THE CONGRESS OF WOMEN.
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sound mechanical or monotonous. No more likely than that the law of harmony, which is founded on the twelve fundamental tones, though the result of this is listened to in ever varying effects, ergo our conclusion must be that the unclassical is, at the best, a loss of time.
The second point of my subject is the natural respiration, which means both inspiration and expiration. What is natural should be no effort, and the methods of taking, holding or losing breath means nothing less than strain, effort and insufficiency. To my thinking, the artificial singing and effort of unnatural ways of breathing is the reason we have so little genuine expression. How can one look for a realization of what we conceive to be ideal singing when there is nothing but difficulty in-doing what—well, what is unnatural? It would take as long as a Wagner opera to dwell upon the various expressions and agonies of so many singers, before and after the breath has become controllable, but I think these present know by sight and sound the truth in this matter. I thought first of proving the value of true respiration by vocally giving the contrast of all the different ways in which the air is taken, held or sustained, but the dragon is so many-headed and would leave me exhausted and unfit to proceed farther, so I will be satisfied with illustrating a few of these. I think my audience will be able to judge by the sounds whether my statement may be credited, that the breath for the tone forms in a decided channel. The breath, which is in constant respiration while singing, is moving in the vocal channel, which belongs to the principle of vibration, and constitute the nostrils, nasal-chamber, head-passages, soft palate, pharynx, tongue, epiglottis, vocal glottis and trachea, in connection with the lower portion of the pharynx, which combine with the oesophagus. This current is up and down. The slower and softer motion is from back forward. The air through the nostrils becomes inspirational through the uvula, and can be expirational as well in the mouth through the lower soft palate. We can perceive the fibrous and more delicate muscles absorb air on the sides around the main channel for strength or action. The vibrations react on the membrane with which certain and various muscles are invested. The action and the reaction thus form resonance in all directions, still this could not be done fully and satisfactorily without the assistance of the muscles themselves.
The lungs not being inflated, expanded, nor muscular for, the sake of being expelled or held but by their natural capacity for natural work, deep expression should compel their strength where they are most sufficient, not least, and this is necessary above all so as not to interfere with the emotional parts of the lungs and free circulation. The Italians depend on clavicles and chest, which we do also, and we add the spine, which preserves ease and again assists the diaphragm, leaving the stomach free, while all are remaining natural, not raised or depressed. As the lower neck and upper chest are considered immutable, and are so nearly, the knowledge of one who has had patience and courage to investigate the nature and functions of these very parts will no doubt be appreciated by the results derived from this study. The lower neck and upper chest contain the respiratory glottis and trachea, the dividing line from the frontal bronchia to the posterior roots of the lungs. Thus the intimate connection between the full but curved length of the main channel for respiration, the vertebra through its center, and the nerve center, direct through the spinal cord and the various other leading nerves, probably forming an oblong circle through the directing center from the medulla oblongata, or lower brain.
Vibrations—not “vibratos”—are the law of the perfect voice, and these occur on an up and down line on the fibrous sides of larynx and pharynx; these absorb and cause the coarser vibrations, and are derived from the incoming and rising air. The finer and absolutely musical vibrations occur only through the impressions of the more purified air passing through or touching the sensitive membrane, though the ligaments act with one and all the others through successive changes. The articulating muscles have usually no vibratory, much less resonant, capacity, therefore the voice with so- called distinct articulation becomes so monotonous. Alas! it is all so monotonous. Where are the expression changes we dream of for the delight of our souls? where is