The Renaissance of the Vocal Art
A Practical Study of Vitality, Vitalized Energy, of the Physical, Mental
and Emotional Powers of the Singer, through Flexible, Elastic Bodily
Movements
BY EDMUND J. MYER
F.S. Sc. (London)
_Author of "Truths of Importance to Vocalists," "The Voice from a
Practical Stand-Point," "Voice-Training Exercises" (a study of the natural
movements of the voice), "Vocal Reinforcement," "Position and Action in
Singing," etc., etc._
1902
"_When you see something new to you in art, or hear a proposition in
philosophy you never heard before, do not make haste to ridicule, deny or
refute. Possibly the trouble is with yourself--who knows?_"
PREFACE.
To my readers once again through this little work, greetings. For the many
kind things said of my former works by my friends, my pupils, the critic
and the profession, thanks! To those who have understood and appreciated
the principles laid down in my last book, "Position and Action in Singing,"
I will say that this little work will be an additional help. To my readers
in general, who may not have fully understood or appreciated the principles
of vitality, of vitalized energy, aroused and developed through the
movements set forth in my last book, to such I will say that I hope this
little work will make clearer those principles. I hope that it may lead
them to a better understanding of the fundamental principles of the system,
principles which are founded upon natural laws and common sense. In this
work I have endeavored to logically formulate my system.
As it is not possible to fully study and develop any one fundamental
principle of singing without some understanding or mastery of all others,
so it is not possible to write a work like this without more or less
repetition. Certain subjects are so closely related, are so interdependent,
that repetition cannot be avoided. I am not offering an apology for this; I
am simply stating that a certain amount of repetition is necessary.
CONTENTS.
PREFACE
EXORDIUM
PART FIRST.
_EVOLUTION_.
ARTICLE 1. THE OLD ITALIAN SCHOOL OF SINGING
" 2. THE DARK AGES OF THE VOCAL ART
" 3. THE TWO PREVAILING SYSTEMS
" 4. THE RENAISSANCE OF THE VOCAL ART
" 5. THE COMING SCHOOL OR SYSTEM
" 6. CONDITIONS
" 7. THE INFLUENCE OF RIGHT BODILY ACTION
RAISON D'ÊTRE
PART SECOND.
_VITALITY_.
ARTICLE 1. THE FIRST PRINCIPLE OF ARTISTIC TONE-PRODUCTION
" 2. THE SECOND PRINCIPLE OF ARTISTIC TONE-PRODUCTION
" 3. THE THIRD PRINCIPLE OF ARTISTIC TONE-PRODUCTION
PART THIRD.
_AESTHETICS_.
ARTICLE 1. THE FOURTH PRINCIPLE OF ARTISTIC SINGING
" 2. THE FIFTH PRINCIPLE OF ARTISTIC SINGING
" 3. THE SIXTH PRINCIPLE OF ARTISTIC SINGING
" 4. THE SEVENTH PRINCIPLE OF ARTISTIC SINGING
EXORDIUM.
Man, to see far and clearly, must rise above his surroundings. To win great
possessions, to master great truths, we must climb all the hills, all the
mountains, which confront us. Unfortunately the vocal profession dwells too
much upon the lowlands of tradition, or is buried too deep in the valleys
of prejudice. Better things, however, will come. They must come. The
current of the advanced thought, the higher thought, of this, the opening
year of the twentieth century, will slowly but surely increase in power and
influence, will slowly but surely broaden and deepen, until the light of
reason breaks upon the vocal world. We may confidently look, in the near
future, for the Renaissance of the Vocal Art.
PART FIRST.
_EVOLUTION._
ARTICLE ONE.
THE OLD ITALIAN SCHOOL OF SINGING.
The Shibboleth, or trade cry, of the average modern vocal teacher is "The
Old Italian School of Singing." How much of value there is in this may be
surmised when we stop to consider that of the many who claim to teach the
true Old Italian method no two of them teach at all alike, unless they
happen to be pupils of the same master.
A system, a method, or a theory is not true simply because it is old. It
may be old and true; it may be old and false. It may be new and false; or,
what is more important, it may be new and yet true; age alone cannot stamp
it with the mark of truthfulness.
The truth is, we know but little of the Old Italian School of Singing. We
do know, however, that the old Italians were an emotional and impulsive
people. Their style of singing was the flexible, florid, coloratura style.
This demanded freedom of action and emotional expression, which more
largely than anything else accounts for their success.
The old Italians knew little or nothing of the science of voice as we know
it to-day. They did know, however, the great fundamental principles of
singing, which are freedom of form and action, spontaneity and naturalness.
