st first,
and before all else, think of the pitch of the tone, before I attack
the _f_. With the _f_, the tone must be there already, _before_ I have
pronounced it; to pass from the _f_ to the _r_ I must summon to my
aid the auxiliary vowel _oo_, in order to prevent the formation of any
unvocalized interstices in the sound. The _r_ must not now drop off,
but must in turn be joined to the _oo_, while the tongue should not
drop down behind, [Illustration] but should complete the vibrations
thus, [Illustration] in a straight line. (See plate.)

[Illustration]

It is very interesting to note how much a word can gain or lose in
fulness and beauty of tone. Without the use of auxiliary vowels no
connection of the resonance in words can be effected; there is then no
beautiful tone in singing, only a kind of hacking. Since it must be
quite imperceptible, the use of auxiliary vowels must be very
artistically managed, and is best practised in the beginning very
slowly on single tones and words, then proceeding with great care to
two tones, two syllables, and so on. In this way the pupil learns to
_hear_. But he must learn to hear very slowly and for a long time,
until there is no failure of vibration in the tone and word, and it is
all so impressed upon his memory that it can never be lost. The
auxiliary vowels must always be present, but the listener should be
able to hear, from the assistance of the _oo_, only the warmth and
nobility of the tone, from the _a_ and _e_ only the carrying power and
brilliancy of it.

SECTION XXX

RESONANT CONSONANTS

_K_, _l_, _m_, _n_, _p_, _s_, and _r_ at the end of a word or syllable
must be made resonant by joining to the end of the word or syllable a
rather audible _[)e]_ (_eh_); for instance, Wandel^e, Gretel^e,
etc.

A thing that no one teaches any longer, or knows or is able to do, a
thing that only Betz and I knew, and with me will probably disappear
entirely, is the dividing and ending of syllables that must be
effected under certain conditions. It may have originated with the
Italian school.

I was taught it especially upon double consonants. When two come
together, they must be divided; the first, as in Him-mel, being
sounded dull, and without resonance, the syllable and tone being kept
as nasal as possible, the lips closed, and a pause being made between
the two syllables; not till then is the second syllable pronounced,
with a new formation of the second consonant.