1891.] on the Culture of the Singing Voice. 323 



in the dogmatic fashion in which this has repeatedly been done of 

 late. 



Having so far given a very cursory anatomical outline of the 

 conditions in which we are here interested, I now come to the 

 physiological aspect of the question. The long mooted question 

 whether the human voice was to be compared to a wood, a string, or 

 a reed instrument has at last been definitely decided in favour of the 

 last-named view ; though even at present timid attempts are made 

 from time to time to revive the flute or the violin theory. In reality, 

 however, the larynx is best to be compared to an organ pipe, the reed 

 being rej)resented by the two vocal cords, which being anatomically 

 absolutely identical with one another, and being simultaneously put 

 into vibrations by the blast of air coming from the lungs, entirely 

 correspond to the reed of the organ pijDe ; sound being produced, of 

 course, by the vibrations of the cords, which are communicated to the 

 column of air above and below the vibrating reed. According to the 

 quantity of air coming from the lungs, more or less amplitude is 

 given to the vibrations, as the result of which the tone gets more or 

 less strength. The character of the sound thus emitted is no doubt 

 influenced to a very considerable degree by the configuration of the 

 larynx and the composition of the vibrating reeds, but the exact 

 manner in which this influence is exercised is at the present time still 

 an absolutely unknown entity. What is quite certain, however, is 

 that the character of the voice is very greatly varied by the anatomical 

 configuration of and the changes possible in the throat and mouth.* 



According to the laws of acoustics, three fundamental laws come 

 here into question : 



1. The number of vibrations of the cords determines the pitch of 



the note. 



2. The amplitude of the vibrations determines, as already 



mentioned, the strength of the note. 



3. The form of the vibrations determines the timbre or quality 



of the voice. 



These laws briefly indicate the most important qualities of the 

 sound, viz. purit}', strength, and timbre. 



The iutra-laryngeal movements, i^ e. the proper degree of tension 

 of the vocal cords determining, as has just been said, the pitch of the 

 note, the purely technical training of the voice and the purity of the 

 notes naturally dej^end upon the movements of the larynx proper, and 

 more particularly upon the intralaryngeal changes during the 

 emission of the sound. 



The dynamics of the voice, on the other hand, the crescendo and 

 decresceiido, &c., depend upon the intensity of the movements of the 

 thorax, of the diaphragm, and of the lungs. 



Finally, the colour or timbre of the voice is rendered variable by 



* The brief summary here given I have borrowed mainly from Julius Stock- 

 hausen's ' Gesangsteclmik imd Stimmbilduug.' 



