The Philosophy of Singing (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1893 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER V REGISTERS The different registers of the voice should be regarded by the singer as only so many modifications in the quality of tone, which modifications are inherent in the voice itself. These modifications in quality are not to be brought about by conscious adjustments of the parts employed in making those modifications, as any interference with the parts will produce that obstacle to smoothness and equality in the scale which we commonly call a " break." If the entire throat, which of course includes the tongue, is allowed to remain perfectly free and untrammelled; if no part is held in a fixed position, and if the lungs remain free to expand to the ingoing and outgoing of the breath, as they will if the diaphragm be neither held in a fixed position nor consciously worked, the registers will assert themselves naturally, and merge imperceptibly into one another with perfect ease. The number of registers varies in different voices. The soprano and contralto voices of full compass have five registers, the tenor has three, and the bass and barytone have two. From a physiological standpoint these registers represent different adjustments of the vocal cords or ligaments, and also different positions of the larynx itself, which different positions cause a variation in the dimensions of the throat. The larynx stands lowest for the lower chest register, and in this position the throat is long and wide; and as the larynx gradually ascends for each succeeding register, the throat becomes shorter and narrower, until it reaches the highest point, when the space in the throat is very small. From the standpoint of the singer, however, the registers simply represent different qualities of sound and different points of reverberation in the...