Scan 11
Musical Courier 1896-07-01: Vol 33 Iss 852, 1896
87 lines. Read by computer on 20 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 12. See the scan on archive.org.
1positions, or brought into different states by the one voluntarily controllable organ.
3MUSCLES.
5Muscles, and only muscles, are at the pupil's judicious control or can by study be placed there. Let the vocalist's task be compared with that of the student pianist.
7The pianist needs to move only his fingers, hands and arms; but the agents he must learn to manage so skillfully are the same that the singer must discipline, or of the same class; for they also are muscles. It is a curious fact, the discovery of which redounds to the highest credit of the manufacturer, that the pianist must lose all connection with his instrument a positive instant before the string is struck and the tone is heard. Yet the good and the poor piano touch is decided wholly by finger muscles.
9How vastly more complicated is the singer's muscular task! The piano strings, the oscillations of which originate all other oscillations and vibrations, are unchangeably fixed; the pianist can neither adjust them nor alter their tension. But the vocalist must bring his two strings together and change their tension for every degree of pitch. The pianist has the whole sounding board ready prepared. The manufacturer has exhausted his ingenuity in his behalf in experimentation to find the very best mode of connecting the originating material, the strings, with the wooden sounding board. The vocalist has no ready-made sounding board except the insignificant larynx; for each note he must create one, and this he does by muscles, as has been explained. The larynx is brought into firm connection with the spine, with the hyoid bone (just above the larynx), with the palate, the cranium, the tongue, the cheeks and even with the lips and jaw; and all this is done by muscles. If muscles do not bind the larynx firmly to the hyoid bone just above it, not only will the major part of the available sounding board be lost, unused, but the cords themselves cannot be stretched sufficiently for any tones except the feeblest and huskiest. For it is the muscles which extend from the front of this horseshoe bone downward to the breast bone that are the downward pulling agents of that tilting (bascule) which is an indispensable means of lengthening the vocal shelves and making them tense.
11Again, what good does it do to know that there exist muscular strips and broader bands extending from this voice box (larynx and hyoid bone united) to the palate, to the cranium, to the breast bone and clavicles, to the tongue, the jaw, and indirectly, but just as valuably, to the cheeks and lips? Before singing all these fleshy strips and bands are loose, flabby, relaxed. If it were possible for them to remain wholly relaxed when voice was attempted, the tone would be worthless or impossible. Even when this effortless state is approximated as nearly as the singer's intention can bring it the tone is weak and husky. But even then some of the mentioned muscles are acting; for if the reader will touch the Adam's apple (larynx) he will feel it rise at the starting of the faintest tone. Now let him push upward against the lower edge of the whole larynx, about an inch above the breast bone, and realize how strong an effort must be made to bridge it even to the extent it was raised by the feeble tone! Increase the expiratory effort to any extent, the tone will remain weak and husky—and why?
13For one reason, because the vocal cords cannot be brought near enough together without the tensing aid of some of these muscles, notably those which extend from the voice box to the breast bone, the palate and the tongue. Hence the cords are compelled to remain too far apart, to transmit too large a stream of actual breath, which causes the extreme huskiness. For another reason, because all the muscles which extend from the voice box even to the lips are too slack to be brought into oscillation by the oscillations of the voice box. All these mouth-lining muscles need to contract and makes themselves so stiff that every oscillation of the voice box will cause them also to oscillate, sway to and fro, and fan out really and fully adequate vibrations of air which will flow forth to salute the ear with the grand and beautiful effect of the true artistic tone. How powerful these muscles are and how generously they must put forth this power may easily be seen. Even whisper as shrilly as possible while you press down on the projecting point of your Adam's apple and notice how nearly impossible it is to prevent its upward rising. Let the reader bear well in mind that the first reason is one acknowledged and affirmed by such eminent physiologists of voice as Bennate, Merkel and Bishop, though they did not make use of the only absolutely unimpeachable means of decision, the one employed by the writer—and that is the isolation and voluntary control of each separate muscle or smaller group, the same control that, in great measure, pupils must acquire.
