istener, but the
singer and speaker, for pure tone and pure pronunciation cannot be
divorced, one cannot exist without the other. In his interesting work,
_The Singing of the Future_, Mr. Ffrangcon-Davies insists that, "the
quickest way to fine tone is through fine pronunciation."

We cannot think except in words, nor voice our thought without speech.
Vocal utterance is thought articulate. Therefore, instead of prolonged
attention to tone itself, training should be concentrated upon the
uttered word. The student should aim "to sing a word rather than a
tone." Correct pronunciation and beautiful tone are so interdependent
as to be inseparable.

The singer and speaker require all sounds in their purity. To seek to
develop the voice along the narrow limits of any single vowel or
syllable, as for instance the syllable _ah_, is harmful. Not only is
this vowel sound, as Lilli Lehmann says, "the most difficult," but the
proper pronunciation of all words within the whole range of the voice
is thereby impeded. Diction and tone work should therefore go hand in
hand. "The way in which vowel melts into vowel and consonants float
into their places largely determines the character of the tone
itself." Without finished pronunciation speech and song of emotional
power are impossible. Gounod, the composer, says, "Pronunciation
creates eloquence." Mr. Forbes-Robertson, the English master of
dramatic diction, speaking for his own profession says: "The trouble
with contemporary stage elocution springs from the actor's very desire
to act well. In his effort to be natural he mumbles his words as too
many people do in everyday life. Much of this can be corrected by
constantly bearing in mind the true value of vowels, the percussive
value of consonants, and the importance of keeping up the voice until
the last word is spoken. There must be, so to speak, plenty of wind in
the bellows. The great thing is to have the sound come from the front
of the mouth.... The actor must learn to breathe deeply from the
diaphragm and to take his breath at the proper time. Too often the
last word is not held up, and that is very often the important
word.... Schools for acting are valuable, ... but, after all, the
actors, like other folk, must be taught how to speak as children in
the home, at school, and in society."

In pronunciation the words should seem to be formed by the upper lip
and to come out through it. By this method it will be found easy to
pron