THE ARTICULATION OF THE ITALIAN CONSONANTS; SPEAKING EXERCISES FOR A
CORRECT VOICE PRODUCTION
Italian molded the formation of its consonants entirely on the
Latin language. This accounts for their correctness which, even
independently of other reasons, is confirmed by their natural,
easy production.
The consonants of the English language, on the contrary, are the
very phonetic elements which have greatly deteriorated from
their original pronunciation in the classic languages, and do
not conform entirely with the natural laws of voice production.
The phonetic rules of the classic languages established certain
classifications of the consonants, based on the predominant use
of the organs taking a prominent part in their formation, which
have not been retained by the Anglo-Saxon languages, except in a
small part. This has brought about differences in the mechanism
of the vocal organs when producing them, and it clearly shows
the causes of their deformity when compared with their original
models.
It would take too long to make a detailed comparison between the
actual formation of the English consonants, so different from
Greek or Latin, and therefore from Italian; but readers who are
particularly interested in this important subject may refer to
numerous books on voice where the consonants are treated at
length in their English form, and then consult any Greek or
Latin grammar to ascertain the difference.
The Italian consonants are classified as follows: Labials
(lips), Linguals (tongue), Dentals (teeth), Sibilants
(whistling), Palatins (palate), and Gutturals (throat. See Figs.
30–31).
Other classifications, with slight differences exist, but for
our purpose these will serve best.
The denomination of labials calls for a prevailing use of the
lips in pronouncing these consonants, and a specific placement
of the voice on the lips. Their exact pronunciation is: Em (E
pronounced as in empty), Bi (I pronounced as in machine), Pi,
Ef, Vi (pronounced similarly).
These consonants, formed principally by the lips, must be
produced only by approaching and putting them in contact without
any muscular contraction or pressure. The act must be natural,
and without force. This is of the greatest importance in
singing, because a production forced even in the slightest
degree in talking is always emphasized to a much greater degree
in singing.
The pronunciation of the consonants alone, however, is not very
important for this method, as they are never disassociated from
the vowels in talking or in singing. Therefore, it is preferable
for students to become acquainted with their sounds when
connected with vowels in forming words, which in voice
production constitute the real sounds of the voice.
By associating the labials, M, B, P, F, V, with the five vowels,
the following syllables result: (_Read with Italian
pronunciation. All exercises should be read from left to
right._)
Ma Me Mi Mo Mu
Ba Be Bi Bo Bu
Pa Pe Pi Po Pu
Fa Fe Fi Fo Fu
Va Ve Vi Vo Vu
The ordinary difficulties arising in the pronunciation of these
syllables are the following: First, the contracting and
squeezing of the lips (especially for the P) forcing the
consonants’ production, because of the English classification of
them as explosives B and P, aspirates F and V, and resonant M,
which require a very efficient mechanism, while in Italian no
emphasis of the sort is necessary, it being sufficient for their
formation to approach the lips and to enunciate them with the
slightest amount of breath, taking care at the same time that
the organs inside of the mouth take no part in the act of their
formation.
[Illustration:
FIG. 30.—CORRECT ARTICULATION OF THE CONSONANTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH
THE CLASSIC LANGUAGES
]
[Illustration:
FIG. 31.—INCORRECT ARTICULATION OF THE CONSONANTS
]
Another usual difficulty is to avoid making double vowels during
the utterance of these syllables. Many people, in saying Ma, are
unconsciously induced to pronounce Maaaa; in saying Me, to
pronounce Meeee; Mi, Miiii, etc. That happens because, in
prolonging the pronunciation of these syllables, they drag the
sound of the vowels by pulling their tongue back toward the
throat, accomplishing actually the same act as in swallowing.
They swallow their voices.
That can be avoided by reading staccato, and pronouncing only
one vowel, like Ma, Me, Mi, Mo, Mu, leaving the _tongue relaxed
all the time_, and in contact with the lower teeth.
Likewise particular pains must be taken with their correct
formation in reference to their shape, opening the mouth and
throat wide for the Ma, and changing its size for the other
syllables, according to the rules already given.
The second set of consonants—the Linguals, N, L, R—call for
special attention in the use of the tongue for their formation.
In English these consonants differ radically from the Italian,
being produced by raising the tongue against the palate with a
stiff movement, while in Italian the tongue is in complete
relaxation, its tip moving very gently toward the upper teeth.
Their pronunciation is En, El, Er, the tongue _relaxed_ touching
the base of the upper teeth. Of the three consonants the most
difficult is the R, requiring particular care in the relaxation
of the tongue, and its movement, which must be exactly the same
as in N. The palate takes no part in the formation of these
consonants.
For our purpose it is better to associate these consonants with
the vowels, as has been done with the labials. The pronunciation
must be in staccato form, avoiding the dragging of the vowels
into the throat.
Na Ne Ni No Nu
La Le Li Lo Lu
Ra Re Ri Ro Ru
The usual interferences to be overcome are the stiffening and
raising of the tongue against the palate, the double vowels, the
forcing of the articulation.
The third set of consonants—the dentals, D, T—are also much
different from the English, as they are formed by leaving the
tongue between the teeth and pressing it very gently, while in
English the tongue is raised toward the front palate, exerting a
certain pressure against it. Their pronunciation is Ti, Di, the
T produced by using a little more pressure of the teeth on the
tongue than the D, which is softer and quite similar to the
English _Th_.
In their connection with vowels they are:
Ta Te Ti To Tu
Da De Di Do Du
Care must be taken to prevent the same interferences as in the
labials and linguals, especially not to stiffen the tongue or
force their articulation.
