carusos method of

330 Pages·2006·5.5 MB·English

CARUSO METHOD OF
S
VOICE PRODUCTION
The Scientific Culture of the Voice
BY
P. MARIO MARAFIOTI, M.D.
PREFACE BY
VICTOR MATTREL
CADICA ENTERPRISES
P. O. Box 9127
AUSTIN TEXAS
17,
1958
1922
APPLETON AND COMPANY
ZX
COPYRIGHT, J.95O
MARIO MARAFIOTJ
I>.
SPECIAL
AFJPLETON-CENTURY-CROFTS, INC.
TO
ENRICO CARUSO
WHOSE SINGING HAS BEEN
THE INSPIRATION OF THIS BOOK

Hey 25, 1921.
Dear Dr. Marafioti:
I accept the dedioation of your book withpleasure
and pride. Throughyour researches you have disclosed things
about the human voice which restore, in scientific form, the
fundamental principles ofnatural ainging, thus giving an in-
estimable contribution to the musical world.
I, myself, have always felt that something natural
has inspired and guided my art. Therefore, since I share your
impressionst let toe congratulate youand wish you the full at-
t lumen* ofyour noblo alms for the bn*fit of future studer.ta
of the art of singing.
Very sincerely-yours,
FOREWORD
THIS book had hardly been completed when the
sudden death of Enrico Caruso, the greatest singer
of our time, and perhaps of all time, plunged the
entire world into grief, and silenced forever the
mostbeautiful andphenomenalvoicethattheworld
has known.
Thiswork, dedicatedtohiminthelastdays ofhis
life, was conceived as the faithful interpretation of
his perfect and rare singing.
For over a decade and ahalf, I had the privilege
of associating with the great artist, not only in the
capacity of medical adviser but in the intimacy of
a wonderful friendship, andhis singingwas to mea
constant guide and inspiration in my investigations
of themanyproblems of thehumanvoice andvocal
art.
Bycloselyobservinghismethodofsinging, I saw
the correct applicationby the master himself of the
naturallaws governingthemechanismofvoicepro-
duction, and I had the opportunity, by testing his
ideas and principles, of ascertaining that they con-
formedwith those Ihave developed in the scientific
part of this book.
As amodestwreath of admiration and friendship
I lay this work on the grave of the great artist.
P. MABIO MARATIOTI
339 West 70th Street, New York City
March 3d, 1922.
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY,
New York
City.
GENTLEMEN:
I have just received the proofs of the book,
"The Scientific Culture of the Voice," by Dr.
P. Mario Marafioti, whicnyou are aboutto publish,
and I thank you for the courtesy you have shown
me in submitting the advance sheets.
Though there is little time left for me to read
and analyze in all its details a work of such im-
portance, I shall, however, not deprive myself of
the pleasure of sending you my impressions and
opinion on the practical value of this treatise.
As a matter of fact, for the last few years, on
several occasions, I have encouraged Dr. Marafioti
to pursue his conscientious and patient researches
in the particular branch of vocal education which
is exclusively identified with science. Indeed, I
sincerely believe that it belongs to those men of
science who have devoted themselves to the study
ofthenatural functions of thevocal organs, trained
A LETTER
xii
for an artistic purpose, to solve the so-called mys-
terious vocal problem, obscured by the ignorance
and the charlatanism of incompetent teachers.
As a matter of fact, from my long practice in
singing, and from the experiences accumulated
during my career of more than forty years, one
point has come to my attention (which has been
unanimouslyendorsedbysingers ofmerited fame),
namely, that dramatic singing (that is to say, ar-
tistic singing) is the result of two distinct cate-
gories of studies:
1. The study of the physiological causes of the
natural function of the vocal organs, which in cer-
tain cases make the function difficult or even
impossible. This part of vocal culture constitutes
the"ScienceoftheVoice" (La Science delaVoix)
,
and rightly belongs to the scientists and physiolo-
gists who have specialized in this branch of medical
research, and are equipped to remedy the short-
comings of so delicate a function as that of the
vocal organ.
2. The pursuance of the vocal effects, that is,
their proper distribution in the musical phrase, the
manner of coloring the tones, the art of expressing
with musical tones the varied dramatic sentiments:
all these studies constitute the "Science of Sing-
ing" (La Science du Chant), and rightly belong to
the artist singers who, during their long practice in
the art, have acquired a sufficient amount of ex-
perience to guide the young aspirants to a career
which they themselves have honored before,
A LETTER
xiu
This is the thesis treated by Dr. Marafioti and
which I have so often discussed with him; a thesis
that, in my opinion, constitutes a real progress in
the development of this art, so human and univer-
sal: THE ART or SINGING.
Believe me, gentlemen,
Yours
faithfully,
CONTENTS
CHAPTEB PAGE
I. ENRICO CARUSO, THE MASTER OP NATURAL
SINGING 1
II. THE AIM OF THIS BOOK ... 11
III. WHO WILL READ THIS BOOK? . 18
IV. THE DECADENCE OF THE ART OF SIN.GI.NG A.ND
ITS CAUSES; ITS RESTORATION 24
V. THE VOICE IN ITS NATURAL PRODUCTION:
NEW PRINCIPLES ON THE MECHANISM OF
VOICE PRODUCTION 43
VI. SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR A RADICAL REFORM IN
VOICE CULTURE 52
........
VII. THE HUMAN VOICE IN ITS RELATIONSHIP TO
SCIENCE 55
VIII. BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE ANATOMY OF THE
VOCAL ORGANS 60
IX. FIRST PRINCIPLE 69
X. SECOND PRINCIPLE 75
XI. THIRD PRINCIPLE 86
XII. FOURTH PRINCIPLE 100
XIII. FIFTH PRINCIPLE 115
XIV. SIXTH PRINCIPLE 123
XV. SEVENTH PRINCIPLE 186