THE OLD ITALIAN METHOD
To the believer in the necessity of direct mechanical management of the
voice, the old Italian method is a complete mystery. Modern vocal
theorists are at a loss to account for the success of the old masters in
training voices. Many authorities go so far as to assert that these
masters possessed some insight into the operations of the vocal organs,
along the lines of accepted Vocal Science. In their introductory
chapter, "A Plea for Vocal Physiology," Browne and Behnke attempt to
prove that the old masters studied the anatomy of the vocal organs. But
even if this could be proved, that would not solve the mystery of the
old method. Modern teachers are certainly as well acquainted with the
mechanical features of tone-production as the old masters were. Yet,
judged by their results, modern methods are distinctly inferior to the
old Italian method.
There is absolutely no ground for the belief that the old masters owed
their success to a knowledge of vocal physiology. This idea of ascribing
scientific knowledge to the early teachers results only from erroneous
belief that no other means of training the voice is possible. It may be
set down as absolutely certain that the old method was not based on the
principles of the accepted Vocal Science.
Yet the old masters undoubtedly possessed some means of training voices.
They must have known something about the voice. Their knowledge,
whatever it was, is commonly believed to have been lost. Many modern
teachers claim to have inherited the old method. Still these teachers
have nothing to offer beyond the well-known doctrines of breathing,
breath-control, forward tone, etc. How these doctrines might have been
applied in practical instruction nobody is able to tell. Little
attention need be paid to the claim of any modern teacher to possess the
old Italian method of training voices.
So early as 1847 Garcia remarked the dearth of information of a literary
character bearing on the old method. "Unfortunately this epoch has left
us only vague and incomplete documents bearing on its traditions. Of the
methods then followed we have only an approximate and confused idea."
(_École de Garcia_, Mayence, 1847.) Although familiar with the works of
Tosi and Mancini, Garcia was unable to find in their writings any hint
of the means used for imparting the correct vocal action. This same
remark is made by many other investigators.
Yet a reconstruction of the old method is not necessarily a matter of
conjecture. Once the possibility of training the voice by imitation is
established, the old Italian method is easily understood. Speaking of
the glorious past of the art of Voice Culture, Dr. Mills says: "We have
advanced, musically, in many respects since the days of the old Italian
masters, but just as we must turn to the Greeks to learn what
constitutes the highest and best in sculpture, so must we sit at the
feet of these old masters. Consciously or unconsciously they taught on
sound physiological principles." (_Voice Production in Singing and
Speaking._)
Dr. Mills' statement might be more complete if it were made to read,
"consciously or unconsciously they taught on sound physiological and
psychological principles." Vocal instruction on sound principles is
simply the training of the voice by imitation. With the scientific basis
of their method--the laws of physiological psychology--the old masters
were utterly unacquainted. Vocal imitation is purely instinctive.
Probably the old masters could not even have formulated a concise
statement of their reasons for relying on the imitative faculty.
Garcia's complaint of the dearth of literary information regarding the
old method is by no means justified. Naturally there is no record of any
means for imparting a direct mechanical management of the voice. Nothing
of the kind was thought of. But as a description of a course in voice
training by imitation, the works of Tosi and Mancini leave little to be
desired.
Both Tosi and Mancini devote by far the greater portion of their books
to describing the ornaments and embellishments of vocal music. They take
up the singer's education from the beginning and seem to assume, as a
matter of course, that the training in the art of music is coincident,
if not indeed identical, with the cultivation of the voice. But they do
not by any means neglect the subject of tone-production. Most modern
readers of these early writers overlook the simple directions given for
securing a proper use of the voice. This is, of course, due to the
current belief that directions for vocal management must of necessity
deal with mechanical and muscular operations. Finding nothing of this
kind in Tosi and Mancini, the modern investigator concludes that these
writers for some reason failed to record the means used for imparting
the correct vocal action. All that can be found by such an investigator
in the works of Tosi and Mancini is an outline of an elaborate system of
coloratura singing. Much more is seen when the meaning of imitative
Voice Culture is understood.
Let us consider first the "Observations" of Tosi. This writer devotes
his first few pages to some remarks on the art of singing, and to a
general consideration of the practices of Voice Culture. Almost at the
outset we meet this striking statement: "It would be needless to say
that verbal instruction would be of no use to singers any farther than
to prevent 'em falling into errors, and that it is practice alone can
set them right." That is certainly a sound principle.
Consider also this passage. "The faults in singing insinuate themselves
so easily into the minds of young beginners, and there are such
difficulties in correcting them, when grown into an habit, that it were
to be wished the ablest singers would undertake the task of teaching,
they best knowing how to conduct the scholar from the first elements to
perfection. But there being none (if I mistake not) but who abhor the
thoughts of it, we must reserve them for those delicacies of the art,
which enchant the soul. Therefore the first rudiments necessarily fall
to a master of a lower rank, till the scholar can sing his part at
sight; whom one would at least wish to be an honest man, diligent and
experienced, without the defects of singing through the nose, or in the
throat, and that he have a command of voice, some glimpse of a good
taste, able to make himself understood with ease, a perfect intonation,
and a patience to endure the fatigue of a most tiresome employment."
