possibly Fournié's work was written before Helmholtz writings were published, or he might have reasoned differently. He might possibly have satisfied himself that, seeing a larger mass of material is in vibration for low tones, it was to be expected that a correspondingly large amount of sympathetic vibration would result, and that the reverse would prove the case for the higher notes. This view is further strengthened by the supposition that possibly in producing the medium tones he unconsciously relaxed his efforts; they were not, may be, due and proportionate, considering the increased tension of the altered chords.
9But if he did maintain a proper effort it is not to be supposed that he would get such a large amount of sympathetic vibration. But this should not have led him to conclude that all this was caused by the altered, thinned state of the vocal membranes.
11From other experiments made during the last few days I have found that even in the falsetto voice these vibrations may be felt in the windpipe, at the breastbone and lower. Now there is no use calling the breathy falsetto notes chest tones, yet the phenomena Mr. Belari depends upon to prove Fournié's case, or rather the absence of the phenomena is present unmistakably. How does he explain this? I would ask those of my readers who are interested in this matter to try the above simple experiment for themselves.
13My remarks have been directed mainly to the chest vibration and non-vibration part of the discussion, for although I would have preferred to have written respecting those parts printed in italics in Mr. Belari's letter, I felt that until I understood clearly his meaning of "the lengthwise tension provokes obliquity of the ribbons and the obliquity of the ribbons provokes change of timbre," the exact meaning of "obliquity" is my stumbling block. I have thought of several explanations, but I have concluded to await Mr. Belari's further remarks on this particular point.
15In conclusion, I am sure we all welcome Mr. Belari's entrance into this, I hope, instructive discussion, for he doubtless has things to say and arguments to put forward that will be worthy of our serious and thoughtful consideration.
17INSTRUMENTALIST.
19APRIL 8.
21Hayes on the Voice.
23MR. E. A. HAYES, who in a lengthy interview published in THE MUSICAL COURIER of March 27 set forth his views on the mechanism and use of the voice, has received numerous communications relative to and in endorsement of the article. The appended letters were also received by THE MUSICAL COURIER evidencing the writers' appreciation of Mr. Hayes' efforts.
25Editors The Musical Courier:
26After several years of conscientious study with certain of New York's noted vocal teachers, my friends told me that irrespective of interpretation I failed to sing as well as I did before I began to study. Since then I have had training which has given me a new start. This country has so far failed to produce a great singer. Foreign trained American voices not only hold the highest positions here, but also in Europe. Why may not American teachers produce equal results? Practically, everyone can talk; why may they not also become able to produce a "musical, well rounded and good sized tone?"
28It was not only with pleasure, but with profound satisfaction, that I read the account of Mr. E. A. Hayes' lecture on the Mechanism and Use of the Voice in THE MUSICAL COURIER of March 27. Here is a man who cuts loose from old traditions, and goes on, using the forces at his command, continually searching for other forces with which he may advance the profession of voice culture.
30The lecture appealed forcibly to me, for this profession is to-day one of great importance, and work in this line has not only made it what it is, but is also what is needed for its further advancement.
32W. B. CURTIS, 67 York square, New Haven, Conn.
34The other letter reads:
36NEW YORK CITY, April 12, 1895.
38Editors The Musical Courier:
39In these days, when most teachers of voice culture seem to think that the proper use of the voice is to be gained by cultivating some particular part of the vocal mechanism, by a certain use of the palate, of the diaphragm, or of the breath, or by blowing through the vocal chords without any conscious effort, it is most refreshing to see in the columns of THE MUSICAL COURIER an account of such lectures as those given by Mr. Hayes on the use of the voice.
41Mr. Hayes has evidently grasped and made use of certain fundamental facts which so many lose sight of altogether, namely: That the voice is the product of a mechanism or machine, the structure of which is practically the same in every individual; that no part of this machine made by the Master Builder was created for show or ornament, but that every part has its proper use in tone production; that correct tone production must, therefore, depend upon a correct use of this apparatus in toto. The first two of these propositions must impress everyone who is at all familiar with the structure of the human throat as axioms. The third proposition is then a necessary logical sequence.
43Power is the secret of all success. It is a thing for which we all strive in some form. The business man strives for the power to gain money; the politician strives for the power to control men; the lawyer strives for the power to convince juries; the physician seeks for the power to prevent and control disease. For what does the singer strive? Is it not for that highest of powers, the power to reach men's hearts, to stir their ambitions, to inspire their hopes, to heighten their joys, to lighten their sorrows, to thrill them with love, to arouse in them all that is noblest and best?
