irror was unduly tarnished or the
flame unduly puffed. 'Ah' was their pattern vowel, being the most
difficult on account of the openness of the throat--the vowel which, by
letting more breath out, demanded the greatest control. The perfect
poise of the instrument on the controlled breath was found to bring
about _three_ important results to the singer:

"_First result_--Unerring tuning. As we do not experience any sensation
of consciously using the muscles in the throat, we can only judge of the
result by listening. When the note sounds to the right breath control it
springs unconsciously and instantaneously to the tune we intended. The
freedom of the instrument not being interfered with, it follows through
our wishing it--like any other act naturally performed. This unerring
tuning is the first result of a right foundation.

"_Second result_--The throat spaces are felt to be unconscious and
arrange themselves independently in the different positions prompted by
the will and necessary to pronounciation, the factors being freedom of
tongue and soft palate, and freedom of lips.

"_Third result_--The complete freedom of the face and eyes which adapt
themselves to those changes necessary to the expression of the emotions.

"The artist can increase the intensity of his tone without necessarily
increasing its volume, and can thus produce the softest effect. By his
skill he can emit the soft note and cause it to travel as far as a loud
note, thus arousing emotions as of distance, as of memories of the past.
He produces equally well the more powerful gradations without
overstepping the boundary of noble and expressive singing. On the other
hand, an indifferent performer would scarcely venture on a soft effect,
the absence of breath support would cause him to become inaudible and
should he attempt to crescendo such a note the result would be throaty
and unsatisfactory."

Another most important subject is diction, and the writer can think of
nothing better than to quote from Mme. Lilli Lehmann, the greatest
Wagnerian soprano of the last century.

"Let us now consider some of the reasons why some American singers have
failed to succeed. How do American women begin their studies? Many
commence their lessons in December or January. They take two or three
half-hour lessons a week, even attending these irregularly, and ending
their year's instruction in March or, at the latest, in April. Surely
music study under such circumstanc