GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE 
A 
SYSTEM OF CORRECT BREATHING 
IN 
SIHGIKG AHD SPEAKIKG, 
BASED UPON PHYSIOLOGICAL LAWS. 
A Self-instructor In the Training and Use of the Singing 
and Speaking Voice. 
BY 
OSKAR GUTTMANN, 
Professor of .Esthetic Culture, Oratory, Dramatic Reading and 
Acting; Author of ‘1 /Esthetic Physical Culture,” “Talent 
and School,” etc. 
ILLUSTRATED. 
ALBANY, N. Y. : 
Edgar S. Werner, 
The Voice Press, 
1882. Copyright by 
EDGAR S. WERNER, 
1882. 
[All rights reserved.7 CONTENTS. 
PAGE. 
Preface to the English edition ix 
From the preface to the first German edition ix 
From the preface to the third German edition xiv 
From the preface to the fourth German edition xv 
PART FIRST. 
THE ANATOMY OF THE RESPIRATORY AND VOCAL ORGANS, 
Introduction 3 
The muscles in general 7 
Exercises for the muscles of respiration . 10 
Trunk exercises 11 
Arm exercises 14 
Division of the muscles 18 
The abdominal muscles 20 
The diaphragm. 22 
A. in inspiration. 
B. in expiration. 
The chest 24 
The oral cavity 25 
The nasal cavity 26 
The pharynx 28 
The larynx 28 
The trachea 31 
The air-receivers (lungs) 32 
PART SECOND. 
The Voice 37 
“ Direct attack ” and “ indirect attack ” 39 
The force of voice 41 
Timbre 43 
Compass 44 
Period of mutation 45 
Chest-register v r 46 
Falsetto register . 46 
Production of the Voice in Singing and Speaking 48 
The qualities of tone 49 
Position of body 5° 
THE ACTIVITY OF THE VOCAL ORGANS. VI 
CONTENTS. 
Position of lips and organs in the oral cavity 51 
Importance of a movable tongue 53 
Correct use of the tongue 54 
Exercise for the soft palate 56 
Exercise for the lips 56 
Tones produced by incorrect use of the organs 58 
How to prevent a nasal tone 59 
Depression of larynx 60 
Six conditions necessary for a beautiful tone. 61 
Preservation and Strengthening of the Vocal Organs 61 
Temperature and purity of the air 62 
Wearing of wigs, etc 63 
Food 63 
Laryngeal fatigue 63 
Use of cold ablutions 64 
PART THIRD 
THE CORRECT PRONUNCIATION OF LETTERS AND THE CORRECTION OF 
DEFECTS. 
General Observations 69 
The Vowels : 
Pure vowels 70 
Nasal vowels 75 
Diphthongs 76 
The Consonants ; 
Labial sounds 77 
Dental sounds 78 
Lingual sounds 82 
Nasal sounds 84 
Palatal sounds 84 
Correction of Defects ; 
Connecting a final consonant with the initial vowel or consonant 
of the following word 86 
Imperfect vowel attack 87 
Adding wrong consonants and swallowing syllables 87 
Intoning between words 87 
Wrong use of the lower jaw 88 
Exercise for the correct use of the lower jaw 89 
How the wrong use of the lower jaw may be recognized 90 
The Vowels : 
PART FOURTH, 
Instinctive Respiration : 
Voluntary and involuntary breathing 93 
RESPIRATION. CONTENTS. 
Three main modes of taking breath 94 
Artistic Respiration (in Song and Speech): 
§l. Strengthening the lungs 98 
Exercise I. Breathing without interruption 99 
Exercise IE Breathing with interruption 100 
§ 2. Beginning of speech or song 102 
§ 3. “ State of readiness” 103 
§ 4. Closure of the glottis 103 
§ 5. Inspiration and expiration to be done as slowly as possible, and 
uniformly 103 
§ 6. Even during any unusual activity of the lungs, as in moments 
of excitement or passion, it is quite necessary to breathe as 
slowly as possible 103 
§ 7. Abdominal or diaphragmatic.—Rib or side-breathing 104 
§ 8. The necessity of consciousness of the diaphragm and the ab- 
dominal muscles 106 
§9. The diaphragm and abdominal muscles usually act combined. . 107 
§ xo. Correct application of the diaphragm and the abdominal mus- 
cles XO9 
§ll. Peculiar phenomena during the application of the diaphragm 
and abdominal muscles no 
§l2. Inspiration to be performed noiselessly, and visible only to such 
a degree as is absolutely necessary 11l 
§ 13. Cases in which the breathing is audible (yawning, sighing, pant- 
ing, sniffing, hawking, aspirating, snoring, sobbing, cough- 
ing, sneezing, loud laughter and weeping) Ix 4 
§ 14. The air not to be aspirated during phonation 117 
Exercises for the singer 118 
Exercises for the speaker 118 
§l5. Path traversed by the sounding air-column 120 
§ 16. How to increase the compass of the voice. 123 
§l7. Inspiration to be performed completely and at the right time .. 124 
§lB. Breathing after an impassionate phrase 13° 
§ 19. Breathing while the body is in any position 13° 
§ 20. Not more air to be exhaled than is absolutely essential 131 
§ 21. Breathing through the nostrils. 132 
§ 22. Time and duration of the exercises X 33 
§ 23. What to do if, through carelessness,’the lungs are emptied too 
soon 135 
§ 24. Wearing apparel in regard to breathing 136 
Expression 137 List and Explanation of Illustrations. 
Frontispiece. Diagram showing the food and air tracks. 
Fig. I. Base position 10 
Figs. 11-V. Trunk exercises 11-14 
Figs. YI-X. Arm exercises 14-19 
Fig. XI. The form of the abdominal wall, freed from all its insertions and 
stretched out flat, and the position of the muscular fibres of 
the abdominal muscles 21 
Fig. XII. Diagrammatic section of the body. The diaphragm in inspira- 
tion and expiration 23 
Fig. XIII. An anterior view of the thorax 24 
Fig. XIV. View of parts seen when the mouth is widely opened 26 
Fig. XV. Representation of section through head and neck 27 
Fig. XVI. A connected view of the hyoid bone, thyroid body, larynx, 
windpipe and lungs 29 
Fig. XVII. Image of the larynx and surrounding parts, seen from above, 30 
Fig. XVIII. View of the interior of the larynx, the posterior half being 
cut away 32 
Fig. XIX. The glottis in action 38 
Fig. XX. Section of the head, showing the oral-cavity and tongue in 
producing A' . 71 
Fig. XXI. Section of the head showing E (as in he) 72 
Fig XXII. Section of the head showing 0" (as in cool) 73 
Fig. XXIII. Section of the head showing T, D 79 
Fig. XXIV. Section of the head showing Th (in thin and thine) 80 
Fig. XXV. Section of the head showing Z (in azure, sh in push) 81 
Fig. XXVI, Section of the head showing N 84 
Fig. XXVII. Section of the head showing K, G' 85 
Fig. XXVIII. Section of the head showing AT, G" 85 
Breathing exercises 99, 100 
PAGE. 
Figures I-X are taken from my book, Physical Culture.” Figures XIV-XVIII 
are taken from Dr. Louis Elsberg’s The Throat and its Functions (by permission of the 
author). Figures XX-XXVIII are taken from Dr. Ernst Briicke’s Grundziige der Physio- 
logie und Systematik der Spr.achlaute. Vienna: Gerold’s Sohn, 1855. 2d edition, 1876. PREFACE. 
PREFACE TO THE ENGLISH EDITION. 
Twenty-three years have elapsed since the publication in Ger- 
many of my “ Gymnastics of the Voice,” which met with so much 
favor that a fourth edition has already appeared. At that time, 
I stood alone in the field, but many others have since taken up 
the subject. I have not been able, however, to discover a real 
system, not even in the United States, where I have passed six- 
teen of my forty-two years of study, acting and general experi- 
ence as a teacher of oratory and the dramatic art. 
At the request of many of my friends, I now venture to pre- 
sent, in the language of my adopted country, the system which 
has been followed by such favorable results in my native land. 
1882. 
Oskar Guttmann, 
436 East 57th Street, New York. 
FROM THE PREFACE TO THE FIRST GERMAN 
EDITION. 
It has often been our lot to meet highly talented persons with 
the most healthy and powerful organs of speech ; who, as soon 
as they attempted to use them artistically, not only made a very 
disagreeable impression upon us, but frequently even forced us 
to leave the place in which they were speaking. On departing, 
we would exclaim with regret: “It's too bad that they do not 
know how to employ the means given them by nature what 
great results they could accomplish ! ” 
Then they did not understand how to use their organs ? Is 
singing, is speech, then, an art ? Are there laws and rules which 
must be obeyed and followed in order to make our speech pleas- 
ing and effective ? X 
PREFACE. 
Yes! song and speech, with proper breathing, are an art. There 
are laws and rules according to which our vocal organs must 
work. But how shall speech and song be made beautiful, pleas- 
ing and effective ; how shall the difficult art of breathing be ac- 
quired, when the majority of persons not only have no knowledge 
of these rules, but even cannot name the organs engaged in 
breathing, speaking, or singing ! They say ; “ I have breathed 
from birth. The Creator has given me good lungs, therefore I 
can speak.” And the more they scream the better they think 
they have spoken ! 
The mere possession of organs, howmver, is not of itself suffi- 
cient for the purposes of speech and song. We must know how 
to use them; and the better we can do this, producing the great- 
est effects with the least expenditure of force, the higher is our 
culture, the more favorably do we impress the hearer, and the 
greater are the results obtained. This is proven by those per- 
sons of ordinary, yes, feeble organs, who, by the right training 
and employment of them, not only cause the screamers to be for- 
gotten, but accomplish results that astonish the ignorant, who 
judge only according to the degree of physical power. All peo- 
ple cannot have figures like an Apollo; cannot possess a voice as 
resonant as a bell and as powerful as a lion’s roar, yet they can 
be asked to cultivate and rightly use their organs. The asser- 
tion, that the art of acting and of oratory requires no rules ; that, 
indeed, it will not submit to any, but that the inspiration of the 
moment must do everything, is made continually by certain 
dramatic novices. They learn their parts by heart a thorough 
understanding and mental assimilation of the matter is out of 
the question,— and play them just as it happens to go. Then, if 
by some chance, owing, perhaps, to their excellent talents, they 
do display some energy or force, they believe they have proof of 
the correctness and infallibility of their principle: “ Genius acts 
upon the instant and needs no preparation.” If a person, in ad- 
dition to exceptional natural abilities, possesses also a thorough 
education, he is almost sure to attribute his success not to the PREFACE 
training, but to the fine gifts he has received at the hands of 
nature, so little inclined are people to consider culture essential. 
It is to be regretted that so little is done for the proper train- 
ing of the vocal organs, and that the art of correct breathing is 
almost unknown. Even distinguished artists, known as such far 
and wide, are suffering under the bane of totally wrong or at 
least defective breathing. While the soldier does not begin to 
use arms until he has perfect control of his body and limbs, and 
has mastered their various movements ; while the painter is not 
allowed to paint a large picture before he has learned to draw 
its parts ; while musical students have to practice for weeks and 
months the most simple exercises,— the orator, declamator, actor, 
and often the singer, will appear in public without any or with 
only a very superficial knowledge of the right use of the vocal 
organs, and proceed at mere hap-hazard. 
One may often hear a speaker say : “ I don’t know how it hap- 
pens that having spoken half an hour, I am dry in the throat, I have 
pain in the chest, the larynx, etc. ! ” We hear a singer inquire 
timidly : “ What must I do to avoid getting out of breath in cer- 
tain difficult passages ? ” We often hear that a speaker or singer 
feels apprehension before the execution of this or that piece and 
says : “ Would it were over ! ” And when we go to the bottom 
of the matter we always find that such persons have never had 
any proper training of their organs ; and are, as a consequence, 
unable to perform their part with the necessary calmness, and 
also lack the necessary strength and power of endurance. 
The remark is not seldom made, even by professionals : “ What 
is the use of method ? Let everybody breathe and speak as 
nature permits ; in dramatic art the soul-inspiration will furnish 
the means, anything else is secondary ! ” Who would deny that 
talent and inspiration are the soul of dramatic art ? Who would 
claim that there can be any art, for which the inner, heart-felt in- 
spiration is not the first requirement ? Has there ever been any 
great painter, sculptor, musician, composer, poet, etc., without 
this soul-afflatus ? But, on the other side, it is a most legiti- PREFACE. 
mate claim, that in no art more than in dramatic art is it necessary 
to bring the soul-inspiration into harmony with the external or- 
gans by which it has to become manifest. 
While other artists mainly use only special parts of their organ- 
ism (the musician his hands or lungs, the dancer his legs, etc.), 
the dramatic actor can only excel by a harmonious use of all his 
organs. While the painter may have an imperfect or even infirm 
body, and still be a great artist by virtue of mental gifts and a 
good eye, the dramatic actor must possess the most perfect con- 
trol of all his organs, physical and mental. The truth of this 
claim becomes particularly evident, when we see dramatic actors, 
such as have attained to a certain distinction in their art, suffer- 
ing from special defects, as bad gait, attitude, indistinct articu- 
lation or faulty breathing,—defects which painfully disturb the 
total effect, while a less gifted, but more perfectly trained dra- 
matic actor, makes a most pleasant and agreeable impression. 
This refutes the assertion, that nothing but genius, soul-inspi- 
ration, is required for the dramatic art, and that everything else 
is of secondary importance. 
If we turn from the votaries of dramatic art to other classes of 
public speakers and observe ministers, members of legislative 
assemblies, lawyers, academic professors,— although we certainly 
cannot accuse them of defective mental training, still the same 
ignorance in regard to vocal art and oratory becomes apparent, 
with rare exceptions. 
Especially is it a matter of deep regret, that this defect shows 
itself so frequently in a class of public speakers with such a high 
yocation, but who so rarely are fully competent to fulfil it. I 
mean the defect of all knowledge of vocal art in most members 
of the ministry. In this profession it has been heretofore thought 
that nothing was required but mental and spiritual training and 
a voice, without putting any special claims on the latter point; 
for there are ministers who have so inferior physical means 
in that respect, that they cannot be heard or understood in a hall 
of ordinary dimensions. What is the result of it ? The pulpit PREFACE. 
is the principal place where all can hear public speaking on sub- 
jects of momentous interest. Not every one can or will visit the 
theatre, but everybody can go to church; this is, therefore, the 
place where a true, perfect vocal art should show itself and ex- 
ercise its cultivating influence on the people. The remark often 
heard in this respect, that a pulpit speaker ought only to care for 
what he says, not how he says it, cannot be made any longer. 
How can a perfect sermon be brought to a true appreciation with- 
out a perfect delivery ? Let less stress, therefore, be put on the 
sinful state of man and more stress on the sinful neglect of a 
true aesthetic form and culture, and let there be given a good ex- 
ample in this respect by an artistic training and cultivation of 
nature’s gifts ; for only in this way can the true moral sense in 
the people be fed and cultivated. Let the people be attracted 
and accustomed to go to church by the perfection of pulpit ora- 
tory. Let the noble thoughts be clothed in a noble form ! 
But, while we have expressed regret at the defects which are 
noticeable in pulpit speakers, we must also say, with congratula- 
tion, that the satisfaction is great, when now and then we meet 
a pulpit speaker with whom the external form of delivery shows 
as much perfection as the inner substance of his discourse, who 
will render the Word of God in that purity and nobility, as our 
imagination longs for, whose discourse does not furnish an 
involuntary picture of human infirmity. Such, only, have fully 
realized the importance of their office. 
In regard to acquiring perfection in the dramatic art in gen- 
eral, as well as for a logical and aesthetic training in declamation, 
I refer to the writings of Lessing, Goethe, Schiller, and others. 
My object in this work has only been to write a gymnastic of 
the voice for speakers and singers ; that is, a guide based on 
physiological laws for the development and correct use of the 
physical organs, combined with a system of correct and practical 
breathing ; and as language is intimately connected with this 
subject, I have something to say thereupon, but only so far as re- 
gards the production of the different vowel and consonantal sounds. PREFACE. 
Encouraged by the success I have had with my pupils, and 
urged by friends, I undertake to publish my method, in the de- 
sire to communicate to others the results of my experience, and 
thus to save them a great deal ot time and labor. 
The Author. 
Mannheim, Germany, iB6O. 
FROM THE PREFACE TO THE THIRD GERMAN 
EDITION. 
In 1867 I received from the publisher the gratifying request 
to prepare a second edition of this work. If the sale of the first 
edition justified the conclusion that my method had found ac- 
ceptance and followers, I was confirmed in this belief by the call 
for the third edition. 
After the success which the second edition has had, and after 
an examination of all that has been written since then on the 
human voice, I do not feel induced to make any changes in my 
system. These alterations could only be caused by scientific 
differences and points of dispute, and this does not lie in the 
scope of this work. The student for whose self-training this 
book is mainly written, can only be benefited by practical direc- 
tions which have been proved to be correct by experience and 
long application. 
The practical directions, which have been given in the preced- 
ing editions, have never yet been shown to be unpractical or 
contrary to science ; and the necessity of a third edition may be 
taken as a new confirmation of their correctness. I have, there- 
fore, in this edition, only made some further additions, for the 
purpose of more special explanation, and establishing a firmer 
scientific basis for the benefit of the student, in accordance with 
the latest investigations of Helmholtz, Rossbach, and particularly 
of C. L. Merkel. 
In thus offering the third edition of this book to all who arc PREFACE. 
XV 
interested in the subject, in bidding my readers farewell, I cannot 
omit to state, that it has been a great satisfaction to me to have 
seen my “ Gymnastics of the Voice,” which first appeared six- 
teen years ago, confirmed in all essentials by recent investigations 
of science. 
New York, 1875. 
The Author. 
FROM THE PREFACE TO THE FOURTH GERMAN 
EDITION. 
When I made the attempt, twenty-three years ago, to write 
“Gymnastics of the Voice,” I was almost alone in this field. So 
far as I know, no one had published a method of vocal gymnas- 
tics for speakers and singers, based upon physiological laws. 
Some of my colleagues greeted my book with an ironical smile ; 
others were unable to see the necessity of such a work, while 
only a few admitted its practicability. The press, however, judged 
otherwise. From all sides favorable criticisms were pronounced; 
“ Gymnastics of the Voice ” was declared to be, beyond all doubt, 
a most helpful book for oral expression in speech and in song; 
and it received greater praise than the author had even dared 
to expect. 
Since that time others have had a great deal to do with the 
human voice. All sorts of books, by laymen and scientists, have 
appeared. Especially in the last ten years has this kind of litera- 
ture grown to large proportions, containing much of value with 
much that is superficial and even positively erroneous and harm- 
ful. It would seem, on first thought, that all these new treatises 
would have superseded and driven out of the market a book 
which was first published nearly a quarter of a century ago. 
Yet, during this period, “Gymnastics of the Voice” has passed 
through three editions ; and so soon after the issue of the third 
edition, a fourth is demanded. This is certainly the best proof PREFACE. 
XVI 
that in this book are treated topics which are wanting in other 
books, or which are passed over superficially, but which are of 
the greatest importance to the speaker and singer. 
And this is the fact. Among the many books on the human 
voice which have since appeared, there is none that can show 
such a system of breathing in song and speech as that given in 
“ Gymnastics of the Voice.” This distinguishing and indispen- 
sable feature was at. once recognized and commended by the 
press, which declared such a method absolutely essential for the 
cultivation of voice and speech. 
In regard to the new edition, the author can say that, without 
in the least injuring the pith, the book has been thoroughly 
revised and entirely rewritten. Many additions and explanations 
have been made, they being the results of daily teaching and 
riper experience, as well as of recent scientific progress. Through 
the kind liberality of the publisher, illustrations are for the first 
time added, which will increase still more the practical usefulness 
and value of the book. 
“Gymnastics of the Voice,” in its new, enlarged and improved 
form, will serve, then, as my salutation from over the ocean to 
all of my friends, and all those who know of my efforts, and 
who, by their friendly sympathy and interest, encourage me to 
press on in this field of labor. 
New York, 1882. 
The Author. PART FIRST 
THE ANATOMY OF THE RESPIRATORY AND 
VOCAL ORGANS. INTRODUCTION. 
HUMAN language consists of sounds (tones), of modifica- 
tions of the sounds, of noises combined with sounds, and of 
noises without any sound (tone). 
The sounds are the human voice; the modifications of 
the sounds are the vowels ; the noises combined with sounds 
(tones) are the sounding consonants; and the noises without 
any sound are the voiceless consonants. (Particulars given in 
Part III.) . 
Human language, therefore, originates from unarticulatcd 
sounds (tones), which, with help of certain organs, are changed 
in articidated sounds (words), or by a longer duration in sing- 
ing tones. 
Speech is the medium by which the mind of man com- 
municates with the outer world. It is not our object to 
speak of this mode of communication, or of the mental 
processes required therefor, but of the bodily, material 
means, the organs, which man has received from God, at 
the hands of nature, for the purpose of manifesting his 
mind, as also of their cultivation and correct use, in order 
that the mechanism of the organs of voice and speech may be 
understood. 
The human vocal organ is the most perfect musical instru- 
ment imaginable. It can, by proper exercise, be improved 
and refined almost indefinitely from its originally crude con- 
dition. It possesses great endurance and power of resist- 
ance to external influences, and still it is only, so to speak, 
an accidental function, an addition to other important ar- 4 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
rangements necessary to life, a small appendage to the res- 
piratory apparatus, but using the entire large compass of 
the latter for its own purposes. 
The elements of voice and speech are identical, and speech 
is distinguished from voice only by a different application of 
the same elements, and, furthermore, by the fact that the 
voice—joining these fundamental elements instinctively, ac- 
cidentally and unsystematically produces only the expres- 
sion of the bodily impulses, impressions and sensations, while 
speech unites, according to laws of thought and to certain 
well-defined principles, the same elements into syllables, 
these into ivords, the words into sentences, and thereby forms 
a strict order with the greatest variety. 
Speech is, therefore, nothing but audible thought, and is 
as reason itself, the attribute of man alone. 
As voice is always, or almost always, intended for commu- 
nication at a distance, the louder, further audible elements of 
voice i. e., the vowels—preponderate; the weaker, hissing 
sounds (noises), which are necessary to speech, that is, to au- 
dible thought, are less frequently used. While, therefore, the 
sounding elements predominate in the voice, and the hissing 
sounds in speech, the signs of both appear united in song. 
The tone is the same in speech as in song. Its manifesta- 
tions in both cases can be made apparent in exactly the same 
manner, and a difference is to be found only in the duration 
of the sound. The voice is produced by the air contained 
in the lungs passing through the larynx, thereby inducing 
sounding vibrations of the vocal cords. 
In speaking, the vocal cords vibrate only for a second ; in 
the next moment the vibrations are interrupted by others. 
The sound first produced has, therefore, no time to make 
use, for its perfection, of all the means of consonance, etc.; 
and, therefore, receives a feebler and emptier impress. INTRODUCTION. 
5 
It is not thus with the sound of song. This must and 
just here lies the most essential part of singing —be contin- 
ued for quite a length of time. A sound in song, suddenly 
interrupted immediately after its beginning, no longer retains 
the character of a sound sung, but evidently that of one spoken. 
The chief obstacle in the way of singers and orators, de- 
spite their good vocal organs, is ignorance of the correct use 
of the respiratory organs. Correct breathing, however, is 
the basis of speech as well as song; for the voice, as much 
as speech, can originate only in and by the air expelled from 
the lungs. 
Singing and speaking are, on the whole, only a branch of 
respiration, whose main function in life is the oxygenation 
of the blood and the production of animal heat. The in- 
spired air, which, after performing this function, is expelled, 
has, nevertheless, been useful before mixing with the atmos- 
pheric air by acting as the motive power for the vocal cords, 
and by becoming a tone, the result of having been, in its 
return, set into a new vibratory movement. 
The voice, then, is, as we have said, produced by the air 
contained in the lungs passing through the larynx, thereby 
inducing sounding vibrations of the vocal cords. If the 
voice is to be formed into words, we need, besides the res- 
piratory organs and the larynx, those organs which are 
situated above the larynx, and to which the pharyngeal cav- 
ity, the nasal and oral cavities, including the tongue, palate, 
teeth and lips, belong. 
Only by the right application of these organs can pure 
tones and correct formation of words be produced. The 
slightest misuse, the smallest deviation from the right path, 
is the cause of such strange sounds, such peculiar word-for- 
mations, as we frequently hear, and in which palatal, nasal 
and guttural tones predominate. 6 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
The reader can infer the importance of breathing in song 
and speech from these few introductory remarks, which 
may be summed up in this sentence: The air which 
streams from the lungs is the primary cause of all vocal phe- 
nomena, and the larynx is the generator of the voice. 
The organs which we require for respiration are the fol- 
lowing : 
Secondly. The air-passages through which atmospheric air 
is drawn into the air-receivers (lungs), and which are com- 
posed of the oral and nasal cavities, the pharynx, the lar- 
ynx, the trachea (windpipe) and bronchi. 
First. The chest (thorax) with the muscles of respiration. 
Thirdly. The lungs (air-receivers). 
All movements of the human body are brought about by 
the action of the muscles which are attached to movable 
apparatuses, and are made to operate through the medium 
of the nerves. 
Without the proper cooperation of the muscles, it is impossi- 
ble to accomplish anything. 
Thoughts originate in the brain, the brain acts upon the 
nerves, the nerves act upon the muscles, and the muscles 
upon the bones ; and only .after this process are we able to 
undertake an act. 
