exert their power consciously and under the control of the will.

Every vowel, every word, every tone, can be colored as by magic in all
sorts of ways by the well-controlled play of the lips; can, as it
were, be imbued with life, as the lips open or close more or less in
different positions. The lips are the final cup-shaped resonators
through which the tone has to pass. They can retard it or let it
escape, can color it bright or dark, and exert a ceaseless and ever
varying influence upon it long before it ceases and up to its very
end.

No attempt should be made to use the play of the lips until complete
mastery of the absolutely even, perfect tone, and of the muscular
powers, has been acquired. The effect must be produced as a result of
power and practice; and should not be practised as an effect _per
se_.

SECTION XXVII

THE VOWEL-SOUND _AH_

There is much discussion as to whether _ah_, _oo_, or some other vowel
is the one best adapted for general practice. In former times practice
was entirely on the vowel-sound _ah_. The old Italians taught it; my
mother was trained so, and never allowed her pupils to use any other
vowel during the first months of their instruction. Later, to be sure,
every letter, every word, was practised and improved continually, till
it was correct, and had impressed itself upon the memory, as well as
the ear, of the pupil for all time.

I explain the matter thus:--

The singer's mouth should always make an agreeable impression. Faces
that are forever grinning or showing fish mouths are disgusting and
wrong.

The pleasing expression of the mouth requires the muscular
contractions that form the bright vowel _ah_.

Most people who are not accustomed to using their vocal resonance
pronounce the _ah_ quite flat, as if it were the vowel-sound lying
lowest. If it is pronounced with the position of the mouth belonging
to the bright vowels, it has to seek its resonance, in speaking as
well as in singing, in the same place as the dark vowels, on the
high-arched palate. To permit this, it must be mingled with _oo_. The
furrows in the tongue must also be formed, just as with _oo_ and _o_,
only special attention must be given that the back of the tongue does
not fall, but remains high, as in pronouncing _[=a]_. In this way _ah_
comes to lie between _oo-o'ah'y[=a]_, and forms at the same time the
connection between the bright and the dark vowels, and the reverse.

For this reason it wa