They studied Nature, and learned of her. Their style of singing, it is
true, would be considered superficial at the present day, but it is
generally conceded that they did make a few great singers. If the
principles of the old school had not been changed or lost, if they had been
retained and developed up to the present day, what a wonderful legacy the
vocal profession might have inherited in this age, the beginning of the
twentieth century. Adversity, however, develops art as well as
individuality; hence the vocal art has much to expect in the future.
ARTICLE TWO.
THE DARK AGE OF THE VOCAL ART.
Even in the palmiest days of the Old Italian School, there were forces at
work which were destined to influence the entire vocal world. The subtle
influence of these forces was felt so gradually, and yet so surely and
powerfully, that while the profession, as one might say, peacefully slept,
art was changed to artificiality. Thus arose that which may be called the
dark ages of the vocal art,--an age when error overshadowed truth and
reason; for while real scientists, after great study and research,
discovered much of the true science of voice, many who styled themselves
scientists discovered much that they imagined was the true science of
voice.
Upon the theories advanced by self-styled scientists, many systems of
singing were based, without definite proof as to their being true or false.
These systems were exploited for the benefit of those who formulated them.
This condition of things prevailed, not only through the latter part of the
eighteenth century and the first half of the nineteenth, but still
manifests itself at the present day, and no doubt will continue to do so
for many years to come.
The vocal world undoubtedly owes much to the study and research of the true
scientist. All true art is based upon science, and none more than the art
of voice and of singing.
Science is knowledge of facts co-ordinated, arranged, and systematized;
hence science is truth. The object of science is knowledge; the object of
art is works. In art, truth is the means to an end; in science, truth is
the end.
The science of voice is a knowledge of certain phenomena or movements which
are found under certain conditions to occur regularly. The object of the
true art of voice is to study the conditions which allow these phenomena to
occur.
The greatest mistake of the many systems of singing, formulated upon the
theories of the scientists, and of the so-called scientists, was not so
much in their being based upon theories which oftentimes were wrong, as in
the misunderstanding and misapplication of true theories. The general
mistake of these systems was and is that they attempt by direct local
effort, by direct manipulation of muscle, to compel the phenomena of voice,
instead of studying the conditions which allow them to occur. In this way
they attempt to do by direct control, that which Nature alone can do
correctly.
While it is true that the vocal world owes much to science and the
scientists, yet "the highest science can never fully explain the true
phenomena of the voice, which are truly the phenomena of Nature." The
phenomena of the voice no doubt interest the scientists from an anatomical
standpoint, but these things are of little practical value to the singer.
As someone has said, "To examine into the anatomical construction of the
larynx, to watch it physiologically, and learn to understand the motions of
the vocal cords in their relation to vocal sounds, is not much more than
looking at the dial of a clock; the movements of the hands will give you no
idea of the construction of the intricate works hidden behind the face of
the clock."
We should never lose sight of the fact that there is a true science of
voice, and that the art of song is based upon this science. The true art of
song, however, is not so much a direct study of the physical or mechanical
action of the parts, as it is a study of the spirituelle side; a study of
the forces which move the parts automatically, in accordance with the laws
of nature. In other words, voice, true voice, is more psychological than
physiological; is more an expression of mind and soul than a physical
expression or a physical force. It is true, the body is the medium through
which the soul, the real man, gives expression to thought and feeling; and
yet voice that is simply mechanical or physical is always common and
meaningless and as a rule unmusical. The normal condition of true artistic
voice is emotional and soulful.
ARTICLE THREE.
THE TWO PREVAILING SYSTEMS.
The misunderstanding or the misapplication of any principle, theory or
device, always leads to error. This was eminently true of the
misunderstanding and misapplication on the part of many writers and
teachers who based their systems upon the theories of the scientists and
the self-styled scientists. The result is evident; it is that which is
known as the local-effort, muscular school of the nineteenth century; the
school which to this day so largely prevails; the school which makes of man
a mere vocal machine, instead of a living, emotional, thinking soul.
The local-effort school attempts, by direct control and manipulation of
muscle and of the vocal parts, to compel the phenomena of voice. In this
respect it is unique; in this respect it stands alone. The truth of this
statement becomes evident when we stop to consider that in nothing known
which requires muscular development, as does the art of singing, is this
development or training secured by direct manipulation and control of
muscle. There is nothing in the arts or sciences, nothing in the broad
field of athletics or physical culture, nothing in the wide world that
requires physical development, in which the attempt is made to develop by
direct effort as does the local-effort school. Hence we say the mistake
they make is in attempting to compel the phenomena of voice, instead of
studying the conditions which allow them to occur. It might be interesting,
it certainly would be very amusing, to enumerate and illustrate the many
things done under the name of science, to compel the phenomena of voice;
but space will not permit. Many of them are well known; many more are too
ridiculous to consider except that they should be exposed for the good of
the profession.