It, therefore, becomes necessary, above all, to understand 
the constitution of the muscles in general, as well as their 
preservation and development, and especially the inner char- 
acter and working of those which pertain to our subject. 
So much for voice and speech in general. Let us enter 
into details. THE MUSCLES. 
The muscles consist of muscular tissue (flesh), which pos- 
sesses the property of contracting and expanding. 
The contraction of a muscle is followed after a time, either 
voluntarily or through exhaustion, by an abatement of con- 
traction, a state of rest, during which a change of material 
(nutrition) can be carried on better; whilst, during contrac- 
tion, a greater consumption of blood and of the nerve 
power occurs. 
By frequently recurring, gradually increasing activity of 
the muscles, and by partaking of the necessary meat diet, 
these can be made to increase considerably in power and 
size; whereas a surplus of fat and inactivity will cause them 
to become flabby and powerless. 
What wonderful strength and versatility is achieved by 
man through habituating (correctly exercising) the muscles 
to certain functions, the exercise being, of course, gradually 
increased and interrupted by the necessary repose, is at- 
tested by all those whose chief occupation consists in the 
use of the muscles, such as gymnasts, athletes, dancers, pianists, 
etc. 
As in the contraction of a muscle, a larger amount of 
blood is required, so in its relaxation a greater blood-forma- 
tion occurs ; it is perfectly natural that a muscle in constant 
change (in contraction and relaxation, i. e., activity and rest) 
is strengthened much more, and tires itself much less, than 8 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
one whose activity is either constantly or for a long time 
one-sided. 
It is owing to this that continued standing is more fa- 
tiguing than continued walking. 
When a muscle is either too much strained, or kept in 
motion too long, lameness frequently follows. 
Only continued exercise of the muscles, alternating with 
the required rest, will eventually succeed in enabling them 
to make those movements which the human will dictates. 
At the commencement of these exercises one is seldom able 
to do this, and can hardly, while exercising certain mus- 
cles for certain purposes, prevent other muscles, which are 
not requisite for those functions, from cooperating. 
Observe any person who is beginning to learn gymnastics, 
dancing, fencing, or piano-playing, and you will find our 
assertion confirmed. 
It is in the highest degree amusing to watch a young, im- 
aginative, talented and impassioned person when reciting 
for the first time. Not only the required, but all the mus- 
cles move in a spasmodic and ugly way, and the face gener- 
ally expresses, if not exactly the contrary, yet only partly, 
the disposition of the mind. 
We note the misapplication of the muscles most generally 
in cases where the human voice is used in either singing or 
speaking, and this is the frequent cause of defective speak- 
ing and singing. 
Many may be astonished, even provoked, because they 
must hear so much about the muscles, they who want to 
become neither athletes nor dancers, but simply singers or 
orators. This, however, cannot be helped. Nature is so 
obstinate that she demands a correct muscular movement 
as well from the singer and the orator as from the athlete 
and dancer (of which we shall learn more further on); nature THE MUSCLES. 
9 
makes no exception of them, but that our reader or scholar 
;may be disposed to follow the further description of the 
muscles with pleasure, it will be well for him to bear in mind 
what we said in the introduction, viz.: “Thoughts originate 
in the brain, the brain acts upon the nerves, the nerves act 
upon the muscles, and the muscles upon the bones; and 
only after this process are we able to undertake an act.” 
Here, again, we come upon something which will be 
still more distasteful to the class of persons we have re- 
ferred to, viz.: That their brains and nerves must also be 
employed whilst singing and speaking. Perhaps, in the end, 
this curious writer will require that the brain and nerves 
should also be educated ! Of course ; for the first task is to 
educate our brain through mental exercises, because only a 
brain educated and imaginative, well exercised in thinking, 
and that, too, in quick and decisive thinking, will be able to 
act upon the nerves and muscles. Only after continued 
practice shall we be able to bring into operation such mus- 
cles as should be employed. 
To strengthen the muscles, and with them the entire 
body, and make them obedient to our will, we must prac- 
tice systematically. Gymnastics are, of all bodily exercises, 
the best qualified for this purpose, because very nearly all 
the movements of the human body are embraced in them ; 
but we must observe very closely the following rules, if we 
do not want to receive more harm than good through these 
exercises; 
First, discard all tight-fitting garments before commenc- 
ing the exercises, in order that the blood may circulate 
freely. Then never exercise for such a length of time that 
actual exhaustion ensues, and do not educate single mus- 
cles, but all the muscles. 
Particular attention should be given to the perfecting of GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
the respiratory muscles (chest and abdominal), and one 
should be particularly cautious not to over-exert them. 
Always allow a certain lapse of time for rest before begin- 
ning to exercise anew, and bear in mind that only a slow 
and gradual exercise, continued for a long time, and inter- 
rupted only by the proper rest, will enable us to achieve 
our aim. 
Exercises for the Muscles of Respiration. 
The person exercising must stand perfectly erect, with 
straightened knees, the heels close together, the toes turned 
Fig. I. 
slightly outward so that the feet shall form the sides of a 
right angle, the chest thrown outward (not excessively), the 
shoulders thrown back, and the hands hanging loosely at THE MUSCLES. 
the side or set akimbo. From this position he should begin 
all his exercises. We will call it “ Base position.” (Fig. I.) 
(a) Raise both shoulders as high and as forcibly as pos- 
sible, then allow them slowly to return to their original 
Trunk Exercises. 
Fig. 11. 
position, A too sudden lowering in frequent exercising 
would jar the head. (Fig. II.) 
Begin the exercise with both shoulders, then alternate, 
retaining strictly the base position, except in regard to the 
arms, which, without bending the elbows or keeping them 
too stiff, will be drawn along by the shoulders. Then draw 
the shoulders backward and forward singly, and afterward 
both together. From the combination of these movements 
we have exercise 
(b) In which we move the shoulders upward, backward, 
downward, forward and again upward, without interruption, 
not in jerks, but so as to describe a circle; then the same 
in reverse order, that is, upward, forward, downward, back- 
ward, etc. 
In all these exercises we must be very careful that only 
the muscles which are to be exercised be active, and that 
all the others are perfectly at rest. 
(c) In this exercise the trunk is turned on its axis alter- 
nately to the right and to the left, without moving the hips, 12 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
the vertical position being always retained, the legs kept 
firmly in the base position, and the arms set akimbo. (Fig. 
III.) 
Fig. 111. 
(d) With the legs in the base position and the arms set 
akimbo, the trunk, kept straight from the hips to the crown 
of the head, is bent slowly forward until it forms a right 
angle with the legs, and then is brought slowly back to the 
base position; without stopping it is in like manner bent 
backward as far as possible, returning again to the base 
position. This exercise must be performed at first slowly, 
then more quickly, and at last with a certain stress, as 
though the upper part of the body were about to be thrown 
to the ground and were suddenly jerked back to the base 
position, and then beyond. (Fig. IV.) In the same way 
the trunk should be bent to the right (Fig. V., a) and left 
(Fig. V., b), but without the already-mentioned stress. The THE MUSCLES. 
13 
sideward movement, and still more so the backward move- 
ment, can be executed only to a limited extent. From 
the combination of these movements we have exercise 
(e) In which the trunk, perfectly straight, moves round 
on the hips without changing front. (Fig. V. The arrows 
indicate the direction of the movement a, I?, c, from right 
to left, and then vice versa.) This exercise will be best 
Fig. IV. 
executed with the arms set akimbo. The back and the 
abdominal muscles are by these movements especially de- 
veloped, and this is absolutely necessary for singing and 
speaking, as well as for every very exerting position. This 
exercise, too, must finally be performed with particular 
stress. 
{/) The pupil should lay himself flat on the floor, on his 
back, with his arms folded over his chest or laid along his 
sides, and must then, without changing the position of the 
legs or separating the feet, raise himself slowly without a 
throw to a sitting posture, and, after a couple of seconds, let GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
the body sink again to the floor. Many will at first find it 
impossible to perform this exercise, especially persons with 
weak abdominal muscles. These should place a pillow 
under the head, or place the toes under some firm object. 
After a while they will be able to dispense with these aids. 
Fig. V. 
This exercise has for its object the strengthening of the 
abdominal muscles, which, as I have already said, is neces- 
sary not only for our health, but also for oratory and song. 
ici) With outstretched arms, i. e., by simple movements of 
the shoulder-joints. 
Arm Exercises. 
(i) Having placed the body in the base position, move 
the arms stretched slowly forward (Fig. VI., a, e), raising 
them up to the sides of the head until they touch the ears 
and stand perpendicularly (Fig. VI., d), and then let them 
swing back gently to the base position and beyond. (Fig. 
VI., el) Both these movements should at first be per- 
formed slowly, but gradually quicker and quicker until we 
obtain the full swing. The raising of the arms sideways is THE MUSCLES. 
15 
performed first with the back of the hand, and then the 
palm turned upward, the arms being raised until they touch 
the sides of the head, and then made to return to the base 
position. Here, too, we pass over gradually to complete 
swinging of the arm. After having attained perfect control 
over the shoulder-joints, we proceed to 
(2) The pupil should endeavor, with outstretched arms, to 
describe a broad circle from the front backward, and vice 
versa, in the following way: Having raised the arms as in 
Fig. VI. 
a (1), he should continue to move them round backward 
until they return to the base position. The movement 
should be slow at first, then quicker and quicker up to a 
full swing. The curve described will, at the beginning, be 
rather an ellipse than a circle, but after long practice it will 
be possible to approach very nearly to a circular motion. 
The shoulder-muscles, as well as all those encircling the 
thorax, are by this means put into a free and general ac- 
tivity. The effect will be an increased flexibility to the 16 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
shoulder-joints, and a strengthening of the respiratory mus- 
cles, which also involves the widening of the thorax. 
(3) Raise the outstretched arms laterally to the level of 
the shoulders, the back of the hand upward (Fig. VII., b), 
Fig. VII. 
then turn the palm upward (Fig. VII., a), and continue re- 
versing in this way, the wrists being kept as stiff as pos- 
sible. Then make the same exercise with clenched hands. 
This exercise can be best performed by imagining yourself 
in the act of driving a gimblet into a post. 
(4) The pupil should raise the outstretched arms forward 
to the level of the shoulders, the palms turned toward each 
other; then move them round backward horizontally, with 
a stress, as though he wished to bring the upper surfaces 
of his hands together behind his back, which is impossible 
to accomplish entirely; and, finally, move them forward with 
the same stress, etc. Movement to be slow at first, then 
quicker and quicker up to a full swing. 
(b) With the aid of the shoulder and elbow-joints. 
(1) The pupil should bring the lower arms with clenched 
fists from the base position up till the fists nearly touch the 
shoulders (Fig. VIII.); then, with a violent throw, make 
the arms return to the base position. THE MUSCLES. 
17 
This exercise should be executed downward, upward (Fig. 
VIII.), forward, backzvard (to a certain extent, Fig. IX.), and 
Fig. VIII. 
sideward (Fig. VIII., in each way six times). The upper 
arms remain in the base position in the downward movement; 
in all other cases they follow the movement of the lower arms. 
We should observe in regard to the feet, that the weight 
of the body should fall more on the toes than on the heels, 
so as to make the shock to the brain as slight as possible. 
(2) Place both arms akimbo, and move the elbows back 
as far as possible. The back must be held perfectly erect. 
The particular stress of this movement is in the thrusting 
back of the elbows, which must be made to correspond with 
each inspiration. 
(3) the hands on the back, near the region of the loins, 
so that the palms face each other; now endeavor to extend 
the arms without loosening the hands, and raise them thus 
extended upward as far as possible (Fig. X.). Lower them 
and continue in this way, first slowly, then with increased 
rapidity. The spine must not be curved during this exercise. GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
In these movements the shoulders are powerfully and 
firmly drawn back and down, and the front walls of the 
thorax mechanically extended, which is conducive to breath- 
ing. 
After these exercises the pupil should rest thoroughly, 
and he should not partake of food, either shortly before or 
immediately after. They must be performed in a thor- 
oughly ventilated room, and he should be particular not to 
hold the breath, but, on the contrary, to inspire slowly, 
deeply and uniformly. 
That he should be very careful not to take cold, does not 
require mention. 
What is said here of the muscles in general pertains par- 
ticularly to the muscles of the larynx. These must be ex- 
Fig. IX. 
ercised with the utmost care, and in a slowly and gradually 
increasing manner (as we shall see further on), unless we 
wish a total incapability of action to ensue. 
‘Division of the Muscles, 
The muscles are divided into voluntary and involuntary. 
To the latter belong the diaphragm, the heart and the 
intestines. THE MUSCLES. 
19 
To the voluntary belong all the remaining muscles. 
We must distinguish (a) muscles of the muscles 
of the trunk (c), muscles of the upper limbs and [cl) muscles 
of the lower limbs. 
After having treated of muscles in general, we have only 
to observe particularly the muscles in b, since our method 
of tone-formation, as far as breathing is concerned, is based 
chiefly upon the correct activity of the abdominal muscles 
and the diaphragm. 
Of the muscles of the trunk we only require to observe 
more closely the chest and abdominal muscles, as well as the 
diaphragm. 
The muscles of the chest serve in breathing to move the 
chest, as also at times, the arms, and to lower the shoulders. 
Fig. X. 
They lie upon the front surface of the thorax (without cov- 
ering the mid lie), toward and at the sides, and fill out the 
spaces between the ribs. 
The abdominal muscles serve particularly (for our pur- 
pose) for expiration. Besides this they shield the intestines, 20 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
promote the bending of the body, and help to contract the 
abdominal cavity. 
‘ ‘ The ribs are attached to the spine so as to be freely movable upon it ; but 
when left to themselves they take a position which is inclined obliquely down- 
ward and forward. Two sets of muscles, called intercostals, pass between the 
successive pairs of ribs on each side. The outer set, called external intercostals, 
run from the above obliquely downward and forward to the rib below. The 
other set, internal intercostals, cross these in direction, passing from the rib 
above, downward and backward, to the rib below. The action of these muscles 
is somewhat puzzling at first, but is readily understood if the fact that when 
a muscle contracts, it tends to make the distance between its two ends as short as 
possible, be borne in mind. Consequently must the external intercostals raise 
and the internal intercostals must depress the bony ribs.” * 
The other muscles of the chest, which connect the ribs 
with parts of the spi.ie above them, and with the shoulders, 
require no special description. The function of all these 
muscles is merely either to raise single groups of ribs, or to 
raise them and at the same time force them outward so as 
to considerably expand the chest. 
The A bdominal Muscles. 
The abdominal muscles are like all voluntarily movable 
muscles, thicker in the middle than at both ends, where 
they terminate in shorter or longer tendons, by which they 
are fastened to the bones or to other tendons. They lie 
in layers one upon another, form the fore and side covering 
of the abdominal cavity, and are always. found in pairs. 
This is because the single muscle does not extend the whole 
width of the abdomen, but only to the middle where it ends 
with its tendon on the musculus rectus, in the middle of the 
latter and in or on the linea alba (by which the musculus 
rectus is equally divided). A similar formation is found on 
the other side, so that the two muscles are connected by 
* Huxley’s “ Lessons in Elementary Physiology.” THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES. 
21 
their tendons and practically form one. These muscles are 
called, 
1. Musculus rectus abdominis. 
2. Musculus transversus abdominis. 
3. Musculus obliquus descendens. (The external oblique.) 
4. Musculus obliquus ascendens. (The internal oblique.) 
Imagine the entire wall of the abdomen freed from all its 
insertions, and stretched out flat, and it will show about the 
following form and position of its muscular fibres : 
Fig. XI. 
In a perpendicular line from a to b, musculus rectus ab- 
dominis ; transversely from c to d, musculus transversus 
abdominis; obliquely from e to f, musculus obliquus de- 
scendens ; obliquely from gto h, musculus obliquus ascend- 
ens. 
The action of the muscle oblique descendens, and that of 
the ascendens, if acting separately, are dissimilar. The de- 
scendens, marked e.f., e.f., when alone active, or specially so, 
presses the contents of the abdomen upward, the ascendens, 22 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
g. h., g. h., more downward. Owing to this the first men- 
tioned oblique descendens is active particularly in singing 
and speaking. 
If, however, the descendens and ascendens of both sides 
cooperate, i. e., all four act uniformly and simultaneously, 
then the combined action in all parts of the abdomen, espec- 
ially at the sides, will be a contraction of the abdominal cav- 
ity from the front backward. 
The musculi transversi abdominis, marked c. d., con- 
tract the abdominal cavity in a horizontal direction. The 
shortening of the fibres causes the side walls of the abdo- 
men to become flattened, and the middle wall to be drawn 
nearer to the vertebral column. Their fibres can all contract 
simultaneously, or one division can be especially active; in 
every case, however, both sides operate simultaneously. 
The upper fibres, which are attached to the ribs, can only 
then contract powerfully when the ribs are fixed. 
The musculi recti abdominis, those marked a. h., draw 
the sternum down, contracting the abdominal cavity in a 
vertical direction. These muscles are comparatively the least 
active, being very narrow, whilst the musculi transversi ab- 
dominis, which are spread over the entire abdomen, are the 
most active. 
The cobperation of all the muscles causes contraction in 
all parts of the abdominal cavity; and through this contrac- 
tion, as before stated, expiration is brought about and 
strengthened. 
The diaphragm is a flat and sinewy muscle. It is attached 
to the interior surface of the lower ribs, and also to the ver- 
tebral column. It forms a wall between the thoracic and 
the abdominal cavity. The part of the muscle extending 
toward the chest-cavity is arched. In the act of inspiration 
it contracts, i. e., it flattens itself, and by this means in- THE DIAPHRAGM. 
23 
creases the chest-cavity; but that an empty space should 
not result in consequence, we must, by means of the larynx 
and trachea, inhale fresh air into the lungs. Through relax- 
ation, i. e., by the re-arching of the diaphragm, the lower 
part of the chest-cavity is made smaller; and, in this way, 
the air from the lungs is expelled. (Fig. XII.) 
Fig. XII. 
DIAGRAMMATIC SECTION OF THE BODY. 
A, the diaphragm in inspiration; B, the diaphragm in expiration. TV, trachea ; St, ster- 
num (breastbone) ; D, diaphragm (midriff) ; Ab, Abdomen. The shading roughly indicates 
the stationary air. 
The diaphragm, although considered an involuntary organ, 
can, owing to the diverse nature of its nervous fibres, be 
made voluntary to a certain extent; and it is this which en- 24 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
ables us to sing and speak, as far as inspiration and expira- 
tion are concerned. 
We shall see further on how much depends upon our abil- 
ity to cause the diaphragm to perform certain movements, 
upon the power of controlling its action. 
The Chest, (Thorax.) 
Fig. XIII. 
1, the manubrium, the first bone of the sternum (breastbone); 2, the body ; 3, ensiform car- 
tilage ; 4, the first dorsal vertebra ; 5, the last dorsal vertebra ; 6, the first rib ; 7, the seventh 
or last true rib ; 8, the cartilage of the fourth rib ; 9, the last two false ribs. 
AN ANTERIOR VIEW OF THE THORAX. 
The bony frame of the chest is composed of the following 
parts: The upper twelve (cervical or dorsal) vertebrae, the 
ribs (twelve on either side) and the sternum (a bone in the 
anterior and the median line of the chest), beginning at the 
base of the neck and reaching to the so-called “ pit of the 
stomach.” ORGANS OF RESPIRATION. 
25 
Most of the ribs are connected with the sternum by carti- 
lages. 
The cavity (of the chest) formed in this way contains the 
heart and the lungs, and is divided from the abdominal cav- 
ity by a large muscle, the diaphragm, as has been described. 
By means of muscles and tendons, which surround the 
bony walls of the chest, these latter possess the capacity 
to expand, and consequently to increase the thoracic cav- 
ity. Upon the degree of this power of expansion depends 
the size of the lungs, as they, being attached to the chest 
walls by enclosing membranes (called pleurae), can only ex- 
pand in proportion to the increase of the thoracic cavity. 
The functions of the chest, in respect to respiration, will 
be fully explained in the division treating of “ respiration.” 
ORGANS OF RESPIRATION. 
The Oral Cavity. 
By the term “ oral cavity ” we understand the free space 
enclosed by the tongue, palate (soft palate and uvula), and 
lips. It forms the entrance to the stomach and to the lungs, 
and contains the muscle most important to speech, the 
tongue, which is attached to the floor of the oral cavity. 
The roof of the oral cavity is called the “ palate,” which 
consists of two portions, the anterior being named the bony 
or hard palate, the posterior (from the centre of which de- 
pends the uvula), the soft palate. The hard palate also 
composes the floor of the nasal cavity. The sides of the 
oral cavity are formed by the jaw-bones and the teeth. 
The tonsils are placed at the sides of the soft palate. The 
opening (fauces), which lies between the soft palate and 
the back part of the tongue, is of great importance during 
singing and speaking, as we shall see further on. 26 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
Hard Palate. 
Soft Palate. 
Uvula. 
Tonsil. 
Fauces. 
Anterior pa- 
latine arch. 
Posterior pa- 
latine arch. 
Pharynx, 
Tongue. 
Fig. XIV. 
VIEW OF PARTS SEEN WHEN THE MOUTH IS WIDELY OPENED 
The Nasal Cavity. (Nasal fossa?.') 
The part of the human body wherein nature has placed 
the olfactory nerves (nerves of smell), is called the “ nose,” 
We distinguish the outer from the inner nose. Our atten- 
tion is here called only to the inner nose, the nasal cavity. 
This is lined with mucous membrane (within which the 
nerves of smell are distributed), and is intended not only for 
the sense of smell, but also quite especially for respiration. 
It is divided by a cartilaginous, vertical partition into two 
parts ; its floor is, as already stated, formed by the hard 
palate. The external orifices are called “ nostrils ; ” the in- 
ternal ones are the nares (choance). The latter communicate 
with the pharynx, and by means of this with the oral cavity, 
the larynx and the windpipe. ORGANS OF RESPIRATION. 
Fig. XV. 28 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
REPRESENTATION OF SECTION THROUGH HEAD AND NECK. 
A, the naso-pharynx: B, the oro-pharynx; C, the laryngo-pharynx ; 4 is the superior and 
5 the inferior turbinated process of the ethmoid bone ; 6, the turbinated bone ; 7, the hard and 8 
the soft palate ;9, the uvula ; 10, anterior palatine arch ; 11, lower jaw-bone, 12, tonsil; 13, orifice 
of the eustachian tube; 14, Rosenmuller's fossa; 15, tongue ; 16, hyoid bone; 17, posterior 
palatine arch ; 18, vallecula ; 19, epiglottis ; 20, thyroid cartilage ; 21, ventricular fold ; 22, vocal 
cord ; 23, arytenoid cartilage ; 24, cuneiform cartilage . 25, cricoid cartilage ; 26, anterior mus- 
cle ; 27, supra-arytenoid cartilage ; 28, lateral muscle ; 29, thyroid body; 30, windpipe ; 31, food- 
pipe. 
The air capacity of the nasal fossae exerts a great influ- 
ence upon singing and speaking; less in expiration than in 
inspiration. 
The Pharynx. (Fig. XV., A, B, C.) 
By the term “ pharynx ” we understand that part of the 
alimentary canal which is placed behind the nose, mouth 
and larynx. Above it is connected with the nose through 
the two large apertures called posterior nares; below it is 
continuous with the oesophagus, and attached to the larynx. 
It is divisible into three portions, the middle of which is 
called oro-pharynx (Fig. XV., B), the upper portion, naso- 
pharynx (Fig. XV,, A), and the lower portion laryngo-phar- 
ynx (Fig. XV., C). 
The larynx is a hollow body composed of cartilages which 
are united by ligaments. The cartilages consist of the shield 
or thyroid cartilage, the ring or cricoid cartilage, the two 
pyramid or arytenoid cartilages, the epiglottis (the cover of 
the larynx), and of four more, which, however, are not of so 
great importance. 
It is lined with mucous membrane, surrounded by mus- 
cles, and its function is to admit the air to the lungs, but 
more particularly to produce the voice.' It forms the upper 
part of the windpipe (Fig. XVI.), is connected with it below, 
and is situated at the upper and fore part of the neck, be- 
The Larynx. (Voice-box.) ORGANS OF RESPIRATION. 
29 
Fig. XVI. 
A CONNECTED VIEW OF THE HYOID BONE. THYROID BODY, LARYNX 
WINDPIPE WITH ITS RAMIFICATIONS, AND LUNGS. 
1 is the epiglottis, 2 the hyoid or tongue bone ; 1, 4, 5 and 6 show the larynx ; 4 is the thyroid 
cartilage ; 5, 5 are the superior horns of the thyroid cartilage, and 3, 3 the thyro-hyoid liga- 
ment ; 6 is the Cricoid cartilage, 9 the bifurcation ; at 8, 8, 8 are seen tracheal cartilaginous 30 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
rings ; 7 shows the thyroid body, 10 the left bronchus, and it the right bronchus. A, A show 
in outline the two lobes of the left lung into which the bronchial tubes.a, a,are seen to enter. 
The three lobes of the right lung are indicated by B, B, B, with the corresponding bronchial 
tubes b, Ih, b. In the upper lobe of the right lung is indicated in outline the manner in which 
the bronchial tubes subdivide into smaller and smaller tubes, which finally terminate in air- 
passages and air-cells of the primary lobules. 
neath the root of the tongue, with which it is connected by 
means of the hyoid bone (lingual bone). Right through the 
centre of the larynx two highly elastic cords extend from 
the shield cartilage, anteriorly, to the two pyramid carti- 
Fig. XVII. 
