2; a German
translation by J. F. Agricola was issued in 1757. The present work will
call for several citations from Tosi, all taken from the English
edition. Only one other prominent teacher of the old school, G. B.
Mancini, has left an apparently complete record of his method. His
_Riflessioni pratiche sul Canto figurato_ was published in Milan in
1776. Mancini's book has never been translated into English. Reference
will therefore be made to the third Italian edition, brought out in
Milan, 1777.

Tosi and Mancini undoubtedly intended to give complete accounts of the
methods of instruction in singing in vogue in their day. But modern
vocal theorists generally believe that the most important materials of
instruction were for some reason not mentioned. Three registers are
mentioned by Tosi, while Mancini speaks of only two. Both touch on the
necessity of equalizing the registers, but give no specific directions
for this purpose. About all these early writers have left us, in the
opinion of most modern students of their works, is the outline of an
elaborate system of vocal ornaments and embellishments.

On the side of tradition a slightly more coherent set of rules has come
down to us from the old masters. These are generally known as the
"traditional precepts." Just when the precepts were first formulated it
is impossible to say. Tosi and Mancini do not mention them. Perhaps they
were held by the old masters as a sort of esoteric mystery; this idea is
occasionally put forward. At any rate, by the time the traditional
precepts were given to the world in published works on the voice, their
valuable meaning had been completely lost.

Gathered from all available sources, the traditional precepts are as
follows:

"Sing on the breath."

"Open the throat."

"Sing the tone forward," or "at the lips."

"Support the tone."

To the layman these precepts are so vague as to be almost
unintelligible. But modern vocal teachers are convinced that the
precepts sum up the most important means used by the old masters for
imparting the correct vocal action. An interpretation of the precepts in
terms intelligible to the modern student would therefore be extremely
valuable. Many scientific investigators of the voice have sought
earnestly to discover the sense in which the precepts were applied by
the old masters. These explanations of the traditional precepts occupy a
very important position in most modern methods of instruction.