15Is there any other controllable element? There is not. We cannot control the glands to excrete or secrete more or less copiously, the veins or arteries to transport larger or swifter currents of blood, a tendon to stretch or relax itself, a mucous membrane to grow moist or dry. Think it over, attentive reader! Canvass the entire vocal tract while your teacher of voice is approving or remonstrating. Does he insist upon a particular vowel for practice? If your tone is improved it is because some muscle or muscles of tongue, palate or lips have shaped the mouth's cavity differently and, it may be, as a consequence has changed the state of the lower throat, by which will be meant the whole throat from the Adam's apple to the breast bone. If he tells you to "spoon down" or otherwise coax the tongue into an unnatural and ruinous position and condition, ask him what those tongue-depressing muscles—for the agent must be muscles—are succeeding in effecting. If he probably and sagely vouchsafes to enlighten you with the knowledge that this lingual flattening and (usually added) "throat opening" leaves more room for the passage of the vibrations, ask him what the poor vowel is going to do while its habitat is being so recklessly disturbed. Ask him to refer to some authority of note—Airy, Blaserna, Helmholtz, Lord Raleigh or Comti, for instance—and to cite the law relevant to the acoustic case, some law announcing the fact that vibrations sound louder or better after passing through a slightly larger channel! Then, just for the fun of it, push the end of a forefinger so far back along the upper surface of the tongue that you will reach beyond its downward curve, and notice that this down-sloping part moves backward as you flatten the tongue and narrows the channel with precisely the opposite result to the one your teacher intends!
16(no line here) one of two readings
18But why continue to call out the items of the sorry list? So long as such presumptive vocal authorities as Mme. Cappiani, Mr. Le Vinsen and now this teacher of Brief Thoughts from Ohio continue to jumble the diaphragm and the abdominal muscles so indistinguishably, to call the one the other and the other the one with such commendable impartiality, your chances for correct and serviceable answers would be better with a veterinary doctor in the rural districts—and yet you would be asking the only question of practical import, and your teacher's failure to answer correctly would prove that he knew little of the vocal conduct of the only vocal organ over which he could give you control, the muscles involved in artistic voice, the only agents that can be controlled at will. But even this control is not direct. It is sure, unmistakable; each muscle or smaller group of parallel muscles may be singled out with certainty and incited to contract or compelled to relax; but no one has the power to apply his will directly to the muscle itself. How then is the equally strong and equally precise command to be gained? one of two readings
20Another paper will be required fully to answer this question, to exhibit the wonderful power of the imagination and bring the studious reader fully to the point where he can judge fairly the many vices and few virtues of the leading exponents of singing in French. one of two readings
22JOHN HOWARD. one of two readings
24Mapleson Still Announced.—Latest dispatches from London state that Mapleson's Opera Company is there announced to open at the New York Academy of Music on October 26. one of two readings
26Hesselberg Has Sailed.—Edouard Hesselberg, the Russian concert pianist, late director of the piano department of the Ithaca (N. Y.) Conservatory of Music, sailed for Europe on the Fürst Bismarck on June 25. He has retired from the Ithaca Conservatory, to the deep regret of his pupils and many friends, and will return in the fall to enter upon a five years' contract as director of the piano department of the Conservatory of Music of the Denver (Col.) University. This flourishing institution has 90 rooms, a faculty of 35, an organ of 4,500 pipes and an orchestra of about 70. Mr. Hesselberg's position is quite a valuable one. one of two readings
28Henry Wolfsohn Returns.—Henry Wolfsohn, the prominent musical manager, sailed from Europe for New York on the Normannia on Thursday last, June 25. In addition to the artists for next season already mentioned in these columns, among whom are Chamainade, Rosenthal, Guilmant and Ella Russell, with Henri Marteau for 1897-8, Mr. Wolfsohn has closed contracts with the Bohemian String Quartet, one of Europe's most artistic combinations; with the renowned violinist Carl Halir, and with the remarkable French soprano Mlle. Camille Seygard, who has a superb concert voice and great personal attractions. This completes an extremely interesting, varied and important list to be imported by Mr. Wolfsohn, and augurs well for the musical interest and success of the forthcoming season. Mlle. Seygard will make her New York début in November next. one of two readings