IMAGE OF THE LARYNX AND SURROUNDING PARTS, TWICE THE 
ACTUAL SIZE. 
1, base of the tongue ; 2, epiglottic fraenum, or middle glosso-epiglottic ligament; 3, val- 
lecula ; 4, epiglottis ; 5, cushion of the epiglottis; 6, lateral glosso-epiglottic ligament ; 7, an- 
terior, and 8, posterior commisure of the larynx; 9, rima glottidis; 10, vocal cord; 11 
ventricular fold ; 12, ventricle ; 13, posterior vocal process ; 14, arytenoid cartilage ; 15, supra- 
arytenoid cartilage ; x 6, cuneiform cartilage ; 17, ary-epiglottic fold ; 18, posterior laryngeal 
wall, entrance to the oesophagus; 19, pyriform sinus; 20, hyoid fold of mucous membrane. 
lages posteriorly. They are called the vocal cords. On the 
one side they are firmly attached to the laryngeal wall, and 
the opposite sharp edge projects into the interior of the lar- ORGANS OF RESPIRATION. 
31 
ynx. They meet at an acute angle at the depression be- 
tween the two wings of the shield cartilage, but diverge 
from there backward, and leave an interval for the passage 
of air. This interval or free space, the glottis, or rima glot- 
tidis (chink of the glottis), is either an equilateral triangle, 
or, as in very deep inspirations, an almost perfect oval (Fig. 
XVII.). 
By the air forced from the lungs, the vocal cords can be 
put into sounding vibrations, whereby voice is produced. 
Under the shield cartilage is the ring cartilage, which 
connects the larynx with the trachea (windpipe). Over the 
rima glottidis we find the epiglottis, a protecting cover, pro- 
jecting from before and below in an oblique direction back- 
ward and upward over the larynx. It is a pear-shaped, flat 
cartilage, which shuts down upon and closes the glottis when 
food and drink are to pass into the stomach, so that they 
must glide over the cover. (Figs. XVI., XVII. and XVIII.) 
Most changes of voice arise from narrowing and widen- 
ing, and from lengthening and shortening, of the glottis, 
as well as from contraction and relaxation of the vocal 
cords. 
The trachea is a cartilaginous tube, which can, like the 
rest of the air passages, expand, contract and shorten by 
means of elastic fibres. It measures from three and one- 
half to four and one-half inches in length. Its superior end 
is connected with the larynx; thence it descends vertically 
into the chest, and divides in the region of the third dorsal 
vertebra into two canals, the bronchi (the left and the right 
bronchus), one of which leads into the right, the other into 
the left lung. The interior of the trachea also is lined by 
mucous membrane. 
Trachea. (Windpipe, Fig. XVI.) 32 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
The Air-Receivers. {Lungs, Fig. XVI.) 
The lungs occupy the greatest part of the thoracic cavity. 
They are divided into the right and left lung, connected 
above by the bronchi, branches of the windpipe, and between 
which the heart and the largest artery (aorta) are situated. 
Each lung has a broad, concave base, by which it rests upon 
the diaphragm, and a rounded apex, which stands behind the 
first rib. 
Fig. XVIII. 
VIEW OF THE INTERIOR OF THE LARYNX, THE POSTERIOR HALF 
BEING CUT AWAY. 
I, i, the greater horns of the hyoid bone, cut across; 2, thyroid cartilages ; 3, cricoid carti- 
lages ; 4, first ring of the trachea ; 5, the thyro-hyoid membrane ; 6, upper portion of the epi- 
glottis ; 7, cushion of the epiglottis; 8, ventricular fold, showing above it the wedge-shaped 
space of the upper laryngeal cavity ; 9, left vocal cord ; a, b, c, showing the different portions 
of the interior muscle. ORGANS OF RESPIRATION. 
33 
Each lung is divided by deep fissures, the right into three, 
the left into two lobes, and these again into numerous small 
lobules. 
The activity of the lungs consists in Aspiration and expi- 
ration. In the former the chest expands ; in the latter it 
contracts. 
The lungs do not represent a simple hollow space, like 
common bellows, but a very complicated tubular system. 
The substance of the lungs consists, especially at their periph- 
ery, almost entirely of very minute lobules, each of which 
possesses a narrow outlet (duct). These ducts combine to 
form gradually larger and larger canals, until, finally, the 
two before-mentioned canals, the bronchi, are formed, which 
in their turn form, by their union, the trachea (windpipe). 
In inspiration the air passes through the glottis, trachea 
and bronchi to the air-cells of the lungs, whereby these are 
forced to expand. 
The expansion of the lungs depends upon the size or ex- 
pansibility of the thorax. It is, therefore, necessary to 
strive, by appropriate exercises, to make the chest capable 
of expansion. 
The main function of the lungs is the removal of carbonic 
acid from the blood, and the introduction of oxygen. PART SECOND. 
THE ACTIVITY OF THE VOCAL ORGANS. THE VOICE. 
We have learned from the introductory remarks that the 
voice is produced by the air contained in the lungs passing 
through the larynx, and thereby inducing sounding vibra- 
tions of the vocal cords. 
The sound, then, is not produced in the oral cavity by 
any certain position of its organs; it exists the moment the 
air escapes from the glottis, although it certainly gains or 
loses by the position of the organs of the oral cavity and by 
the pharynx. It gains in euphony by a correct, natural 
position of the tongue, of the soft palate, i. e., by more 
passive than active position of these parts ; and loses when 
these parts, acting in a wrong way, spoil the sound. 
We know that the vocal cords, during respiration, diverge 
widely; that thereby an orifice, the glottis, of the shape of 
an equilateral triangle, or, in very deep respirations, of an 
oval, is left between them (Fig. XIX., i). But to be put 
into sounding vibrations, the previously diverging vocal cords 
must be brought into complete (Fig. XIX., 4) or partial 
contact (Fig. XIX., 6). 
The previously large triangular or oval glottis contracts 
to a narrow chink, and the current of air is thereby for a 
time either entirely interrupted —by perfect closure—or 
decreases in rapidity by incomplete closure, an impediment 
being formed to the expiration. Through this hindrance 
above, by the continuous pressure of the true expiratory 38 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
Fig. XIX. 
GLOTTIS IN ACTION. 
i. Inspiration. 
4, Low chest 
5, High chest 
tones. 
2, Expiration. 
6, Low falsetto 
7, High falsetto 
V tones. 
1) 
3, Spiritus asper. THE VOICE. 
39 
muscles (the abdominal muscles), a great tension of the air 
contained in the lungs arises, and with that greater force of 
the air-current previously passing freely through the trachea, 
but now restrained by a narrow exit, it thereby becoming 
possible to bring the vocal cords into a vibratory and sound- 
ing motion. 
The vocal cords having approached so closely that by their 
vibrations (alternate opening and closing of the respiratory 
canal, that is, continual interruptions of the air-current are 
produced) the air-current is brought into strong sounding 
vibrations, and we receive the most beautiful sounds that 
can arise only from a union of the vibrations of the vocal 
cords and those of the air-current. 
This approach of the vocal cords occurs in different ways. 
There are, accordingly, various modes of beginning the tone 
(“ attack ”); the “ direct attack ” and the “ indirect attack.” 
In the “ direct ” the vocal cords come into contact through- 
out their entire length, from the front backward, so that the 
lower part of the larynx is completely separated from the 
upper, and the approach of the vocal cords is rapid and de- 
cided; at the same time the vocal cords become shortened, 
and must, therefore, with the immediately following intona- 
tion, alter their degree of tension, their shape, length and 
thickness, according to the sound which is to be produced, 
and must separate somewhat. A tone thus produced will 
be marked and separated from other tones. 
In the “ indirect attack,” on the contrary, the glottis is 
not completely closed by the approach of the vocal cords. 
Here their length, tension, shape, etc., are at once such as 
are required for the production of the desired tone, and, 
consequently, the vibrations begin immediately after the 
approach of the vocal cords, without any change in the 
length or tension, as is necessary in the “ direct attack.” 40 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
Philologists have long ago subdivided this “indirect attack,” 
and distinguish the soft —-the so-called spiritus lenis and 
the aspirated (commencing with an Ji) the spiritus aspcr. 
In the “direct attack” the vocal cords come together 
rapidly, and completely close the glottis. In the spiritus 
lenis they approach just as rapidly, but do not come into 
contact. In the spiritus asper the approach is very slow 
and hesitating, as though there were a power which en- 
deavored to retard their progress (Fig. XIX., 3). Whereas 
the “ direct attack ” is distinguished from the “ indirect ” by 
the closure of the glottis, the subdivisions of the “ indirect ” 
are distinguished not by the closure, but by the rapidity of 
the approach of the vocal cords. In the “direct attack” 
there is, moreover, a momentary interruption of the column 
of air, but not in the “ indirect.” 
A perfectly normally formed tone of the human larynx is 
one by whose production the entire expiratory air, passing 
at once through the glottis, is brought into permanent vibra- 
tions. We distinguish here the normally formed from the 
aspirated tone, which is impaired by wild air (that is, air 
not brought into permanent vibration), in which, there- 
fore, the conditions of tone-formation are not perfect or not 
unimpaired. In c//AsT-tones the glottis is momentarily closed 
at the beginning of the tone and at the termination of each 
vibration. The vocal cords vibrate in their entire width and 
length. In falsetto tones the glottis remains open, and the 
vocal cords vibrate only at their edges. 
We can, therefore, assume that there are four chief ways 
of expiration which are distinguished by a gradually increas- 
ing approach to each other of the vocal cords: 
1. Inaudible expiration entirely open glottis. 
2. Audible expiration contracted glottis; the noise of 
the letter h, spiritus aspcr. THE VOICE. 
41 
3. The “indirect attack” the vocal cords are so near 
each other that the exhaling air sounds, spiritus lenis ; and 
4. The “ direct attack ” completely closed glottis, which 
only opens when the tone commences to be produced. 
The second kind of expiration, the noise h, is used for 
the so-called whispering voice. But whispering must not 
be confounded with low speaking. The lowest speaking 
may still be full of sound, and should for that reason not be 
called whispering. It is not low sound, but the total lack 
of sound, that characterizes the latter. It is called whiper- 
voice because, with the exception of the loud sound, it has 
all the essential marks of voice. Here, also, we find a 
“ direct attack ” and two “ indirect attacks,” as we have just 
become acquainted with them, and only the loud sound is 
missing. If, on account of a disease in the mucous mem- 
brane covering the vocal cords, the latter are in a condition 
to be unable to approach each other, then not only sounds, 
but even the larynx noises, of the whispering voice become 
impossible, or can be clearly heard only by a great strain 
and force of the exhaled current of air. It is, therefore, 
entirely wrong to explain the origin of the noise h in the 
manner in which it has been generally explained ; viz., that 
the air, escaping from the larynx, bounds against the phar- 
ynx, or any part of the oral cavity, and there a noise is pro- 
duced. Not in the oral cavity, nor in the pharynx, but in 
the larynx is the noise h produced. Through air that is ex- 
haled only, can a sound be formed. Air that is inhaled, at 
the utmost produces a noise. 
The force of the voice is dependent on the condition of 
the organs of respiration the chest, the lungs, the lar- 
ynx, etc., but its metal depends on the condition of the 
mucous membrane that covers the larynx as well as all air- 
passages. The ability of contraction and vibration of the 42 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
vocal cords, as well as the higher or lozver position of the lar- 
ynx, and the shortening or lengthening of the glottis, decide 
the height or the depth of the voice. The fewer the vibra- 
tions of the sounding body in a certain period of time, the 
deeper, the more vibrations, the higher the sound will be. 
The deepest audible tone has sixteen, the highest thirty- 
eight thousand vibrations in a second. 
As to the influence of the air-pressure upon the quality of 
the loud voice, it is certain that by a stronger pressure of air 
the sound of the voice will become stronger, but it will also 
become JiigJier. 
If, by a stronger pressure of air against the vocal cords, 
you wish to prevent the heightening of the sound, a conse- 
quent remission in the contraction of the vocal cords is nec- 
essary ; if, on the contrary, the strength of the sound is to 
be weakened without suffering a change in its height, then, 
with the decreasing of the pressure of air, the contraction of 
the vocal cords must increase. We find an example in the 
“ crescendo ” and “ decrescendo.” 
The peculiarity of so many singers in producing the higher 
notes of the chest-register by a greater expenditure of breath 
and a pressure of the muscles of the neck, is entirely wrong. 
It is a law in nature that the larynx rises by heightening 
and falls by the deepening of the sound, but there should be 
no pressure on the muscles of the neck, for thereby the 
natural function of the larynx is hindered. 
A too great expenditure of breath, or concussion of the 
vocal cords, will be followed by screaming tones, and not 
only that, but the vocal cords will in time lose their elastic- 
ity, and with this their ability of vibrating. This is the 
cause of the ruin of so many voices. 
Now, is the tone produced by the vocal cords in the lar- 
ynx sufficient for speaking and singing? Certainly not. THE VOICE. 
43 
The tone produced in the larynx could not be used for 
music without the resonator. This is composed of the 
cavities above the larynx; viz., the pharynx, the oral and 
nasal cavities. Through these the sound produced in the 
larynx by the vocal cords receives a greater variety in 
tone-quality, more fulness, roundness, and in general its 
beauty. 
The peculiar, variable character which everything that is 
spoken or sung, every tone-register, every tone, apart from its 
intensity, can assume as soon as the sound produced in the 
larynx has entered into the pharynx, Garcia (the inventor of 
the laryngoscope) calls timbre (the real tone-quality). 
This timbre of the human voice allows (according to Gar- 
cia) of several modifications, gutturals, nasals, round, hol- 
low and dismal; but these may be reduced to two main 
timbres the light and the dark. If the mouth is opened 
wide, and if, on account of the high position of the larynx, 
the opening of the pharynx is but small, the light timbre is 
produced; if the mouth is opened little, and if, on account 
of the low position of the larynx, the width of the pharynx 
is great, the dark timbre is produced. (More on this in 
Part IV.) 
By means of the light timbre the chest-tones receive their 
lustre. It is particularly adapted to the expression of deli- 
cate and joyful feelings, but by too great a strain the voice 
sounds screaking. The dark timbre gives to the chest-tone 
the rounded fulness and might. It is particularly adapted to 
the expression of the solemn, of pain and sorrow. If exag- 
gerated, the tone is smothered, and becomes hollow and 
rough. 
According to Garcia, the effect of the timbre can also be 
distinctly felt in the falsetto tones, although in a less strik- 
ing degree than in the chest-register. 44 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
We have been often asked : “What is your opinion? Shall I practice only 
the dark or only the light timbre ? My teacher always said that I should practice 
the first ” 
What shall we answer to this question ? And let it not be believed that this 
teacher is the only one who thinks so ; numerous examples prove the contrary. 
Here and there we still find people who are of the opinion that we can cultivate 
a nice voice existing alone, and not dependent upon the feelings of man. 
This is certainly possible, and to our sorrow we must too often listen to such a 
voice ; but such tones will not. be able to reproduce man’s feelings. If this is to 
be the case, the voice must be cultivated in such a way as to be capable of pro- 
ducing every shade of sound. As already stated, the two principal timbres are 
light and dark, and each of these, by correct cultivation of the voice, allows as 
many shades as man is able to produce. 
In singing or speaking only feelings are expressed, be they feelings of pain or 
of joy. Sounds without feeling are, consequently, not singing. Many modern 
singers do not sing feelings, but sounds ; and it is impossible that it should be 
otherwise. Feelings can appear in the sound only when the voice is used in a 
perfectly correct manner, and when the voice is free from all mannerism. 
Where this is not the case we hear sounds which, by means of all sorts of expe- 
dients, as, for instance, lower, louder, slower or quicker singing, are to be shaded 
differently; but always we hear the same shade of tone and lack of all feeling. 
Consequently, in art the human voice cannot be said to exist without feeling, 
and this does not express itself in the light or the dark, but in both timbres. 
In old age the vocal organs lose in elasticity, whereby 
the organs of respiration become wider, and, consequently, 
the voice loses its metal. 
The human voice has a compass of about two, two and 
one-half, to (as the celebrated Catalani) three octaves, and 
is divided into different kinds, called soprano, alto, tenor 
and bass; or soprano, mezzo-soprano, alto, tenor, baritone 
and bass. 
This diversity in the human voice is caused by the con- 
struction of the vocal organs, i. e., by longer or shorter 
vocal cords, smaller or larger size of the larynx, and even 
the elasticity of the air-passages and the force of their reso- 
nant walls. 
The vocal cords of children and of women are shorter THE VOICE. 
45 
(consequently the glottis also, and, therefore, their voice is 
higher and finer) than those of men. 
The period of imitation (i. e., the development of the boy 
to youth and the girl to womanhood) has great influence 
upon the voice, and should not be neglected by parents 
and teachers. It is indicated by the voices becoming hoarse 
and rough, and frequently producing double sounds (more 
to be noticed in the male than in the female sex), and, if 
the voice is to develop naturally and to advantage, the vocal 
organs should be spared. We do not mean to say (what 
so many affirm to be absolutely necessary) that during the 
period of mutation all exercises in singing are to cease. 
This is necessary only when the voice is entirely hoarse. 
On the contrary, even in this period, exercises for the voice 
are very advantageous for the development of the vocal 
cords. It should be well understood that the exercises must 
be easy, very moderate, in no way forced, and not long 
continued. 
Man can produce different kinds of tone, according to 
the way he allows the air to pass from his lungs, by more 
or less stretched vocal cords. 
A tone can be produced twice from the same vocal cord 
by strong breath and weak stretch, and by weak breath and 
strong stretch; in this way the several registers of the 
human voice originate. 
Every compass of voice in individuals of moderately 
good voice is composed of two to three rows or registers of 
tones, partly following or lying over each other, which allow 
various sounds to be heard, and which are caused by vari- 
ous vibrating mechanisms of the vocal cords. By a register 
of tones we understand a continuous longer or shorter row 
(scale) of tones, which are produced by an instrument by 
one and the same vibrating mechanism, whereby the gen- 46 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
eral timbre of the tones may not be changed. As soon as 
a noticeable difference in the color of the tone (timbre) 
takes place, the one tone always belongs to another register 
than the other. 
Notwithstanding all seeming differences of opinion upon 
the registers of the human voice, experience clearly shows 
that there are principally two registers of voice in the male 
vocal organs chest and falsetto register. In the female 
organ three registers may be clearly distinguished : a low, 
a middle and a high one, of which the hearing can notice- 
ably distinguish the low from the middle one. 
Chest-Register. (Fig, XIX., 4 and 5.) 
In every singer, whose voice has not been cultivated in a 
wrong way, we hear that he can strike the general row of 
his natural tones, from the lowest up to a certain height, 
with a full breath; these are the tones that a man uses in 
general speaking and declaiming, but which women use only 
under certain circumstances. They are correctly called 
because by the man, at least, they are formed 
not only with full chest, i. e., with full, well-used breath, 
and are allowed to swell strongly, but because they resound 
in the full extent of the chest, and thereby reach their ful- 
ness and size. The hearer has the feeling of the full, the 
natural, the healthy, the strong. In the woman, however, 
these tones of the low register make the impression of 
something foreign to the female nature, and here they are 
the expression of a state of emotions which we are apt to 
find in a man, but not in a woman. 
Falsetto Register. (Fig. XIX., 6 and 7.) 
If a singer tries to reach higher notes with his vocal organ 
than he is able to do with his chest-mechanism, we not only THE VOICE. 
47 
find a certain change in the mechanism of the tone, but also 
a noticeable change of the timbre; we feel that not all that 
was set into vibration by the chest-tones is vibrating now, 
and the tones produced do not make the impression of the 
full, the natural, the marked, the strong, upon us, but remind 
us rather of something abnormally'weak or feminine. In 
the woman this register, which does not here deserve the 
name of falsetto, but should be called middle register, is 
altogether different. The falsetto or middle register is 
the chief one of woman; it sounds better, fuller and nicer 
than a man’s falsetto, and it is more consistent with the 
feminine disposition and character than her chest-register, 
which sounds better in a man. While a man usually sings, 
speaks and declaims in the chest-register, most women, 
single as well as married, use their middle register. 
The falsetto register does not commence only at the end 
of the chest-register; it can even commence in the middle, 
and in women still lower; and for this reason a certain 
number of tones can be sung in both registers. 
The entire number of tones which can be produced in a 
larynx, therefore, consists of three divisions, viz.: 
i. Tones which can be produced by the chest-voice only. 
2. Tones which are possible in the falsetto voice only; 
and • 
3. Tones which can be produced by both the chest and 
falsetto voice. 
The tones under (1) are the lowest, those under (2) the 
highest, and those under (3) embrace a middle register de- 
pending for its larger or smaller size upon the individual to 
whom they belong. 
The cultivation of those tones which can be produced by 
both chest and falsetto voices, requires great study, and in 
their correct use (z. e., already to take the falsetto tone 48 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
where the chest-tone might still be taken, and vice versa 
still to remain two or three tones in falsetto, where the 
chest-tone might already be taken) frequently lies the 
wonderful sympathy, the irresistible attraction of the speech 
and song of so many speakers and singers. 
PRODUCTION OF THE VOICE IN 
SINGING AND SPEAKING. 
As already stated, the tone originates in the glottis by 
means of air expelled from the lungs through the larynx. 
The qualities a tone must have to give entire satisfaction 
are: 
I. Metallic. 
2. Clear (of the right height) 
3. Strong and full. 
4. Firm, not trembling, and 
Let us look more closely at the premises which cause 
these qualities. 
5. Durable. 
A strong, healthy chest and good respiratory and vocal 
organs must be named as the first condition for the pro- 
duction of a tone ; without these a good tone is impos- 
sible, although it is not thereby said that these qualities 
alone will cause a good sound to be produced. 
The quality of the mucous membrane covering the vocal 
cords, as well as the power of vibration of the vocal cords 
themselves, the width of the fauces and the oral cavity, 
the amount of air the nose is able to hold, as well as the 
pharynx, the thickness of the soft palate with the uvula 
and of the tonsils, greatly influence the tone. All of these PRODUCTION OF THE VOICE. 
49 
may be influenced to advantage. The sooner this is done, 
the more advantageous it will be. 
We know that the tone produced in the larynx only 
reaches its variety in timbre, its fulness, its roundness, and 
altogether its beauty, in the resonator. We add thereto, 
but only by correct use of the resonator. 
“ Can the resonator be used incorrectly ?” I have been often asked. Certainly ! 
The resonators of artificial instruments cannot be used incorrectly for they can- 
not be changed; but the resonator of the human vocal organs is capable of great 
changes changes which are caused on one hand by speech, on the other hand 
by incorrect use of the organs at and in the resonator to which lips, teeth, 
tongue, soft palate and tonsils belong. 
In order to use these organs correctly, it is necessary that we should attain a 
complete mastery over them by means of gymnastics, and to know how they 
should be used. In this mastery great results can be obtained if we have the will 
to attain them. 
The strength of the tone may be increased if the chest 
and lungs are widened by means of deep breathing and 
gymnastic exercises. (See Part IV.) As these exercises 
also strengthen the organs of respiration, the evenness of 
the tone is also influenced, as this depends upon the even- 
ness with which the air is expelled from the lungs. 
The metal and clearness of a tone depend upon the con- 
dition of the mucous membrane covering the vocal cords, 
and the slightest change in this (dryer, moister, thicker, 
harder than necessary) has a disadvantageous influence 
upon the metal of the tone. 
The power of duration of a tone depends upon the 
strength of the muscles of the larynx and can be attained 
only if these parts are nourished by animal food and by a 
gradual heightening in singing, but never without allowing 
the necessary rest to follow. 
The evenness of the tone depends upon correct breathing, 
and will be treated under “breathing.” GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
This is the case not only with the singer, but also with 
the orator, as we shall see further on. 
How the voice gains in height and depth will be shown 
in Part IV. 
Before the muscles of the vocal organs have attained the 
necessary strength, the voice will always more or less vary 
from the correct pitch, as well as tremble. This may also 
be in case of poor musical hearing and of poor method of 
teaching. Strengthening of the voice, cultivation of the 
hearing and correct method of teaching are the chief con- 
ditions for the prevention of singing out of tune. 
Tonsils that are too large must be made smaller by means 
of caustic or tincture of iodine. 
What the condition of the organs of respiration should 
be has already been told in the discussion upon the lungs, 
the windpipe, the larynx and the muscles, and will be 
treated further in Part IV. Here we must only speak of 
the production of the tone and of the position of the organs 
necessary. 
When the body is in a quiet position during the produc- 
tion of the tone, the following is to be observed: 
The body should not be distorted in any of its parts. It 
must stand straight, with protruded chest, the shoulders 
back. The chin should not be held high or low, but should 
have a horizontal position. 
The neck must sit free and unforced upon the shoulders, 
and not, as we frequently see, between them. The shoul- 
ders should not accompany the tone or word with rising 
and falling, in order to give it a particular expression. It 
is understood that shrugging of the shoulders, as well as 
some few cases in which the shoulders may move, are 
excepted. To the latter, among others, belong the repre- PRODUCTION OF THE VOICE. 
51 
sentation of fright, whereby the neck, and, consequently, 
the head fall between the shoulders, etc. 
The arms should not be pressed against the sides of the 
body, but should hang light and unforced (in which case 
the pushing back of the elbows, an often noticeable mistake 
of women, will be prevented), and when they are moved it 
must be done without any excessive straining of the mus- 
cles. 
