thmically in sympathy with the movement or the
rhythm of the song. Even though the voice may flow freely on the vowels,
the articulation must not be hurried, nervous or spasmodic. This style of
articulation often disturbs the legato flow and spoils the general effect.
While of course it is not possible to sing the consonantal sounds, a
beautiful effect is often the result of playing upon the consonant
rhythmically, with the movement of the song.

ARTICLE THREE.

THE SIXTH PRINCIPLE OF ARTISTIC SINGING.

The sixth principle of artistic singing is

_The Elocution of Singing._

_Theory._--The words and their meaning, in modern song, are, as a
rule, more important than the music.

_Devices._--A study to combine elastic vowel form and flexible
articulation, applied by the emphasis and accent of important words and
phrases; also applied through the color and character of tone, and the
impressive, persuasive, fervent voice. In short, a study of pure diction.

Every singer and teacher of singing should, in a certain sense, be an
elocutionist as well. Not an elocutionist from the standpoint of many who
are called elocutionists, who are stagey, full of mannerisms, and who
exaggerate everything pertaining to elocution. Of course the better class
of elocutionists are not guilty of these things; but they do idealize
everything, whether they read, recite, or declaim, and this in their
profession is a mark of true art. So must the teacher and singer learn to
idealize not only the tone or the voice, but everything pertaining to the
singing of a song. This must be done through the manner in which the
sentiment, the thought, the central idea is brought out and presented to
the hearer; through the impressive way in which the story is told.

The elocution of singing depends upon a knowledge and control of all the
principles considered up to this point of study,--a knowledge and control
of physical, mental, and emotional power, of freedom of form and action, of
artistic vowel form and automatic articulation, of the removal of all
restraint, in fact, of all true conditions of tone. To interpret well, the
singer must have mastered the elocution of singing, must be able to bring
out every vowel and consonantal element of the words, must know how to use
and apply tone color and tone character, the impressive, persuasive,
fervent voice. The singer must idealize not only the tone, but the words of
the song; "just as the painter id