In 1845, Mathilde Graumann, now Madarne Marchesi, became the pupil of Garcia, the in ventor of the laryngoscope. For a time she acted as assistant to Garcia and, as it was just the time of Garcia's deep study which led to the establishment of a new vocal method, it is reasonable to suppose that she was influenced by that in forming her own. Her husband, Salvator Marchesi, was also a pupil of Garcia. The °Marchesi° method is more often men tioned than is any other to-day and it has the Garcia principles for its foundation. Many of the great opera singers have been guided in their education by Madame Marchesi. It is, however a matter of comment that these artists differ radically in vocal method, and probably the teacher has considered the indi viduality of her students more than she has adherence to vocal method. Nor would this necessitate departure from Garcia's principles, for such is the subtlety of the mind in dealing with vocal machinery, there is always need of adaptation of method to traits of mind which are individual. And that ability so to adapt may constitute the °Marchesil method. It may be even the establishment of a new method.
Italy, ever the home of opera, has adopted vocal method which more dramatic music de mands. Language is a factor in creating or changing vocal method. The flowing tone of the Italian, with every word ending in a vowel or liquid consonant and with guttural and harsh consonantal combinations almost eliminated, does not lend itself well to the tone placement of the Garcia school. Nor is the method of Lamperti sufficiently vigorous to meet dramatic demand. A compromise seems to have been effected. Breathing is the basis of it, and it is the breathing of the upper chest, with the ab dominal muscles held inward with great firtn mess. This enables its votaries to utilize to a certain extent the scientific tone placetnent of Garcia. The combination leads to tone produc tion with a d of harshness which was foreign to the oetr: Italian method. Few pro fessional singers have become prominent under its leading.
Opera demanding extremely dramatic voice has found favor in Germany, and vocal method has been devised on lines which are not part of either of the older schools. Nor is it pos sible to make exphmation of the German method on scientific grounds. The voice is used e3cplosively and with less attempt to sus tain the smooth flow of tone which has ever been deemed essential to good singing. Yet the public bas learned to enjoy German sing ing, which is most convincing proof that there is reason for it Wagner, it is said, did not hope that his operas wouid ever be sung well nor could they be given in any school of voice training which existed when they were written. In the German method of training the voice is found a way by which the operas can be sung. And this class of music is the only one to which that method can be applied. Explosive tone is
quite out of place in the music of song writers even among Germans.
Language has influenced the formation of a method in vogue among the French singers. The nasal consonants of the French language call for decided nasal resonance, and the vocal teachers of Paris seek to obtain such resonance as the predominating factor in tone production. In the department of breathing they exact high chest breath control. With this as foundation and with exaggerated nasal resonance there is shrillness of tone emission. The difference be tween French tnethod and modern Italian lies in the point of resonance of tone. The Italian places the tone in the fonvard part of the mouth, and the French in the nasal &anthers, while both use high chest breath control as foundation.
The other nations have no distinctive vocal methods. England and America have been con tent to follow the lead of other peoples. Many individual teachers have, through their strong personality, made reputations as teachers, and the putlic has accredited them with vocal methods quite their own. Thus, William Shakespeare made international reputation as having a vocal method. In some particulars it is individual, but it is based on that of Fran cesco Lamperti which was as nearly as can be the Old Italian method.
Otte system which had no special home but which has scientific basis. and has many advo cates is the (overtone" method. Theory claims that every musical tone is compound in that it consists of the vibration of the tone-producing organ as a whole for the initial tone and the vibration of its aliquot parts as added tone. For example, the tone made by the stroke of the hammer on the piano string vibrates the string its whole length, its half length, quarter leng.th and eighth length. Also, the divisions at the third, fifth, sixth and seventh of the whole vibrate. Sensitive ears can detect the lower multiples of the rate of vibration of the note struck. Using the piano string one can demon strate the truth of this theory. The tones added to initial tone have been called (harmonics,' (upper partialsx' and °overtones.) Some vocal teachers believe the vocal chords have action which corresponds to that of the piano string and have constructed a vocal method which seelcs to incorporate upon the initial tone an abtmdance of (harmonics.) Other teachers of the overtone method claim that every part of the resonance chamber of the throat and mouth is a point of birth of "harmonics.0 They then seek to make junction of these voices with the initial tone made by the vocal chords. Onc ingenious scientist has shown this theory can be illustrated by a series of flames which regis ter what vibration of aliquot parts is given each tone. Photographs are made of the flame It makes a visible record which enables a student of sufficient intelligence to direct his practice.