Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-24
THE QUEST OF BEAUTY
A Well Medulated Voice
Charms Everyone.
A GREAT FASCINATION
That WILL OVERCOME
MANY DEFECTS.
Vocal and Other Exercises That Have
Been Found to Be of Bene-
fit to This End.
Copyright, 1908, by t. c. Mcclure,

NSo9HSnt, lSUo, py y. ucNiuIe'J
Written for The Evening Star by Katherine Morton.
1t is only between the covers of book
that one comes across just the right kind
OF a voice-fexible. vibrant, caressing. ten
der, poetic. 1t is, Of course, accompanied
by nose that is a dream, flashing eyes, a
rosebud mouth and seashell ear, but the
greatest charm of all is the voice. 1t has
a witchery all it's own.
How shall the maiden. without becoming
heroine become possessed of the kind of
voice that bewitches one, euphonious,
pure, sweet and crystalline?
There are several methods suggested. but
that which particularly commends itself
to the debutante of the season has a classic
flavor and gives her an opportunity to
make a picture Of herself.
She orders loose, ciinging gown of soft
est material and subdued, becoming tone;
she arranges her boudoir to suit her classic
style of garment. and then she practices
on what are known as pipes of Pan.
Pan didn't really have such pipe, she
explains to friend who is being initiated
into the mysteries, but it sounds well.
you know. Or, perhaps, it is more like,
Fra Angelica ANGEL cannot quite make
out"
"And suppose it really doesn't matter
whether you are like Pan piping or an
angel making melody?"
mo, not IN the least, just 81 AiAioaAJ
succeeded in exchanging my dull tones 1or
musical ones"
Any girl who has a small brother pos
| sessed of large horn can solve the prop
lem She takes the correct standing POSI-
ton and blows the horn. breathing from
the abdomen A coaching horn is an admi-
rable developer of contralto tones.
There is one great comfort that aitnougn
we may not have tuneful voice, 1t can
to a certain extent be cultivated at an
events so far to make 1t sufhclently
melodious to sound well, even II 1t GOES not
possess a great variety OF 1nf1ectlon ana
carezzando quality. No special gift Is
| needed to begin with; even the most SET
GUS defects of articulation may ne cor
rected by faithful work.
A well-modulated voice is largely mat
ter Of breathing. Learn to breathe nrst,
then cultivate semi rhy thmic intonations
with which to charm the ear.
In the pipe exercise the lungs mus. De
expelled. II is really breathing exercise
with the pipe. but one which Is more easliy
practicsd than simply inhaling and exhal-
ing, because there is the cnarm OF novelty
and picturesqueness about 1t.
The exercise broadens and expands the
chest and develops the muscles of throat
and neck
First Exercises.
There are some1 exercises which should
always be preliminary to this method OF
voice culture. Here are few:
Standing ia the correct position, rise slow
ly on the tones, and then gradually sink
down again, keeping the weight always
forward. H.
Accompany this exercise now and then by
raising the arms when you rise on the toes
and slowly inhaie at the game time. Lower
the arms, eXpel the breath and sink to the
normal position. Repeat the exercise a
number Of times, fifteen or twenty, at least.
Stand easily, with flexible, relaxed muscles.
Inhale deeply through the nostrils and
exhale through the mouth. While exhallng
raise the arms straight out and up at the
side to shoulder level, and while exhaiing
lower the arms again to the side. The arm
action expands the floating ribs and so Gull
tivates intercostal breathing.
When using the horn or pipe breathe nat
urally, but as deeply as possible. Fifteen
or twenty minutes practice is quite enough
for the daily allowance.
Frequent exercises at short intervals pro-
duce the best results. Never strain or tire
the voice. Common sense is as important
a quality in training the voice as it is In
every other pursuit.
After laying aside the pipes. an excel
lent exercise is to focus the voice through
a circle formed by bringing the thumb and
forefingers together. AT first do this with
the circle directly before the mouth; then
remove the thumb and fingers about two
inches away from the lips. Direct the
tone through the center, speaking as If to
some point beyond.
Open the mouth wide, up and down, so
to speak; then from side to side. After
drawing in full. deep breath, select
difficult word OF several syllabies and pro-
nounce each syllable with perceptible effort
of the lips, tongue and teeth.
Take the word xanthophyliine. for exam
ple. in default of more difficult one for
the first trial. Do not push the sound out
with the throat. but enunciate clearly with
the lips.
Hold Your Head Up.
When taking your lessons in tone or
voice culture hold up your head. open your
mouth and threat. and let the tone gush
forth, if not like the song of bird, at least
in as dulcet tones as you can comma nd.
Think of pleasant things.
This advice may be very we'll taken by
the singer Position particularly is every
thing, if one is to get the full value of every
note The pose should be erect with the
music held a little above the level of the
waist line.
1t is a matter of fact that cheerful folk
usually have melodious voices. With the
light of happiness in your eyes and on your
lips, your voice should be sweet and smooth.
If you have bad temper, or are angry or
worried or disconnected. you will probably
have a harsh, rasping, discordant voice,
speak with whine.
We Judge character by the voice; tenn
permanent, disposition and motive are meas
ured by their outward expressions. If these
expressions be abrupt and unattractive, the
person will be exposed to the same verdict
When the voice changes and becomes re-
fined and gentle in manner the verdict will
be changed.
Making Voices Over.
Voices can surely be made over. What
training did for the great actress Rachel
we all know. At the outset Of her career
she was Handicapped by harsh rasping
voice When she was at the height Of her
career it was described as marvellous ut
ran along your nerves like an electric
shock. Then again it was so deep-so grave
so solemny like the music in a cathedral.
Such enunciatien2no syllable was ever lost.
Sit where you would, each word perfect
polished-f6H of h meaning, came safely.
unsteady to your ear"
The actresses of the present day are
many of t9fem possessed Of remarkable
voices. Duse. like Rachel, is an example
of what patient drilling can do for an or
gan not naturally beautiful. The sincerity
of her uttefance' is poignant and euphon-
ious. Bernirardt is golden-tongued Ell
len Terry s'7voicesis charming and caress-
ing. Mrs Patrick CampbelPs voice has a
slightly yelled. delicious quality Mary
Mannering's is the dark voice; the voice
for sustained, though languorous. senti-
ment. 1t comforts the ear. Mrs Fiske's
voice has grown darker. heavier, though 1t
has lost none of the old-time suppleness.
1t is better adapted now to the expression