The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-10-13
The Larynx.

From the breast there rises 10 the mid.
die Of the neck the passage for the air be.
tween the lungs and the mouth; at one
end it is divided into numerous branches,
called the bronchial tubes; at the upper
end, like the capital of column, is seen
the larynx, resembling an angular box.
Strong cartilages make it very resistent,
and the interior is lined with mucous
membrane, forming folds, named the vocal
lips. These separate, lengthen, or short
en-, in the formation Of various sounds.
The largest of the four cartilages rises in
an annular form, and protects the whole
structure. 1t is but slightly shown in the
neck of the female, but strongly marked
in the man, and is popularity called Adam s
apple. Like everything else, the larynx
presents individual differences. A fine
development is an indication of power
ful voice. As the child grows up, there
is sudden alteration aud increase of
size; but it always remains smaller in the
woman than in the man; the angles are
less sharp, the muscles weaker, the carti-
lagos thinner and more supple, which ac-
counts for the sharp treble notes in their
voices Singing demands different kind
of activity in the organs from speaking.
In society, where education requires q
submission to rule, singing belongs to the
domain of art; but in primitive state all
nations have their songs. Musical rhythm
drives away weariness, lessons fatigue, de-
taches the mind from the painful realities
OF life, and braces up the courage to meet
danger. Soldiers march to their war songs:
the laborer rests, listening to a joyous
carol. In the solitary chamber, the needle
woman accompanies her work with some
love ditty, and in divine worship the heart
is raised above earthly things by the SOL
emn chant. A strong physical constitu-
ton and perfect regularity in the func-
tions of the organs used in singing are in
appreciable advantages They should be
capable Of rendering an inspiration short
and easy, the expiration slow and pro-
longed; there is struggle between retain
Ing and releasing the air, and with the
well endowed artist the larynx preserves
its position, notwithstanding the great va
riety of sounds which it emits. But the
evolutions of the parts are multiplied, the
vocal lips vibrate, and the confguration of
the cavity modifes the sounds, which are
formed in the glottis, and determine the
tone Of the voice. The most energetic
efforts of the will cannot change this tone
in any sensible manner. Professors iniure
their pupils by prescribing the positions
of the mouth, from which perhaps they
themselves derive an advantage. 1t Is
interesting to watch the play of organs by
the help Of the laryngoscope and see the
changes which succeed one another in the
low and high notes At the moment when
the sonnd issues the glottis is exactly clos
ed; then the orifce becomes very long
figure, pointed at the two extremities. As
the sound rises the vocal lips approach
each other, and seem to divide the orifce
into two parts; then as the highest notes
are sounded there is but slit the width
of line. The vocal lips change like the
glottis. They stretch out, harden, thicken
and vibrate more and more as the voice
rises. Women, who have smaller larynx
and shorter vocal lips, can sing higher
notes than men, with tone less powerful
but sweeter, more uniform and melodious.
The ordinary limits Of the voice compre-
hend about two octaves Of the musical
scale; it can easily be increased to two and
a half; but some reach the very exception
al range of three and three and half.
Thus, at the commencement of this CEN
tury, Catalani astonished every one who
heard her as sort of prodigy. Supple
ness and intensity may be acquired by
practice, as has been proved in the case
of many singers; the voice of Marie Garcia
was harsh, but it became at last the deli
cious one of Nine. Milibran. In general
the natural gift is manifested without cul-
ture; the child endowed with this great
charm warbles like bird for amusement;
a lover of art passes by, listens with sur
prise, and promises glory and fortune to
the rival of the lark. Thus the famous
Rubini won his triumphs. Occasionally
the singer has in moment lost all power,
and an enchanting voice win disappear
never to return; such misfortune befell
Cornelia Falcon.-C Chambers Journal.
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