The organs in the oral cavity and the lips must be placed 
according to rule: The jaws separate a little, the lips are 
slightly drawn back from the teeth (in a as in father, a as 
in fate) as in a friendly smile, whereby the tips of the teeth 
become visible, but without allowing any strain to appear, 
or that one lip is drawn back more than the other. But in e 
(in eve), 0 (in old), 00 (in ooze), the lips should be held as is 
described in Part III.; but they may not, as we often find 
in noted singers, be pushed too far forward, whereby they 
get the appearance of a carp’s mouth; nor may they close 
on one side of the mouth and open wider on the other, 
thereby forcing the tone to pass unclearly and poorly from 
the side of the mouth. 
We often find other mannerisms of holding the lips, and 
for that reason we mention them: This is the so-called 
pointing of the mouth, whereby the opening through which 
the tone has to pass becomes so small that a clear, full tone 
is impossible ; and holding and pressing the under lip upon 
the teeth, while the upper lip is pulled from the teeth. 
All these faults seem incredible, but they have been 
noticed by us in person. 
The mannerism of opening the mouth wide during pro- 
duction of high tones and of 'reducing it to its minimum 
opening in production of deep tones, is entirely incorrect. 
The width of the jaws and opening of the mouth (during 52 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
production of tone) is normal when we can put the thumb 
between the teeth. The singer should always attempt to 
reach the normal opening, although this opening under- 
goes various modifications by the formation of different 
vowels. 
I cannot understand why singing teachers are not stricter about the 
position of the mouth and of the organs of the oral cavity, as a pure, clear tone 
is impossible with incorrect position of these organs. 
I once had a pupil who (having had a few years’ musical education in Paris) 
sang with the most disadvantageous and ugliest position of the mouth ; it re- 
quired the greatest strictness on my part, and the most continual diligence on 
the part of the pupil to change these incorrect positions of the lips, for they had 
become her second nature. 
Singing teachers cannot, therefore, be told too often : before all, be particular 
about the correct position of the mouth as well as of the organs of the oral 
cavity. 
The soft palate must be raised as much as possible, the 
tonsils (altogether the side walls of the soft palate) should 
not be pressed together. 
The knowledge how to hold the palate is of the greatest 
importance to singers and speakers. The disagreeable 
singing of so many comes from their not having learned 
how to lead and break the waves of tone correctly by 
means of the soft palate. This is an art the attainment of 
which requires a long period of time, but the singer must 
attain possession of it, for he who cannot regulate his palate, 
will never learn how to sing. 
The fauces must be as wide as possible and may not be 
decreased in width by the tonsils. 
In the production of tone unconnected with speech (sing- 
ing the vowel ah, see Part III.), the tongue must He hori- 
zontally in the mouth, the tip touching the lower row of 
teeth, but without rising over it. In the middle of the 
tongue a small depression is formed, similar to the form of PRODUCTION OF THE VOICE. 
53 
a cylinder cut through lengthwise. Not under any circum- 
stance may it extend into the oral cavity in the shape 
of an arch, which happens more or less in forming the 
other vowels (see Part 111., “ The Vowels”), nor should 
it contract spasmodically at its root, nor press downward 
upon the larynx Avhereby the oral cavity becomes smaller, 
and the resonance of the tone is injured. If a word is con- 
nected with a sound, the different vowels demand their 
several rights (see Part III.), but we should always strive to 
bring the tongue into the position required by the rules 
for the formation of tone. It is only necessary to remove 
the tip of the tongue from the lower teeth in the formation 
of the different dental and palatal consonants (see Part 111., 
“The Consonants”). Its entire activity consists in the mo- 
bility of its tip and the raising of its back, but never in spas- 
modic contraction backward, downward nor toward the soft 
palate ; and exactly this occurs in the incorrect use of the 
tongue. 
Chiefly necessary for easy speech, therefore, is a movable 
tongue, and for good singing a quiet tongue. 
As soon as the tongue is contracted spasmodically toward 
any direction, a squeezed, disagreeable, unclear sound is pro- 
duced, which most people regard as characteristic of the 
voice of the individual who uses it, but which, if formed by 
the same organs according to rule, may become a beautiful 
tone. No one need, therefore, believe that these squeezed, 
disagreeable sounds are natural qualities not to be got rid 
of; they are only the result of a poor method, and we will 
undertake (let it be well understood if the person has the 
necessary diligence) to free any one’s voice from this night- 
mare. 
Such tones as laryngeal, nasal and palatal sounds occur as 54 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
frequently in speaking as in singing, but they are more no- 
ticeable in the latter. 
A palate-tone speaker or singer need, therefore, not console 
himself with the idea that it is his fate to be obliged to use 
these sounds, but should accuse himself as the murderer of 
his voice. 
The correct use of the tongue is very difficult to attain, 
and only by means of gymnastic exercises for the tongue, 
will the scholar be able to make it movable, so instead of 
being in his way it will aid him. 
It is not to be believed how little most speakers (singers, only, partly excepted) 
understand how to use their tongue correctly. By most it is nothing but a 
helpless lump of meat which is in the way of every tone and word, and I have 
often met colleagues who were not able to move their tongue independently. I 
have even heard some say : “My tongue is in my way.” This sounds as if in 
shooting a soldier would say : “My gun hinders me, I wish I could shoot 
without it.” Some will smile at this saying, and yet I have often heard it and 
understand it very well. The tongue really hinders by incorrect use (before it 
has been mastered by means of exercises), and clear singing and quick flowing 
speech are impossible without correct action of the tongue. 
Most peculiarities and singularities in pronunciation have been altered by 
means of correct use of the tongue ; and still we find numerous artists who, if 
we wish to prove to them that their poor singing is caused by the spasmodic con- 
tortions of their tongue, laugh in our face. 
These exercises are to be practiced not with the tongue 
alone, but also with the soft palate, lower jaw and lips. 
The first of these exercises consists in protruding the 
tongue without any pressure and independent of the mus- 
cles of the larynx, and then in slowly drawing it back as 
far as possible. The tongue is to be protruded during expi- 
ration!, and drawn back during a deep inspiration through 
the mouth while the nostrils are closed by the fingers. This 
exercise is to be repeated frequently while he who practices 
should try to become conscious of the muscles by means of 
which this is accomplished (for the knowledge of the mus- PRODUCTION OF THE VOICE. 
55 
cles to be used at all times is the chief requirement). He 
will find that in drawing back the tongue its root will con- 
tract and thereby push down the larynx; while in protrud- 
ing the tongue, its root will come forward and the larynx 
will be drawn up. With this exercise let him combine the 
raising of the soft palate, for while (during the production 
of a tone) the tongue should not form an arch which pro- 
trudes into the oral cavity, the soft palate may not be drawn 
too far downward, in order to fulfil the first condition of a 
full, clear tone, viz.: wide fauces and wide oral cavity. Then 
with the tip of the tongue let him try to touch the hard pal- 
ate at all parts, and the soft palate as far backward as possi- 
ble, so that the oral cavity becomes almost empty. 
The second exercise consists in protruding the root of the 
lowered tongue without allowing its tip to pass beyond the 
front teeth. 
The third exercise consists in singing a tone (ah), holding 
it as long as possible, without allowing it to lose its clear 
character, and at the same time trying to make a circling 
movement with the tip of the tongue ; and later, when this 
exercise has been fully mastered, try to make a horizontal 
movement with the tip of the tongue from one side of the 
mouth to the other, first slowly and gradually increasing in 
rapidity. 
To hold down the tongue by means of a stick or handle of a tooth-brush, I do, 
not consider at all beneficial. He who does not learn to move the muscles of 
the tongue independently, will not derive any aid by forcibly holding down the 
tongue, or the aid will only last as long as the forcible pressure continues. The 
only radical cure for the incorrect activity of the muscles of the tongue lies in its 
entire control, and this control can only be obtained by means of the exercises 
prescribed. 
He who, during the activity of the muscles of the larynx, 
is able thus to move the tongue, will also be able to keep it 
in an inactive state. 56 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
The fourth exercise consists in moving the lower jaw 
(without any pressure upon the larynx) horizontally to right 
and left, and then in describing a slightly circling movement; 
both to be done while singing a tone. The object of this is 
to free the muscles used for chewing. 
The exercise for the soft palate consists in opening the 
mouth wide, and attempting to raise the soft palate without 
singing. The exercise should be practiced in front of a 
mirror. Here also it would be serviceable if the raising of 
the palate occurred during deep inspiration through the 
mouth, the nostrils being closed. 
The exercise for the lips is the following: Attempt to 
move them singly; for instance, draw the under lip down- 
ward without allowing the upper lip to move, and vice 
versa. Produce a tone, hold it a while, and make the same 
movements of the lips. He who has mastered the muscles 
of the lips singly, can let them rest when they are not to 
act. 
Great diligence is needed to attain the ability of moving 
the lower jaw correctly, and we consider it very necessary 
to call attention toward a mannerism, which we shall do in 
Part HI. under “ Correction of Defects.” In passing, we 
will remark that a certain stiffness or incorrect use of the 
lower jaw is the consequence of the habit of setting other 
unnecessary muscles into activity in the use of the larynx 
and the tongue. 
I have met speakers and singers whom I really pitied. The veins of their 
neck swelled to the thickness of a small finger ; the neck itself attained an un- 
usual size, their face became red as fire and their eyes, whose whites had be- 
come reddish, protruded from their sockets. And all this on account of incorrect 
activity of their muscles, ignorance of the correct method of breathing and ill- 
treatment of their vocal and articulating organs. The consequences thereof 
were a quick, noticeable tiredness, even after slight tasks, and finally a total ina- 
bility of the vocal organs. And it is curious that these people look for the cause 
in everything else but in this mistake. PRODUCTION OF THE VOICE. 
57 
A particular peculiarity of people who speak and sing in 
this manner, is the compression of the upper chest by the 
shoulders and arms, and a permanent shaking of the head, 
as well as a chin lifted by spasmodic muscles of the neck. 
I have known singers who thought they could not sing a high tone without 
crossing the arms upon their chest, as if imploring, and thus, instead of freeing 
the chest of all pressure, pressed it together. 
A false activity of the muscles occurs oftener, both in speaking and singing, 
than we think. A young man, who, after twelve years of troublesome practice in 
art, had not, with all diligence, passed the beginning, whose organs, though 
good, were almost spoiled by wrong use, determined to become my pupil. After 
three months’ activity, having freed him from the nightmare that lay upon his 
organs as well as upon his heart, he was satisfied with the total change that had 
come over his being. He confessed to me that he had formerly not been able to 
appear upon the stage without straining all his muscles in the rfiost unnatural 
manner ; and when reproached for not being able to walk, stand, or move, he 
had sorrowfully asked himself, “What shall I do?” Despairing, he began to 
think that nature had neglected him, and that he must waste his life and he 
was a good-looking young man, blessed with all other advantages. When he 
had become entirely changed, the regret for the twelve years he had wasted mas- 
tered him and he wept. I could only comfort him by holding before him the 
fine prospect for his future career. I could name dozens of similar incidents, 
but will only make the following remarks : 
We are too apt to regard every peculiarity of an organ 
(caused by incorrect use) as something peculiarly given by 
nature to that organ only, and we can be assured that (not 
counting a certain timbre peculiar to each voice) such an 
organ would sound altogether different, and would hardly 
be recognizable if, in the production of the tone, the activ- 
ity of the muscles were a correct one. Many persons, by a 
slight but noticeable speaking through the nose, by a man- 
nerism of always speaking high or low, strong or weak, 
pointed or screaming, through the teeth or otherwise forced, 
attain a certain individual coloring which is lost as soon as 
the organs are used correctly. 
When a person is inclined to use the larynx incorrectly, 58 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
or generally to act with incorrect muscular activity, then, 
as a general thing, all the muscles are strained unnaturally, 
and thus hinder the free development of the organs. An 
unnatural straining of the muscles can only be overcome 
by the pupil, while speaking and singing in a certain tempo, 
making certain movements with his arms in a different 
tempo, and also by slightly turning the head to the right 
and left while the tone continues, and by generally prevent- 
ing the limbs from assuming a stiff attitude. 
I have had pupils who Could not turn their heads during singing without 
causing the tone to cease suddenly. Then I have had such who could not circle 
their arms in a different tempo from that in which they spoke. Only by means 
of exercises which I caused them to make, and which consisted in moving their 
limbs in a different tempo from that in which they sang or spoke, could I bring 
ease and gracefulness into their limbs. 
Four tone-colors in particular are produced by incorrect 
position of the organs : 
i. Palatal tones. 
2. Nasal tones. 
3. Guttural tones. 
4. Dental tones. 
The theory of the palatal and nasal tones is the following : 
In both kinds of sound the position of the larynx, the lin- 
gmal bone and soft palate changes in comparison with their 
position withoiU these kinds of sound. In the palatal tone 
their position is higher, in the nasal sound it is deeper. In 
both cases the middle of the tongue is pressed upward 
toward the palate, and the more one or the other of these 
sounds is expressed, the more is this done. Tn the palatal 
tone the current of air is too much impeded by the con- 
tracted soft palate and the spasmodically arched tongue, 
whereby the space above the larynx becomes too small. 
If the larynx is forcibly pressed downward, and the pharynx 
contracted, the so-called throat or guttural tone is produced. PRODUCTION OF THE VOICE. 
59 
' If the soft palate is allowed to hang loosely or is not held 
firmly against the posterior wall of the throat (as the forma- 
tion of every pure tone requires), so that the vibrations of 
the air-column are directly communicated to the air in the 
posterior nasal cavity, there results what is known as the 
nasal tone. 
It is, therefore, a mistake to suppose that the nasal tone can result only 
through the escape of too much air through the nasal passages. The nasal 
tone may be produced even when the nose is kept closed, so that it can only pro- 
ceed from the vibration of the air in the posterior nasal cavity. How the palatal 
tone may be got rid of will be shown in Part IV. 
When the jaws are not separated sufficiently the results 
are the dental tone. 
It is, of course, plain that there ought to be no gaps in the'teeth, and that in 
case there are any, recourse must be had to artificial teeth. 
To prevent the tone in song or speech from having a nasal 
character, the following exercise should be resorted to : 
The pupil should bring the organs into the proper posi- 
tion for the production of a tone (as has been described); 
he should then sing or speak while keeping the nose shut, 
and should see that in spite of this the tone does not be- 
come nasal. 
This exercise is excellent for, the nose being shut, the pal- 
ate must in consequence be elevated and the tongue be 
kept perfectly immovable, if the tone is not to. become 
nasal. 
The larynx, being movably seated upon the likewise mov- 
able and extensible trachea and connected with the loosely 
suspended hyoid bone, must always be drawn more or less 
downward and be held fixed by the force of the muscles, if 
any definite tone is to be produced in it, for the more or less 
greatly increased air-pressure tends to press the larynx up- 
ward and to alter the number of vibrations of the tone. GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
This depression of the larynx should not be the same for 
every gradation of tone (as many teachers of singing de- 
mand of their pupils), but its position should vary with the 
formation of the different vowels, each of which requires it 
to be in a special position. 
Having described the correct use of the resonator and its 
internal and external organs, we must state that the funda- 
mental principle with regard to tone-formation, as far as the 
resonator and its organs are concerned, is that the air poured 
from the luijgs must not be allowed to be affected either by 
the tongue, the palate, or the tonsils, or by forcibly rais- 
ing or depressing the larynx, and should be made to pass 
over the flatly or, better still, concavely held tongue, and 
escape between the jaws held in exactly the right position. 
The manner will be explained under the head of “ Breath- 
ing.” 
Let the tones (the sound-waves) issue from the lungs with- 
out any pressure of the vocal organs, and they will always 
reflect our sensations. If the contrary is the case, we have 
tones compressed, not susceptible of modulation, and whose 
unnatural formation cannot, for a moment, be concealed. 
I cannot refrain from making a general observation here. I have often heard 
those of my pupils, whom I have enabled to get rid of palatal tones, and whose 
voice has received an easier and freer development generally, make the strange 
remark that it was no longer an exertion for them to sing or to speak. So little 
idea have such persons of the effect of a method, that they imagine that, when 
they adopt a given method, the exercise of it will be accompanied With a certain 
amount of extra exertion. 
An excellent exercise for promoting the ability to carry 
downward the larynx, is to practice the singing of the 
chest-tones with the mouth closed, as this can be effected 
easily only with depressed larynx and raised palate. If 
we raise or press upon the larynx, we shall have nothing 
but squeezed tones. PRODUCTION OF THE VOICE. 
The organs having been placed in exactly the right posi- 
tion, the air must be allowed to pass out very gently from 
the lungs. Most singers and speakers are particularly apt 
to fail in this ; for, to emit the air properly from the lungs, 
requires special skill, a skill which, unfortunately, we sel- 
dom find in artists. 
There are six conditions which singers and speakers have 
to fulfil, if they desire to bring forth correct and beautiful 
tones, or to achieve success in their art: 
I. The air must pour out slowly. 
2. It must not be violently ejected, but should, so to say, 
be spun out. 
3. It must impinge against the roots of the upper incisors, 
at the hard palate (see Part IV.). 
4. The inspiration must be inaudible. 
5. No more air must be permitted to escape than is abso- 
lutely required for the tone ; and, consequently, 
6. The tone must not have an aspirated character. 
As the fulfilment of these conditions is intimately con- 
nected with the whole question of correct breathing, a more 
detailed explanation will be found under that head, where 
some other points connected with tone-formation are also 
discussed. It is not proposed here to lay down a com- 
plete method of singing, but to set forth the correct method 
of tone-formation for singers and speakers. 
PRESERVATION AND STRENGTHEN- 
ING OF THE VOCAL ORGANS. 
Whoever desires to preserve his voice (whether the 
singing or speaking voice) must closely observe the follow- 
ing rules. It is to be regretted that circumstances do not 62 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
always permit of their observance, yet their neglect through 
any avoidable cause can never be justified. Such neglect 
has often to be atoned for with a long indisposition, if not 
with the loss of the voice. 
i. In the first place, the air we inhale must not be too 
cold and too raw; inflammation of the mucous membrane 
of the larynx, and especially of the vocal cords (hoarseness), 
is the usual consequence. 
2. The air must be pure and not vitiated with smoke 
(especially tobacco smoke), dust, or noxious gases. Fre- 
quently recurring catarrhs of the larynx cause a thicken- 
ing of the mucous membrane of the vocal cords, and an 
unmetallic, harsh voice is the natural consequence. 
3. After prolonged singing, exerting discourse, or after the 
inhalation of warm air, the larynx should never be exposed 
internally or externally to cold air; an inflammation of the 
mucous membrane, however slight, is generally the result. 
It is easy to guard against either of these kinds of expo- 
sure ; but this is generally not done, through want of pre- 
caution and through a false shame. It has been shown that 
most persons fail, not so much on account of the weakness 
of their organs, as because they have the insane belief that 
they are able to stand everything, that they must accus- 
tom the larynx to exposure, to cold air and the wind, after 
severe exertion and the inhalation of warm air. 
Those, who are so careless, will have to stand the conse- 
quences ; but we advise those, who are more careful, and 
we lay it down as a positive rule for them, to protect the 
neck in such cases, externally, with some covering, and to 
prevent the entry of cold air into the larynx, by keeping 
the mouth closed and breathing through the nose, or by 
keeping a silk handkerchief before the mouth. 
There is still something to be said in regard to male dra- PRESERVATION OF THE VOICE. 
63 
matic actors, which is of great importance in respect to 
health. In consequence of the coiffures and wigs of every 
kind, with which they have to burden the head, sometimes 
for hours at a time, they are apt to become extremely 
heated. Now, in winter, when such a headgear is removed, 
and the actor goes forth into the open air, with nothing on 
the head but a modern hat (the most insufficient portion of 
our attire), it is impossible to avoid catching cold. A very 
good protection against this consists in an embroidered 
hood of fine wool or silk, covering the head and neck and 
leaving only the face exposed. Over this, he can put on 
his useless hat. This covering should not be put off until 
he reaches his room, the temperature of which should be 
uniform with that of the hall, which he has quitted. 
4. Our food also has great influence on our organs of 
speaking and singing. All very sharp and exciting condi- 
ments and drinks should be avoided (as pepper, mustard, 
spirits, acids, etc.). But, above all, it is necessary, after any 
severe exertion of the larynx, to abstain from very cold 
drinks. The chewing of tobacco is also very pernidtous. 
5. Extreme care should be taken to avoid any too severe 
or too prolonged exertion of the larynx, in shouting, as well 
as in speaking or singing, generally. 
It will, perhaps, be objected that, in this way, it would be 
impossible to attempt anything with one’s voice, or to un- 
dertake a long role. This is not the case, however. A long 
role, even if it be of twenty pages, does not produce as 
much exertion as all the accumulated talk and gossip that 
go on among the actors within the dressing-rooms and be- 
hind the scenes. We have known actors to have become 
more fatigued by loud and excited talk before the beginning 
of the performance than their entire role would have caused 64 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
them. Such persons are sure to get their vocal cords and 
muscles into poor condition. 
We have often heard artists exclaim, in the course of a 
performance: “ I am altogether out of trim to-day; my 
whole part is going to be spoiled; and I thought I was in 
such excellent condition.” They seemed to be unaware 
that they had themselves caused the trouble. 
6. The neck should be strengthened with cold ablutions 
(begun in the warm season), and must not be too closely 
covered. 
It is strange how people treat such fine and delicate or- 
gans as the vocal apparatus. While a watch (which, in case 
it is broken, can readily be repaired) is handled with the 
utmost care, and while everything is avoided that may in 
anyway possibly injure it, they imagine that their vocal or- 
gans can stand almost anything, organs which, when once 
injured, can never be restored, or, at best, but partially. 
They indulge, indiscriminately, in almost everything that 
can act injuriously upon them. They stay up half the night, 
and sometimes all night, smoking, or shut up in a room 
where others are smoking, and the next morning they com- 
plain of hoarseness, roughness of the throat, in other words, 
of irritation of the larynx. Instead of feeling guilty, how- 
ever, about these bad consequences, they wrongly assign for 
them some insignificant cause, and they point to the per- 
formances of artists, who have habitually exposed their or- 
gans to these deleterious influences, as an evidence that such 
habits may be indulged in with impunity. It is true we 
have seen dramatic celebrities who have abused their finely 
endowed organs, and have abused them long (in proportion 
to the extent of their resources); still their achievements, as 
a whole, have always clearly manifested that their organs 
had not been spared, that they would have been able to PRESERVATION OF THE VOICE, 
achieve much more, have stood much higher in their voca- 
tion, if they had acted otherwise. We have seen most of 
them compelled to retire prematurely from the field of their 
activity, because their powers were ruined, or even hurried 
to an early grave. If there have been now and then artists 
who could afford to trifle with their vocal organs, this must 
be no argument that should justify us in attempting the 
same. If a man happens to make a crazy leap from a tower 
without breaking his limbs, does that show that we could do 
it with like impunity, nay, that we ought to attempt it ? Let 
every one answer this question for himself. PART THIRD. 
THE CORRECT PRONUNCIATION OF LETTERS 
AND THE CORRECTION OF DEFECTS. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 
The signs, which we employ to designate the single sounds 
of speech, are called letters. The letters collectively con- 
stitute the alphabet, the arrangement of which is different 
in different languages. 
The letters are divided into vowels and consonants. 
The pure vowels are : 
E (as in he), A (as in hay), A' (as in ah), 
O (as in or), O' (as in oh), 0" (as in cool). 
The consonants are divided into sounding and voiceless con- 
sonants. 
The sounding consonants are L, M, N, R, the nasal N {ng, 
nk in sing, sink), V, Z (in zone), Z (in azure'), Y (in ye), IV 
(in woe), Th (in then), B, D, G (in give). 
The voiceless consonants are K and its equivalents C (hard) 
and Q; F, P, T, S (in sit) and its equivalent C(soft, in cider)-, 
Th (in thin), Sh and H. 
Ch, J and X are compound consonants. THE VOWELS. 
Pure Vozvels. 
The vowels are the fundamental sounds of all speech, and 
are uttered almost instinctively, for they are produced by 
the simple flow of the air from the lungs (which air has been 
formed into sound in the larynx), and the .lengthening, 
shortening and narrowing of the resonator {i. e., the phar- 
ynx, and the oral and nasal cavities). 
According to Dr. Ernst Briicke (of Vienna), the three 
vowel sounds of E (as in he), A' (as in ah) and O" (as in cool). 
are the fundamental sounds on which the system of vowels 
rests, the other vowels being only intermediate sounds re- 
sulting from these three. 
Of these three vowels A' is produced without any change 
in the resonator; O" by lengthening it and narrowing its 
exterior end ; and E by shortening and narrowing it. 
Or with respect to the length of the resonator, we may 
say it is greatest with O", and least with E, and intermedi- 
ate with A'. 
These three fundamental vowels are, accordingly, to be 
formed in the following ways : 
Let us begin with A'. 
Separate the jaws so far as to admit the thumb between 
the teeth; keep the lips perfectly still, without pressing 
them against the teeth or thrusting them out, but in such a 
way as to leave the extremities of the front teeth slightly 
visible ; then perform a sounding expiration. THE VOWELS. 
71 
The tongue should lie perfectly flat and inactive, at the 
bottom of the oral cavity; or, better still, it may be made 
to assume a longitudinally concave position. A' is the only 
vowel in the production of which the hyoid bone preserves 
the same position as when the organs are inactive; the lar- 
ynx, however, is carried upward, somewhat,, so that the 
sounding air-column, issuing from it, shall strike more forci- 
bly against the roots of the upper incisors than against any 
other part (Fig. XX.), 
Fig. XX. 
