Chapter II: 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
most beautiful and phenomenal voice that the world
has known.

This work, dedicated to him in the last days of his
life, was conceived as the faithful interpretation of
his perfect and rare singing.

For over a decade and a half, 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, and his singing was to me a
constant guide and inspiration in my investigations
of the many problems of the human voice and vocal
art.

By closely observing his method of singing, I saw
the correct application by the master himself of the
natural laws governing the mechanism of voice production,
and I had the opportunity, by testing his
ideas and principles, of ascertaining that they conformed
with those I have developed in the scientific
part of this book.

As a modest wreath of admiration and friendship
I lay this work on the grave of the great artist.

P. MARIO MARAFIOTI

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, which you are
about to 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 importance, 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 of the natural
functions of the vocal organs, trained for an artistic purpose,
to solve the so-called mysterious 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
unanimously endorsed by singers of merited fame), namely, that
dramatic singing (that is to say, artistic singing) is the
result of two distinct categories of studies:

1. The study of the physiological causes of the natural function
of the vocal organs, which in certain cases make the function
difficult or even impossible. This part of vocal culture
constitutes the Science of the Voice” (La Science de la Voix),
and rightly belongs to the scientists and physiologists who have
specialized in this branch of medical research, and are equipped
to remedy the shortcomings 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
Singing” (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 experience to guide the young
aspirants to a career which they themselves have honored before.

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 universal: THE ART OF SINGING.

Believe me, gentlemen,

Yours faithfully,

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. ENRICO CARUSO, THE MASTER OF NATURAL SINGING 1

II. THE AIM OF THIS BOOK 11

III. WHO WILL READ THIS BOOK? 18

IV. THE DECADENCE OF THE ART OF SINGING AND 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 136

XVI. CARUSO’S METHOD OF SINGING AS EXPLAINED BY HIMSELF 155

XVII. THE RADICAL REFORM OF VOICE CULTURE THROUGH THE
SPEAKING VOICE 162

XVIII. THE VOICE IN ITS RELATIONSHIP TO MUSIC; THE IMPORTANCE
OF THE SPEAKING VOICE IN VOICE CULTURE 186

XIX. THE CULTURE OF THE SPEAKING VOICE AS THE NATURAL
GROUND FOR THE CULTURE OF THE SINGING VOICE 192

XX. WHO SHOULD TEACH VOICE CULTURE AND HOW 218

XXI. THE ITALIAN VOWELS AND CONSONANTS AS FUNDAMENTAL
PHONETIC ELEMENTS FOR VOICE CULTURE 231

XXII. THE ARTICULATION OF THE ITALIAN CONSONANTS; SPEAKING
EXERCISES FOR A CORRECT VOICE PRODUCTION 249

XXIII. SINGING METHOD OF THE SCIENTIFIC CULTURE OF VOICE;
FUNDAMENTAL RULES FOR CORRECT VOICE PRODUCTION 262

XXIV. VOCAL EXERCISES OF THE SCIENTIFIC CULTURE OF VOICE 278