Caruso's method of voice production

On February 26, 1873, the most magnificent exponent of the vocal art the human race ever possessed—Enrico Caruso—came into this world. On August 2, 1921, at the height of his gl...

To the making of books there is no end, but the flooding of the musical world with countless publications on the phenomenon of _Voice_ makes it imperative for the author to just...

As a general proposition it may be stated that books on voice do not appeal to the general reader. They are usually of interest only to the so-called musical world and to the fe...

The rapid disappearance of good singers has become so alarming in the last few years, that the complaint so widely expressed by those who are concerned about the future of the a...

The following principles regarding the mechanism of voice production, as conceived by the author, were examined by Enrico Caruso during the year preceding his death, and while o...

To reinforce the foregoing principles, the author advances the following suggestions which can bring about a radical reform in the culture of the voice, directing the art of sin...

Two branches of science—Physiology and Acoustics—govern the human voice. Physiology, which rules the functions of the human body, controls the mechanism of voice production; and...

In giving a brief survey of the anatomy of the vocal apparatus we will avoid as much as possible scientific terms, exhibiting in simple form only what is indispensable for singe...

Voice is _speech_, and is produced by the _mouth_, not by the _vocal cords_. The vocal cords produce only _sounds_, which are transformed into _vowels_ and _consonants_ by a pho...

1. The full extension of the natural range of the voice is produced only by using the _minimum tension_ of the vocal cords and the _minimum breath_ required for each tone. This...

Breath is an indispensable factor in voice production, but _it is not_ the essential power which develops the voice as it is taught to-day. On the contrary, the function of sing...

_Resonance_ is the _most important factor_ in voice production. It furnishes to the voice volume and quality, and emphasizes its loudness. To _rely_ on _resonance_ _rather_ than...

The speaking voice acts as the substantial factor of the singing voice and constitutes its real support. Singing, in its very essence, is merely speaking in musical rhythm; henc...

The _pitch_ and the _dimensions_ of the singing _voice_—the _volume_, the _quality_, and _loudness_—are determined by the _speaking voice_. Speaking _high_ or _low_, _resonant_,...

According to almost general understanding the singing voice, at certain points of the natural range, breaks into series of tones and gives origin to the so-called registers of t...

In a faulty voice mechanism, the lower tones being produced by an exaggerated effort for the purpose of getting more volume and resonance, the result is that the vocal apparatus...

The personal opinion of Caruso regarding his vocal method and his point of view on singing in general, besides being of the utmost interest to singers and students of singing, c...

In the suggestions laid down at the beginning of this book for the purpose of reinforcing in actual form the scientific principles of voice production for bringing about a radic...

The essence of the speaking voice, from the physiological standpoint, and its importance as related to the mechanism of voice production either in talking or in singing, has bee...

The very roots of the voice are represented by the vowels—five in the classic languages—to which the consonants are attached as complementary elements, thus forming the definite...

Before illustrating the essentials of our vocal method, we wish to make an explicit statement. We do not believe that any method of singing, no matter how simple, clear, and com...

Italian is perhaps the only existing language which has the phonetic property of pronouncing its vowels and consonants always in the same manner. To read Italian it is only nece...

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 th...

The first singers of past ages knew nothing about singing methods. Instinct suggested that they embellish their speaking voices with musical colors and rhythms, thus originating...

In the case of professional singers who can hardly overcome the habitual pose of the stage, it is better to be seated, with head bowed slightly, concentrating their mental attit...