VOICE. 



1485 



obtained except during the production of acute 

 tones. In many persons the speaking pitch is 

 an entire octave graver than corresponds to 

 the length of a tube, which would enable a 

 column of air to produce the same sound ; 

 and in such persons the falsetto can seldom 

 be effected. In consequence of the pitch of 

 the vocal organs thus occupying a middle or 

 central position between the acute and grave 

 notes, a great facility is afforded to their action 

 in modulating the voice. The vocal tube, 

 like any other tube open at both ends, is said 

 to be capable of producing the harmonics of 

 its fundamental tone in the ratio of the series 

 of natural numbers, 1, 2, 3, 4. These harmonic 

 sounds have been described by Knecht of 

 Leipsic, and by Dr. Young. I have occasion- 

 ally thought that I have heard them during 

 the forcible expiration which attends the bois- 

 terous laughter of children. The density of 

 the air inspired is said to affect the pitch of 

 the voice as in rigid tubes. 



The influence of the epiglottis on the voice 

 has been the subject of divers hypotheses. 

 MM. Biot, Majendie, and Mayo have inferred, 

 from the experiments of Grenie, that the epi- 

 glottis prevents the tones from becoming more 

 acute when they increase in intensity. Lis- 

 covius, on the other hand, states that neither 

 its depression, elevation, nor even its entire 

 removal has any effect on the voice.* Haller 

 appears to have deduced the same opinion 

 from the circumstance of birds being destitute 

 of this organ. " Epiglottis equidem nihil facit 

 ad vocem, cum ea (vox) nata sit et perfecta 

 quamprimum aer ex glottidis rima prodit, et 

 absque epigiottide aves suavissime canant."-f- 

 According to Miiller, the influence of this 

 organ on the pitch of the voice is exercised 

 during its depression only, rendering the tones 

 graver, and at the same time duller. He thinks 

 we evidently employ it in this v ay during the 

 production of very deep tones ; and observes 



that, by introducing the finger at the side of 

 the mouth, the epiglottis will be found to 

 maintain the same position during the utter- 

 ance of musical notes, whether they be of the 

 falsetto character, or of the ordinary scale. I 

 am disposed to ascribe to the functions of the 

 epiglottis much the same value as Miiller ; 

 since it is clear that its presence is not essen- 

 tial to the mere formation of voice, for it may be 

 removed, together with the superior ligaments 

 of the glottis, the ventricles of the larynx, and 

 the capitula laryngis of Santorini, without im- 

 peding the vibratory movements of the glottis. 

 The art of singing consists in the applica- 

 tion of the vocal organs to produce a certain 

 succession of tones in some determinate order, 

 which constitutes melody. This can be ac- 

 complished with precision by those only who 

 can accurately discern with the ear, and imi- 

 tate with the voice, the variations of the pitch 

 of a musical instrument, or other sounding body. 

 In many persons the perception of sound is 

 defective; so that, whatever may be the purity 

 and intensity of their notes as single uncon- 

 nected musical sounds, they can never be 

 used for musical purposes, that is, for sounds 

 succeeding each other at regular intervals, 

 governed by fixed rules. Many persons can 

 imitate the voices of birds and beasts, and 

 diversify the character of their tones to an in- 

 definite extent. These performances illustrate 

 the perfection of the human voice, but the 

 artifices by which they are effected have no 

 reference to the subject under investigation. 

 The musical varieties of the human voice are 

 classed according to their pi'ch, or the middle 

 note of their primary register, which depends 

 on the dimensions and physical constitution 

 of the vocal ligaments. These varieties are, 

 the Bass, the Tenor, the Contralto, and the 

 Soprano * ; the usual compass of each kind 

 in the adult is represented in the annexed 

 table. 



In addition to these characteristic and prin- 

 cipal divisions of the voice, there are certain 

 others, called the Baritone, the Mezzo-soprano, 

 and the Soprano-sfogato, which are subdivisions 

 of the foregoing, and the place of either of 

 which in the scale is indicated by its name. 

 We see by this table what an extensive variety 

 of harmonious sounds may be produced by the 

 combinations of the different kinds of voice. 

 In ordinary singers the range seldom exceeds 

 two octaves, except in those endowed with a 

 falsetto. There have been some celebrated 

 singers, such as Catalani, Malibran, and others, 

 whose compass has even exceeded three 

 octaves, but such instances are rare. The 



* Theorie der Stimme. Leips. 1814. 

 f Physiology, lib. ix. p. 372. 



voices in both male and female are nearly of 

 the same pitch until the age of puberty, at 

 which period the voice of males sinks an 

 octave. This change of pitch is owing to a 

 sudden enlargement of the larynx, the antero- 

 posterior diameter of which is augmented by 

 from one-fourth to one-third, with a simul- 

 taneous lengthening of the vocal ligaments. 

 During this process the voice is hoarse, and 

 there is a temporary inability to regulate it. 

 Eunuchs do not undergo this change. Ben- 

 nati is of opinion that the voice should not be 



* The first two of these belong to the male sex, 

 and the last two to the female. In this table C is 

 the pitch of the 8-feet organ pipe, or the funda- 

 mental of the fourth string of the violoncello ; the 

 ciphers denote the octaves, that is, C 1 , C 2 , &c. are 

 the first and second octave of C. 



