Phases of Vocal Interpretation
ARTICULATION
The quality of artistic beauty in articulation is very important, beyond
the mere accuracy which is ordinarily thought of. There are five general
heads under which the characteristics to be sought may be grouped.
First, _Accuracy of Form_. This not with severity, but with
perfection coming from sensitive response of the articulating organs to
the form concept as held in the mind. One should avoid the practice of
exertion in the execution of articulated forms.
Second, _Tone Quality_, secured by the right relation of the tone
form to the line of resonance, is very important and may be attained by
careful attention to musical beauty and a sense of harmony. This is the
right _placing_ of tones.
Third, _Proportion_ must be carefully considered. Very often
unaccented syllables are made unduly prominent and unimportant words are
over-emphasized through lack of attention to this principle. The careful
appreciation of rhythm, or the _movement_ of syllables in
enunciation, gives a flowing, easy, well-proportioned clearness that is
indispensable to beauty. This should be practised in connection with the
interpretation of melodious, _flowing_ passages, which will furnish
opportunity for the appreciation of the relation between the accented and
unaccented syllables and the important and unimportant words. Such
material as Bryant's "Thanatopsis" is good.
Fourth, _Phrasing_. The careful observation of the three foregoing
aspects of articulation leads at once to the fourth; namely, the
expressive value of words in direct relation to the interpretation itself.
This is closely connected with phrasing, and the phrase, which is the
larger "thought word," should be studied as the communicating link between
the articulation of the part and interpretation as it relates to
literature itself. In connection with this comes the consideration of
slides and the finer modulations of tone-color, movement, and cadence. But
the study of word values, in the light of the whole phrase to be
interpreted, will make each word a living thing in its influence--a winged
messenger of the thought.
Fifth, _Slides_. The slide has already been referred to as the unit
of vocalization in speech as distinct from the province of song, the unit
of song being the scale of notes as sung in succession, but with distinct
individuality. Few who have not studied the matter carefully appreciate
the fact that the speaking voice suggestively covers as wide a range as
the singing voice ordinarily does. But it is essential that the even
development of range from high to low pitch should enable the student to
glide without break from one extreme of pitch to another. Inflection is
often inferred by the mind of the listener when the person speaking
abruptly drops from high to low pitch without rendering the intervening
sound. The absence of the fulfilment of inflection robs the speech of much
of its musical quality and much of its appeal to the feelings; for
inflection is the musical expression of the thought, and depends upon
feeling. The expression of this relationship of intelligence and emotion
is a subtle and powerful appeal,--the realization of true
culture,--combining thought and feeling. We know what a man means
literally by the abrupt or emphatic changes of the pitch or pressure; but
we know what the fact means to his feelings by the slides and cadences. It
is difficult to over-emphasize the importance of that characterization
which awakens a keen sense of the _musical_ meaning as corresponding
to the _thought_. This perception brings music into the speech and,
if it be awakened to the extent of a real love for the music itself,
develops a smooth and quiet clearness in the communication of thought and
feeling which is the greatest charm of conversation and of descriptive and
narrative utterance.
VOCAL RANGE
It is ordinarily considered that the range of the speaking voice is very
limited as compared with the singer's range. A little consideration of
what is involved in the full development of the power of slide should show
us that while the key-note of speech fundamentally may not vary widely,
the suggestive music of the voice in long slides often does cover a great
number of notes. A little experiment will demonstrate this. Take any
selection containing variety in idea colored by feeling and try making
the long lines of inflection, keeping the proportion good and modulating
into a very shadow of sound, yet wholly appreciable. That which the
student of expression calls length of line is very largely expressed in
range of inflection as well as in the extension of time and modulation
of volume. The range of tone in every voice should cover as many degrees
of pitch as possible, as these are needed in word painting no less than
in dramatic expression.
It is claimed by singers that the practice of speech as an elocutionary
exercise is sure to lower the pitch of the voice so as to depress the
so-called higher register. This is doubtless true to a large extent, as
manifest in the conditions common, but it is by no means a certainty that
a sufficient balance of practice upon the delicate, esthetic lines of the
voice in high pitch and in such selections as Shelley's "Ode to a Skylark"
may not counterbalance the overemphasis upon low tones which is ordinarily
practised by students of the speech arts. The orotund, sonorous, and
forceful qualities are perhaps dwelt upon too much, and to have a full
voice is frequently the greatest care of the elocutionist. There are,
however, those who appreciate the musical varieties of the vocal power and
who hold flexibility, range, and great variety as of more importance than
absolute power. It is the experience of such that the voice may be
extended in its range in both directions at once. The high pitch
represents mentality, the esthetic phases of beauty, and much brilliancy.
The medium pitch expresses warmth, emotion, and the heart qualities. The
low pitch is used for grandeur, and all the vital and broad expressions.
The use of the slide makes possible infinite blending of these various
characteristics in expressing the complexities of meaning which involve
rapid transition from one to the other of the fundamental characteristics,
or a combination of all three.