The transition from A' to E is effected by the elevation 
of the larynx and hyoid bone, without their relative posi- 
tions being altered; fron A' to O" by the larynx being 
drawn downward as far as possible away from the hyoid 
bone, which is carried forward somewhat. 
The production of E (in he) requires the greatest narrow- 
ing of the oral passage, and the greatest shortening of the 
resonator. The first is effected in this way: the middle 
portion of the tongue is brought on both sides in contact 
with the palate, while its tip is made to press against the 
lower incisors (without, however, projecting beyond them), 
and its body being placed so as to present a longitudinal 
cavity through which the air passes. The second is effected 72 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
by carrying the larynx upward as far as possible, while the 
resonator at the opposite end is shortened by drawing the 
corners of the mouth back in the direction of the ears 
(Fig. XXI.). 
Fig. XXL 
It may be as well to remark in this place, that the positions which the mouth 
and other organs have to assume in the production of the vowels, should never 
in any way be strained, nor the muscles held in the least degree in an unnatural 
state of tension; the position of the lips especially, despite their flexibility, must 
never be such as to become unseemly, so as, for example, to give to the face the 
expression of a grin (which is apt to be the case in the production of E). 
In the production of O ' (as in cool), the larynx occupies 
the most depressed position. The resonator is consequently 
the longest, and is narrowed at its exterior end. The lips 
are thrust forward in such a way as to leave only a small, 
nearly circular opening between them. The tip of the tongue, 
which with E was pressed against the lower incisors, is 
drawn back a little from the teeth and held on a level with 
the edges of the lower incisors, while the back of the tongue 
is slightly arched (Fig. XXII.). THE VOWELS. 
73 
Fig. XXII. 
The essential conditions of A', E and 0" may thus be 
briefly stated together: 
Mouth most widely opened; oral passage in no way nar- 
nowed either in the middle or at the end ; tongue kept 
still, and larynx carried upward a little, so that the sound- 
ing air-column issuing from it shall strike with most force 
against the roots of the upper incisors. 
A'. 
E. 
Mouth widest; tongue very much arched, with its tip 
pressing against the inner surface of the lower incisors ; lar- 
ynx carried farthest upward. 
O". 
Lowest position of the larynx; back of the tongue 
slightly arched ; lips thrust forward so as to form a narrow, 
nearly circular opening. 
As has already been said, A', E and O" are the funda- 
mental vowel sounds; and the other vowels are merely 
intermediate sounds. The changes which take place in 
the resonator in passing from A' to E and producing 
the intermediate vowel sounds, A (as in an) and A (as in 74 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
mate) are as follows: the resonator is gradually short- 
ened and, likewise, narrowed ; that is to say, the lower jaw 
is brought closer and closer to the upper, the corners of the 
mouth are drawn away more and more, and the tongue 
presses more and more toward the palate, until at E where 
its tip presses against the lower incisors —it becomes most 
arched. 
In passing from A' to O", and producing the intermediate 
vowel sounds O (as in or) and O', the resonator is gradually 
lengthened, and its exterior end, the mouth, narrowed. 
In passing from A' to O', the only change that takes place 
is that the lips are pushed out a little and made to form 
a rounded opening, while the larynx is carried downward, 
somewhat. 
To verify the foregoing assertion, that it is mainly the 
position of the lips that determines the sound of O', let the 
pupil pronounce, in the way given above, the vowel A'; let 
the jaws, tongue, and larynx retain their position, and set 
the lips only for the production of O’; now try to pronounce 
A' once more; it will be impossible. The sound of A', al- 
though the tongue and larynx have retained their position, 
has been changed into O', by the rounding and thrusting 
forward of the lips; all that is necessary, besides, to the per- 
fect formation of O', is a slight depression of the larynx. 
Now pronounce O' first, and then set the lips for the forma- 
tion of A'; it will be no longer possible to produce a clear 
O', though there still will be no clear sound of A' in conse- 
quence of the larynx being slightly too much depressed, 
yet the poor O' will have disappeared. 
In order to fully appreciate the nature of these changes, 
let the pupil pronounce, alternately, O' and A' (speaking or 
singing) from six to ten times in succession, connecting the 
vowel with “indirect attack,” OA'oaoaoaoa, and he will THE VOWELS. 
75 
soon perceive that the position of the lips only is changed, 
while the larynx scarcely moves. It is indeed possible to 
produce an O' without pushing out the lips; that is to say, 
without lengthening the open end of the resonator, but this 
can only be done by a further depression of the larynx ; i. e., 
by lengthening the resonator at the opposite end, and even 
then we shall not produce the pure sound of O’. 
The Nasal Vowels. 
In the production of the pure vowel sounds, the soft pal- 
ate is held against the posterior wall of the throat, so as to 
divide the throat into halves, the upper being in connection 
with the nasal cavity, and the lower with the oral cavity and 
the larynx. When this takes place, the air cannot escape 
through the nose. The old theory, that in the production 
:>f the pure vowels, the air escapes both through the mouth 
and nose, has been very ably controverted by Brticke. In 
the formation of the nasal vowels, the soft palate hangs 
loosely, and the air emitted from the lungs escapes through 
the nose, as well as through the mouth. 
In the French language the nasal vowel sounds are ex- 
tremely frequent {sang, singulier, ombre, enfin, enlever, etc.). 
In the English language there are no nasal vowel sounds ; 
but when a vowel is followed by the consonants ng or nk, 
forming part of the same syllable (as in sing, tongue, bank), 
then the vowel becomes, to a certain extent, nasal or a semi- 
nasal vowel, which differs from the French nasal sounds in 
that in its production the air does not escape both through 
the nose and mouth (as in sang, etc.), but only through 
the nose, the oral cavity after the formation of the vowel be- 
ing closed by the tongue. 
Kempelen makes the following observations in regard to 
the pronunciation of ng: “In the French nasal sounds GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
{sang, singulier, etc.) the nasal and oral cavities are both 
open, so that the sounding air-column, which, with all the 
other letters, passes through only one of the two passages, 
divides into two streams; accordingly, the part passing 
through the nose must necessarily be weaker than in the 
case of every other nasal sound, in which the entire sound- 
ing column passes through the nose. But the reason why 
the French nasal tone appears to such a degree to sound 
through the nose, much more so than is the case with all 
other nasal tones, will soon become very evident if we regard 
such tone from a different stand-point, according to which 
it is nothing more than a vowel sound in which the nose is 
also open. If I wish to pronounce the French en, I produce 
an A' (in ah) with the nose left open; this gives the perfect 
en. And so it is with all other vowels, as with on in bonte, 
ain in ainsi, etc. Now with all (pure) vowels the nose must 
remain closed. If it is not, the vowel becomes at once im- 
pure, and the ear, which hears the nasal sound where it is 
out of place, becomes so offended that one is induced to 
think that he hears nothing but the nasal sound, and that 
produced with the greatest exertion.” 
If we begin uttering a simple vowel and then change the 
position of the mouth to that of another vowel, keeping up 
the sound while this movement takes place, and no longer, 
there results a new sound which we term a diphthong (as 
ou, oi, etc.). 
If it is necessary to produce the vowels pure, and strictly 
in accordance with physiological laws, this is more particu- 
larly the case with regard to A' {ah), the fundamental 
vowel par excellence. If we form this vowel incorrectly, it 
will be very difficult to form the others correctly; that is, 
The Diphthongs. THE CONSONANTS. 
77 
the slightest misplacement of the vocal organs in the pro- 
duction of A' (as when the larynx is too much elevated or 
depressed, the tongue raised, etc.) will be repeated in the 
formation of the other vowels. The faculty of forming a 
correct A' gives one the ability to form all the vowels 
correctly. 
THE CONSONANTS. 
The characteristic feature of the vowels is that their 
sound can be kept up as long as the voice lasts, the sound- 
ing air-column being variously modified, but never inter- 
rupted in the resonator. With the consonants just the 
reverse is the case. They are formed by impeding or inter- 
rupting the stream of air, or by narrowing the oral passage. 
The consonants are divided into labial, dental, lingual, nasal 
and palatal, according to the positions of the vocal organs, 
mainly instrumental in their formation. 
Labial Sounds. 
F [ph), v, w, p, b, m. 
F 
is produced by bringing the upper incisors against the lower 
lip, raising the upper lip somewhat; and, while this position 
is maintained, causing the air to pass out, but not as a 
sounding expiration. 
The teeth should by no means be pressed against the lower 
lip, nor should they be placed too far forward or back, and 
the lower lip should not be stretched or pushed out too far. 
In the formation of this consonant, the upper lip is passive. 
V 
is produced by placing the mouth in the same position as 78 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
in f, but causing the effluent air to sound, instead of blow- 
ing it out, as in f. 
W{as in zvoe) 
is formed by rounding the lips, as in articulating 00 (in ooze), 
but slightly compressing them and holding them closer to 
the teeth ; a brief vocal murmur is formed by the breath. 
P 
is formed by closing the lips tightly, separating the nasal 
from the oral cavity, by means of the soft palate, and emit- 
ting the air compressed within the oral cavity, by suddenly 
opening the lips. 
B. 
The only difference between b and p is that with b a vocal 
sound is already heard when the mouth opens, while with p 
the sound begins only after the mouth has been opened. 
We may, in fact, say that with b the lips are opened by 
the voice, and with p simply by the air. With p the lips 
must be closed tightly, but not so with b. 
M 
is formed by placing the mouth in the position required for 
b, and performing a sounding expiration through the nose. 
Dental Sounds. 
T, d, ih (in thin), th (in thine) z (in azure), sh (in push), s and c (in sin, cider), 
z (in zone). 
T 
is formed by placing the lateral edges of the tongue against 
the upper molars and pressing its tip against the roots of 
the upper incisors, and, having in this way closed the oral 
passage, by forcibly expelling the air, as withp (Fig. XXIII.). THE CONSONANTS. 
79 
Fig. XXIII. 
differs from t in the same way that b does from p; that is 
to say, d is formed with the sounding breath, and t with a 
voiceless breath. 
D 
Z (in zone) 
is formed by placing the mouth in the position required for 
/, but with this difference, that the tip of the tongue is not 
pressed against the roots of the upper teeth, and then per- 
forming a sounding expiration in which the air is made to 
pass out very gently between the upper teeth and the 
tongue, which is kept in a horizontal position. While in 
the formation of t the tongue is kept slightly convex, it 
must be kept nearly concave with z, that is to say, the 
tongue, especially the anterior half, should form a sort of 
gutter, through which the stream of air gently passes. 
TJi. 
When, instead of the tongue being placed in this last po- 
sition, its tip is held too low so as to touch the edges of the 
upper incisors or to protrude between the teeth, there re- 
sults a sound which the English call th, but which with 
other nations is called a lisp (Fig. XXIV.). GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE 
Fig. XXIV. 
The distinction between th in thin and tk in thine is, that 
with the first we simply expel the air, while the second is 
formed with a sounding expiration. The position of the 
tongue is the same for both. 
Those who are troubled with the defect of lisping must 
draw in the tongue, and the tip, which is bent back, should 
be somewhat raised. It is better, in exercising, to raise the 
tip of the tongue too much at the outset, rather than too 
little ; the stiffness thereby occasioned will disappear with 
the continuance of the exercises. 
A good exercise is to take words beginning with z and 
utter them in the following manner: take, for instance, the 
word zone; first pronounce the z with a sounding expira- 
tion ; keep up this buzzing tone for a time, and then add 
on the one. Exercise in this way all the words beginning 
with z. Having become accustomed to pronouncing the z 
without thrusting forward and out the tongue, it will be easy 
to pronounce all the dental letters correctly. 
Whoever forms the consonants according to the strictly 
physological rules here laid down, will not find it necessary, 
in order to learn to pronounce this or that sound, to take 
pebbles into his mouth, as is said to have been done by THE CONSONANTS. 
Demosthenes, who, of course, knew nothing of the science 
of the physiology of the vocal sounds such as exists at 
the present day. 
We must repeat what has been said in Part 11., in speak- 
ing of the position of the tongue, that the surest and 
quickest way of getting rid of any curable defect is to ob- 
tain a complete control of the muscle through whose false 
activity the defect has been occasioned. 
.S' and C. 
The sharp sound of and c (in sin, cider') is produced by 
keeping the tongue in the same position as with z, but not 
causing the escaping air to produce a vocal sound. The 
tongue must be drawn in more than with z. 
Z (as in azure) 
is formed by a partially vocal sound, modified by gently 
raising the whole forepart of the tongue towards the roof of 
the mouth, and allowing the breath to escape between it 
and the teeth (Fig. XXV.). 
Fig. XXV. 
is formed in the same way, but by means of “aspiration,” 
not “ vocality,” in the emission of the breath. 
Sh (as in push) 82 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
Lingual Sounds. 
is produced by placing the mouth in the position required 
for d, but leaving an opening on both sides in the region of 
the molars, through which a sounding breath is emitted. 
L 
R 
is produced by vibrating the tip of the tongue, which is held 
flat in the mouth, with the tip somewhat elevated. 
There are two kinds of r the lingual or pure r and the 
uvular or impure r (see “ Oral Cavity ”in Part I.); with the 
first the vibrating part is the tip of the tongue, the uvula 
remaining passive ; with the second, it is the uvula, the tongue 
remaining passive. 
A method for acquiring the ability to pronounce, the pure r correctly, which 
was proposed by Talma, the celebrated actor and professor, at the Ecole de 
Declamation, has proved very successful with my pupils through many years of 
experience, and I, therefore, reproduce it here. It is thus given by Fournier : 
“Take for the exercise the word travail, giving it the 
French pronunciation; write tdavail, substituting a dfor the r. 
Then let the pupil, who should try to completely banish the 
idea of the letter r, pronounce the t and d several times, 
unconnected, adding each time the concluding portion of 
the word, thus : t-d-avail. He will imperceptibly interpose 
a short e (as in met) between the t and d, and divide this 
new word into three syllables, tc-davail. When this exer- 
cise has been repeated several times, the pupil should utter 
the same word closely connected, but slowly, tcdavail. Let 
it be pronounced gradually faster and faster; by the rapid 
articulation the interposed e will be dropped, and there will 
remain tdavail. The pupil should then continue to pronounce 
this word as rapidly as possible, closely connecting the sound 
of t with that of d, and laying special stress on the first let- THE CONSONANTS. 
83 
ter. He will, already, by this new step in the exercise, un- 
consciously convey to the listener the impression of the 
letter r, which sound appears to result from the rapid com- 
bination of t and d. The r will be insensibly articulated, 
and the letter d will disappear, permitting the newly-formed 
sound to become more decided. By means of this exercise, 
the pronunciation of r will be acquired in a natural way. 
What the American writers say on r, we read in “ Ortho- 
phony,” by James E. Murdoch and William Russell, edition 
of 1877 : 
“ R (as in rap), differs from the r (as in far) in having a 
harder and clearer sound, executed by a forcible but brief 
vibration of the tip of the tongue against the first project- 
ing ridge of the interior gum, immediately over the upper 
teeth ; while the latter has a soft murmuring sound, caused 
by a slight vibration of the whole forepart of the tongue, 
directed toward the middle part of the roof of the mouth. 
“ The common errors of careless usage substitute the soft 
for the hard r, and omit the soft r, entirely; thus, fall for 
far. Another class of errors consists in rolling, or unduly 
prolonging, the sound of the hard r, and substituting the 
hard for the soft sound. 
“ The greater prolongation of sound, which takes place in 
the average of singing notes, or in impassioned recitation, ren- 
ders a slight comparative roll of the hard r unavoidable, at 
the beginning of a word. But it is a gross error of taste to 
prolong this sound, in the style of foreign accent, as in 
French and Italian pronunciation, or to substitute the rough 
sound of the hard r for the delicate murmur of the soft r.” 
An English gentleman used to say : “ Our r is something 
between ah and nothing.” 84 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
Nasal Sounds. 
N (Fig. XXVI.) 
is produced by taking the position required for d, and mak 
ing a sounding expiration through the nose. 
Fig. XXVI. 
Ng 
is produced by a sounding expiration through the nose, with 
the oral cavity shut off from the pharynx, by raising the 
back part of the tongue. 
Palatal Sounds. 
K and g, and their equivalent c hard (as in cake); g hard (as in give), y (as in ye). 
K. 
The sound of k is produced by closing the oral passage by 
means of the middle or posterior portion of the tongue and 
the middle or posterior portion of the palate, by forcing the 
air against this barrier, and then forcibly expelling it by 
suddenly withdrawing the obstruction. 
is formed like k. It occurs only in the combination qu, 
which is pronounced like kw {(queen, quarter, etc.). 
Q 
G (in give) 
is produced by taking the position required for k, but mak- THE CONSONANTS. 
85 
ing a sounding expiration; g, therefore, bears the same rela- 
tion to k as b to p, or as d to t. 
There are two k's and two gys, the oral passage being in 
the one case closed more anteriorly than in the other. The 
one is heard in kept, kitchen, and in get, give, gate, etc. (Fig. 
Fig. XXVII. 
XXVII.); the other in cough, cool, and ghost, gall, garden, 
etc. (Fig. XXVIII.)., 
Fig. XXVIII. 
is formed from g (in give) by not completely closing the oral 
cavity, the position of the tongue being such as to permit 
the air to escape through a small channel. 
Y (in ye) 86 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
H 
is produced by so contracting the glottis as to make the 
emission of the air audible (spiritus asper), (Fig. XIX., 3). It 
may rightly be said that this noise, h, originates in the glot- 
tis, and is not, as was until recently held, produced, by the 
air emitted from the lungs striking against the walls of the 
throat, or of the oral cavity. 
Ch (as in churcli), J. 
Ch is a compound of t and sh. 
J is a compound of d and z (in azure). 
is equivalent to ks or gs; the first combination is heard in 
axe, and the second in example. 
Having become acquainted with the correct formation of 
the letters, we have still to consider the question of the 
transition of the organs, from one position to another, in 
articulating different sounds. When a sentence contains a 
number of words, whose articulation requires great changes 
in the position of the organs, there will be a certain harsh- 
ness, a want of smoothness, in the delivery. On the con- 
trary, where the transitions are slight, the utterance is 
smooth and easy. A fine ear will avoid all harshness in the 
utterance of a sentence, but without its meaning being 
thereby, in the least, affected. 
CORRECTION OF DEFECTS. 
Connecting a final consonant with the initial vowel of the 
following zvord. 
This not only occasions great indistinctness in the deliv- 
ery, for instance, instead of “ I woke up early,” “ I wo-ku- CORRECTION OF DEFECTS 
87 
pearly ; ” but often gives a different signification to the 
sentence, for instance, “ Can you remember that rain ?” “ Can 
you remember tha-train ; ” “First-rate,” “Fir-strait,” etc. 
Imperfect Vozvel A ttack. 
It is generally the habit in uttering the initial vowel of a 
word, not to separate the lips beforehand, which is abso- 
lutely necessary if correct utterance is desired. The conse- 
quence is the prefixing of all kinds of sounds in the nature 
of initial consonants, which disfigure the speech. We 
sometimes hear, for example, nambition for ambition, nenemy 
for enemy, etc. 
It is always necessary, in beginning a sentence with a 
vowel sound, to open the mouth slightly beforehand, and 
to remove the tongue from the palate, with which it lies in 
contact when the mouth is kept closed in a state of repose. 
We must likewise be careful to give the distinct pronuncia- 
tion to a final consonant before an initial vowel. 
Adding Wrong Consonants and Swallowing Syllables. 
Words are frequently disfigured by the of con- 
sonantal sounds; for example, lawr, idear, draivring. A 
not unfrequent habit is the swallowing of parts of words ; 
for instance, particlar, gography (geography), lectric (electric), 
fah for far, etc. 
Intoning Between Words. 
An unpleasant habit, which is unfortunately very fre- 
quent, must be noticed here. It is the peculiarity of intro- 
ducing unnecessary sounds between the words, as: “ Have 
you seen that .. a.. representation?” This is as when the 
notes struck on a musical instrument continue to sound be- 
yond the proper time. 88 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
These sounds facilitate the passing over from one word 
to another, which generally accounts for the habit. Some- 
times, however, this defective way of speaking is the result 
of inability to think fast. In any case, we should seek to 
get rid of it. 
Wrong Use of the Lower Jaw. 
Imperfect speech, however, is not merely due to the de- 
fective pronunciation of the sounds, but is also, in a great 
measure, the consequence of keeping the lower jaw too far 
forward (the lower incisors projecting beyond the line of the 
upper) or of moving it to one side. 
This is a grave defect, and no pains should be spared to 
avoid it. 
The lower incisors must be kept in their natural position, 
a little back of the line of the upper. (Those cases in 
which nature has placed the lower jaw too far forward do 
not concern us here.) In impassioned and loud speaking, 
great skill is needed to resist the inclination to push out 
the jaw too far. It is easy to recognize the nature of this 
defect. Take a sentence and pronounce it with due regard 
to the position of the lower incisors, taking care in moving 
them up and down to keep them always behind the line of 
the upper; the pronunciation will be most distinct, pro- 
vided, of course, that the vocal organs are correctly applied. 
Then pronounce the same sentence with the lower jaw, if 
only in the least degree, too far forward, and the vowels will 
become surprisingly indistinct. The inclination to thrust 
forward the lower jaw is greatest with O' and O"; and to 
add to this defect, the lips are thrust forward too far, so 
that in consequence of the empty space between them and 
the teeth, the consonants also become indistinct. 
In pronouncing, for example, such a syllable as vote, one CORRECTION OF DEFECTS. 
89 
is generally inclined, after setting the lips for v, to thrust 
them out too violently and too far, in order to get them 
into the position for o. The transition, however, from the 
to the o-position is not an easy one. The lips 
cannot be brought out from the quick enough, 
and there is, in consequence, an unpleasant noise, which oc- 
casions indistinctness; apart from which the projecting lips 
produce the impression of a fish-mouth. Or else one pro- 
nounces the v with the lips already in the and 
indistinctness is likewise the result. 
It will be well, therefore, to observe the following: The 
correct formation of the vowel O', as well as of O", requires, 
it is true, a thrusting forward of the lips, as the resonator is 
thereby lengthened ; but we ought to possess the ability to 
produce this lengthening without depending too much on 
the lips. This will, however, be possible only if we lengthen 
the resonator at the other end by carrying the larynx far 
downward, which should be done without pressing upon the 
organ. By doing this we shall be enabled to combine all 
the labial consonants with O' and O" with correctness and 
distinctness. In this way alone is it possible to carry on an 
easy, rapid and lively conversation, without anything of 
what is said being lost. 
A person can produce the vowel sounds O' and O” without 
thrusting forward the lips at all, by carrying downward the 
larynx far enough, but this is in no way necessary; the lips 
may be thrust forward, but only slightly, so that no unneces- 
sary sounds shall slip in. 
Exercise for the Correct Use of the Lower Jazv. 
The following exercise will give one the ability to keep 
the lower jaw in the proper position : Draw back the cor- 
ners of the mouth as far as possible without giving the face 90 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
the appearance of a grin, and then take a long sentence and 
repeat it (keeping the corners of the mouth well drawn 
back) at first very slowly and softly, and then in a more 
and more rapid, impassioned and vehement manner. Hav- 
ing done this for a sufficient time, repeat the same sen- 
tence in all these various ways without drawing back the 
corners of the mouth, and taking care not to thrust out the 
lower jaw and the lips. By drawing back the corners of the 
mouth the speaker will be compelled to keep the lower 
jaw in the right position, or else he must be forcibly thrust- 
ing it forward. 
How the Wrong Use of the Lower Jaw may be recognized. 
If anyone desires to know whether he has this defect or 
not, he may employ the following test: 
Let him take a narrow, flat stick of ivory or other ma- 
terial, four or five inches long (as the handle of a tooth 
brush), and press it in a vertical position against the middle 
of the chin, so that its upper extremity is kept tight against 
the inner surface of the upper incisors, and let him, while 
keeping the stick firmly in this position, sing various tones. 
If the defect is present, he will be surprised to see how 
much force will be required to keep the stick quite vertical, 
that is, to keep the chin, or, in other words, the lower jaw, 
from pushing outward. This operation may serve as an ex- 
ercise for acquiring the ability to use the lower jaw correctly. PART FOURTH. 
RESPIRATION. INSTINCTIVE RESPIRATION. 
To comprehend a system or method of breathing cor- 
rectly in singing and speaking, it is necessary to know how 
man really does breathe. 
Breathing takes place involuntarily and to a certain ex- 
tent voluntarily. 
Involuntaryrespiration is divided into two parts: inspira- 
tion and expiration; voluntary respiration into three: in- 
spiration, holding the breath and expiration. This second 
mode (three-fold respiration) is what really characterizes 
artistic respiration. 
In inspiration the chest is expanded ; in expiration the 
expanded parts return to their original state. The expan- 
sion of the chest, during inhaling, takes place in two ways : 
one by the movement of the ribs upward and outward, 
together with the sternum (breastbone) and clavicle (collar- 
bone), the other by the contraction of the ordinarily arched 
diaphragm,—the fleshy partition between the cavities of 
the chest and abdomen. We have described the diaphragm, 
under the “ Organs of Respiration,” and of its importance 
in phonetic expiration we shall shortly have more to say. 
We can, therefore, breathe at will either with the ribs or 
the diaphragm ; and hence we have chest-breathing and ab- 
dominal breathing. 
Neither of these movements entirely excludes the other; 
they are rather both present at the same time, but usually 
one predominates. 