This brings out three striking facts. First, that the student learned to
use his voice by imitating the voice of the master. Second, that the
initial work of "voice placing" was merely an incident in the training
in sight singing and the rudiments of music. Third, that "voice placing"
was considered of too little importance to claim the attention of
masters of the first rank. This feature of instruction, so important now
as to overshadow all else, was at that time left to masters of a lower
rank.
This passage is followed by a short discourse on the rudiments of _Sol
Fa_, a subject of only academic interest to the modern student. We are
so thoroughly accustomed nowadays to the diatonic scale that it is
almost impossible for us to understand the old system of _Muance_ or
_Solmisation_. Suffice it to say that only four keys were known, and
that each note was called by its full Sol-Fa name. Thus D was called
_D-la-sol-re_, C was _C-sol-fa-ut_, etc. In studying sight singing, the
student pronounced the full name of each note in every exercise.
Instruction in singing began with this study of sight reading. In the
course of this practice the student somehow learned to produce his voice
correctly.
Tosi does not leave us in doubt what was to be done in order to lead
the pupil to adopt a correct manner of tone-production. "Let the master
do his utmost to make the scholar hit and sound the notes perfectly in
tune in _Sol-Fa-ing_.... Let the master attend with great care to the
voice of the scholar, which should always come forth neat and clear,
without passing through the nose or being choaked in the throat." To
sing in tune and to produce tones of good quality,--this summed up for
Tosi the whole matter of tone-production.
Many teachers in the old days composed _Sol-Fa_ exercises and vocalises
for their own use. Tosi did not think this indispensable. But he points
out the need of the teacher having an extensive repertoire of graded
exercises and vocalises. To his mind these should always be melodious
and singable. "If the master does not understand composition let him
provide himself with good examples of _Sol-Fa-ing_ in divers stiles,
which insensibly lead from the most easy to the most difficult,
according as he finds the scholar improves; with this caution, that
however difficult, they may be always natural and agreeable, to induce
the scholar to study with pleasure."
How many months of study were supposed to be required for this
preliminary course we have no means of judging from Tosi's work. At any
rate the combining of the registers was accomplished during this time.
Tosi's description of the registers is very concise. "_Voce di Petto_ is
a full voice which comes from the breast by strength, and is the most
sonorous and expressive. _Voce di Testa_ comes more from the throat than
from the breast, and is capable of more volubility. _Falsetto_ is a
feigned voice which is formed entirely in the throat, has more
volubility than any, but of no substance." He speaks of the necessity of
uniting the registers, but gives no directions how this is to be
accomplished. Evidently this seemed to him to present no difficulty
whatever.
In this early period of instruction the pupil was exercised in both
_portamento_ and _messa di voce_. "Let him learn the manner to glide
with the vowels, and to drag the voice gently from the high to the lower
note.... In the same lessons let him teach the art to put forth the
voice, which consists in letting it swell by degrees from the softest
_Piano_ to the loudest _Forte_, and from thence with the same art return
from the _Forte_ to the _Piano_. A beautiful _Messa di Voce_ can never
fail of having an excellent effect."
Only the first chapter of Tosi's book is devoted to this initial study.
That the student was expected to make steady progress as a result of
this study is evident from the closing sentence of this chapter. "The
scholar having now made some remarkable progress, the instructor may
acquaint him with the first embellishments of the art, which are the
_Appoggiaturas_, and apply them to the vowels." The remainder of the
work is devoted almost entirely to the embellishments of singing. Here
and there an interesting passage is found. "After the scholar has made
himself perfect in the Shake and the Divisions, the master should let
him read and pronounce the words." (Shake was the old name for trill,
and division for run.) Again, "I return to the master only to put him in
mind that his duty is to teach musick; and if the scholar, before he
gets out of his hands, does not sing readily and at sight, the innocent
is injured without remedy from the guilty." This injunction might well
be taken to heart by the modern teacher. Good sight readers are rare
nowadays, outside of chorus choirs.
Mancini begins his outline of the course of instruction in singing with
this striking sentence: "Nothing is more insufferable and more
inexcusable in a musician than wrong intonation; singing in the throat
or in the nose will certainly be tolerated rather than singing out of
tune." This is followed by the advice to the teacher to ascertain beyond
a doubt that a prospective pupil is endowed with a true musical ear.
This being done the pupil is to begin his studies by _sol-fa_-ing the
scales. "Having determined the disposition and capacity of the student
with respect to intonation, and finding him able and disposed to
succeed, let him fortify himself in correct intonation by _sol-fa_-ing
the scale, ascending and descending. This must be executed with
scrupulous attention in order that the notes may be perfectly intoned."