The result of all this direct manipulation of muscle is
ugliness--everywhere hard, unmusical, unsympathetic voices. The public is
so used to hearing hard, muscular voices that the demand for beautiful tone
is not what it should be. In fact, it is not generally known that it is
possible to make almost any voice more or less beautiful that is at all
worth training. The hard, unmusical voice of the day is a hybrid, unnatural
and altogether unnecessary voice. Physical effort in singing develops
physical tone and physical effect. Common tone makes common singing. A
great artist must be great in tone as well as in interpretation.
The disciples of the local-effort school lose sight of the fact that when a
muscle is set and rigid, either in attempting to hold the breath or to
force the tone, it is virtually out of action; that instead of actually
helping the voice it is really preventing a free, natural production, and
that other parts are then compelled to do its work; this accounts for many
ruined voices. "To make a part rigid is equal to the extirpation of such
part. While it is in a state of rigidity it ceases to take part in any
action whatsoever: it is inert and the same as if it had ceased to exist."
The local-effort school is accountable for many errors of the day. The
incubus of this school is fastened upon the vocal profession with
octopus-like tentacles which reach out in every direction, and which strive
to strangle the truth in every possible way; but, while "life is short, art
is long;" the truth must prevail.
* * * * *
As an outgrowth of the local-effort school, and as an attempt to counteract
its evil tendencies, there is to-day in existence another school or system
known as the limp or relaxed school, or the system of complete relaxation.
The object of this relaxation is to overcome muscular tension and rigidity.
This is the other extreme. The followers of this school forget that there
can be no tonicity without tension. Flexible firmness without rigidity, the
result of flexible, vitalized position and action, is the only true
condition. The tone of the school of relaxation is nearly always depressed
and breathy; it always lacks vitality.
ARTICLE FOUR.
THE RENAISSANCE OF THE VOCAL ART.
We are in the habit of measuring time by days, weeks, months, years,
decades and centuries. The world at large measures time by epochs and eras.
While this is true in the physical world, it is equally true of the arts
and sciences, and it is especially true of the art of song. Thus we have
had the period known as "The Old Italian School of Singing." This was
followed by the modern school, or "The Local-Effort School" of the
nineteenth century, the period which may be called The Dark Ages of the
Vocal Art.
There is a constant evolution in all things progressive, and this evolution
is felt very perceptibly to-day in the vocal world. Great principles, great
truths, are of slow growth, slow development. Times change, however, and we
change with them. While the changes may be slow and almost imperceptible to
the observer, they are sure, and finally become evident by the accumulation
of event after event.
The prevailing systems of the nineteenth century tried to develop voice by
direct local muscular effort. These systems have proved themselves
failures. The vocal world is looking for and demanding something better. We
may say that we are now on the eve of great events in the vocal art. When
the morn comes, and the light breaks, we may confidently expect that
awakening or reawakening which may properly be called The Renaissance of
the Vocal Art.
This is the age of physical culture in all its forms. There is a tendency
from the artificial habits of life, back, or rather one should say forward,
to Nature and Nature's laws. "Athletes appreciate the value of physical
training: brain-workers appreciate the value of mental training, of
thinking before acting, and if you would become either you must follow the
methods of both."
Many of our foremost educators in all branches of development, physical,
mental and musical, are now making a bold stand for natural methods of
education. However, all vocal training and development in the past, we are
glad to say, has not been on the wrong side of the question.
There have been, at all ages and under all circumstances and conditions,
men who have been at the root or the bottom of things,--men who have
preserved the truth in spite of their surroundings. So in the vocal art,
there have been at every decade a few men who have known the truth, and who
have handed it down through the dark ages of the vocal art. The work of
these men has not been lost. Its influence has been felt, and is today more
powerful than ever. Hence the trend of the best thought of the profession
is away from the ideas of the local-effort school, away from rigidity and
artificiality, and more in the direction of naturalness and common sense. I
believe we are now, as a profession, slowly but surely awakening to truths
which will grow, and which will in time bring to pass that which must come
sooner or later, the new school of the twentieth century.
There is to-day that which is known as "The New Movement in the Vocal
Art"--a movement based upon natural laws and common sense and opposed to
the ideas of the local-effort school;--movement in the direction of freedom
of action, spontaneity and flexible strength as opposed to rigidity and
direct effort;--a movement which advocates vitalized energy instead of
muscular effort;--a movement which had its origin in the belief that no man
ever learned to sing because he locally fixed or puckered his lips; because
he held down his tongue with a spatulum or a spoon; because he locally
lowered or raised his soft palate; because he consciously moved or locally
fixed his larynx; because he consciously, rigidly set or firmly pulled in
one direction or another, his breathing muscles; because he carried an
unnaturally high chest at the sacrifice of form, position and strength in
every other way; because he sang with a stick or a pencil or a cork in his
mouth; or because he did a hundred other unnatural things too foolish to
mention. No man ever learned or ever will learn to sing because of these
things. It is true he may have learned to sing in spite of them, which
shows that Nature is kind; but as compared to the whole, he is one in a
thousand.
