71-27,611 FARLEY, Charles Richard, 1925- CONTRASTS IN VOCAL PEDAGOGY: 194-0 AND 1970. The University of Oklahoma, D.Mus.Ed., 1971 Music University Microfilms, A XEROX Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan ©Copyright by Charles Richard Farley 1971 THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GRADUATE COLLEGE CONTRASTS IN VOCAL PEDAGOGY: 1940 AND 1970 A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF MUSIC EDUCATION BY CHARLES RICHARD FARLEY Norman, Oklahoma 1971 CONTRASTS IN VOCAL PEDAGOGY: 1940 AND 1970 APPROVED BY jjSC JIÂjÙ DISSERTATION COMMITTE PLEASE NOTE: Some pages have indistinct print. Filmed as received. UNIVERSITY MICROFILMS. ACKNOWLEDGMENT To my adviser, Dr. Bruce Govich, for his guidance, patience, and enthusiasm; To my Committee for the time and advice graciously extended me; To Dr. Shirley Jones for helpful criticism and encouragement; To Oklahoma Baptist University and my friends there, who have shown me every courtesy; To Jo Nicholson Bond for the careful preparation of this final copy; And to my wife, Jean, and sons, Frazier and Tracy, for their patience, help, and understanding; I express my deep gratitude. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION .................................. 1 II. HISTORICAL ORIGINS OF INDIRECT AND DIRECT APPROACHES ........................ 13 III. RESPIRATION ........... 24 IV. PHONATION .......... 51 V. RESONATION ................................. 77 VI. MODULATION ................................... 108 VII. SUMMARY, INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY ......... 153 BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................... 183 APPENDIX .............................................. 193 iv CONTRASTS IN VOCAL PEDAGOGY: 1940 AND 1970 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The purpose of this study is to identify contrasts and to indi­ cate changes which have occurred in methods of teaching singing since the 1940's. The methodological considerations will be restricted to those which are relative to the processes of respiration, phonation, resonation, and modulation. This work will be concerned with a variety of pedagogical approaches. Teachers of singing as well as others who are familiar with singing are aware of the extent to which changes in pedagogical concepts have affected the general state of voice pedagogy during the past quarter of a century. Unfortunately, many teachers steeped in tradi­ tional teaching techniques are often unaware of newer and sometimes more accurate methods and information regarding pedagogy. On the other hand, teachers with more recent training many times fail to comprehend statements and procedures used by those who cling to dicta of the past. The result is often a lack of mutual respect among teachers of singing. On occasion this has led to open animosities which tend to be damaging to the entire profession. It can be stated categorically that each group is likely to continue to be antagonistic to the other unless they 2 respond to the changes that have occurred in pedagogical procedures since the 1940's. The information found in this study could provide the aforementioned teachers of singing an opportunity to seek common ground for communication of ideas and the achievement of mutual under­ stand ing. Training the Singing Voice by Victor Alexander Fields serves as a synthesis of vocal pedagogy before 1947. Fields' book is a highly respected, authoritative source book presenting an analysis of the work­ ing concepts which formed the basis of vocal pedagogy prior to its publication in 1947. Walter Allen Stults, who has served as a reviewer for The National Association of Teachers of Singing Bulletin since 1956, describes the book thus: . unique in concept and comprehensive in scope. Its title might well have been an Anthology of Vocal Concepts, consisting, as it does, of an "analytical study and comparison of many recent con­ tributions to vocal pedagogy. ..." He has made available for the professional singers and teachers, as well as amateurs and advanced students, a vast reference symposium to which they may refer for extended comment on any phase of vocal technic whether mental, phys­ ical, emotional or musical in genesis.