in the throat
or in the nose will certainly be tolerated rather than singing out of
tune." This is followed by the advice to the teacher to ascertain beyond
a doubt that a prospective pupil is endowed with a true musical ear.
This being done the pupil is to begin his studies by _sol-fa_-ing the
scales. "Having determined the disposition and capacity of the student
with respect to intonation, and finding him able and disposed to
succeed, let him fortify himself in correct intonation by _sol-fa_-ing
the scale, ascending and descending. This must be executed with
scrupulous attention in order that the notes may be perfectly intoned."

In this practice the quality of the tone is of the highest importance.
"The utmost care is necessary with the student to render him able to
manage this portion of his voice with the proper sweetness and
proportion." Mancini takes it for granted that the student will progress
steadily on account of this practice. "When the teacher observes that
the pupil is sufficiently free in delivering the voice, in intonation,
and in naming the notes, let him waste no time, but have the pupil
vocalize without delay."

Regarding the registers, Mancini disagrees with Tosi and names only two.
"Voices ordinarily divide themselves into two registers which are
called, one of the chest, the other of the head, or falsetto." His
method was to exercise the voice at first in the chest register, and
then gradually to extend the compass of the voice upward. "Every student
can for himself with perfect ease recognize the difference between these
two separate registers. It will suffice therefore to commence by singing
the scale, for example, if a soprano, from G to d;[10] let him take care
that these five notes are sonorous, and say them with force and
clearness, and without effort." For uniting the registers, "the most
certain means is to hold back the tones of the chest and to sing the
transition notes in the head register, increasing the power little by
little."

[Note 10: Mancini of course uses the _Sol-Fa_ names of these notes.]

Mancini devotes a few pages to a description of the vocal organs. This
fact is cited by several modern theorists in support of their statement
that the old masters based their methods on mechanical principles. In
the following chapter this topic of Mancini's treatise will be
considered.

Probably the best summary of the old Italian method offered by any
modern teacher is contained in