In deep aborninal respiration, the entire trunk bends back- 
ward ; the abdomen protrudes through the agency of the 94 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
diaphragm, the lower ribs expand and are pushed forward, 
the upper ones backward. 
In chest-breathing we distinguish two kinds : If the upper 
ribs are especially drawn up, we have the so-called shoulder 
or collar-bone breathing, in which the shoulders, and princi- 
pally the shoulder-blades, are very perceptibly raised ; the 
collar-bones and the ribs naturally accompany them directly 
upward ; the walls of the abdomen at such times press the 
intestines together and backward ; the abdomen, especially 
the epigastrium, recedes. The whole trunk becomes elon- 
gated ; hence the lungs, and especially their tips, are length- 
ened and expanded. 
If, however, the lower ribs are especially drawn outward, 
so-called rib or whh-breathing results, by which the chest, 
above all, increases in breadth. The whole trunk bends 
more or less forward ;■ the abdomen recedes so that the 
fore arch of the abdomen, especially the region of the stom- 
ach, is drawn flat and even inward. 
We have, then, three main kinds of respiratory move- 
ments ; 
1. Abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing. 
2. Shoulder or collar-bone breathing, and 
3. Side or r/^-breathing. 
In abdominal or diaphragmatic respiration there is com- 
plete expansion of the lungs. In the two other modes of 
respiration this expansion is incomplete or partial; since in 
the one (second) the upper, in the other (third) the middle 
region is affected. 
Since the appearance of the first edition of this work, in which for the first 
time, in a popular scientific treatise, diaphragmatic breathing was taught and 
designated as the only true method of breathing, the author has heard a great 
deal of talk about the diaphragm. Wherever tone-formation was discussed the 
subject of diaphragmatic breathing has been brought up. The writer, however, 
has very frequently had to hear complaints from pupils, who had gone through a INSTINCTIVE RESPIRATION. 
95 
long course of instruction at the hands of singing teachers, that while their 
teachers had insisted upon their breathing with the diaphragm, the way to do 
this had not been taught them. Many of them have even declared that when 
they did breathe in the way in which they had been instructed, the least quantity 
of air was introduced into the lungs. From this it is evident that both teachers 
and pupils have had a wrong conception of the nature of diaphragmatic or ab- 
dominal breathing, and have practiced it falsely, having mistaken for it the sim- 
ple and feeble contraction of the diaphragm which takes place in sleep as well as 
in a state of perfect repose, and which almost of itself alone (but not altogether 
alone) keeps up the respiration at such times. They have made the mistake 
of supposing that this purely diaphragmatic breathing was meant. But this is 
altogether an error. Of the two kinds of respiratory movements termed diaphragm- 
atic and rib-breathing, neither, it is firmly settled, excludes the other entirely ; 
they are, on the contrary, always associated, but usually in such a way that 
one or the other predominates. During the activity of the diaphragm in 
sleep or in perfect repose, the lower seven or eight ribs remain almost inactive ; 
but in a state of wakefulness and bodily exertion there is the full abdominal 
respiration ; that is to say, the full activity of the diaphragm combined with 
side-breathing to a certain extent; this latter consisting in the raising upward 
and outward of the lower seven or eight ribs to one-half or three-fourths of the 
utmost possible limit. The raising of the lower seven or eight ribs is an essen- 
tial condition of the full activity of the diaphragm, of which they form the frame, 
inasmuch as its fibres are attached to the ribs and can contract effectually only 
when these are forced upward and outward and held firm in that position. 
There can be no such thing, therefore, as perfect diaphragmatic or abdominal 
respiration unless this condition is present. It is in the correct diaphragmatic 
respiration, and not by the exclusive activity of the diaphragm, that the greatest 
quantity of air is admitted into the lungs. We may, indeed, cause the principal 
respiratory movements to take place each by itself alone, thus producing a forced 
action, but in this case an unsatisfactory result is obtained. As long as we 
allow nature to act unhindered, a forced action cannot take place. It is in the 
combination of the respiratory movements that the free action of nature appears, 
and according to the muscles mainly involved we designate each kind of respira- 
tory movement. 
Shoulder-breathing is found mostly in women; side and 
especially abdominal breathing among men. 
Without entering upon the old dispute of the physi- 
ologists, as to whether women naturally breathe in the 
above-mentioned way, or whether the disadvantageous man- 96 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
ner of dressing is the cause, we here contend that women 
must at all times make the same respiratory movements 
in the art of song and speech as men, if they wish to 
fulfil the requirements demanded of both, for which rule we 
shall give the reason further on. 
While, then, inspiration takes place by means of the mus- 
cles of inspiration, and so becomes an active process, expi- 
ration takes place during ordinary respiration, less by means 
of the muscles than through the return of the previously 
expanded parts to the'ir original state, resulting from their 
elasticity, usually a purely passive process. 
This is, however, the case only in so far as expiration 
promotes animal life ; i. e., as long as it is involuntary ; as 
soon as it becomes voluntary, and is used to remove foreign 
substances that impede respiration, or is made the agency 
of voice and speech, then several groups of muscles are 
brought into activity, because the simple expiratory pressure 
is too weak to accomplish the desired end, and expiration, 
too, becomes an active process. 
The activity of the muscles which now steps in, has two 
duties to perform: first, to support and strengthen expira- 
tion ; secondly, to retard and check it. 
The first is done by the abdominal muscles which draw 
down the ribs, compress the abdomen, and so, while pressing 
the intestines and the diaphragm upward, narrow the cavity 
of the chest from below also. 
The second is accomplished mainly by the diaphragm, 
whose chief function is to regulate the voluntary retarda- 
tion, to counteract the pressure of the intestines when 
forced upward by the abdominal muscles (as we shall learn 
further on). 
In inspiration the glottis widens, in expiration it contracts, INSTINCTIVE RESPIRATION. 
97 
in order to make the expirations slower. This is the case 
with all the air-passages, because they are elastic. 
In strong, quick inspiration the larynx sinks slightly; in 
expiration it resumes its original position. 
It is in our power to use the one or the other of the 
groups of respiratory muscles. If, however, we permanently 
prevent an expansion of the lower ribs by a too great nar- 
rowing of the waist, the natural consequence will be that 
these parts will finally lose entirely the ability to expand, 
and, therefore, the diaphragm will be unable to take any 
part in phonetic expiration. 
After having learned how man breathes instinctively, we 
shall now show how it is necessary to breathe in singing 
and speaking.* 
ARTISTIC RESPIRATION (IN SONG 
AND SPEECH). 
What the singer and speaker must chiefly be intent upon, 
is to spare the respiratory organs. This, however, can be 
effected only by regular, slow, inaudible and correct breath- 
ing. In a state of repose these conditions may be easily 
fulfilled ; but with every considerable exertion we perceive 
that the respiratory organs work faster, that the blood flows 
quicker through the veins, and it appears impossible to 
breathe slower at such moments. In reality it would never 
be possible to prevent the quickening of the respiration 
altogether; still a great deal can and must be done to pre- 
serve the organs by a system, by a correct method, and a 
constant exercise of the same. 
To make the lungs capable of unusual exertion, it is first 
* For the benefit of the reader, this entire subject is divided into twenty-four distinct parts. 98 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
necessary to exercise them carefully and slowly, with the 
necessary pauses, and thus to strengthen them. Most peo- 
ple believe that it is sufficient to have lungs in order to be 
able to speak continuously and with a strong voice. 
The exercises of the muscles of respiration have been de- 
scribed in treating of the muscles. The following scheme 
exhibits the set of exercises we have drawn up, for the en- 
largement of the lungs and for increasing their elasticity. 
These exercises consist simply in respiration, beginning with 
the inhalation of a small quantity of atmospheric air, the 
quantity being gradually increased until it becomes as great 
as the lungs can possibly hold. Let a line be drawn ob- 
liquely upward from left to right (/) representing the in- 
spiration ; another line drawn obliquely downward from left 
to right (\) representing the expiration. When two such 
lines incline against each other, so as to form an angle 
(/\), it indicates that expiration follows inspiration with- 
out a pause. When the lines do not come to a junction 
(/ \) the space between them indicates a pause. A figure 
inserted in the space (/3\) indicates the retention of the 
breath for so many seconds; thus, in this instance, there is 
an interval of three seconds during which not a particle of 
air must be permitted to pass from or enter the lungs. We 
have selected musical notation lines for these diagrams, so 
as to clearly represent the progression in the increasing res- 
piration. 
§ /. Strengthening the Lungs. ARTISTIC RESPIRATION. 
99 
EXERCISE I. Breathing without Interruption. 
Increasing respiration without pauses ; inspiration through 
the nose and expiration through the mouth. Inspiration 
and expiration equal in duration. 
(a.) Rhythmical movement of the diaphragm, gentle as in 
sleep. 
{b.) Raising of the lowermost ribs, movement of the dia- 
phragm twice as great as in (a). 
(c.) Raising of the lower seven or eight ribs, together with 
the lower portion of the sternum, to half of the utmost ex- 
tent possible; movement of the diaphragm three times as 
great as in (a). 
(d.) Complete activity of all the muscles used in inspira- 
tion, without lifting the clavicles. 
(a) Increasing each successive respiration. GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
EXERCISE 11. Breathing with Interruption. 
Increasing respiration with pauses of several seconds. 
I. 
2. 
3* 
4- 
5* ARTISTIC RESPIRATION. 
Perform Exercise lE, 4 and 5, alternately with each of 
the three modes of respiration, abdominal, side and shoul- 
der-breathing, in order to develop the lungs uniformly. 
With careful exercise it will, after a short time, be appar- 
ent that the lungs are capable of absorbing a greater quan- 
tity of air than before, and that one is enabled to retain the 
breath, and with ease, which is of incalculable utility. 
I have seen people, who were unable to retain the inspired air even for a second ; 
who had such short breath that they considered themselves invalids, although they 
were in perfect health ; who did not even know what position the organs of the 
mouth assume when the breath is retained. By means of careful, persevering, 
and not too fatiguing exercise, under proper direction, their breath (as they have 
expressed it), became longer, that is, they were enabled, after going through 
these gymnastics with their respiratory organs, to take in a much greater quantity 
of air into the lungs than they could before, and naturally to emit so much more. 
For those who are unable to retain their breath, the fol- 
lowing directions will be of service : 
In order to be able to retain the breath, we must close 
the glottis; under ordinary conditions that is, when there 
is a natural cause this takes place spontaneously, as, for 
example, in the application of abdominal pressure. * The 
action of abdominal pressure is induced by the need of pro- 
tecting the abdominal organs in any unusual exertion of the 
body, as in bending, lifting, etc., and is brought about by 
closing the glottis after the lungs have been filled with air 
and exercising a downward pressure with the diaphragm 
and abdominal muscles. Merely thinking of abdominal 
pressure gives one the ability to close the glottis at pleas- 
ure. 
Another means of arriving at the consciousness of the 
muscular movements required for the closing of the glottis, 
is the following: 
* The combined activity of the abdominal muscles and the diaphragm I call abdotninal 
pressure. 102 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
Pronounce the vowel A' with “direct attack” (as has 
been taught in the beginning of Part II.) ten or fifteen 
times in succession, but in such a way as to keep the glottis 
closed before every A' for a few seconds before pronounc- 
ing the vowel. By this means we can obtain a full con- 
sciousness of the muscles of the vocal cords, and acquire 
the ability to use them, that is, the power of closing the 
glottis at will. 
The closing of the glottis does not suffice by itself, how- 
ever, for the retention of the breath. One must also pos- 
sess the ability to keep the ribs, raised outward by the 
external intercostals, and the contracted (drawn downward) 
diaphragm fixed in their position ; for, with the sinking of 
the ribs and the return movement of the diaphragm up- 
ward, the air is forcibly expelled from the lungs. In fact, 
it is necessary to be able, without the closing of the glottis, 
to retain the breath by merely keeping the ribs fixed in the 
position of inspiration and the diaphragm pressed downward. 
It may as well be remarked here, that certain gymnastics 
of the lungs, as well of the other organs, must be performed 
daily just so long as the artist desires to practice his art 
with success; for just as the dancer through long inactivity 
loses the elasticity of his limbs, so the singer or the speaker 
fares with his lungs. 
§ 2. Beginning of Speech or Song. 
The orator or singer must not begin a single sentence, 
not even the smallest, before having filled his lungs suffi- 
ciently with air. But it must not be understood that the 
lungs are to be so completely filled that not another atom 
of air could be contained in them, but only seven-eights 
filled ; for keeping the lungs completely filled increases the ARTISTIC RESPIRATION. 
103 
difficulty of holding the breath; and, therefore, also of 
singing and speaking. 
§ j. State of Readiness. 
This condition, lungs sufficiently well filled, we call “ the 
state of readiness.” 
The sensation of having the lungs filled must not be ab- 
sent during singing or speaking, until a pause is reached. 
§ q. Closure of the Glottis. 
After an inspiration, the glottis should be closed for a 
moment, i. e., the breath held back before one commences 
to speak or sing. But if we begin at the same instant that 
the last atom of air has entered the lungs, too much air will 
naturally pour out at the first words, thus rendering them 
unmetallic and aspirate. 
§ 5. Inspiration and Expiration to be done as Slowly as 
Possible, and Uniformly. 
This condition must be fulfilled whenever the construc- 
tion of the sentence will permit. Slow breathing will be 
mainly brought about by right use of the diaphragm and 
the abdominal muscles, and keeping the ribs raised; there- 
fore, more on this subject in sections 7 and 9, 
§ 6. Even During any Unusual Activity of the Lungs, as in 
Moments of Excitement or Passion, it is quite Necessary to 
Breathe as Slowly as Possible. 
It must not be considered impossible to attain this; the 
activity of the human organs depends undoubtedly to a 
certain degree upon our will, and though this is less the 
case with the lungs than with the other organs, it is still 
here also possible to arrive at really wonderful results by 
regular exercises, interrupted only by necessary rest. 104 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
§ 7. Abdominal or Diaphragmatic Breathing. Rib or Side- 
Breathing. 
We have shown in treating of the respiratory movements, 
that man can execute inspirations and expirations in three 
different modes, namely, by shoulder, side or abdominal res- 
piration. We must here urge that singers and orators 
should make habitual use only of the two latter modes of 
respiration (side, and especially abdominal respiration), and 
shoulder-respiration only when the temporary position of 
the body does not permit of the other two. 
The upper part of the thorax is, at the same time, also 
active in a certain way; when expanded for inhalation, it 
remains, more or less, in this condition during speaking and 
singing, so as not to impede inspiration and expiration, 
which would be the case if the iipper ribs should constantly 
rise and fall. 
If we permit the inspired air to escape from the lungs 
only by means of the upper part of the thoracic wall (shoul- 
der-breathing), as is generally the case with women, the 
following phenomena will result: 
1. The tone will not be quite clear and metallic. 
2. It will not be full. 
3. It will not be firm or strong. 
4. It will not be sufficiently prolonged. 
5. The air will not pass from the lungs slowly and uni- 
formly enough ; but, on the contrary, in puffs; and 
6. The plastic lines of the body will be disturbed by heav- 
ing of the bosom and shaking of the shoulders, not to men- 
tion the increased exertion required. 
The tone produced in such a way will, likewise, always be 
somewhat heavy, for the movement of the upper chest- 
muscles causes an involuntary participation of the muscles 
of the neck and larynx, and thereby disturbs these muscles, ARTISTIC RESPIRATION. 
105 
so that the tone not unfrequently becomes compressed and 
trembling and loses its clearness, and especially its fulness, 
because the upper part of the air-passages being pressed to- 
gether, the resonance of the sound is, in consequence, dimin- 
ished. But by mainly using the lozver part of the chest (side 
and especially abdominal respiration) all these phenomena 
are absent. 
The following comparison may serve to prove that this 
method is the correct one : 
Imagine a tube, whose walls can be compressed at will, 
filled with water. We can press the water in it upward in 
two ways: either we compress the zvalls of the tube, or 
we drive the water upward by means of a piston, which we 
apply to the lower end. In the former case (that is by com- 
pression of the walls), the stream becomes trembling, irregu- 
lar, frequently interrupted ; in the latter case (that is pres- 
sure by means of a piston) the stream becomes strong, 
uniform, uninterrupted, as we can see in any engine-hose, 
wdiich is correctly handled. 
It is the same with man and his lungs. The back, front 
and the sides of the chest are the walls of the tube, the dia- 
phragm, lower ribs and abdominal muscles are the piston. 
Herein lies the proof of our theory of the diaphragmatic 
or abdominal respiration. 
To dispel any doubt as to the possibility of mastering- this mode of respira- 
tion, I take the following important example from the world of art : 
Wilhelmine Schroder Devrient, the greatest dramatic singer, attained a won- 
derful degree of perfection with regard to this faculty (through unremitting 
practice, as she herself informed me). She sang the most difficult passages 
without the slightest movement of the upper portion of the chest, and it was 
she who gave the incitement to the preparation of this work, when, twenty- 
six years ago, I had the good fortune of attracting the notice of that remarkable 
lady, an artist who at the age of fifty-two stood unrivaled among dramatic 
singers. 
It is true, all I learned from her was that I breathed in a wrong manner ; and GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
on my arguing that I breathed with the full action of the chest, I was answered : 
“It is with the abdomen that you must breathe, with the abdomen.” This was 
all the explanation I received. And just as the student in Goethe’s Faust 
exclaims: 
“ I feel as stupid from all you’ve said, 
As if a mill-wheel whirled in my head ! ’ 
so it was with me from that moment. 
After the lapse of three years (passed in sleepless nights, and in laboriously 
seeking for the solution of this riddle by means of study and experiment) ap- 
peared the first German edition of the present work. 
Therefore, in order to avoid the occurrence of the above- 
mentioned phenomena, it is necessary to empty the lungs, 
not by causing the sternum and the upper ribs to sink to 
their normal position; but, while the sternum and the 
upper part of the chest generally are held raised upward 
and outward, by the combined action of the diapiLragm and 
the abdominal muscles (abdominal respiration). 
Although women make the respiratory movement more 
with the upper part of the chest, still they must, by exer- 
cises and correct method, learn to use the lower ribs, the 
diaphragm and the abdominal muscles. 
§ 8. The Necessity of Consciousness of the Diaphragm and 
the Abdominal Muscles. 
We shall soon achieve this if we observe more closely the 
act of expiration when coughing. Coughing consists of a 
deep inspiration followed by one or more successive power- 
ful expiratory impulses. Every expiratory impulse is pre- 
ceded by a movement (contraction) of two groups of mus- 
cles : one of the abdominal muscles, working from without 
inward ; the other, of the diaphragm, working from within 
outward. After the contraction of these muscle-groups 
(the glottis remaining tightly closed), has attained a certain 
degree of tension, the diaphragm suddenly ceases its con- ARTISTIC RESPIRATION. 
traction, and the compressed air in the lungs is driven 
noisily through the forcibly opened glottis by the still 
greater contraction of the abdominal muscles. This pro- 
cess is usually involuntary, but may be rendered completely 
voluntary. The noise (cough) is various. According to its 
cause it will be strong, moderately strong or weak; and we 
find the contraction of the above muscles varying in the 
same degree. 
The pupil should practice the different degrees from weak 
to strong cough ; whereby he will arrive at a consciousness 
of the diaphragm and its action, also of the abdominal mus- 
cles and their action, as will be described in the next sec- 
tion. 
§ g. The Diaphragm and Abdominal Muscles Usually Act 
Combined. 
After an inspiration has been performed, that is, when 
the diaphragm has by its contraction pressed the intestines 
downward, thereby pushing the abdomen forward and ex- 
tending the abdominal muscles, after this, a slow contrac- 
tion of the abdominal muscles (whereby the intestines are 
pushed upward) begins for the purpose of expiration; the 
diaphragm, remaining in the state of contraction, thereby 
exerts a counter-pressure. 
Upon the gradually increased contraction of the abdomi- 
nal muscles (that is, the increased pressure of the abdominal 
muscles upon the abdominal viscera upward), follows a 
gradual relaxation of the contraction of the diaphragm, 
whereby a uniform pressure is exerted upon the lungs, and 
in consequence of which the air passes through the glottis 
in the same uniform way. This can be continued until a 
new inspiration becomes necessary; in which case, then 
(either slowly or with lightning rapidity, according to neces- GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
sity) the previous state of both groups of muscles is repro- 
duced by the freshly inhaled air, only to recommence their 
antagonistic activity. 
The stronger the upward pressure of the abdominal mus- 
cles on the intestines and the slighter, relatively, the resist- 
ance offered, by the diaphragm, the more rapidly the air will 
escape from the lungs. On the other hand, the feebler the 
pressure of the abdominal muscles and the slower the resist- 
ance of the diaphragm relaxes, the less rapidly will the air 
be forced out. 
The stronger the antagonistic action of the abdominal 
muscles and the diaphragm, the greater is the pressure on 
the air in the lungs, and the louder and more powerful the 
tone. 
In what concerns the position of the larynx, it is to be 
observed that whenever the tone is considerably increased, 
not only is this organ placed perpendicular, but the side 
walls of the laryngeal canal are compressed by the muscles 
on the sides of the neck, and thus hindered from spreading 
outward. 
If the antagonistic action of both these groups of muscles 
is in equilibrium, a cessation of expiration takes place. 
This is the case with the stutterer where the diaphragm 
sometimes falls into a state of spasmodic contraction which 
cannot be overcome by the abdominal muscles. 
This function of the diaphragm, to retard the escape of 
air, is supported by the ability of the vocal cords to ap- 
proach at will, whereby the the glottis is so diminished in 
size, that an impediment is offered to the escape of air. 
This antagonism of the two muscle-groups, the diaphragm 
against the abdominal muscles, admits of countless modifi- 
cations, according to their respective degrees of contraction, 
and is of the utmost importance. Without this arrange- ARTISTIC RESPIRATION. 
meat, without this ability to quicken or retard the expira- 
tion at will, it would not be in the power of man to modu- 
late the voice, or to speak successive words in one breath, 
without a second inspiration. 
The chest would collapse so rapidly, and the current of 
air escape so fast, that only one or two sounds of equal 
strength could be uttered in quick succession. The expres- 
sion of feeling, mainly due to the various modifications of 
the expiration, would be impossible. 
This air-current, set in motion in the most diverse ways, 
weak or strong, interrupted or continuous, is the power by 
which are produced all sounds and noises that form the 
elements of voice in the larynx and pharynx, and in the 
nasal and oral cavities. 
From the foregoing we perceive that the action of the 
abdominal muscles directly promotes the phonetic expira- 
tion ; whilst that of the diaphragm operates indirectly, 
checking and regulating the upward pressure of the abdomi- 
nal muscles. 
That the diaphragm may act in the above-mentioned 
way, it is necessary that the ribs which form its frame re- 
main firm in the position they occupied at the end of the 
inspiration (raised outward) as long as its action is to con- 
tinue ; because a relaxation of these ribs hinders the con- 
traction of the diaphragm, without which the downward 
pressure against the intestines is impossible, or at best very 
limited. 
§ 70. Correct Application of the Diaphragm and the Abdomi- 
nal Muscles. 
It must be particularly noticed that we should work less 
with the muscles which pass vertically over the stomach GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
(musculi recti), than with those which cover the sides (mus- 
culi transversi and external oblique and internal oblique). 
A painful pressure upon the stomach is experienced when 
the musculi recti work much more than the musculi trans- 
versi and external and internal oblique ; they should work 
less. We must have such a control over the diaphragm and 
the abdominal muscles that the air can be emitted at will in 
any quantity. 
If we are asked to state more particularly when it is best 
to apply side-breathing and when abdominal-breathing, we 
should say : Every tone-formation for lively and quick speech 
in light conversation and in song, is best attained by side- 
breathing, with the abdominal muscles strongly drawn in 
and held firm, but every tone-formation for sustained and 
weighty speech, for heroic song, can succeed only when pro- 
duced by full abdominal respiration. 
§ ii. Peculiar Phenomena during the Application of the Dia- 
phragm and Abdominal Muscles. 
Every one, who has learned this method of breathing, 
will, by exact observation of the rules and with a firm de- 
termination, be able to carry them out. Before long, how- 
ever, it will strain him so much that he will begin to doubt 
whether he ever will be in a position to make this method 
second nature. But the scholar must not allow himself to 
be discouraged ; for this strain results from three causes: 
1. From being unaccustomed to make a more than ordi- 
nary use of these muscles.* 
2. From their over exertion, as the scholar, having become 
convinced of the efficacy of this method, continually tries 
to arrive as quickly as possible at his aim. 
* We have already learned in treating of the muscles, it is only by the force of habit that 
they can be brought to work with more than ordinary activity. ARTISTIC RESPIRATION. 
111 
3. From the occasional wrong application of the abdomi- 
nal muscles; for the scholar, at first, will press upon the 
stomach more or less, since he uses the musculi recti too 
much and allows the lower ribs to sink, instead of keeping 
them firmly raised. 
These three causes can be removed only by long continued, 
careful, correct practice, interrupted by the necessary pauses. 
It must not be supposed that the mere knowledge of a 
method is sufficient for its application, for the application 
of a rule, practice, time and great perseverance are neces- 
sary. 
§ 12. Inspiration to be Performed Noiselessly, and Visible 
only to such a Degree as is Absolutely Necessary. 
Loud breathing is not only unbecoming, but also destruc- 
tive of the organs, especially the vocal cords. This can be 
explained by the following: We have already learned that 
in inspiration the glottis expands, while the larynx slightly 
sinks, and during expiration it contracts, whilst the larynx 
not only regains its former position, but rises still higher. 
