and of nothing more.

Under normal conditions the vocal organs instinctively adjust
themselves, by performing the necessary muscular contractions, to
fulfill the demands of the ear. In order that a perfect musical tone be
produced it is necessary in the first place that the ear be keen and
well trained; only such an ear can know the exact sound of a perfect
tone, and so demand it of the voice. Second, the vocal organs must make
repeated efforts to produce the perfect tone, each response approaching
nearer to the mentally-conceived tone. Two elements are therefore
involved in the training of the voice; first, the cultivation of the
sense of hearing; second, the acquirement of skill in the use of the
voice by the actual practice of singing.

Practical vocal teachers generally recognize the importance of both
these elements of Voice Culture. Only in one way do they fall short of
fully realizing the value of ear training and of practice guided by the
ear;--they do not see that these two topics sum up the whole material of
vocal training. Unfortunately, the search after some imaginary means of
direct vocal management destroys, in all modern methods, most of the
value of the real elements of voice culture.

A few citations from standard writers on the voice will show the
estimation in which ear-training is held. To begin with, the old Italian
masters were fully alive to the necessity of cultivating the sense of
hearing, as witness Tosi: "One who has not a good ear should not
undertake either to instruct or to sing." This writer also says in the
chapter headed "Observations for a student": "Let him hear as much as he
can the most celebrated singers, and likewise the most excellent
instrumental performers; because from the attention in hearing them one
reaps more advantage than from any instruction whatsoever."

Another early writer on the voice, the celebrated Adolph Bernhard Marx,
speaks of the advantage derived from the attentive listening to voices:
"An important influence is exerted by the frequent attentive hearing of
good voices. Through this an idea of good tone is strengthened, which
gains an influence on the use and also on the training of the organs,
not perhaps immediate, but clearly seen in its results." (_Die Kunst des
Gesanges_, Berlin, 1826.)

Among modern writers only a few need be mentioned. D. Frangcon-Davies
remarks: "The training of the ear is one half of the training of the
voice." (_The Singing of t