DRAMATIC EXPRESSION IN THE VOICE
Dramatic adaptation in expressing various characters, emotions, and
motives is potentially very great. Though the average speaker is generally
limited by one type of voice, which he varies somewhat, it is not often
disguised. It is the belief of the writer that this is largely due to a
psychological limitation. It requires broad sympathy and a vital
realization of the subjective view-point of different characters, with an
appreciation of the relative force of different appeals to those
characters, in order that the responsive voice may have the convincing
ring which expresses the psychology of the character represented, and not
merely the mannerisms and externalities of impersonation.
Impersonation may be more easily achieved intellectually, requiring only
keen observation and the power of imitation. Dramatic interpretation, on
the other hand, deals mainly with the phase of human nature which is not
exterior--the interior force of the character. We would classify these two
departments in this way, though in the highest dramatic work elements of
both phases are combined. Pantomime is more essential to the development
of impersonation, but dramatic interpretation gathers power from the
psychological appreciation attained from the studies pertaining to
personal development. In dramatic interpretation the voice is a much more
significant feature relatively than is the detail of gesture in pantomime.
Impersonation absolutely requires the finest detail of mannerism to be
represented in the action.
It has been very well demonstrated that the quality of the so-called
"line" of the voice is influenced in accordance with dramatic action. If
one makes a gesture expressive of directness, the tone of the voice, if
given with the simultaneous impulse, will express that characteristic. If
subtlety or sinuousness of meaning is desired, the body and the gesture of
the hand may be powerful aids in inciting vital expression in the voice.
In order to test this, take a certain tone like _ah_ or _o_ and
hold it while taking vital dramatic attitudes differing widely in
significance.
This may also be done in the practice of single words or short sentences.
Take some such word as "come" or "go," "forward" or "away," practising
with different attitudes, and it will be seen at once that it is almost
impossible to make tone and dramatic action contradict each other.
Fine descriptive shades may be attained by taking such selections as
Byron's "The Ocean," Bryant's "Thanatopsis," Shelley's "The Cloud" and
"Ode to West Wind," accentuating with gestures of the arm and hand every
sweep or impulse of the word-painting, letting the curve of the figure
described in the air by the hand correspond with what is wanted in the
mind by the picture. Then, if the vital center of dramatic action is
aroused and the tone support is good, the voice alone--all gestures
withheld--can reproduce the same impressions. This is often of great
advantage, as the strength of repose is expressed to a great degree in
restraint of movement. However, it is advisable for the student of
expression not to be too absolute in determining how much he will or will
not "make gestures." The person whose impulse is not sufficiently strong
from the center may do far better to arouse activity of the organism by
more action than to allow any inadequacy of nervous energy to depress the
power of vibration which determines the influence of the voice.
There are many simple principles and laws of expression that may be
advantageously used in preparation for public recitation or finished
interpretation.
The emphasis of various qualities appearing in typical selections, such as
beauty in "The Chambered Nautilus," by Holmes, and other selections of
varying character, intensifies both the appreciation and the power of
expression in different characteristics. Careful observation and analysis
of the modes of different qualities which manifest themselves in this way
give full resource, and then whatever quality we have mastered and stored
in our nerve centers through appreciation will spring up spontaneously
under the influence of inspiration, making calculation practically
needless at the time of one's highest artistic expression. Analysis and
practice in preparation are the steps over which we must climb to the
platform of power. Having attained this, the infinite variety of the
broader vision calls forth the expression of all that has been previously
involved.
Dramatic adaptation, then, from the standpoint of expressive voice
culture, is attained by free and varied development, focused in the
psychological triumph at the moment of interpretation. The body is as a
musical instrument of which the voice is the reporter. There are two
things to be sought in the artistic voice: one is concentration of
consciousness in the vibration of the tone so that the voice may be filled
with conscious motive; the other is the response of the free voice to the
powerful act of the imagination. Affirmatively, the voice vibrates with
the individual message. Reflectively, it mirrors the ideal conceived at
the moment of speech. The orator must have the former of these two powers
of the voice. The artist, though emphasizing the latter, can scarcely
achieve power in this without also attaining the former.
LYRIC INTERPRETATION
In the rendering of lyric poetry there are two extremes to be avoided. One
is the musical tendency to obscure the sense, as in "sing-song" rendering;
the other is the reactionary effort made by many would-be sensible people
to make prose of the poetry by excluding all the music and rhythm in
emphasizing the literal meaning. The following rule will be found a safe
guide. Use the rhythm and quality pertaining to the full musical
expression, modified by the inflection called for by the meaning, having
careful reference to the perfect phrasing of the thought. The fulfilment
of both of these complementary requirements will produce rhythmical and
tone modulations characteristic of the poetry as such, and at the same
time the full meaning will be brilliantly manifest. It has been said that
the meaning of all great poetry is emphasized by its music. Much more
attention should be given than is ordinarily devoted to the consideration
of rhythm. Even prose has its peculiar rhythmic movement which constitutes
its style and gives impetus.
Finally, by concentration of every distinctive phase, synthesized by a
vital motive aroused by the message spoken, the voice becomes musical,
forceful, clear, vibrant in the fulfilment of its natural function. The
voice is the most potent influence of expression, the winged messenger
between soul and soul.