"The New Movement" has come to stay. It will, of course, meet with bitter
opposition. Why not? The custom of many has been, and is, to condemn
without investigation; to condemn because it does not happen to be in the
line of their teaching and study. Someone has said, "He who condemns
without knowledge or investigation is dishonest."
"The New Movement" is simply a study of the conditions which allow the
phenomena of voice to occur naturally and automatically. The day will come,
when a right training of the voice will be recognized as a flexible,
artistic, physical training of the human body, and a consequent right use
of the voice, as a soulful expression of the emotional nature. Matter or
muscle will be taught to obey mind or will spontaneously. The thought
before the effort, or rather before the action, will be the controlling
influence, and vitalized emotional energy will be the true motor power of
the voice. The elocutionists and the physical culturists understand this
far better, as a rule, than the vocalists.
Abuse brings reform in art as well as in all other things. So the abuse of
Nature's laws and the lack of common sense in the training of the singing
voice has led, through a gradual evolution, to "The New Movement." This
movement is the outgrowth of the best or advanced thought of the profession
rebelling against unnatural methods.
In the fundamental principles of "The New Movement," there is nothing new
claimed by its advocates. All is founded upon the science of voice, as are
all true systems of teaching. The claims are made with regard to the
devices used to study natural laws, to develop the God-given powers of the
singer. Remember that Nature incarnates or reflects God's thoughts and
desires and not man's ideas or inventions. Someone has said that there was
nothing new, nor could there be anything new, in the art of singing. There
are many, alas! who talk and write as did this man. Is not this simply
proof of the fact that ignorance cheapens and belittles that which wisdom
views with awe and admiration? And this is true of nothing so much as it is
of the arts and sciences.
Is, then, ours in all the world, the only profession based upon science and
art that must stand still, that must accept blindly the traditions handed
down to us, without investigation? Are we to feel and believe that with us
progress is impossible, that we may not and cannot keep up with the spirit
of the age? God forbid. Is it not true that "each age refutes much which a
previous age believed, and all things human wax old and vanish away to make
room for new developments, new ideals, new possibilities"? Is it possible
this is true of all professions but ours? The signs of the times indicate
differently. Hence we may confidently expect the Renaissance of the Vocal
Art in this, the first half of the new century.
ARTICLE FIVE.
THE COMING SCHOOL, OR SYSTEM.
This is an age of progress; and, as we have said, many educators are making
a bold stand for natural, common-sense methods. The trend of the higher
thought of the vocal profession is away from artificiality, and in the
direction of naturalness.
The coming school, or system, of the twentieth century will undoubtedly
find its form, its power, its expressional and artistic force and value,
its home, its life, in America. The old country is too much in the toils,
too much in the ruts of tradition; hence natural forces are suppressed, and
artificiality reigns supreme in the training of the voice. While this is
not true in regard to the strictly aesthetic side of the question, it is
painfully true as far as the fundamental principles of voice development
are concerned. Of course we are glad to say there are bright and shining
exceptions to this rule in all lands, but to the new country we must
undoubtedly look for the new school.
So far the world has produced but two great teachers. The first of these is
Nature; the second is Common Sense. Nature lays down the fundamental
principles of voice; Common Sense formulates the devices for development
according to these principles. Therefore we say, Go to Nature and learn of
her, and use Common Sense in studying and developing her principles. The
nearer the approach to Nature, the higher the art; hence the new school
must be founded upon artistic laws which are Nature's laws, and not upon
artificiality.
The coming school must teach the idealized tone. The ideal in its
completeness means the truth,--all the truth,--and not, as many suppose, an
exaggerated form of expression. The truth in tone, or the idealized tone,
is beautiful and soulful, and demands for its production and use all the
forces that Nature has given to the singer,--physical, mental, and
emotional or spirituelle. Unmusical, muscular tone is not the true tone. It
contains much that it should not have on the physical side, and lacks much
that it should have on the spirituelle. As a rule, it means nothing; in
fact, it is often simply a noise. The idealized tone always represents a
thought, an idea, an emotion; it is the expression of the inner--the
higher--man; it is, in reality, self-expression.
"The human voice is the most delicately attuned musical instrument that God
has created. It is capable of a cultivation beyond the dreams of those who
have given it no thought. It maybe made to express every emotion in the
gamut of human sensation, from abject misery to boundless ecstasy. It marks
the man without his consent; it makes the man if he will but cultivate it."
The coming school must be founded upon freedom of form and action, upon
flexible bodily movements, the result of vitalized energy instead of
muscular effort. There must be no set, rigid, static condition of the
muscles. Artistic singing is a form of self-expression; and
self-expression, to be natural and beautiful, must be the result of correct
position and action.
