The Higher Development of the Voice by the Application of First
Principles.
There are four general forms of emphasis which serve as indications of the
characteristics of expression. They are Force, Pitch, Volume, and Time.
Force corresponds to life, or vitality, in the voice. Pitch corresponds to
the range of the voice, and expresses affection or attraction. Volume
measures the activity of the will through the voice, and Time, the
expression of which depends principally upon movement, or rhythm,
corresponds to the intellectual activities.
It will be understood that these forms of expression, or emphasis, are
developed, according to the practice in the "Evolution of Expression," by
means of purely mental discipline. It is nevertheless possible to
reinforce these powers of the voice by technical practice with special
reference to this development. In taking up this branch of the work the
student is supposed to have fulfilled the requirements of the elementary
voice practice, which, it will be remembered, includes the establishment
of freedom by means of right direction of tone, the perfecting of the
elements in polished articulation, the facile handling of the voice in
combining various elements, and a certain degree of responsiveness in the
practice of various musical qualities.
FORCE
For the development of increased vital power in the voice the student
should practise the nares exercise and also the elements of speech in a
sustained and even manner, continuing tones as long as it is possible to
keep control of them. The effect of this is to establish _strength and
steadiness_ in the action of the muscles that control the voice, and
increase of breathing-power in response to the requirements involved in
the exercise. The tone must be kept pure and free, and practised with
varying degrees of force, with the idea of steady projection and
determined control. The ability to sustain the tone for a long time will
increase, and with it the power of the muscles exercised.
The idea of projecting tone is based upon the feeling of sympathy with
those at a distance, and not simply upon the desire to make them hear.
Short passages of a vital and animated nature should be practised with
varying degrees of radiation, so that the consciousness of the student may
adapt itself to the idea of including in his sympathies a larger or
smaller number of people. The thought of sympathy with, or nearness to,
those addressed is a most important principle in the development of this
power. It is never the best way to strive to speak loud in order that one
may be heard. Such selections as Lanier's "Life and Song," Wordsworth's
"The Daffodils," and Scott's "Lochinvar" will be found helpful studies for
radiation. It is useful in practising the humming tone, or the nares tone,
to imagine the whole atmosphere pervaded with pure resonance. Too much
emphasis cannot be placed upon the idea of perfect purity as the essential
foundation of power. The pure voice will grow to power. In taking this
exercise there should be no consciousness of effort in the throat, and no
shade of sharpness should be heard in the tone. One must try for the pure,
pervasive resonance which seems to float on the air like the soft note of
a violin. The right condition for the expression of this radiant vitality
in the voice is a complete alertness and responsive vivacity of the whole
person. This animation should be vital and not nervous.
PITCH
A voice, to express variety, must have sufficient compass to give
opportunity for a free play of inflection over various degrees of pitch.
It has been said, "Inflection is the tune of the thought." It is that
which makes it attractive. If one desires to emphasize a point of thought
and make it attractive to another person he instinctively increases his
emphasis by lengthening the slide or inflection. The high pitch indicates
mental activity; the medium pitch is the normal or heart range; the low
pitch is more peculiarly vital. If one would express varieties of thought
with brilliancy and effectiveness, the range of his voice must be wide,
and the evenness of quality so perfect that he can glide from one extreme
of pitch to another without any break in the tone. Facility in thus
handling the voice may be developed by means of special attention directed
to this characteristic. The practice for securing this adaptability in the
modulations of pitch is as follows.
Begin with the nares or humming tone, giving it on as many different notes
of the scale as can be easily reached. Practise the scale gliding from one
note to another while maintaining the pure tone. Practise gliding in the
form of inflection, or slide, from one extreme of pitch to another. This
may be given with variations, according to the ability of the student to
control his voice with evenness and to maintain that pure smoothness of
gradation in quality which permits no break or interruption in gliding
from one pitch to another. These varieties of practice in slides and
scales should be introduced with the practice of various elements of
speech, as well as with the humming tone. The different vowels should be
so used. Selections for practice should be chosen which contain much
variety of thought and feeling and are smooth in movement. For instance,
Tennyson's "Song of the Brook," "The Bugle Song," practised with the
introduction of the bugle notes and their echoes, and various other
selections of a musical and attractive nature, may be adapted to this
practice by simply exaggerating the slides which one would naturally make
in bringing out the meaning. No extravagant or unwarrantable inflections
which will mar the expression of the thought should be permitted, but it
is quite desirable to gradually extend the range of the inflections, if
one still maintains in the practice that common sense which will leave the
expression in perfect symmetry when the extra effort made for inflection
shall have been withdrawn. Though it is sometimes desirable to exaggerate
one element, even to the sacrifice of others, it is never necessary to
introduce false notes, the effect of which may remain as a limitation upon
the expression of the selection used.
VOLUME
Other things being equal, the volume of voice used measures the value that
the mind puts upon the thought. Of course the expression of this value is
modified and characterized by the nature of the thing spoken of. For
example, one would express the value of the ocean with a different quality
from that which would be used in expressing the value of something
exquisitely delicate. All elements of expression modify each other, so
that no mere rule can cover all cases. Volume is not always expressed in
the form of extension of power, but is frequently manifested in the form
of intensity or compressed volume. It is scarcely necessary to explain the
difference between the expression of mere vital power in the voice and
that manifestation of the will which gives the impression of directed
energy. The will determines, and the impetus of the thought is measured
by, the adjustment of volume. Vitality is expressed in radiation; will is
expressed in focus.