^ Even though the contents of Fields' book were gleaned from con­ tributions to vocal pedagogy during the fifteen years prior to its pub­ lication, the teachers cited by Fields drew heavily on current experience and practice, much of which was based on the past going as far back as the time of Caccini, the turn of the seventeenth century. One objective of Fields' book was to present a survey and comparison of the many recent views about the field of vocal pedagogy to facilitate appraisal of old and new teaching methods. Both pedagogy and research could ^Jalter Allen Stults, "Bookshelf," ^ NATS Bulletin, XXIII (May, 1957), p. 21. benefit from the juxtaposition and classification of the principal 2 ideologies and methodologies pursued by the singing profession. Another aim of his book was to "furnish the teacher of singing counsel and cautions of his contemporaries from a range of knowledge and experi­ ence wider than his own. Needless trial and error experiences might be obviated and the teaching profession as a whole provided with a pur­ posive viewpoint."3 The National Association of Teachers of Singing (hereinafter NATS) is presently the largest single organization of singing teachers h in the world. The NATS Bulletin is notably the only periodical of NATS used for the expression of vocal concepts. The use of The Bulletin as a primary source of recent views about singing may be easily justified, for there is currently no other periodical devoted exclusively to the prob­ lems of the singer and singing techniques. The objectives of the associ­ ation as expressed in the first publication of The Bulletin in 1944 were: . to establish and maintain the highest standards of ethical principles and practices in the profession of the teaching of vocal art; to establish and maintain the highest possible standards of competence in said profession; to conduct and encourage research and to disseminate information to the profession at large; and encourage effective cooperation among vocal teachers for their welfare and advancement.^ 2 Victor Alexander Fields, Training the Singing Voice (New York: King's Crown Press, 1947), p. 1. h b l d . ^For the sake of brevity The NATS Bulletin will be referred to as The Bulletin in the text and footnotes. ^"Pertinent Selections from the Association By-Laws," The Bulletin, I (OctoberJ"1944)» p. 4. 4 The charter members of NATS were teachers of singing who through cooperation and research sought to establish a more respected profession. Homer G. Mowe, the first editor of The Bulletin, wrote that it was neces­ sary to establish a means of communication among teachers which would help them become better acquainted by learning of the various interests, aims, and activities of their colleagues. It was also noted that the geographical distribution of the members imposed a serious obstacle to conventions; hence, the publication of a periodical would seem vital to the attainment of cooperation among teachers of singing.^ In the first issue of The Bulletin, the president of NATS, John C. Wilcox, indicated that there was need for a reconciliation among the various pedagogical approaches when he stated: Your officers and various committees are working on projects which will, in due time, result in the issuance of material of great interest and value to our members and the voice teaching profession at large. A single statement of Fundamental Laws and Pedagogic Precepts, which will reflect authentic information from the field of scientific vocal research and a reconciled pedagogic approach, is one of these projects. While the actual preparation and publica­ tion of such material must, of necessity, be the task of our officers and special committees, it is recognized that many members outside the "official family" are fitted to make valuable contributions. One of the principal functions of NATS is to provide a medium for such an exchange of ideas. I cordially issue a standing invitation to any and all members to submit to me, at any time, ideas or opinions which they believe would be a helpful contribution to our program of educa­ tion, fellowship and professional betterment.? Several months later Wilcox began to implement the stated objectives of the association by appointing a research committee to make a compilation of significant research relative to singing, to keep in touch with all ^Horner G. Mowe, "Editorials," The Bulletin, I , (October; 194^);,. p. 2, ^John C. Wilcox, "Greetings," The Bulletin, I^(October»'4944)ÿ pi 1. 5 known research projects, and subsequently report such information to the membership through The Bulletin. Wilcox also appointed an editorial committee to compile educational data and edit the information in a way which would reflect the opinions of members who contributed to the dis­ cussion of the materials.8 In December, 1945, another of the objectives of the association was attained by the publication of "a statement of the laws and precepts about which there should be universal agreement among teachers of sing­ ing."^ This statement, under the heading of "Training the Vocal Instru­ ment," was prepared and presented by the editorial committee to the members of NATS for their comment and suggestions. The statement listed and discussed specific views about objectives