This is so by nature, and, if we acted accordingly, many 
mistakes would be avoided. But there are many who in 
inspiration compress the glottis as much as it contracts in 
expiration, by falsely using the muscles of the larynx for in- 
spiration, and thereby hindering the descent of the larynx; 
this causes the disagreeable sound of the air brought into 
friction against the walls of the glottis (the vocal cords). 
This constantly recurring forcible crowding through of 
the air produces dryness of the mucous membrane, even 
inflammations, which greatly hinder the formation of sound 
and not unfrequently lead to total ruining of the vocal cords. 
It is necessary, therefore, to pay particular attention that 
no incorrect muscular activity be developed, that the glottis 112 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
instead of being compressed, be widely opened, and the lar- 
ynx be permitted to sink naturally. This will occur if the 
air be inhaled only by means of the muscles of inspiration, 
the glottis regarded merely as a passage, and the vocal 
cords not used for muscles of inspiration. In this respect 
it is with the glottis as with the nose, when we breathe 
through the latter; but of this more further on. 
Audible inspiration has also another cause. Most singers 
and speakers possess the fault of discharging the air from 
the lungs entirclyheiorz inhaling fresh air. When the latter 
is done, it is impossible (except, perhaps, in the case of the 
most perfect orators and singers) to avoid making the in- 
spiration audible and disturbing. 
To make inspiration inaudible, it is necessary that the 
aperture, through which the air is inhaled, be as large as 
possible, that the larynx, and with it the root of the tongue, 
be drawn downward as far as possible, and the soft palate 
raised. 
Through long practice this process can be executed with 
astonishing rapidity, as is absolutely necessary in quick sing- 
ing and speaking. The ability to regulate the diaphragm 
at will, is also necessary, because just as soon as the larynx 
sinks, the diaphragm contracts, and the abdomen is made to 
protrude. If we observe these rules, it is almost impossible 
to inspire audibly. 
The exercise, which the pupil will have to make in order 
to understand the foregoing and to be able to practice it by 
himself, will be as follows : 
Let him fill the lungs with air, then strike any particular 
tone he chooses, and prolong it, singing until all the air in 
the lungs has been exhausted ; let him now make a fresh, 
quick inspiration inaudibly, and go on at once with the same 
tone, and repeat this several times, until he arrives at a con- ARTISTIC RESPIRATION. 
113 
sciousness of the muscles involved in the operation, and he 
will soon become familiar with the position assumed by the 
organs. He will perceive that the soft palate has been 
quickly drawn upward, and that the root of the tongue and 
the larynx have been drawn downward, and that the dia- 
phragm has contracted. These movements all take place 
spontaneously; the pupil has only to become conscious of 
them and to perfect them. 
Inaudible inspiration is a thing so important that too great 
pains cannot be devoted to practicing it; and, with suffi- 
cient industry, what the pupil has deemed unattainable, will 
finally become second nature. 
Through the want of this faculty of inspiring inaudibly, the finest artistic 
achievements have fallen short of the attainable effect, and the greatest artists 
have lacked the highest degree of perfection. Two of our most famous artistic 
celebrities were afflicted with the defect of audible inspiration, which they pre- 
served to the last. And strange to say, even in these cases the world has held 
fate responsible for the defect. The people say, “What an artist would this 
man be if that defect were only absent ; ” which is like saying, “ If this man 
hadn’t a hump ! ” We cannot get rid of a hump, but we can of audible breath- 
ing. In such cases, therefore, we have not to bestow pity, but to express con- 
demnation. It is the duty of the actor and the orator to learn how to use the 
vocal organs, and no one has a right to plead natural defects ; for, if they really 
exist, then such a person has no business to appear before the public. 
The failure to comply with what has been up till now 
demanded, produces results more or less unpleasant to the 
hearer; the non-fulfilment of what is urged in the present 
section acts like a shaft which rebounds back to the breast 
of the archer; for, besides the torment occasioned to the 
listener, the ruin of the vocal cords of the artist is the inev- 
itable result, and cases in which this does not occur must 
be looked upon as rare exceptions. 
In the heading of this section we have said that inspira- 
tion should be noticeable only as far as is absolutely neces- GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
saiy. This necessity presents itself to the concert singer 
less frequently than to the dramatic singer or speaker. The 
concert singer must mainly strive for the production only 
of the most perfect tone-formation (which, as we have seen, 
is attained chiefly by diaphragmatic and rib or side-breath- 
ing) ; whereas the dramatic actor must bring before the 
spectator’s eyes people in the most different states of emo- 
tion. The outburst of emotion, however, whether powerful 
or weak, requires in nature a swelling of the breast (the seat 
of emotion), which becomes outwardly visible through the 
lungs filling themselves with air. This swelling of the 
breast should also be visible in dramatic acting; but let 
the scholar be careful not to attempt to accomplish this by 
raising the shoulders. This would be a movement which 
we have already expressly condemned. There should be an 
outward and forward movement of the breast, and the shoul- 
ders should be drawn slightly back, but not upward. The or- 
dinary conversational tone in speech and song is produced by 
simple diaphragmatic breathing (without visible motion of 
the breast) ; but every inzvard excitement, even when only 
very slight, manifests at once the activity of the breast 
which becomes more marked, as the excitement is greater. 
§ ij. Cases in which the Breathing is Audible. 
There are cases in which audible breathing is not only 
permissible, but becomes a necessity. If, for instance, an 
oppressed chest seeks relief by a deep sigh, this is done 
with a loud and slow evacuation of the lungs. A person, 
after much walking, running, after extraordinary muscular 
exertion, will breathe audibly. A sudden fright checks 
breathing; the renewed escape of air will be audible. A 
painful, loud, prolonged Oh! Ah! Yea! Nay ! will imme- 
diately after its formation change into perfect aspiration, ARTISTIC RESPIRATION. 
and so close. We may also remark that the dramatic per- 
former and orator requires much more air than he would 
believe for such exclamations, if he desires to prevent their 
being weak and without effect. 
This fault is noticeable with all those who try to finish 
these exclamations with the small quantity of air which 
may have been left in the lungs, and who do not know that 
for such short exclamations, as well as for all others, the 
lungs must always previously be put into a “ state of readi- 
ness.” 
Let us now consider several variations of breathing, in 
which audible inspiration and expiration are necessary. 
They are the following : Yazvning, sighing, panting, sniff- 
ing, hawking, aspirating, snoring, sobbing, coughing, sneezing, 
loud laughter and ■weeping. 
Through external causes, these variations appear of their 
own accord ; in art, however, where all outward causes are 
absent, and imagination must supply their place, such 
changes are very difficult of production. Hence the un- 
natural laughter and weeping on the stage with beginners, 
and even with actors who have been on the stage for many 
years. It is, therefore, absolutely necessary to learn the 
physiological process required in these modifications of 
breathing. 
Yazvning consists in a deep and long inspiration, followed 
sometimes by a short, often by a long, loud expiration. 
The mouth, as well as the glottis, must be opened widely. 
Sighing is a slow, deep, and often intermissive inspira- 
tion, taking place usually through the mouth, frequently, 
also, through the nose, followed by a long, slow, at times 
trembling, and audible expiration. 
Panting is a short, violent inspiration and expiration. 
Sniffing consists in short and rapidly succeeding inspira- 116 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
tions through the nose, while the mouth is kept closed by 
the tightly compressed lips. 
Hawking results when we drive air quickly and power- 
fully through the glottis, partly with open partly with 
closed mouth. It is produced by slow expiration ; oftener, 
however, by jerks. 
Aspirating is a hollow, monotonous and gentle expiration 
through the mouth, either slow or coming in short puffs. 
Snoring results from a vibration of the soft palate in in- 
spiration and expiration through the mouth. It can also 
be produced by breathing through the nose, the mouth re- 
maining closed, but not as easily, and certainly not as loud, 
as the other way. It is less a modification of breathing 
than an attendant noise. 
Sobbing consists in a cramped contraction of the diaphragm 
which shakes the whole body and allows itself to be heard 
at varying intervals through one or more quickly following 
noises. The noise itself is produced in the glottis by inspi- 
ration which takes place quickly. 
Coughing is the result of one deep inspiration followed by 
one or more impulsive expirations in succession, as has 
been fully stated in Part IV., §B. This process is usually 
involuntary; it can, however, be brought about quite vol- 
untarily. 
Sneezing consists in a quick, deep inspiration, followed, 
usually, by a very powerful expiration sounding like the 
combination ts. This expiration represents the actual sneeze. 
I* rectly before this expiration the nasal cavities are closed 
by the contact of the soft palate with the posterior wall of 
the throat, and they are opened again with the expiration. 
The muscles of the face are drawn together in the region of 
the nose and eyes more or less according to circumstances, 
and resume their original position with the expiration. ARTISTIC RESPIRATION. 
Loud laughter and weeping are the most difficult to pro- 
duce without external causes, and it requires long practice 
to attain a certain degree of perfection. Most actors laugh 
and cry unnaturally on the stage ; that is to say, their laugh 
does not originate as it does in nature. Laughing consists 
in sounding expirations, which, broken off short, succeed 
one another quickly or in slower tempo; it always, however, 
originates in a shaking of the diaphragm, which must be 
more marked as the laugh is more violent. We justly say, 
“My sides shook with laughter.” The sides can be made 
to shake, however, only by means of the diaphragm. There- 
fore, we call an unnatural laugh, which is not brought about 
by shaking the diaphragm, a laryngeal laugh ; since it is 
produced principally by a continued monotonous opening 
and closing of the glottis. 
In laughing, expiration goes on with quickly succeeding 
narrowing and widening of the glottis; at every narrowing 
there ensues a jerky noise which derives that quality from 
the action of the diaphragm. If we desire suddenly to stop 
violent laughter, we have only to close the glottis, i. e., to 
hold back the breath ; but, if the desire to laugh is too vio- 
lent, and the closed glottis can no longer restrain expiration, 
there invariably results a sudden expulsion of the air which 
will drive the lips apart and thus cause a loud noise. Com- 
monly speaking, we call this “bursting out.” 
Weeping consists in inspiration and expiration ; the first 
takes place quickly and deeply, the second slowly and in 
jerks with narrowed glottis. The expiration is the real 
weeping, and is frequently interrupted by fresh inspirations. 
Yet the inspiration can be slow and deep and the expiration 
quick, according to circumstances. 
§ ip The Air not to be Aspirated during Phonation. 
It is to be observed that in the formation of a sound (in 118 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
the beginning as well as in its duration) no wild air (that is 
air not brought into permanent vibration) shall be audible, 
as the normally formed sound requires. 
In regard to this point, many singers and actors make 
mistakes (especially the latter) and particular attention must 
be paid to this. 
Exercises for the Singer. 
In order to achieve this, the pupil, after bringing the lungs 
to the “ state of readiness,” should produce a tone with the 
vowel A' firm and decided, with the full closure of the glottis 
(“ direct attack,” see beginning of Part II.); but piano and 
without any pressure upon the vocal cords. The tone, 
at first short, should be frequently repeated and somewhat 
prolonged each time, special care being taken that it should 
not begin with an h, and that there should be no aspira- 
tion during its continuance. 
Having gone through this exercise for a time, he should 
now attempt to sing the scale within an octave, but no 
longer as before, giving each tone separately, but, on the 
contrary, seeking to combine the tones (“ indirect attack ” ), 
and still without aspirating. Not being permitted to, ex- 
hale more air than is necessary, he will be under the neces- 
sity of keeping the vocal cords in the proper tension, and in 
a general way of increasing the activity of the muscles, by 
which an aspirated tone will be less possible. These exer- 
cises should all be performed piano, and only when the 
pupil has acquired a pretty full control of the vocal cords, 
can there be any idea of his attempting to pass over to 
crescendo. 
Exercises for the Speaker 
Pronounce a short sentence (a line) in one tone; begin 
with the lungs quite full, and after each syllable take as ARTISTIC RESPIRATION. 
119 
much breath (quick and inaudible) as was required for the 
preceding syllable, so that the lungs shall always be in a 
“ state of readiness.” The replenishing of the lungs, in this 
quiet and slow manner, after each syllable, has for its object 
to bring abdominal breathing fully to our consciousness, 
and to make the necessary muscular movements our second 
nature. Each syllable being pronounced with full lungs and 
with careful avoidance of aspiration, the tone will gradually 
become sonorous, and in this way the pupil will most read- 
ily accustom his ear to recognize metallic quality and clear- 
ness in tones. When the pupil has for a time pronounced 
the sentence in this manner, he should start afresh with a 
slight change, reproducing now half the sentence without 
taking breath, but pronouncing the syllables as he did be- 
fore, when he took breath after each, so that the syllables 
shall all be uttered singly and in the same tone. When this 
has been done for a time, he should proceed a step further, 
uttering the whole sentence in one breath, but still continu- 
ing to syllabicate; and, finally, he should utter the whole 
sentence in one breath, not syllabically but rhetorically, al- 
ways being careful not to aspirate. 
The pupil should, in addition, make the following exer- 
cise : utter the whole sentence in the manner of the chro- 
matic scale ; that is, begin with a high tone and descend a 
half tone with each syllable; and, having reached the end of 
the sentence, repeat it in like manner but with each syllable 
ascending a half tone, his whole attention being directed 
toward maintaining the correct position of the vocal cords, 
as has been described in treating of chest-tones; that is to 
say, he ought always to have that sensation in the larynx 
which he has when uttering a vowel sound (Afor example) 
with the spiritus lenis and not with the spiritus asper (Hah). 
By this exercise the voice will be fitted for every modulation. 120 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
The pupil should perform these exercises within the 
compass possessed by his voice. If, for example, this em- 
braces ten tones, he should first utter the whole sentence 
with all its variations in the lowest tone ; he should then do 
the same thing with the next tone, then with the third, and 
so on until he reaches the limit of his compass. 
The scholar must here be particularly warned against 
something. It is the attempt to give the tone too great 
strength and fulness in vocal exercises. If he does this he 
either presses upon the larynx or squeezes the vocal cords 
together; and the tone becomes raw, hoarse and full of 
mannerisms. Without the least pressure he must form the 
tone very softly, strengthening it gradually ; for only long 
and careful exercise, not forced expulsion of air, can add 
strength and fulness to the tone. 
§ ij. Path Traversed by the Sounding Air-Column. 
The air, which has been expelled from the lungs through 
the glottis and set into sounding motion by the vocal cords, 
acquires on account of the manifold reflection which it con- 
stantly undergoes on the way from the epiglottis along the 
walls of the pharynx and the oral cavity, according to physi- 
cal laws —the same curves and the same dimensions which 
this canal shows in itself; its direction, therefore, is decided 
by the position of the walls, between which it takes its course. 
Apart from the natural walls of this canal the form of the 
same depends also on the position of the larynx (higher or 
lower), on that of the root of the tongue as well as of the 
tongue generally, and also on the position of the soft palate, 
and the column of sound is thereby induced to strike with 
greater intensity in some places than in others. 
Let us take, for example, three such points and mark them 
in our explanation : a, b, c— a is the point where the poste- ARTISTIC RESPIRATION. 
121 
rior nasal orifices (posterior nares) are situated ; that is, the 
pharyngo-nasal cavity; b is the soft palate, and c the hard 
palate, at the root of the upper incisors. 
As the timbre (that is the real quality of a tone) of the 
sounding air-column depends more or less upon the condi- 
tion of the walls (harder or softer, drier or moister) upon 
which it impinges, each one of these points, a, b, c, might 
cause another timbre, because each offers in part at least a 
different kind of wall. 
If the column of sound strikes with greater intensity on 
point a (the pharyngo-nasal cavity), we obtain the so-called 
nasal tone. 
If the column of sound strikes with particular intensity 
upon b (the soft palate), the sound is full but dull, and is 
permissible only where a dull coloring of the tone is abso- 
lutely necessary. 
But in cases, where the palatal tone is to be gotten rid of, 
the point b is of the utmost importance, as a confirmed 
palatal-tone singer can only rid himself of the palatal tone 
by directing the sounding air-column upon this point. 
If, through the position of the larynx and situation of the 
tongue, the canal is so formed that the sound-column strikes 
with more intensity on point c (the hard palate at the roots 
of the upper incisors), the sound will possess the qualities of 
the best tone to be derived from these vocal organs. Here, 
therefore, (to express it popularly) will be the right “ touch.” 
The singer, as well as the orator, requires much study to 
be able to guide the sound-column just to this point. He 
can readily determine whether or not he has directed the 
sound-column to this point by observing if at this spot a 
slight sensation, not unlike a cool breath, is produced. 
This manipulation must not be considered very difficult. 
The Creator has given us such vocal organs that in their 122 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
normal condition, that is, if we do not misuse the organs, 
the air-column always strikes with greater intensity against 
the roots of the upper incisors than it does against any other 
point without any exertion on our part; and only under 
falsely developed conditions or through a passion for achiev- 
ing something extraordinary, do we change the position of 
the organs and induce a false “ touch ” and, consequently, 
an incorrect sound. 
If we correctly pronounce the vowel A', we have already 
the proper tone, for this is nothing else than the correct 
sound of the vowel A'; as, in fact, correct tone-formation 
depends solely on the right formation of the vowels. 
Only when we can form a clear, correct A' (as in far) are 
we able to pronounce with ease, and without depriving the 
sound of its purity and fulness, every other vowel with the 
same clearness, although the position of the tongue and 
larynx is different from that in A'; for the slight changes 
in the position of some of the organs, which are necessary 
in song in the case of certain vowels, are easily learned with 
a little attention. For instance, that with A {hay) and E 
(fie) the larynx must be lower, and the root of the tongue 
be pushed somewhat forward and dozvmvard, so that the 
sounds produced with these vowels are not too thin and 
pointed. 
The purity and the accuracy of the A' are the principal 
requisites for speech and song. If we are not able to form 
a pure A', it is impossible to acquire a correct tone ; with- 
out a correct formation of sound, however, there can be no 
correct song. We may, therefore, justly say that, as a cor- 
rect A' is the foundation of all vowels, the correct formation 
of sound is the foundation of song. 
The hard palate consists, as its name implies, of a hard, 
the soft palate, of a soft mass. The “ touch ”of the air- ARTISTIC RESPIRATION. 
123 
column on the third point, c, will, therefore, lend to the 
sound more metal and hardness; that on the second point, 
b, more tenderness. 
The moving the “point of touch” forward or backward 
is left to the judgment of the singer or speaker who has, in 
fact must have, the power to determine the course of the 
air-column, so that it shall strike with greater intensity on 
this or that spot. The nearer the “ point of touch ”is 
brought from c backward to b by a sinking of the larynx, 
the softer, but also the more obscure, does the tone become ; 
and the further forward it moves from b to c, by raising 
the larynx, the sharper and clearer do we find the tone. 
If the “point of touch” goes beyond c, the tone becomes 
shrill and completely a dental tone. 
% 16. How to Increase the Compass of the Voice. 
A belief still prevails among pupils and teachers espe- 
cially among piano teachers who, without any knowledge of 
the human voice, but simply because they can perform on 
the piano, pretend also to be able to give instruction in vo- 
cal music that it is possible to alter the compass of the 
voice at will, to make it ascend higher in the scale or reach 
lower according to one’s desire. This belief is the ruin of 
many a voice zvhich, with proper training, might have 
achieved fine results. 
Nature has provided every human being with vocal or- 
gans ; but the structure of these organs varies in different 
persons ; the vocal cords being longer or shorter, the lar- 
ynx larger or smaller, the air-passages more or less elastic, 
and the resounding walls of the passages stronger or weaker. 
If it is sought to increase somewhat the compass of the 
voice, especially to increase the upward range, then the only 
way to do this is for the pupil to make the sum of the tones 124 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
which he can readily produce and can properly designate as 
the compass of his voice, the exclusive subject of his study ; 
to cultivate these tones alone with a correct method. Only 
in this way will the vocal cords gradually acquire increased 
elasticity, extensibility and increased power of vibration ; 
qualities, which are the essential condition of the formation 
of high tones. 
If the teacher fails to examine closely the natural com- 
pass of the voice, but, on the contrary, endeavors from the 
start, without any previous exercise of the tones that can 
be readily produced, to forcibly increase the compass in its 
upward range, then the ruin of the voice is certain. No 
forcing is permissible in the exercises; and it is an error to 
suppose that any given result can be achieved in less time 
by hurrying on the instruction. The vocal organs can only 
by slow degrees be brought to produce the desired results. 
If the voice has been thorougly trained within its natural 
compass, the pupil will perceive with surprise and delight 
that its compass has actually been increased, without any- 
thing special having been done toward this object, and that 
the acquired tones, few though they be, can be produced 
just as easily as the old ones. The tones thus freshly won 
should be incorporated in the regular exercises, special care 
being taken in exercising them, and should be made uni- 
form with the rest. 
§ ij. Inspiration to be Performed Completely and at the Right 
Tline. 
It is possible to expel all the air from bellows, but the 
lungs, which we can compare to bellows in regard to inspira- 
tion and expiration, differ from these in so far that no full 
expiration can ever take place. The art of singing and even 
speaking requires that much less air be drawn from the lungs 
than they can give. ARTISTIC RESPIRATION. 
125 
In an organ or other similar instrument the stock of air 
must never be entirely exhausted in playing; in like manner 
during continued activity of our vocal organs, we must retain 
a certain amount of air, so that we may at any time produce 
any required degree of respiratiory pressure. Toward the 
extreme end of an expiration the strength of the air-current 
diminishes considerably ; by waiting until this occurs, the 
lack of breath requires an inspiration, which, being of longer 
than the desired duration, produces perhaps an inappropriate 
pause in singing or speaking. 
As we do not, like the organ instruments, possess several 
bellows for filling our lungs of which one maintains the air- 
current during the inactivity of the others, it is necessary to 
refill the lungs with air at every favorable moment of rest, 
before they have been completely emptied. 
The want of several bellows is replaced in the human 
vocal organs by the circumstance that these, unlike every 
artificial instrument, produce great effects with the smallest 
quantity of air. 
Many believe that perfection in rhetoric consists in speak- 
ing as long as possible, without renewing the air in the 
lungs, or, as it is generally called, speaking with one breath. 
This remark applies also to singing. They, therefore, take 
great pride in overlooking all commas, or, frequently,, also 
other marks of punctuation, and in speaking two or three 
lines of the most diverse thoughts, or singing several differ- 
ent passages without inspiring once, as they boastingly say. 
This is entirely false. Long breath is undoubtedly of 
great importance, but only in passages in which inspiration 
cannot take place without interrupting the thought; in calm 
speech, which requires little consumption of air, it is also 
permitted to inspire less; that means less frequently. In 
all impassioned or emphatic speech and song, however, it is 126 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
the first rule to inspire as often as the thought permits. 
This is an absolute necessity, for violent speech requires 
much more air than calm speech. 
But apart from this, it is necessary for the simple reason 
that with constantly renewed breath the thought becomes 
more clearly defined, for expression depends not only upon 
the words, but also upon the coloring of the tone, and the 
singer or speaker would never succeed in making very per- 
ceptible distinctions with one inspiration. By repeated 
inspiration, the lungs being always, even after the slightest 
thought, put into the “ state of readiness,” the sound will 
be powerful, clear and metallic ; whereas the strongest man, 
with fully developed lungs, by speaking much with one in- 
spiration, will express only the first part of the sentence 
clearly and purely, whilst the latter part will be lacking in 
metal, purity and strength. If, for instance, we express 
the following thoughts: “ Oh, this woman! What did I 
say? Have you seen her?” and we speak this, as is fre- 
quently done, with one inspiration, we shall clearly perceive 
that the beginning of the last thought, “ Have you, etc.,” 
is less clear and pure, and the end considerably weaker and 
less metallic than the commencement, “ Oh, this woman ! ” 
If, however, we say, “ Oh, this woman!” (short inspira- 
tion) “What did I say?” (short inspiration, so that the 
lungs always return to the “state of readiness”) and then, 
“ Have you seen her?” the last sentence will have the same 
coloring, the same power, the same metal, as the first. 
It will be readily understood, from what we have said, 
that these inspirations must be neither audible nor visible. 
We must also-remember that it is not only necessary to 
inspire frequently, but to inhale sufficient air with each in- 
spiration. This is of great importance. If, by one inspira- 
tion, we do not bring sufficient air into the lungs, we shall ARTISTIC RESPIRATION. 
have less in the next, still less in the following, etc.; and, in 
consequence, we shall be compelled to take a long, rapid 
inspiration (requiring much more time than the thought 
permits, sometimes even in the midst of a sentence) and 
make our breathing audible and unpleasant. 
To prevent this, every inspiration, the shortest as well as 
the longest, must supply the lungs with as much air as the 
speaker has consumed in the preceding sentence; or, as 
this would be difficult to determine, to speak more plainly: 
the lungs, after every sentence, even if this consists of 
but two words, must be brought to the “ state of readiness,” 
as has been said in section 3. 
Particular attention should be paid to the strict observ- 
ance of this last rule, for the non-observance or superficial 
application of the same is the cause of so many imperfec- 
tions in rhetoric and in song, in regard to breathing. 
The singer or speaker should immediately after finishing 
a phrase, be it long or short (slowly in a long pause, rapidly 
in a short one), inaudibly bring the lungs to the “ state of 
readiness ; ” and, if utterance is resumed after a few seconds, 
he should retain the air until then ; but if a somewhat longer 
pause (not, however, permitting a positive rest) occurs, he 
should keep the lungs fully supplied by drawing short, in- 
audible inspirations with expanded chest, by means of the 
diaphragm (the feeblest inspiration will suffice if made fre- 
quently). In this way, he will be enabled to breathe with- 
out permitting the air contained in the lungs to escape 
entirely, as is done in a full expiration. If he now begins a 
new sentence, after having kept the air-receivers constantly 
filled, he avoids the unbecoming, visible and audible “ prep- 
aration ” by which, as it must be performed rapidly, head, 
shoulders and chest are moved in an unsightly manner. 