45Think you that this can be accomplished by any imperfect, incomplete use of this God-given instrument, or without conscious effort on the part of the one who exercises this power?
47No! Every part must perform its function, every muscle must act in the right direction and with the proper force; the larynx must be in just the right position, and the vocal chords must have just the right tension, or the tone will be fundamentally wrong.
49How then is this machine of cartilage, muscle, bone and other tissue to be controlled so that the action of every part shall be correct, and the co-ordination and adaptation of its component parts shall be perfect?
51If we were asked this question with regard to any other machine we would answer, without any hesitation, "By a careful study and thorough mastery of the construction of the machine."
53Does not the same reply suit this case?
55Is not the best way to obtain control of the voice to study carefully and thoroughly the action and relation of the forces which produce it?
57To me, as a physician, Mr. Hayes' solution of the question seems the only reasonable and logical one that can be given, and the one that must ultimately be accepted by all seekers after truth.
59PHYSICIAN.
61Mr. Hayes announces that he will give the third of his series of four illustrated lectures at his residence, 229 West Forty-fourth street, to-morrow night (April 18) at 8.30. He will take for his subject the Mechanism and Use of the Face and Tongue in Voice Production.
63Another Successful d'Arona Pupil.
65THE Stabat Mater was given at Hartford Cathedral Sunday evening, April 7, Miss Z. T. Murray being selected this year to interpret the solo soprano work. Artists of established reputations only have been engaged heretofore. Nordica having sang it last year, interest centered on Miss Murray, the solo soprano of the cathedral choir, when it was announced she was engaged. The choirs of every church in Hartford with the exception of two were present, and the cathedral was crowded when Miss Murray's magnificent voice rose and fell in the grandeur of the Inflammatus.
67Her success was stupendous; everyone in the grand chorus grasped her hand as she left the organ loft and poured praises and compliments upon her not easily wrung from candidates for fame in rival choirs. In the body of the church a number of people remained to get a glimpse of the soloist who had so charmed them, and the critics pronounced Miss Murray as satisfactory an artist as had ever been chosen to interpret the work.
69Last Tuesday Miss Murray sang at a concert in New Haven, Conn., meeting with such success that she was engaged immediately for two concerts there on May 9 and 15. At a concert at North Brookfield, Mass., March 6, she sang Gaul's Holy City. The press unanimously praised the method and style of her singing and she was re-engaged to sing there at another concert on the 10th prox.
71She has booked nine concerts this month, which is both gratifying and encouraging to Miss Murray, who by the way is another successful pupil of that excellent teacher Mme. Florenza d'Arona, whose work has been publicly tested and which has spoken for itself.
73A Mandolin Recital.—Gennaro Volpé, mandolinist to H. M. the King of Sweden and Norway, will give a mandolin recital at the Hotel Waldorf this afternoon at 3:30 o'clock. He will be assisted by competent artists. The success of Signor Volpé in America has been even greater than his friends anticipated, a fact made manifest by the list of society ladies who are his patronesses for to-day's recital.
75ROBERT COCKS & CO.,
76Music Publishers to H. M. the Queen and H. R. H. the Prince of Wales,
77(ESTABLISHED 1823).
78LONDON.
79AGENTS FOR THE UNITED STATES:
80EDWARD SCHUBERTH & CO., 22 Union Sq., NEW YORK.
82NEW PUBLICATIONS
83By the Leading Composers and Authors of the Day.
85Full detailed Novelty List on application; also Catalogues comprising over 20,000 Standard and Popular Publications for Voice, Piano, Organ, Violin, Viola, Violoncello, Flute, Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin, Oboe, etc., also Elementary and Theoretical Works.
86Please state which Catalogues are required.
87Sole Publishers of Compositions by Angelo Mascheroni, Lawrence Kellie and Emilio Pizzif.
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916, NEW BURLINGTON STREET, LONDON, W.
93CHARLES LUNN IN LONDON,
94Care of Messrs. Rogers, 60 Berners Street.
95SIR MORELL MACKENZIE says—"A worthy representative of what I believe not only to be the best, but the only method of training the singing voice."
96REV. T. KELLY, S. J., says—"The correct action of the ventricles seems to have been known to Galen as early as the second century; the credit of rediscovering their use belongs to Mr. LUNN."
97JOHN RUSKIN says—"I am especially glad to see the use you make of what I have been trying to teach about color, and the extent to which you show that the same truths hold as to sound."
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