Imatges de pàgina
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The term Cadence in music, means-the consummation of the desire for a full close in the melody, by the resting of its last sound in the key-note. It will be shown hereafter, that the cadence or close of speech is effected in a different manner.

I have thus endeavored to prepare the reader for all that relates to the science and nomenclature of music, in the following description of speech. When a full knowledge of the nature and uses of the voice will have become familiar, through general instruction and practice, the Art of Speaking will seem to offer less difficulty, by having an acknowledged system and nomenclature of its own. Now, we are obliged to study another art, in order to make an Art of it.

In whatever way a pupil may learn, or be taught to recognize and to execute the intervals of the scale, let me here again call his attention to the necessity of making himself familiar with the perception of the concrete and discrete movement, not only as formed on simple vowel sounds, but on syllables, the common materials of intonation in speech. Let the pupil then, on any syllable capable of prolongation, rise concretely, from the first degree of the scale to the octave; and from this immediately return concretely to the first degree, while the effect of the extent of the rising octave remains upon the ear. In like manner, let him ascend and descend through the concrete fifth, third, second, and semitone.

For acquiring familiarity with the discrete intervals, as used in speech, the intonation should be performed by means of two syllables. Thus, taking the word gaily, let the pupil begin at the first degree of the scale, with gai, and by a skip, strike the octave with ly and then, in immediate return, while memory of the interval serves him, take gai at the octave, and descend to the first, on ly. In like manner, let the voice be exercised on the discrete fifth, third, second, and semitone.

Facility in executing the chromatic movement of speech, is to

I can learn, in any of the numberless books on elocution, published within this period. I nsed not say, how often, the description of speech, founded on the identity of its intervals with those of music, will hereafter require the use of this term.

be attained, by frequently repeating the interjection ah, with a plaintive sentiment, both ascending and descending, between the seventh and eighth degrees of the diatonic scale.

The pupil will acquire a ready command over the tremulous intonation, by practising the characteristic tremor of this scale, through the semitone with a plaintive sentiment, and with laughter, or sentiments of exultation, through the other intervals.

By frequent practice of these several intonations on single syllables, the voice will be prepared for the precise use of intervals, in the syllabic successions of speech.

The preceding explanations have been extended rather beyond what is absolutely necessary for comprehending the proper science of Analytic Elocution, now to be first set forth. Thus the nature of Key and Modulation in music, has been described, with some care, although speech is not constructed upon the principles of either. It may not however, be uninteresting to some inquirers to know wherein the differences of the cases consist.

The term Elocution is applied throughout this work to signify the use of the voice, for the representation of thought and passion, under every form of correct Reading and Speech. These two last terms have a plain, restricted, and precise meaning: while Elocution as a genus includes them both. The terms Recitation, Delivery, and Declamation, as well as divisions of the art, designating public Places, and Professions, are not here technically, if at all, used in reference to vocal character. Styles of elocution may differ in manner, within the rule for justly denoting sentiment and thought; and this rule should direct the style, whether of the Advocate, the Witness, or the Judge; of the Pulpit or the Senate; of the speech of the Stump-orator, or the harangue of the General. If there had been a more abundant and precise knowledge, of how language should be spoken, there would have been much less said of the Person and the Place.

I feel how perplexing it is, I was about to say, it is impossible, to render the separated parts of a science, so well divided in method yet so closely related in detail, as that of music, clearly

intelligible. If what has been said, will enable the reader to understand the system and particulars of the Four Scales, and to execute them, he will not have much difficulty in pursuing our further history of a new and beautiful Science of the Human Voice.

SECTION II.

Of the Radical and Vanishing movement of the voice, and its different forms in Speech, Song, and Recitative.

WE have been willing to believe, on faith alone, that Nature is wise in the contrivance of speech. Let us now show by our works of analysis, in what manner, and with what a perfection of economy that cannot surpass itself, she manages the simple constituents of the voice, in the production of their unbounded combinations.*

*As I profess, in this work, to draw the history of the human voice, altogether from observation by the ear, and experiment with the tongue, it will be convenient, and even necessary,- from the constant reference to the combined agencies that make up the system of speech,- to have some brief term to designate what we imagine to be the directive principle, or general agent over these subordinate and perceptible agencies. I have therefore, in the text, adopted an abstract sign, for all these agencies, and their effects, - in the word Nature; a word often taken in error, and in vain, but not yet obsolete. This Term, this Nature, I use everywhere, and always with the same meaning when personified,- -as the representative of an all-sufficient, and ever-present system of causes: which in the broad wisdom of its ordination, and universal consistency of its effects, is the bright and unchanging example of truth, and right, and goodness, and beauty; and worthy of unceasing study and imitation, for beginning, without delusive hopes, the intellectual, the political, the moral, and æsthetic refinement of man.

When the letter a, as heard in the word day, is pronounced simply as an alphabetic element, without intensity or emotion, and as if it were a continuation, not a close of utterance, two sounds are heard continuously successive. The first has the nominal sound of this letter, and issues with a certain degree of fulness. The last is the element e, as heard in eve, gradually diminishing to an attenuated close. During the pronunciation, the voice rises by the concrete movement through the interval of a tone or second; the beginning of a and the termination of e, being severally the inferior and superior extremes of that tone. The nature of this concrete rise may be thus visibly represented.

But as a curvature of lines seems to me, to afford a more graceful analogy to the peculiar effect of this vocal concrete, it will throughout this work be represented thus:

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As the above description may not-from the limited extent of the concrete, its delicate structure, and momentary duration, -be at once recognized, I shall endeavor to throw some particular light of explanation upon it.

That the sound denoted by the letter a, when thus uttered concretely, has the dipthongal character, will be obvious on deliberately drawing out this single element, as a question put with great surprise. For in this case, its commencement is what I have called the nominal a, and its termination in e, at a high pitch is no less distinguishable.

By the same use of interrogation, the fulness or greater volume of sound upon a, and the diminishing close in e, will be obvious to an attentive ear. Nor is it improbable that the feebleness of this last constituent of a, in ordinary pronunciation, is at least one cause why the dipthongal structure of this element, has never, as far as I know, been perceived, or desscribed.

Now, that a, uttered simply as the head of the alphabet, without any striking expression, and as a continuation, not a close, of speech, does rise through the concrete interval of a tone, will be manifest to the reader, by his ability to intonate the diatonic scale. For let him ascend discretely, by the alternate use of a and e, prolonging each as a note, and making a slight pause between them. This will render him familiar with the relationship of the two elements, when heard on the extremes of a tone as illustrated by the following diagram; where from

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line to line, is one degree, or a tone of the scale; where the oval figure, with its attenuated rising termination, represents the prolonged note, with its faint and rapid concrete issue; and where the size of the subscribed letters represents the proportional duration and volume of voice, in the different parts of each impulse of pronunciation.

Then let him ascend the scale, by a kind of union of the concrete and discrete progressions; that is, by beginning with a slightly prolonged, and proceeding to e, in the second place, without breaking the continuity of sound; and thence after slightly prolonging e, passing concretely to a, in the third place; as illustrated by the following diagram; where full notes are connected by slender concretes. This practice will make him familiar with the effects of a concrete rise through a tone,

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