The first principle of artistic singing is the removal of all restraint.
This is a fundamental law of Nature and cannot be changed. Under the
influence of direct local muscular effort, the removal of all restraint is
impossible. Hence the coming school must be based upon free flexible
action. In this respect it will be much like the old Italian school, except
that it will be as far in advance of the old school in the science of voice
as the twentieth century is in advance of the eighteenth. It must also be
far in advance of the old school in the devices used to develop the
fundamental principles of voice.
In this age of progress and knowledge of laws and facts, the new school,
under the influence of Nature's laws and common sense, with the aid of
flexible movements and vitalized energy, must do as much for the
development of the singing voice in three or four years as the old school
was able to do in eight or ten. This is necessary, both because the singing
world demands it, and Nature and common sense teach us that it does not
take years and years of hard study and practice simply to develop the
voice. From a strictly musical standpoint, however, it does take years to
ripen a great singer, to make a great artist. Many voices are ruined
musically by years of hard, muscular practice. Hence we say the new school
must give the voice freedom, and remove all muscular restraint by or
through natural, common-sense, vitalized movements.
ARTICLE SIX.
CONDITIONS.
Nature's laws are God's laws. All nature, the universe itself, is an
expression of God's thoughts or desires in accordance with His laws. This
one controlling force, this principle of law, is at the bottom of
everything in nature and art. Everything which man says or does under
normal, free conditions, is self-expression, an expression of his inner
nature; but this expression must be under the law. If not, the expression
is unnatural and therefore artificial. This principle, which holds true in
all of man's expression, in all art, is in nothing more evident than in the
use of the singing voice.
"Nature does nothing for man except what she enables him to do for
himself." Nature gives him much, but never compels him to use what she
gives. Man is a free agent. He can obey or violate the laws of Nature at
will; but he cannot violate Nature's laws, and not pay the penalty. This
thought or principle constantly stands out as a warning to the vocal world.
The student of the voice who violates Nature's laws must not expect to
escape the penalty, which is hard, harsh, unmusical tone or ruined voice.
Nature demands certain conditions in order to produce beautiful, artistic
tone. If the student of the voice desires to develop beautiful, artistic
tone he is compelled to study the conditions, the fundamental principles
under the law; and this can be done only by the use of common-sense
methods.
All artistic tone is the result of certain conditions, conditions demanded
by Nature and not man's ideas or fancies. These conditions are dependent
upon form and adjustment, or we might better say adjustment and form, as
form is the result of the adjustment of the parts. So far all writers on
the voice, and all teachers, agree; but here comes the parting of the ways.
One man attempts form and adjustment by locally influencing the parts,--the
tongue, the lips, the soft palate, the larynx, etc. This results in
muscular singing and artificiality. We have found that form and adjustment,
to be right, must be automatic. This condition cannot be secured by any
system of direct local effort, but must be the result of flexible,
vitalized bodily movements--movements which arouse and develop all the true
conditions of tone; movements which allow the voice to sing spontaneously.
The fundamental conditions of singing demanded by Nature we find are as
follows:
Natural or automatic adjustment of the organ of sound, and of all the
parts.
Approximation of the breath bands.
Inflation of all the cavities.
Non-interference above the organ of sound.
Automatic breath-control.
Freedom of form and action of all the parts above the larynx.
High placing and low resonance.
Automatic articulation.
Mental and emotional vitality or energy.
Free, flexible, vitalized bodily position and action.
It is not my intention here to enlarge upon these conditions to any extent.
I have already done so in my last book, "Position and Action in Singing." I
know many writers on the voice, and many teachers, do not agree with me on
this subject of conditions; but facts are stubborn things, and "A physical
fact is as sacred as a moral principle." "The sources of all phenomena, the
sources of all life, intelligence and love, are to be sought in the
internal--the spiritual realm; not in the external or material." "A man is
considerably out of date who says he does not believe a thing, simply
because he cannot do that thing or does not understand how the thing is
done. There are three classes of people--the 'wills,' the 'won'ts,' and the
'can'ts': the first accomplish everything, the second oppose everything,
and the third fail in everything." These things [these conditions] can be
understood and fully appreciated by investigation only. There is no
absolute definite knowledge in this world except that gained from
experience.
The voice in correct use is always tuned like an instrument. This must be
in order to have resonance and freedom, and this is done only through
natural or automatic adjustment of all the parts. In singing there are
always two forces in action, pressure and resistance, or motor power and
control. In order to have automatic adjustment these two forces must
prevail. When the organ of sound is automatically adjusted, the breath
bands approximate: This gives the true resisting or controlling force. When
the breath bands approximate we have inflation of the ventricles of the
larynx, the most important of all the resonance cavities, for when this
condition prevails we have freedom of tone, and the inflation of all other
cavities. And not only this; it also enables us to remove all restraint or
interference from the parts above the larynx, and especially from the
intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the throat. This automatic adjustment,
approximation of the breath bands and inflation of the ventricles, gives us
a yet more important condition, namely, automatic breath control; this is
beyond question the most important of all problems solved for the singer
through this system of flexible vitalized movements.