The term "volume" may be broadly used to cover the characteristics of the
thing estimated, and hence to include something of that subtle expression
which we call color in the voice. Volume expresses will; color expresses
imagination. For this use of the voice in the special service of
will-power, or propelling force, it is necessary first to test its
freedom. This may be done by taking the humming tone and bringing to bear
upon it a strong pressure of energy. If the tone sharpens under the strain
it is not perfectly focused. If it remains mellow one may venture upon the
next step, which is to practise various vowel sounds and elements of
speech with concentrated energy. The sense of bearing on to the voice, or
endeavoring to push the tone by any pressure whatever, should be
absolutely avoided. Tone support should be carefully regarded. In order to
secure this a correct standing position must be held and the muscles about
the waist and the abdominal muscles must be firm and elastic.
The chin is, in articulation, the pedal of power, and decision in the
conscious action of the chin (not the jaw) will induce by reflex action
that stroke which expresses well-aimed will-power. It may be noticed in
connection with this suggestion that when a person means what he says the
action of the chin is likely to be noticeably decided.
The perfectly alert and self-commanding attitude of the body cannot be too
strongly urged at this point, for the voice cannot be used safely with
great power when the body itself is in a negative attitude; for it must be
remembered that the voice is a reporter, and if we attempt to force it to
report something that is not there it will repay us by casting the lie in
our throat. Power is the result of growth, and can be developed only by
patience and the securing of such conditions as will establish freedom and
certainty. The certainty of any tone depends upon the perfection of its
focus. Quality is the synthetic effect of these attributes in the voice.
Under this head selections of a warlike nature may be practised, and those
which have in them the thoughts of magnitude and importance. Spartacus's
"Address to the Gladiators" is excellent; also, Byron's "Apostrophe to the
Ocean," "The Rising in '76," and selections of a similar nature.
TIME
_Including Poise and Rhythm_
The significance of time is determined by the movement of any selection,
or, in other words, the rhythm. It will be noticed that a selection may be
read with rhythmical effect and be made quite impressive without much
emphasis of other characteristics. However, the responsiveness of the
voice in variety of pitch, quality, and power is also a very large factor
in the illumination of the pause. The pause, as a mere interruption of
sound, has little significance, but the relations that the different
sounds bear to each other lend significance to the pause. A pause should
always suggest an orbit of thought. These characteristics of expression
can be made effective only by the practice of concentration in the mind
itself upon the thoughts to be suggested. Nevertheless, the quick
responsiveness of one's sensibilities in the expression of the various
qualities developed by the cultivation of the voice greatly facilitates
the manifestation of the thought itself.
All selections of a high order have relation to rhythm in their
composition, and that style of movement in the composition should find its
ready response in the organism of the speaker or reciter. It should be
remembered that the sense of rhythm may be misapplied, as may any other
element, by allowing the mind to go off into the sensation of "jingle"
without reference to its expression of the thought or its relation to the
thought. But if the sense of rhythm is duly developed, and then this
sensibility, as well as all others, is surrendered to the service of the
thought, it furnishes an element of beauty which cannot easily be
dispensed with. The reason we associate rhythm with the significance of
time is that rhythm is a measurer of time.
In connection with this step the practice of melodies is useful, if one
has musical taste. Simple, familiar melodies are best--such as "The Last
Rose of Summer," "Annie Laurie," "Flow Gently, Sweet Afton," etc., etc.
The importance of rhythm is well expressed by Emerson, who said that the
rhythm of Shakespeare's verse was always the outcome of the thought.
The term "ellipse" has been sometimes used to express the implied action
of the mind during the pause--describing an orbit of thought implied but
not stated in the words.
The illumination of the pause, or the responsiveness of the voice, in
exhibiting those modifications of quality which give significance, may be
greatly enhanced by the practice of such selections as express much beauty
of thought and variety of significance,--such as Shelley's "The
Cloud,"--things which are somewhat philosophical in their significance; by
selections which suggest much more than is definitely stated,--"Aux
Italiens," by Owen Meredith, "He and She," by Edwin Arnold, "Evelyn Hope,"
by Robert Browning; also chapters from philosophy that is poetically
expressed, such as Emerson's "Essays." In practising these for the special
development of significance every effort should be made to realize the
thought quality in the voice, so that each word may seem to picture forth
the full truth that lies behind it, and that all shall move in such
harmony as to suggest the deeper meanings. The quality of expressiveness,
or clear response to thought in the voice, it will be observed, is secured
through the ready service of all its powers under the influence of the
mental concept. It is to be attained by the attitude of receptivity and
the effort to think through the voice.
This form of expression in voice corresponds to the suggestive in art, and
when the student has attained the power of fulfilling its requirements his
work can be called artistic. One should never attempt to measure his
progress by listening to himself directly; but keeping the ideal in mind,
he may come to realize himself as harmonizing with that, and a sense of
freedom from limitation will at last crown his endeavors.