30Even to Cigars.—It has been discovered by the Cigar-makers' Label Committee that a member of the Manhattan Musical Union is also in the cigar business in Yorkville. The committee does not object to musicians selling cigars, but it says that this musician sells non-union and unlabelled cigars and recently it notified the musical union about the matter. The other unions are curious to see what the musicians will do about it. The Manhattan Musical Union is affiliated with the Central Labor Union, and several times its alleged grievances have taken up a great part of the sessions of the C. L. U. It is the organization which wanted the Theatrical Protective Union to demand that musicians belonging to any other organizations than it should be discharged from the theatre orchestras or compelled to join the Manhattan Musical Union. one of two readings
32tongue, palate or lips have shaped the mouth's cavity differently and, it may be, as a consequence has changed the state of the lower throat, by which will be meant the whole throat from the Adam's apple to the breast bone. If he tells you to "spoon down" or otherwise coax the tongue into an unnatural and ruinous position and condition, ask him what those tongue-depressing muscles—for the agent must be muscles—are succeeding in effecting. If he probably and sagely vouchsafes to enlighten you with the knowledge that this lingual flattening and (usually added) "throat opening" leaves more room for the passage of the vibrations, ask him what the poor vowel is going to do while its habitat is being so recklessly disturbed. Ask him to refer to some authority of note—Airy, Blaserna, Helmholtz, Lord Raleigh or Comti, for instance—and to cite the law relevant to the acoustic case, some law announcing the fact that vibrations sound louder or better after passing through a slightly larger channel! Then, just for the fun of it, push the end of a forefinger so far back along the upper surface of the tongue that you will reach beyond its downward curve, and notice that this down-sloping part moves backward as you flatten the tongue and narrows the channel with precisely the opposite result to the one your teacher intends! one of two readings
34But why continue to call out the items of the sorry list? So long as such presumptive vocal authorities as Mme. Cappiani, Mr. Le Vinsen and now this teacher of Brief Thoughts from Ohio continue to jumble the diaphragm and the abdominal muscles so indistinguishably, to call the one the other and the other the one with such commendable impartiality, your chances for correct and serviceable answers would be better with a veterinary doctor in the rural districts—and yet you would be asking the only question of practical import, and your teacher's failure to answer correctly would prove that he knew little of the vocal conduct of the only vocal organ over which he could give you control, the muscles involved in artistic voice, the only agents that can be controlled at will. But even this control is not direct. It is sure, unmistakable; each muscle or smaller group of parallel muscles may be singled out with certainty and incited to contract or compelled to relax; but no one has the power to apply his will directly to the muscle itself. How then is the equally strong and equally precise command to be gained?
36Another paper will be required fully to answer this question, to exhibit the wonderful power of the imagination and bring the studious reader fully to the point where he can judge fairly the many vices and few virtues of the leading exponents of singing in French.
38JOHN HOWARD.
40Mapleson Still Announced.—Latest dispatches from London state that Mapleson's Opera Company is there announced to open at the New York Academy of Music on October 26.
42Hesselberg Has Sailed.—Edouard Hesselberg, the Russian concert pianist, late director of the piano department of the Ithaca (N. Y.) Conservatory of Music, sailed for Europe on the Fürst Bismarck on June 25. He has retired from the Ithaca Conservatory, to the deep regret of his pupils and many friends, and will return in the fall to enter upon a five years' contract as director of the piano department of the Conservatory of Music of the Denver (Col.) University. This flourishing institution has 90 rooms, a faculty of 35, an organ of 4,500 pipes and an orchestra of about 70. Mr. Hesselberg's position is quite a valuable one.
44Henry Wolfsohn Returns.—Henry Wolfsohn, the prominent musical manager, sailed from Europe for New York on the Normannia on Thursday last, June 25. In addition to the artists for next season already mentioned in these columns, among whom are Chamainade, Rosenthal, Guilmant and Ella Russell, with Henri Marteau for 1897-8, Mr. Wolfsohn has closed contracts with the Bohemian String Quartet, one of Europe's most artistic combinations; with the renowned violinist Carl Halir, and with the remarkable French soprano Mlle. Camille Seygard, who has a superb concert voice and great personal attractions. This completes an extremely interesting, varied and important list to be imported by Mr. Wolfsohn, and augurs well for the musical interest and success of the forthcoming season. Mlle. Seygard will make her New York début in November next.