The sibilants, S, Z, differ from the English inasmuch as the
English, in their articulation, hold the tongue in tension, and
the amount of breath employed is exaggerated.[11] In Italian,
the tongue is left in complete relaxation on the floor of the
mouth, and the amount of breath used is the smallest necessary.
The sound of the S is sweet, and similar to the English C, as in
Cinderella, the Z being a little stronger, almost the same as in
the English word zuzu.
By relaxing the tongue, and by using a moderate amount of
breath, it is easy to get the right sound of:
Sa Se Si So Su
Za Ze Zi Zo Zu
The same care must be taken as in the preceding paragraphs not
to create double vowels, especially for the _Su and Zu_, which
most often are unconsciously pronounced Suuu, and Zuuu,
swallowing the U.
The palatins, C, G, present more difficulties than the others,
as in English they are articulated in the throat with a guttural
production in which the base of the tongue and the palate
undergo a marked contraction, the breath being forced also. In
Italian the pronunciation is approximately that of K, as in
kerosene, keen, kalendar; and G is like that in gallant,
gospel.[12] The contraction of the throat, palate and tongue,
and the pressure of the breath must be entirely abolished,
leaving the tongue relaxed on the floor of the mouth, the center
of the palate slightly raised, and the vibrations of these
consonants precisely focused inside the base of the nose.
Singers who succeed in forming these consonants in their natural
place establish a wonderful guide for their voice production, as
this little center represents exactly the focus of a
physiologically and phonetically correctly produced voice.
Madame Galli-Curci very appropriately calls it _il puntino_—the
little point—and claims that it is the control of her voice
placement. When she feels the vibrations of her voice in that
_puntino_, she knows that the production is right.
Pupils, especially those endowed with light voices—coloratura
and lyric—must try to create some vocalizes by using the
consonant C, correctly produced, in connection with the vowels,
pronouncing as in Ka, Ke, Ki, Ko, Ku. They will find this the
greatest help for their voice placement and the flexibility of
their voices.
The guttural consonant in Italian is Q. It is used so seldom
that it is not worth devoting any time to it. Its pronunciation
is like in English.
Summing up, we see that the mechanism of the formation of most
Italian consonants, as compared with the English, is radically
different, and the difference lies first in their placement and
the mechanism of their formation.
The Italian followed the classification and the phonetic rules
of the classic languages, while the English modified and altered
them, with evident deterioration from the point of view of
euphony. That deformity brought out the necessity of forcing the
mechanism of their production, establishing a false ground for
the entire voice production, which is based on the pressure of
the breath. This condition, of course, has been of detrimental
influence in singing (see Figs. 30, 31).
Pupils, therefore, must attach the greatest importance to the
correct formation of the consonants, which in connection with
the vowels constitute the corner stone of correct and beautiful
talking and singing.
To make it easier for pupils to practice properly the Italian
vowels and consonants, the following exercises are arranged in
such a way that to the syllables formed by the five vowels and a
consonant, for instance _M_ in Ma, Me, Mi, Mo, Mu, there is a
corresponding syllable attached, made up of _N_ and the five
vowels in succession, that is, Na, Ne, Ni, No, Nu.
Applying this to the labials, M, B, P, F, V, we have the
following:
Ma′na Me′ne Mi′ni Mo′no Mu′nu
Ba′na Be′ne Bi′ni Bo′no Bu′nu
Pa′na Pe′ne Pi′ni Po′no Pu′nu
Fa′na, etc.
Va′na, etc.
Linguals, N, L, R.
Na′na Ne′ne Ni′ni No′no Nu′nu
La′na Le′ne Li′ni Lo′no Lu′nu
Ra′na, etc.
Dentals, T, D.
Ta′na Te′ne Ti′ni To′no Tu′nu
Da′na De′ne Di′ni Do′no Du′nu
Sibilants, S, Z.
Sa′na Se′ne Si′ni So′no Su′nu
Za′na Ze′ne Zi′ni Zo′no Zu′nu
Palatins, C, G (pronounce c like k).
Ca′na etc., etc.
Ga′na etc., etc.
From this first exercise the pupil will gradually pass to the
very important one which has the purpose of creating for the
vowels alone the same pronunciation as they have when associated
with the consonants.
The exercise is:
Man An A
Men En E
Min In I
Mon On O
Mun Un U
A E I O U
Ban An A
Ben En E
Bin In I
Bon On O
Bun Un U
A E I O U
The same combination of vowels with all the other consonants
must be repeated in succession.
In this exercise, when the vowels are pronounced _alone_,
particular care must be taken to keep exactly the same formation
as in their association with the consonants. The vocal organs
must be used with the same mechanism, without emphasizing the
breath, without making double vowels, and by giving each vowel
its exact shape. Pupils are usually inclined to pronounce as
follows: Man—an—aaa, Men—en—eee, etc., which is very
unsatisfactory, because it can never lead to the correct
formation of the most important vowel, the A.
All the above exercises are of great importance, for those same
syllables will form the words, or the raw material, which will
afterwards be transferred into the method of singing for
preliminary training.
By establishing the Italian phonetic rules with the aim of
creating a correct and easy medium for voice production in
talking, we have founded the most important factor for voice
culture in singing. These same rules, brought into the field
of singing by the speaking voice, will furnish to the singing
voice its proper, natural placement and its correct voice
production; above all it will relieve the singing voice of the
responsibility of elaborating every physiological and phonetic
function related to voice production.
The pupil who will give due importance to the correct formation
of his vowels and consonants, and will learn them to perfection,
will gain years of profit without struggling with tone
production, breathing exercises, and voice building.