The removal of all interference or direct local control of the parts above
the larynx, gives absolute freedom of form and action; and when the form
and action are free, articulation becomes automatic and spontaneous. When
all restraint is thus removed, the air current comes to the front, and we
secure the important condition of high placing. Furthermore, under these
conditions, when the air current strikes the roof of the mouth freely, it
is reflected into the inflated cavities, and there is heard and felt,
through sympathetic vibration of the air in the cavities, added resonance
or the wonderful reinforcing power of inflation: in this way is secured not
only the added resonance of all other cavities, but especially the
resonance of the chest, the greatest of all resonance or reinforcing
powers.
When the voice is thus freed under true conditions, it is possible to
arouse easily and quickly the mental and emotional power and vitality of
the singer. In this way is aroused that which I have called the singer's
sensation, or, for want of a better name, the third power of the voice.
This power is not a mere fancy. It is not imagination; for it is absolutely
necessary to the complete mental and emotional expression of the singer, to
the development of all his powers. This life or vital force is to the
singer a definite, controllable power. "Various terms have been applied to
this mysterious force. Plato called it 'the soul of the world.' Others
called it the 'plastic spirit of the world,' while Descartes gave it the
afterward popular name of 'animal spirits.' The Stoics called it simply
'nature,' which is now generally changed to 'nervous principle.'" "The
far-reaching results of so quiet and yet so tremendous a force may be seen
in the lives of the men and women who have the mental acumen to understand
what is meant by it." The singer who has developed and controlled "the
third power" through the true conditions of voice, never doubts its
reality; and he, and he only, is able to fully appreciate it.
The development of all the above conditions depends upon one important
thing, the education of the body; upon a free, flexible, vitalized body.
ARTICLE SEVEN.
THE INFLUENCE OF RIGHT BODILY ACTION.
In art, as in all things else, man must be under the law until he becomes a
law unto himself. In other words, he must study his technique, his method,
his art, until all becomes a part of himself, becomes, as it were, second
nature. There is a wide difference between art and artificiality. True art
is based upon Nature's laws. Artificiality, in almost every instance, is a
violation of Nature's laws, and at best is but a poor imitation.
The impression prevails that art is something far off, something that is
within the grasp of the favored few only. We say of a man, he is a genius,
and we bow down to him accordingly. The genius is an artist by the grace of
God and his own efforts. Nature has given some men the power to easily and
quickly grasp and understand things which pertain to art, but if such men
do not apply their understanding they never become great or useful artists.
Talent is the ability to study and apply, and is of a little lower order
than genius; but the genius of application, and the talent to apply that
which is learned, have made the great and useful men, the great artists of
the world. As someone has said, "Art is not a thing separate and apart; art
is only the best way of doing things;" and while this is true of all the
arts, it is eminently so of the art of voice and of song.
Artistic tone, as we have found, is the result of certain conditions
demanded by Nature. These conditions are dependent upon form and
adjustment; and form and adjustment, to be right, must be automatic. All
writers and teachers agree that correct tone is the result of form and
adjustment; but here, as we have said, comes the parting of the ways. One
man attempts, by directly controlling and adjusting the parts, to do that
which nature alone can do correctly; result--hard, muscular tone. Another
attempts, by relaxation, to secure the conditions of tone; result--vocal
depression, or depressed, relaxed tone.
If artistic tone be the result of conditions due to form and adjustment,
and if form and adjustment, to be right, must be automatic, if these things
are true, and they are as true as the fact that the world moves, then there
is only one way under heaven by which it is possible to secure these
conditions; that way is through a flexible, vitalized body, through
flexible bodily position and action.
The rigid, muscular school cannot secure these conditions, for they make
flexible freedom impossible. The limp, relaxed school cannot secure them,
for there is no tone without tonicity and vitality of muscle. Vitalized
energy _can_ secure these true conditions, but through flexible bodily
position and action only.
The rigid school is muscle-bound, and lacks life and vitality. The limp
school, of course, is depressed and lacks energy. The world is full of dead
singers,--dead so far as vitality and emotional energy are concerned.
Singing is a form of emotional or self-expression, and requires life and
vitality. Life is action. Life is vital force aroused. Life in singing is
emotional energy. Life is a God-given, eternal condition, and is a
fundamental principle of the true art of song.