46Even to Cigars.—It has been discovered by the Cigar-makers' Label Committee that a member of the Manhattan Musical Union is also in the cigar business in Yorkville. The committee does not object to musicians selling cigars, but it says that this musician sells non-union and unlabelled cigars and recently it notified the musical union about the matter. The other unions are curious to see what the musicians will do about it. The Manhattan Musical Union is affiliated with the Central Labor Union, and several times its alleged grievances have taken up a great part of the sessions of the C. L. U. It is the organization which wanted the Theatrical Protective Union to demand that musicians belonging to any other organizations than it should be discharged from the theatre orchestras or compelled to join the Manhattan Musical Union.
48BRITISH OFFICE OF THE MUSICAL COURIER,
4931 Princes Street, Cavendish Square,
50LONDON, W., June 30, 1896.
52WITH the advent of the Kneisel Quartet and Mr. Albert Lockwood we may expect an annual visit from American instrumentalists. Vocalists we have had in large numbers, and sopranos and contraltos from the United States get a very good share of the engagements to be had here. On the other hand, as a counterbalance, the English tenors and baritones have enjoyed equal prestige in America the past few seasons.
54But musicians of great calibre are not so often found in the ranks of the vocalists as among the pianists and instrumentalists generally; it is the latter that represent more fully the musical culture of their country. London has now had an opportunity of judging in a measure of the achievements of their cousins across the water, and probably no better representatives could have been found than these artists of whose work I speak later on.
56I have just learned from Mr. Vert that Mr. Ffrangcon-Davies will sail for his second American tour of about six months toward the last of November.
58Mme. Brema will return to London early in September from Bayreuth, and will be in England until she sails to America on January 1.
60In consequence of the great success of the concert on the 4th inst. Madame Adelina Patti will sing in the Royal Albert Hall on Tuesday evening, 30th inst. This will be her last appearance in London this season.
62Mr. Maurice Grau left London on Monday for Paris, where he will remain about a fortnight, returning here to complete several engagements.
64Mr. H. M. Hirschberg, the New York concert agent, is in town looking for talent to take to America.
66The Columbians have been having an enjoyable time at Bexhill-on-Sea, where they have had a month's engagement at the Kursaal, by the Earl de la Warr.
68Mr. Allnutt Boisseir will give a concert on the 24th inst. in the Indian Room of Lord Brassey's residence, Park lane. Among those who will assist are Miss Regina de Sales, Mme. Vanderveer-Green and Mr. Neil McCay.
70Mr. Leo Stern, who took the solo part of Dr. Dvorák's new 'cello concerto when it was first given at the Philharmonic concert, has been engaged to play this work with the Berlin Philharmonic Society and the Gewandhaus concerts at Leipzig next winter.
72The Prince and Princess of Wales and the Princesses Victoria and Maud of Wales, and suite, honored the performance of Die Walküre by their presence at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, on Saturday evening.
74The Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha has been staying for several days with Mr. W. W. Astor at Cliveden.
76A scheme is on foot to entertain Mr. W. H. Cummings at a dinner, in order to congratulate him publicly on his appointment as principal of the Guildhall School of Music. Sir Alexander Mackenzie will preside.
78The friends of the late Sir Joseph Barnby will be given an opportunity of securing some memento of his at a sale of many of his effects, at 9 St. George's square, on the 20th inst.
80Mme. Moriani, the well-known vocal teacher of Brussels, will come to London for the purpose of giving consultations and lessons in voice production and singing at the First Avenue Hotel, Holborn, between the 1st and 11th of July. After this she will go on to Birmingham to continue her work there until the 26th prox. Mme. Moriani has arranged to go to America early in August for two months, where she is engaged to give vocal consultation. She will visit New York, Newport, Boston and Chicago.
82A summer tour is being arranged for members of the Incorporated Society of Musicians by Mr. C. Heinecke, a member from Liverpool, to visit the Bayreuth Festival. A very convenient handbook, containing an itinerary of the tour, references to objects of interest en route, history of Bayreuth Theatre and other information, is being completed for the convenience of tourists.
84The American boy soprano, Master Charles Meehan, of Brooklyn, is in town.
86I had a call this morning from Mme. Theá Dorré, who
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