CHAPTER XIII

FIFTH PRINCIPLE

_Speaking_ and _singing_ are _similar functions_, produced by the same physiological mechanism; therefore they are the same vocal phenomenon.

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; hence no correct singing can exist without a correctly produced speaking voice.

Voice is speech made up of words formed of vowels and consonants. In its complete form voice comprises two like phases, similar and closely connected, though slightly different in the degree of their intensity and effect; one is related to speaking, the other to singing.

Scientifically, however, there is no difference between the speaking and the singing voice as physiological phenomena, both being produced by the same vocal organs with an identical mechanism; nor is there any difference in their phonetic elements, except that singing is emphasized by musical colors.

The speaking voice prepares the words for the singing voice, which adds to them the beauty of rhythmic melody. Vocal principles and rules referring to one must logically apply to the other.

The idea of claiming an intimate physiological relationship between the speaking and the singing voice is not new, as many writers on voice have given more or less attention to this subject. But its vital importance in relation to voice production has been entirely overlooked thus far, or underestimated to such an extent as greatly to have hampered the progress of voice culture.

To us, however, it represents a factor of the most essential and inestimable value, since it constitutes the platform on which our method of producing and placing the voice is based. It is, therefore, our earnest desire to call the attention of voice experts to this subject, so as to create a deeper interest in the close connection existing between these two intimately related forms of the same physical element which constitutes the human voice.

Fundamentally, speaking and singing are produced by the same physiological mechanism. They are both formed by the coöperation of the moving, producing, and resonating power, though the vocal organs act with more efficiency when the singing voice is concerned, and whether in speaking or in singing it is to the medium of phonetic expressions—words—that we have recourse to express our ideas or sentiments.

In the fusion of these two elements, the speaking voice constitutes the material part, the backbone or the basis of the singing; consequently it cannot be disassociated in the mechanism of singing, otherwise, by losing its support, the latter would be deprived of its substantial element. In fact, the physical phenomenon—voice—is preceded first by the material act of speaking, and followed by the complementary and decorative one of singing.

The sounds as produced by the vocal cords, if prevented from being transformed into words cannot express anything but physical tones. It is obvious then, that in singing the _psychological_ mission of expressing our feelings is entrusted to words and not to sounds, and these words can be furnished only by the speaking voice through the myriad combinations of vowels and consonants. Thus, since no other element but the speaking voice is able to produce them, it is but logical that the basis of the singing voice is the speaking voice.

To give a practical, though rough demonstration of the relationship of the speaking voice with the singing voice, we must think of the former as something material, which serves as the underlying support for the latter and constitutes its substantial intrinsic power during the act of singing. It may be said that it represents the raw and solid elements of the phenomenon—voice—to which singing adds the psychological adornment and finish, through its musical rhythms and colors, just as in a beautifully finished palace the steel skeleton and brick walls constitute the solid, material support of the building, whereas the ornamental finish, in the form of artistic decorations, lends style to the palatial edifice.

Therefore, since the rôle played by the speaking voice in the mechanism of singing is of such essential importance, its correct production is the most indispensable factor and asset for creating a beautiful singing voice. It is the corner stone on which the foundation of correct singing is built.

In cases in which the relationship between these two forms of the same element is disturbed, the singing voice is always the one which suffers. In fact, a deformed and disagreeable speaking voice can never develop into a correct and pleasing singing voice, because, being its intrinsic factor it cannot avoid lending to singing its defects as well as its beautiful characteristics, when they exist.

Cases in which the singing voice proves different and more agreeable than the speaking voice are those in which the latter is so falsely produced as to be entirely deprived of all its natural qualities. Likewise, cases in which the speaking voice is correctly produced, and the singing voice is defective, are those in which the latter is not molded on the former, thereby losing all the advantages it would derive from it.

It occasionally happens that the speaking and singing voices are produced by the same individual independently of each other, as in the case of singers who unconsciously talk with one voice and sing with an entirely different one. In such cases either the singing voice is artificial, being composed of only the original sounds of the vocal cords before they are transformed into voice (a falsetto voice), or the speaking voice is produced by a very defective mechanism, which becomes improved during the act of singing.

At any rate, if the mechanism of voice production in singing loses its fundamental relationship with the speaking voice, it is almost impossible to prevent the tones from being produced in the throat, which constitutes the most appalling defect known as throaty production.