It is wonderfully strange that this idea or principle of flexible,
vitalized bodily position and action is not better understood by the vocal
profession. That a right use or training of the body, automatically
influences form and adjustment, and secures right conditions of tone, has
been and is being demonstrated day by day. This is a revelation to many who
have tried to sing by the rigid or limp methods. There is really nothing
new claimed for it, for it is as old as the hills. Truth is eternal, and
yet a great truth may be lost to the world for a time. The only things new
which we claim, are the movements and the simple and effective devices used
to study and apply them. These movements have a wonderful influence on the
voice, for the simple reason that they are based upon Nature's laws and
common sense. These truths are destined to influence, sooner or later, the
entire vocal world.
A great truth cannot always be suppressed, and some day someone will
present these truths in a way that will compel their recognition. They are
never doubted now by those who understand them, and they are appreciated by
such to a degree of enthusiasm. I am well aware that when these movements
are spoken of in the presence of the followers of the prevailing rigid or
limp schools, they exclaim, "Why, we do the same thing. We use the body
too." Of course they use the body, but it is by no means the same. Their
use of the body is often abuse, and not only of the body, but of the voice
as well.
The influence on the singing voice of a rightly used or rightly trained
body is almost beyond the ability of man to put in words.
All singing should be rhythmical. These flexible bodily movements develop
rhythm.
All singing should be the result of vitalized energy and never of muscular
effort. These movements arouse energy and make direct effort unnecessary.
Singing should be restful, should be the result of power in repose or under
control. These movements, and these movements alone, make such conditions
possible.
All singing should be idealized, should be the result of self-expression,
of an expression of the emotions. This is impossible except through correct
bodily action. "By nature the expression of man is his voice, and the whole
body through the agency of that invisible force, sound, expresses the
nobility, dignity, and intellectual emotions, from the foot to the head,
when properly produced and balanced. Nothing short of the whole body can
express this force perfectly in man or woman."
These movements develop in a common-sense way the power of natural forces,
of all the forces which Nature has given to man for the production and use
of the voice. Rigid, set muscles, or relaxed, limp muscles dwarf and limit
in every way the powers of the singer, physical, mental, and emotional; the
physical action is wrong, the thought is wrong, and the expression is
wrong. A trained, developed muscle responds to thought, to right thought,
in a free, natural manner. A rigid or limp muscle is, in a certain sense,
for the time being, actually out of use.
An important point to consider in this connection is the fact that there is
no strength properly applied without movement; but when right movements are
not used, the voice is pushed and forced by local effort and by contraction
of the lung cells and of the throat. This of course means physical
restraint, and physical restraint prevents self-expression. Singing is more
psychological than physiological; hence the importance of free
self-expression. Direct physical effort produces physical effect;
relaxation produces depression.
All artistic tone is reinforced sound. There are two ways of reinforcing
tone. First, by direct muscular effort, the wrong way; second, by expansion
and inflation, the added resonance of air in the cavities, the right way.
This condition of expansion and inflation is the distinguishing feature of
many great voices, and is possible only through right bodily position and
action. These movements are used by many great artists, who develop them as
they themselves develop, through giving expression to thought, feeling, and
emotion, through using the impressive, persuasive tone, the fervent voice.
This brings into action the entire vocal mechanism, in fact all the powers
of the singer; hence these movements become a part of the great artist. He
may not be able to give a reason for them, but he knows their value. The
persuasive, fervent voice demands spontaneity and automatic form and
adjustment; these conditions are impossible without flexible, vitalized
movements. The great artist finds by experience that the throat was made to
sing and not to sing with; that he must sing from the body through the
throat. He finds that the tone must be allowed and not made to sing. Hence
in the most natural way he develops vitalized bodily energy.
Next in importance to absolute freedom of voice, which these movements
give, is the fact that through them absolute, automatic, perfect
breath-control is developed and mastered. These movements give the breath
without a thought of breathing, for they are all breathing movements. The
singer cannot lift and expand without filling the lungs naturally and
automatically, unless he purposely resists the breath. The conscious breath
unseats the voice, that is, disturbs or prevents correct adjustment, and
thus compels him to consciously hold it; but this very act makes it
impossible to give the voice freedom. Through these movements, through
correct position, we secure automatic adjustment, which means approximation
of the breath bands, the principle of the double valve in the throat, which
secures automatic breath-control. In other words, the singer whose position
and action are correct need never give his breathing a thought. This is
considered by many as the greatest problem--for the singer--solved in the
nineteenth century.
To study and master these movements and apply them practically, the singer
needs to know absolutely nothing of the mechanism of his vocal organs. He
need not consider at all the physiological side of the question. Of course
the study of these movements must at first be more or less mechanical,
until they respond automatically to thought or will. Then they are
controlled mentally, the thought before the action, as should be the case
in all singing; and finally the whole mechanism, or all movements, respond
naturally and freely to emotional or self-expression.