We have spoken of a slow and a rapid inspiration. Special 128 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
attention must be called to this rapid inspiration which we 
term the “short” one, and which is of the utmost impor- 
tance in song and speech. We may attain in this such 
a point of perfection that after every comma, even if this is 
repeated after every two or three words, it may with the 
greatest advantage be applied in rapid speech. It naturally 
requires much practice, but we can and must succeed. 
Without the ability to make at will this “short” inspira- 
tion, which must always be inaudible, it is simply impossi- 
ble to take part in a lively dialogue, as by taking a deeper 
and slower inspiration, an involuntary pause (if ever so small) 
would check the flow of speech, and lessen considerably the 
vivacity of the dialogue. This rapid inspiration must, there- 
fore, be practiced carefully and must by no means be audi- 
ble or visible. 
Much time will usually elapse before the speaker acquires 
the ability to refill the lungs immediately after having com- 
pleted a sentence, for his thoughts are generally still occu- 
pied with the just-completed sentence, and he forgets to 
inspire immediately. 
Only by continued practice will this become second na- 
ture, and it will be impossible for him to speak without this 
short, rapid inspiration. 
Many, who have understood the necessity of inspiring 
immediately, make, however, the following mistake; As 
soon as they have completed a sentence, they close the 
mouth tightly, compress the lips, and then inspire through 
the nose; in consequence of this there results a noise like 
that of audible sniffing. This, however, is just as incorrect 
as the audible inspiration through the contracted glottis. 
We remarked at the beginning of this section that a long 
breath is of great importance in passages where taking ARTISTIC RESPIRATION. 
129 
breath would disturb the expression of the thought. We 
shall explain this more fully by means of a few examples. 
There are moments in which a deeply-excited person is 
too much affected to contain himself sufficiently to follow 
the slow succession of words ; he gives vent to his feelings 
in mute actions, then gestures, postures, glances precede 
the words as the lightning does the thunder. 
There are cases, however, in which a person, carried away 
by excitement, suddenly recalls all the required expressions. 
Words rush to his lips as quickly as thoughts criginate in 
his mind; both arise instantaneously and follow each other 
without an interval. 
The utterance of the actor or orator should, in this case, 
be compressed, produced hastily, as if with one outburst, 
but he must avoid giving the public the impression of exer- 
tion by being suddenly forced to draw a long breath. Draw- 
ing a long breath always is a means of rest, which, done at 
an improper point, subdues the fire of the moment and de- 
stroys- its effect. If, for instance, the actor representing 
Shakespeare’s Shylock, in Act 111., Scene 1, where he ad- 
dresses Salarino, saying, “Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath 
not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, pas- 
sions?” should wish to take breath after each comma, or 
even only once, the extraordinary gradation of passion 
contained in these words would be utterly destroyed. In 
this and similar cases it is absolutely necessary to command 
a long, powerful and effective breath, if we wish to give full 
expression to the thought to produce the greatest possible 
effect. 
Passion does not always yield to the rules of grammar; 
it does not always stop where grammar requires; it has 
usually no regard for periods, commas, etc. ; it omits or 
transfers them according to the irregularity of its outbursts. 130 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
To be fully able to represent this artistically, a complete 
mastery of the respiratory organs is decidedly necessary. 
When Shylock, continuing, says: “ Fed with the same 
food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same 
diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by 
the same winter and summer as a Christian is in this case 
the actor should make a short, rapid inspiration after every 
comma (with the exception of the last before “as a Chris- 
tian ”). 
For by means of these short and rapid inspirations 
can these lines be spoken fluently and with the requisite 
fervor and rapidity. Long inspirations in this case would 
destroy the wonderful rhetorical construction which Shake- 
speare has arranged. 
It naturally requires a long time to become such an adept 
in the practice of this short and rapid inspiration to make 
its application appear second nature. The short, quick 
inspiration is accomplished by side-breathing; the sloiv inspi- 
ration by abdominal breathing. 
When the lungs have become somewhat strained by singing, the best way to 
refresh them is to make a few successive respirations faster than usual. 
Most speakers and singers, on coming to the end of an 
impassioned passage in like impassioned manner, fill their 
lungs again visibly and audibly. This is altogether wrong. 
| 18. Breathing After an Impassioned Phrase. 
There may, indeed, be situations where to make a quick 
and audible inspiration is not only permissible, but necessary 
(as, for example, in the expression of anger or rage, or in a 
comic position), but in general the rule must be observed to 
make slow and deep inspirations. 
§ u). Breathing while the Body is in any Position. 
When a person has finished an impassioned locution, and ARTISTIC RESPIRATION. 
131 
the body has for a moment assumed an expectant or defi- 
ant attitude, he, as a general thing, retains the breath while 
that posture lasts (of course, only if the duration be short). 
But in art it is different. While it should seem as though 
the breath, like every member of the frame, up to the mus- 
cles of the face, were perfectly still, the actor should fill the 
lungs well, slowly, inaudibly and invisibly (employing that 
method of respiration best conforming to the momentary 
position of his frame), in order to have the lungs in a “ state 
of readiness ” for his next utterance, so that he should ap- 
pear to have enough air in the lungs for any expiratory 
movement. 
In those cases in which the body has assumed a decided, 
fixed posture, and it is sought to retain it for a time in this 
position as firm and immovable as possible, and where a 
long and deep inspiration, a prolonged retention of the 
breath and a complete expiration are necessary, then the 
position of the body will determine the mode of respiration 
to be resorted to whether abdominal, shoulder or side- 
breathing, or a combination of these movements. For the 
attitude of the frame, previous to respiration, will permit 
certain portions of the lungs to expand more freely than 
others; that is to say, to become more easily filled with air, 
so that the mode of respiration is thereby determined to a 
greater or less extent. 
§ 20. Not more Air to be Exhaled than is A bsolutcly Essential. 
It is astonishing with how little air man may produce 
sounds, and that the sounds, produced with little air (if the 
vocal cords are in normal condition), are the finest in piano 
or in forte, because too much air imparts to the tone a 
hoarseness, frequently a screeching sound, and both these 
qualities destroy the tone. 132 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
If the rule, to produce a great effect with little air, must 
be generally observed, it is especially necessary where the 
utterance is rapid and forcible ; here it is necessary to speak, 
as it were, with diminished consumption of breath, that is, 
here we must scrupulously observe the principle to expire 
only as much air as is absolutely necessary. 
It is especially important to confine ourselves to a small 
consumption of air, if we wish to change from a chest to a 
falsetto tone (be it in singing or speaking). 
In such cases, that the transition may not be unpleasantly 
audible, we use but a small quantity of air ; in fact, it is in 
this way only that the transition can be made aesthetically. 
The slow emission of the air from the lungs is effected by 
permitting the gradual subsidence of the feeling of expansion 
in the lower portion of the chest and the abdominal muscles 
produced by a full inhalation ; that is to say, by keeping the 
upper portion of the chest immovable, by letting the con- 
tracted diaphragm relax slowly, and the lower internal inter- 
costals to contract gradually, and by diminishing the open- 
ing of the glottis as far as possible, but without pressing the 
vocal cords together; whereas, with the rapid sinking of the 
ribs, the quick relaxation of the diaphragm and the rapid 
widening of the glottis, the air is quickly expelled from the 
lungs. 
§ 21. Breathing Through the Nostrils. 
Breathing through the nostrils is very essential, because 
not only is this less noticeable than breathing through the 
mouth (with which we inhale usually less air than by means 
of the nostrils), but it has also the advantage of not drying 
the mucous membrane of the oral cavity, the entrance to 
the throat, the throat itself and the vocal cords, as the 
frequent inspiration through the mouth is apt to do. And ARTISTIC RESPIRATION. 
133 
the moisture of these parts is one of the most important 
qualities required in originating a tone. 
Every singer or speaker should, therefore, breathe as far 
as possible through the nose, and should make use of every 
opportunity that presents itself for doing so. But where is 
there such an opportunity? Wherever he has two or three 
seconds’ time, which is quite ample for a full inspiration. 
But in inspiring through the nose, we should not move 
the muscles as though we wished to smell ; this checks the 
air which is to be inhaled, and becomes unpleasantly audible. 
Inspiration should be performed solely with the inspiratory 
muscles (the diaphragm and the external intercoctals), the 
nostrils to be used only as openings for the passage of the 
air. We should also be careful not to compress the lips, 
while inspiring through the nostrils. Compressing the lips 
tightly reduces the opening of the nostrils, by which inspira- 
tion is rendered infinitely more difficult and a noise is pro- 
duced as in audible smelling. 
If we are. compelled, by rapid singing or speaking, to 
breathe through the mouth, it is quite necessary in inspira- 
tion to hold the tongue convexly toward the palate, as in 
pronouncing E (he), as the air is thus prevented by the nar- 
rowed cavity of the mouth from striking directly against the 
vocal cords, and there is much less danger of the mucous 
membrane becoming dry. 
With regard to the health, breathing through the nostrils is also of the greatest 
importance. Those who are especially interested in this, may read Gatlin’s 
“ Shut Your Mouth.” 
I propose the following method of exercise, which many years’ experience 
with my pupils has shown to be attended with excellent results : 
§ 22. Time and Duration of the Exercises. 
Having risen in the morning and refreshed the body, or 134 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
at least the neck and the bust, with a cold ablution (or 
taken a bath in summer), the pupil should dress, not too 
heavily or too tightly, and perform a quarter of an hour’s bod- 
ily exercise, as has been described in Part 1., with the proper 
intervals of rest. After that, wait a quarter of an hour ; 
then take breakfast, and half an hour or three quarters of 
an hour after it begin the exercises with the vocal organs. 
The exercise (whether singing or speaking) should never be 
performed continuously for more than ten minutes ; allow a 
paifee of five minutes end begin anew. When through 
several weekskexercise the muscles have been brought up 
to a ceHaA point of endurance, the time should be extended 
to a quarter of an hour, the interval of rest remaining five 
minutes. In the first four weeks the total duration of the 
daily exercise must not- exceed an hour in the forenoon and 
an hour in the afternoon. After four weeks another half 
hour may be added, and at the end of eight weeks the exer- 
cises may be made as long as one’s powers will readily allow ; 
the moment, however, that any unpleasant sensation begins 
to manifest itself, the exercise should be suspended. 
In regard to the method of the exercises, it is merely 
necessary to observe here that they should be performed, if 
possible, at regular hours of the day ; that one should begin 
with the less difficult, and gradually go over to those which 
are more exerting; for it is only through their gradually 
increased activity combined with the constantly recurring 
intervals of rest, that the muscles can be effectually strength- 
ened, as we have seen when treating of these organs. After 
a meal, the singer or actor should not begin until after the 
main work of digestion has been accomplished; that is, 
after two or two and one-half hours. 
In all that has been stated till now, we believe to have 
fully explained the system of inspiration and expiration, ARTISTIC RESPIRATION. 
135 
and by a close and scrupulous observance of the rules laid 
down, the orator and the singer will meet with certain suc- 
cess. As, however, a strict compliance with all the details 
is not always persisted in, at leas£ at the outset, and as after 
all there might arise some perplexity in regard to inspira- 
tion, we have deemed it necessary to provide for such a 
contingency, by a few special instructions, which, however, 
are to be applied only in cases of such perplexity. 
§ 2j. What to do if, through Carelessness, the Lungs are 
Emptied too Soon. 
If, in spite of all due care, it should happen, that, as is 
generally said, the breath gives out, and wc tut compelled 
to inspire before the last two or three words of the sentence, 
and by this spoil every thought and destroy every effect, as 
unfortunately so frequently happens, there is but one rem- 
edy; it is the following: 
In our system of inspiration, the activity of the abdomi- 
nal muscles is of the utmost importance, and in such an 
emergency it is these alone that can save us from the dis- 
agreeable division of a sentence and the complete spoiling 
of the effect. In such a case, when the supply of air gives 
out and we are unable to draw any more air from the lungs 
by the action of the ribs, we must bring the abdominal mus- 
cles into greater activity, and by pressure upon the abdom- 
inal organs which, forced upward, exercise a pressure upon 
the lungs, enable ourselves to force as much air from the 
lungs, as we still require for the remaining words. 
It is wonderful how this manipulation, which is the only 
correct one, helps us over every obstacle ; we must, however, 
not abuse it, but apply it only on the most urgent occasions ; 
otherwise we must strictly conform to the given rules. GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
Singers and speakers should always see that their attire 
allows the necessary play to the organs of respiration. With 
concert singers, declaimers and public speakers this is at all 
times practicable ; but it is not always so in the case of dra- 
matic performers. Among the various kinds of costume 
which they have to put on, there are some the cut of which 
is not favorable to free respiration, inasmuch as they com- 
press one or other of the groups of respiratory muscles. 
§zp Wearing Apparel in Regard to Breathing. 
In such cases the artist should know exactly which group 
of respiratory muscles he has to bring into activity. Of 
course, it is the question of such costumes only as abso- 
lutely admh r'c no other cut; as for example, certain char- 
acter costumes. 
The actor can never afford to have the two kinds of res- 
piratory movement abdominal and side-breathing hem- 
med ; for, in that case, it would be necessary to breathe 
with the upper chest, and this we know to be both unseemly 
and defective. 
The actor can easily avoid this by making himself 
acquainted in time with his costume and causing any neces- 
sary alterations to be made. Many a fine effect has been 
lost to the dramatic artist by his having become aware too 
late that his attire greatly compressed his respiratory organs. 
Such considerations, however, will weigh lightly with our 
ladies, whose figure resembles a wasp rather than a human 
being, and with our beaux, who are so thoroughly of opinion, 
that “ the smaller the waist, the greater the work of art 
and we, therefore, advise the former, as long as they persist 
in lacing, to see to it that not all the groups of respiratory 
muscles are thereby affected. 
Whoever desires a healthy development of the lungs, must 
be careful to relieve the respiratory organs from all pressure. ARTISTIC RESPIRATION. 
137 
We have now reached the end of our “ System of Correct 
Breathing in Singing and Speaking.” 
I may incur the reproach that my rules lead to pedantry and stiffness. 
“Who,” it may be asked, “will or who can follow these rules with such strict- 
ness ? They are too complicated !” 
To this my answer is : No rule, however simple, will ever attain the desired 
result, unless we practice it with the greatest perseverance, with the utmost 
patience ; until it has become second nature, until it can no longer be noticed, 
because warm, fresh life has taken the place of the cold, lifeless rule. 
Expression. 
A general remark concerning expression may still be in 
place here. 
We should always seek to preserve a certain nobility of 
expression. In our ordinary life the muscles of the face are 
contracted by pain in a way unpleasant to the sight. In 
crying, the glottis closes and emits short, broken and disa- 
greeable sounds. But it is a different thing in art. Here 
we must strive to throw an aesthetic vail over every emotion, 
whether of pain or of pleasure. In the representation of 
the deepest emotion, originating in the recesses of the heart 
and reflected in the features and voice, we should never 
allow the look, the tone or the words to go beyond the 
limits of the fine and the exalted ; we should have such a 
command of our respiratory and vocal organs that, whilst 
the glottis emits the most profound tones of pain and 
pleasure, these should never be ignoble, unpleasant or ugly, 
except indeed, it be the intention to produce a characteristic 
or comic effect. 
If this principle were strictly observed, that is, were the 
artist to apply himself more assiduously to securing a full 
command of the muscles, we should then not see, what so 
often happens, especially with ladies, the features greatly 
distorted in the representation of emotion. In fact, many 138 
GYMNASTICS OF THE VOICE. 
persons, in their ordinary conversation, change their naturally 
not ignoble features to their disadvantage, and it is rightly 
said of them that “ they are handsomest when they are 
silent.” 
ERRATA. 
Page 25. Omit the head line, “ Organs of Respiration.” 
Page 71. The description of the single parts of Fig. XX,, which are the same 
in all the figures from XX. to XXVIII., is as follows ; 1 is the boundary be- 
tween the hard and the soft palate; 2 is the uvula touching the posterior wall of 
the pharynx during the production of pure vowels and consonants, hanging down 
only in production of nasal sounds; 3 is the naso-pharynx, 4 the oro-pharynx, 
5 the epiglottis, 6 the hyoid (lingual) bone, 7 the right true vocal cord (the line 
above being the false vocal cord), 8 the thyroid (shield) cartilage, 9 the right 
arytenoid (pyramid) cartilage. REVIEWS OF THE FIRST EDITION. 
[Heidelberg Gazette.] 
Although many a teacher of song and of speech has achieved great results in imparting his 
art to his pupils, yet this has been accomplished more through the natural gifts and peculiar 
tact and personality of the teacher than through any conscious, comprehensive, systematic 
method. The rules employed were the product of individual empiricism, and were devised 
and applied without any regard to physiological principles. Oratory was studied in its en- 
tirety without fully understanding its essential constituent parts, and how each part should be 
cultivated and brought to harmonize with the other. This course produced now and then an 
orator more thorough chance than through the use of positive scientific knowledge, while many 
pupils, with excellent physical and mental endowments, labored in vain and not seldom were 
harmed by false teaching. 
Realizing the chaos and erroneous doctrines existing among those who teach the vocal art 
in song and in speech, Herr Guttmann has sought,to dispel the darkness and to bring order out 
of confusion by publishing “ Gymnastics of the Voice,” which presents, as its title indicatesi 
“a system of correct breathing in singing and speaking based zipon physiological laws” being 
“ a self-instructor in the training and use of the singing and speaking voice.” 
The leading feature of the book is right breathing. Some, who have not given special at- 
tention to this subject, may feel inclined to ridicule the idea of the necessity of understanding 
and developing proper respiration, arguing that it is an involuntary, natural function, which 
will take care of itself. But this opinion is entirely changed after reading “ Gymnastics of the 
Voice-” Its author presents the matter so clearly and incontrovertibly that we can no longer 
doubt or deny the evil consequences of wrong breathing ; indeed, we ourselves can, on second 
thought, recall instances thereof, in ordinary intercourse, in the pulpit and on the stage and 
rostrum. The proof is too convincing to require further argument. 
The book gives, in plain and popular language, a complete method for the voice. 
Without entering into an extended review, we refer to the contents, which show the main 
topics treated and the plan pursued. However, we will again state that, according to' our 
judgment, the system of breathing is the distinguishing characteristic which places the book 
far above any other similar publication. 
There may be a doubt in the minds of some as to the possibility and practicability of carry- 
ing out the author’s rules, and especially of instructing one's self. We admit that self-instruc- 
tion is by no means an easy task, but from personal experience we confidently assert that, 
with ordinary application and perseverance, a person can comprehend and apply the rules. 
After practicing them awhile, he will be delighted at his improvement, and will perceive that 
he can accomplish results with half the physical exertion he previously used ; and, instead of 
straining and exhausting his respiratory hnd vocal organs, speech and song will be a pleasing 
and invigorating exercise. 
Herr Guttmann’s book cannot be too highly recommended. To recapitulate, in conclusion, 
it contains the first system of correct breathing ezter published. The author teaches the prac- 
tical development and use of the organs of song and speech, and gives the means to prevent 
“clerical sore throat”—generally caused by a wrong mode of breathing,—and pulmonary 
consumption, which not seldom results therefrom. Surely, respiration has never before been 
treated in so thorough, scientific and practical a manner. The book is of great value to sing- 
ers, elocutionists, actors, lecturers, public readers, lawyers, clergymen, legislators, and others 
who use their voices in public. The author’s method for the cultivation of the speaking voice is the same as for the singing 
voice. He considers purity and beauty of tone in speech as important as, indeed more so than in 
song ; for song belongs to art exclusively, while speech is inseparably joined to every phase of 
social and professional intercourse. Upon this basis is the book written, affording a sure 
means for the attainment of perfect oratory, and for preserving and strengthening the organs 
therein employed. 
[Mannheim Journal.] 
He who cannot express his thoughts well orally, no matter what may be his other attainments 
and talents, is thereby crippled in his enjoyment and in his usefulness. Many ladies, moving 
in cultured circles, have reason often to feel ashamed because they are unable to use their 
mother-tongue properly, fluently, gracefully and effectively. If impure, strained speech has 
so great disadvantages in private life, how must it injure public speakers! As one of the evil 
consequences of a false use of the respiratory and vocal organs, we have an affection commonly 
known as “clergyman’s sore throat.” The different kinds of wrong muscular activity, and 
the remedies therefor, Herr Guttmann has treated in his book ably and clearly. We know 
actors and singers who, as a result of a wrong use of their organs, could not perform their 
roles without great exertion and becoming hoarse; they were even on the point of retiring 
from their profession, when, fortunately, they practiced the Guttmann method and were fully 
restored, simply because they were led to observe nature’s laws. 
Herr Guttmann can fully substantiate his claim as a teacher, for, with Demosthenic patience 
and perseverance, he has overcome all the obstacles of a weak voice and defects of pronuncia- 
tion, so that his own speech, now so full, resonant and expressionful, is a brilliant illustration 
of the efficacy of his method. Here we have no experimenting with untried theories, but pos- 
itive knowledge resting upon long experience and scientific data. 
[Carlsruhe Gazette.] 
After long years of study the author has succeeded in building an infallible system for the 
training of the organs of song and speech. We cannot do otherwise than warmly recommend 
the book, not alone to dramatic and musical artists, but to all who speak or sing in public. 
We go still further and assert that it should be in the hands of every one who is engaged in 
the education of youth. 
[Hamburgh News.] 
[Berlin School Journal.] 
In handling Part 111., which treats of the correct pronunciation of letters, the author has 
displayed a thoroughness which we have never seen before in any text-book. The distinction 
between the various vowel and consonantal sounds is drawn with great exactness and clear- 
ness ; the positions which the organs should take in the formation of these sounds are so de- 
scribed and illustrated that the pupil receives a clear comprehension and distinct mental 
image of them, and, with faithful practice, soon acquires certainty and facility in their pro- 
duction. The pupil’s attention is directed to matters of which he probably has never thought, 
but which the teacher knows to be indispensable for the acquisition of perfect utterance. PUBLISHER’S ANNOUNCEMENT. 
Much is written in these days about breathing. This is certainly very 
gratifying as showing an awakening to a vital matter hitherto slighted. In the 
discussion, however, it should not be forgotten that Oskar Guttmann was the 
first to publish in popular language a system of breathing based upon physio- 
logical and hygienic laws, and which also is the only correct one for artistic pur- 
poses. We emphasize this fact because certain writers (especially Englishmen) 
are now promulgating ideas, as if original with them, which were embodied in 
“ Gymnastics of the Voice” nearly a quarter of a century ago. While prior to 
this allusions to respiration were made in a few physiological and medical works 
(particularly Dr. Neumann’s), yet there was no book on breathing practically 
available for the speaker and singer. 
“ Gymnastics of the Voice ” was, then, th& pioneer in teaching artistic respira- 
tion. Helmholtz warmly welcomed it and in a lecture at the Heidelberg Uni- 
versity recommended it to the students. Dr. Paul Niemeyer, in his book, “ The 
Lungs,” says; “ For a more elaborate handling of this subject (respiratory ac- 
tion for vocal purposes) I refer the reader to Oskar Guttmann’s excellent and 
right practical book, ‘ Gymnastics of the Voice.’ ” 
The reviews prefixed to our Announcement, are only a few of the favorable 
criticisms which have been pronounced upon “ Gymnastics of the voice.” What 
was written twenty-three years ago, holds good to-day, and the international 
reputation and repeated editions prove conclusively that this is a standard work 
which has stood the test of practical experience and of recent scientific advance- 
ment. By its teachings men and women have won distinction and prolonged 
their career in the pulpit, on the stage and on the rostrum. By its teachings 
private individuals as well as public personages may learn the proper use of 
their respiratory and vocal organs, whereby the ordinary talk of daily social and 
business life can be made more pleasing and less fatiguing. In view hereof the 
publisher would recommend “Gymnastics of the Voice” not alone to the actor, 
the preacher, the lawyer, the public reader, the lecturer, the singer, the speech- 
sufferer, but to every person. There is no greater mark of culture than a well- 
trained voice ; there is no surer way to ward off pulmonary and throat disease 
than well developed and rightly used Organs of respiration, voice and articulation. 
Among all the attainments that modern civilization requires, there is none more 
important and more useful than this. That it has been shamefully neglected, is 
a sorry comment upon our boasted enlightenment, but furnishes no excuse for its 
further disregard. In now announcing' the completion of the book and offering it to the American 
public, we add and fully endorse the opinon of Herr J. J. Weber, the great Ger- 
man publisher, who issues the work simultaneously in Germany. Herr Weber 
addressed the following to Herr Guttmann ; 
“My Esteemed Professor : 
‘ ‘ I have received the manuscript for the fourth edition of your ‘ Gymnastics of 
the Voice.’ I must express my genuine satisfaction at the addition of illustra- 
tions, and sincerely thank you for the great pains taken in the revision. Our 
book, in its new form, will be again, what it has been in the past the best in 
this department. 
“ Leipzig, Germany. ■ J. J. Weber.” 
Fully illustrated; cloth, $1.25 postpaid. Address the pub- 
lisher, 
EDGAR S. WERNER, 
Editor of The Voice, 
Albany, N. Y., U. S. A.