In this practice the quality of the tone is of the highest importance.
"The utmost care is necessary with the student to render him able to
manage this portion of his voice with the proper sweetness and
proportion." Mancini takes it for granted that the student will progress
steadily on account of this practice. "When the teacher observes that
the pupil is sufficiently free in delivering the voice, in intonation,
and in naming the notes, let him waste no time, but have the pupil
vocalize without delay."
Regarding the registers, Mancini disagrees with Tosi and names only two.
"Voices ordinarily divide themselves into two registers which are
called, one of the chest, the other of the head, or falsetto." His
method was to exercise the voice at first in the chest register, and
then gradually to extend the compass of the voice upward. "Every student
can for himself with perfect ease recognize the difference between these
two separate registers. It will suffice therefore to commence by singing
the scale, for example, if a soprano, from G to d;[10] let him take care
that these five notes are sonorous, and say them with force and
clearness, and without effort." For uniting the registers, "the most
certain means is to hold back the tones of the chest and to sing the
transition notes in the head register, increasing the power little by
little."
[Note 10: Mancini of course uses the _Sol-Fa_ names of these notes.]
Mancini devotes a few pages to a description of the vocal organs. This
fact is cited by several modern theorists in support of their statement
that the old masters based their methods on mechanical principles. In
the following chapter this topic of Mancini's treatise will be
considered.
Probably the best summary of the old Italian method offered by any
modern teacher is contained in a little booklet by J. Frank Botume,
entitled _Modern Singing Methods_. (Boston, 1885. The citations are from
the fourth edition, 1896.) Speaking of the meaning of the word method,
as applied to a system of rules for acquiring the correct vocal action,
this writer says: "If a teacher says, 'that tone is harsh, sing more
sweetly,' he has given no method to his pupil. He has asked the scholar
to change his tone, but has not shown him how to do it. If, on the other
hand, he directs the pupil to keep back the pressure of the breath, or
to change the location of the tone; if he instructs him in regard to the
correct use of his vocal cords, or speaks of the position of his tongue,
of his diaphragm, of his mouth, etc., he gives him method. The Italian
teachers of the early period of this art had so little method that it
can hardly be said to have existed with them. In fact, the word method,
as now used, is of comparatively modern origin. The founders of the art
of singing aimed at results directly; the manner of using the vocal
apparatus for the purpose of reaching these results troubled them
comparatively little. The old Italian teacher took the voice as he found
it. He began with the simplest and easiest work, and trusted to patient
and long-continued exercise to develop the vocal apparatus. In all this
there is no method as we understand the term. The result is aimed at
directly. The manner of getting it is not shown. There is no conscious
control of the vocal apparatus for the purpose of effecting a certain
result."
This sums up beautifully the external aspects of the old Italian method,
and of modern methods as well. It points out clearly the difference
between the old and the modern system. But it is a mistake to say that
the old masters followed no systematized plan of instruction. Tosi's
advice, already quoted ("Let the master provide himself with examples of
Sol-fa, leading insensibly from the easy to the difficult," etc.), shows
a thorough grasp of the meaning of methodical instruction. Once the real
nature of vocal training is understood, both Tosi and Mancini are seen
to describe a well worked out system of Voice Culture. The only
important difference between the old and the new system is this: one
relied on instinctive and imitative processes for imparting the correct
vocal action, the other seeks to accomplish the same result through the
mechanical management of the vocal organs. In this regard the advantage
is all on the side of the old Italian method.
One question regarding the old method remains to be answered. This has
to do with the use of the empirical precepts in practical instruction.
So far as the written record goes we have no means of answering this
question. Neither Tosi nor Mancini mentions the old precepts in any way.
The answer can therefore be only conjectural. We may at once dismiss the
idea that the old masters used the precepts in the currently accepted
manner as rules for the mechanical management of the voice. This
application of the empirical precepts followed upon the acceptance of
the idea of mechanical voice culture.
A fine description of perfect singing, considered empirically, was found
to be embodied in the traditional precepts. Such a description of
correctly produced tone might be of great value in the training of the
ear. The sense of hearing is developed by listening; and attentive
listening is rendered doubly effective in the singer's education by the
attention being consciously directed to particular characteristics of
the sounds observed.
A highly important aspect of ear training in Voice Culture is the
acquainting the student with the highest standards of singing. The
student derives a double advantage from listening to artistic singing
when he knows what to listen for. Telling the student that in perfect
singing the throat seems to be open makes him keenly attentive in
observing this characteristic sound of the correctly produced tone. This
seems to be the most effective manner of utilizing the empirical
precepts. A student may be helped in imitating correct models of singing
by knowing what characteristics of the tones it is most important to
reproduce. In pointing out to the student his own faults of production,
the judicious use of the precepts might also be of considerable value.
Probably the old masters treated the precepts about in this fashion.