Artists who sing with this method never succeed in making the audience understand their words. In fact, remarks like, “His voice is so throaty;” “He (or she) sings so badly, in his throat;” “I don’t understand a word he sings,” are very frequently heard in the audience, and it is unnecessary to emphasize that even the general impression of the layman is that a voice produced in the throat is entirely misplaced and ugly.

Theories or practice, therefore, which bring about a throaty production are fallacious, and are responsible for the worst defects in voice production.

The erroneous principle that _sounds_ are the central element in singing has been presented in many books and enforced by many methods of singing, proving a dangerous influence in voice culture. These methods, by discarding natural production, are compelled to resort to elaborated technicalities in order to compensate for the deficiencies of the voice resulting from its misplacement and faulty production. Therefore, all the gymnastics of the voice, and the many kinds of muscular exercises inflicted upon pupils, with the idea that they constitute the proper and physiological ground for voice culture and create an efficient mechanism of singing are ridiculous contrivances, fit rather for an acrobatic education than for students of the art of singing.

In a book dedicated by a singing teacher to her twenty-nine hundred pupils, we find this statement: “It is a positive fact that the voice is in the throat.... When a maestro says to a pupil who emits a bad tone, ‘Don’t sing from the throat,’ he makes a wrong statement, as we must necessarily sing from the throat, nature having placed the larynx in the throat. If he were to say, ‘Don’t press or squeeze the throat,’ he would speak more correctly.”

Evidently this singing teacher bases her remark on the belief that the larynx is the real center of the voice, which is not true, and makes no discrimination whatever between sound and actual voice.

While it is true that we produce _sounds_ with the throat, we must _not_ necessarily sing from the throat, if we are to obey the laws of natural mechanism of voice production which place the voice in the _mouth_. The mere precaution not to squeeze the throat does not prevent the defect of producing the voice in the throat. That can be accomplished only by giving to the throat the sole attribute of forming the sounds and leaving to the mouth the function of transforming them into voice. The author is insistent on this subject, because a throaty production destroys entirely the innate connection of the speaking with the singing voice, thereby creating a condition contrary to physiological laws.

The falsity of all the vocal theories identified with physical training is obvious. The throat has only the physical power of producing sounds, and even these must be the result of an easy mechanism so as not to cause any disagreeable sensation or ill effect to the throat of the singer. These sounds, being only the germ of the voice, are naturally poor tones, which cannot be compared with the resonant phenomenon of voice as completed in its full form in the mouth and enriched by the coöperation of the resonance chambers.

In a résumé we wish to state emphatically that the speaking voice, as the physical basis of the singing voice, is also its psychological medium for expressing emotions and consequently constitutes its natural element for building up both a correct and an artistic method of singing. It is merely a law of nature that we cannot disregard the support of the speaking voice in the production of the singing voice. Speaking beautifully and resonantly, in fact, is equivalent to singing, without musical rhythm, and with less brilliancy and color. Sarah Bernhardt, Eleonora Duse, and many other celebrated dramatic artists have given full evidence of this statement.

The speaking voice, when correctly and beautifully produced, lending to singing its substantial element in the form of words made up of vowels and consonants, makes us think of the well-shaped stones of a mosaic, which, being equal, smooth and artistically arranged, make of the mosaic a perfect work of art. The singing composed of beautifully spoken words bends toward artistic perfection. Hence, going to the very root of voice production, only by forming correct and euphonic vowels and consonants can a correct and artistic method of singing be established.

By making of the speaking voice the leader and guide of the singing voice, the words become the essential elements on which singing is built. Therefore a singing voice molded on the speaking voice gains the advantage of taking over all its attributes, characteristics, and qualities.

In the singing of that master of song, Enrico Caruso, one of the most striking features was his rendition of the so-called “recitative” of the operas. His “recitative”—the nearest thing to melodious talking—was the clearest, most colorful and brilliant display of what a valuable coöperator the speaking voice is in singing. He gave more delight to the world, and raised more emotions with his musical speaking than many singers with their big or pure tones, which, no matter how pure or big, are far from reproducing the real human voice. Human voice is made of vocal color expressing human pathos, a characteristic which is absent when producing tones, as in the case of a musical instrument. Human pathos was the magic power of Caruso’s voice, that voice which penetrated to the innermost depths of the souls of all those who have had the good fortune to hear him.