The Psychology of Singing: A Rational Method of Voice Culture Based on a Scientific Analysis of All Systems, Ancient and ModernTaylor, David C. (David Clark)
Science
The Psychology of Singing: A Rational Method of Voice Culture Based on a Scientific Analysis of All Systems, Ancient and Modern
Taylor, David C. (David Clark)
Singing; Voice culture
Manuel Garcia (1805-1906) may justly be regarded as the founder of Vocal
Science. His father, Manuel del Popolo Viscenti, was famous as singer,
impresario, and teacher. From him Garcia inherited the old method, it is
safe to assume, in its entirety. But for Garcia's remarkable mind the
empirical methods of the old school were unsatisfactory. He desired
definite knowledge of the voice. A clear idea seems to have been in his
mind that, with full understanding of the vocal mechanism and of its
correct mode of action, voices would be more readily and surely trained.
How strongly this idea had possession of Garcia is shown by the fact
that he began the study of the vocal action in 1832, and that he
invented the laryngoscope only in 1855.
It must not be understood that Garcia was the first teacher to attempt
to formulate a systematic scheme of instruction in singing. In the
works of Mannstein (1834) and of Marx (1823) an ambitious forward
movement on the part of many prominent teachers is strongly indicated.
But Garcia was the first teacher to apply scientific principles in
dealing with the specific problem of tone-production. He conceived the
idea that a scientific knowledge of the workings of the vocal organs
might be made the basis of a practical system or method of instruction
in singing. This idea of Garcia has been the basic principle of all
practical methods, ever since the publication of the results of his
first laryngoscopic investigations in 1855.
Before attempting to suggest a new means of dealing with the problem of
vocal management, it is well to ascertain how this problem is treated in
modern methods of instruction. It would not be easy to overstate the
importance assigned to the matter of tone-production in all modern
systems of Voice Culture. The scientific study of the voice has dealt
exclusively with this subject. A new science has resulted, commonly
called "Vocal Science." This science is generally accepted as the
foundation of all instruction in singing. All modern methods are to
some extent based on Vocal Science.
To arrive at an understanding of modern methods, the two directions in
which vocal theorists have approached the scientific study of the voice
must be borne in mind: First, by an investigation of the anatomy of the
vocal organs, and of the laws of acoustics and mechanics in accordance
with which they operate. Second, by an analysis of the traditional
precepts of the old Italian school in the light of this scientific
knowledge.
As the present work demands a review of modern methods from the
practical side only, it is not necessary to include a description of the
vocal organs. It will be sufficient to describe briefly the manner in
which scientific investigators of the voice treat the subject of the
vocal organs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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