These flexible, vitalized movements are not generally understood or used,
because they have not been in the line of thought or study of the rigid
muscular school or the limp relaxed school; and yet they are destined to
influence sooner or later all systems of singing. They have been used more
or less in all ages by great artists. It is strange that they are not
better understood by the profession.
* * * * *
In this connection it might be well to speak of the importance of physical
culture for the singer. A series of simple but effective exercises should
be used, exercises that will develop and vitalize every muscle of the body.
There are also nerve calisthenics, nervo-muscular movements, which
strengthen and control the nervous system. These nerve calisthenics
generate electrical vitality and give life and confidence. "The body by
certain exercises and regime may be educated to draw a constantly
increasing amount of vitality from growing nature."
A singer to be successful must be healthy and strong. He should take plenty
of out-door exercise. Exercise, fresh air, and sunlight are the three great
physicians of the world. But beside this, all singers need physical
training and development, which tense and harden the muscles, and increase
the lung capacity; that training which expands all the resonance cavities,
especially the chest, and which directly develops and strengthens the vocal
muscles themselves, particularly the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles of the
throat. As we have learned, a trained muscle responds more spontaneously to
thought or will than an uneducated one; flexible spontaneity the singer
always needs. Beyond a doubt, the singer who takes a simple but effective
course of physical training in connection with vocal training will
accomplish twice as much in a given time, in regard to tone, power and
control, as he could possibly do with the vocal training alone. This is the
day of physical training, of physical culture in all things; and the
average vocal teacher will have to awake to the fact that his pupils need
it as much as, or more than, they need the constant practice of tone.
Of course it is not possible to give a system of physical training in a
small work like this. The student of the voice can get physical training
and physical culture from many teachers and many books. It may not be
training that will so directly and definitely develop and strengthen the
vocal muscles and the organ of sound itself, or training that will so
directly influence the voice as does our system, which is especially
arranged for the singer; but any good system of physical development, any
system that gives the student health and strength, is good for the singing
voice. "Activity is the source of growth, both physical and mental."
"Strength to be developed, must be used. Strength to be retained, must be
used."
RAISON D'ÊTRE.
Since writing my last book, "Position and Action in Singing," and after
four or five years more of experience, I have been doubly impressed and
more than convinced of the power and influence of certain things necessary
to a right training and use of the voice. Herbert Spencer says, "Experience
is the sole origin of knowledge;" and my experience has convinced me, not
only that certain things are necessary in the training of the voice, but
that certain of the most important principles or conditions demanded by
Nature, are entirely wanting in most systems of singing.
Singers, as a rule, are artificial and unnatural. They do not use all the
powers with which Nature has endowed them. This has been most forcibly
impressed upon my mind by the general lack of vitality, or vital energy,
among singers; by a general lack of physical vitality, and, I venture to
say, largely of mental vitality, and undoubtedly of emotional vitality,
often, but mistakenly, called temperament. These things have been forced
upon me by the general condition of depression which prevails. Vitality,
however, or vitalized energy, is in fact the true means or device whereby
the singer is enabled to arouse his temperament, be it great or otherwise;
to arouse it, to use it, and to make it felt easily and naturally.
Out of every hundred voices tried I am safe in saying that at least ninety
are physically depressed, are physically below the standard of artistic
singing. Singing, it is true, is more mental than physical, and more
emotional than mental; but a right physical condition is absolutely
necessary, and the development of it depends upon the way the pupil is
taught to think. Singing is a form of self-expression, of an expression of
the emotions. This is impossible when there is physical depression. The
singer must put himself and keep himself upon a level with the tone and
upon a level with his song, the atmosphere of his song; upon a level with
the sentiment to be expressed, physically, mentally and emotionally. This
cannot be done, or these conditions cannot prevail, when there is
depression.
There is, to my mind, but one way to account for this condition of
depression among singers. That is, the way they think, or are taught to
think, in regard to the use of their bodies in singing. The way in which
they breathe and control the breath, the way in which they drive and
control the tone. It is the result of rigid muscular effort or relaxation,
and both depress not only the voice but the singer as well. The tonal
result is indisputable evidence of this.
Knowledge comes through experience; and my experience in studying both
sides of this question has convinced me that there is but one way to
develop physical, mental and emotional vitality in the singer, and that is
through some system of flexible, vitalized bodily movements. There must be
flexible firmness, firmness without rigidity. The movements as given in my
book, "Position and Action in Singing," and as here given, develop these
conditions. They give the singer physical vitality, freedom of voice,
spontaneity, absolute automatic breath control, and make self-expression,
emotional expression, and tone-color, not only possible but comparatively
easy. Singing is self-expression, an expression of thought and feeling.
There must be a medium, however, for the expression of feeling aroused
through thought; that medium is the body and the body alone. Therefore it
is easy to see the importance of so training the body that it will respond
automatically to the thought and will of the singer.