II RESPIRATION Respiration RESPIRATION IS PERHAPS the most difficult of the elements of Speech with which we have to deal and ye t Nature has made it so simple and automatic in its function that it s perfection of use lies precisely in its simplicity . The complexity of this simple act, however, has to be faced, for along the lines of the complex nature of the power of respiration are to be found those obstructions which interrupt the free flow of action necessary for the tone of voice required for perfectly balanced speech. Page-15 Respiration is dependent upon the " Prana '", or life-force of the Indian system. Pranic energy is present in all fo

I THE HUMAN VOICE The Human Voice NEXT TO THE eyes, which reflect the soul in silence, the human voice is the supreme instrument which enables man to express his inmost self. It is so intimately connected with the subtle vibrations of the mental, vital, nervous and physical being that it can manifest the most delicately remote or the most profound thought or feeling which the finest musical instrument fashioned by the skill of man cannot do. To tell, and tell beautifully the thoughts and feelings which occur within us is an art of human Page-9 expression which all educated people can acquire provided they wish to make the effort of learnin

INTRODUCTION EFFECTIVE speaking is an art. Voice-production, the rhythmic coordination of breathing, control of the larynx and the vocal cords and pronunciation, is a subject which needs as much study as mathematics, or as much discipline as any branch of art-expression. The cities of the world are full of would-be teachers of elocution and of ineffective voice-trainers. But today, whether it be in the church or on the stage or on the political platform, there are few indeed who have well-modulated, effective or pleasing speech. Page-1 One might engage the most astute advocate of law to plead a case, but unless his arguments arc accompanied by an effective delivery

THE POWER OF SPEECH AND MANTRA by NORMAN C. DOWSETT Copyright © 1978 by Norman C. Dowsett All rights reserved Published by : Department of Educational Research and Development Sri Aurobindo Society Pondicherry August 15th, 1978 Price : Rs. 6/- Printed at: Jyotishikha Press 37, Eswaran Koil Street Pondicherry -605001 INDIA

IV RESONANCE Resonance "WE HAVE BEEN dealing with the functional elements of our subject : these elements, both mechanical and instinctive, which are in a way the cause of the tone or voice produced. We now have to appreciate the effect of that cause. We have said that the thorax should do for vocal tone what the body of a violin does for the vibration of the strings. The vocal tone produced in the larynx is merely an initial vibration, but beauty and depth of tone depend upon the Page-35 resonance produced by the thorax, the foremost and most important of the resonators.1 Correct breath-supply, correct vocal cord adjustment and balance

V PRONUNCIATION Pronunciation I DO NOT INTEND to labour this work with a 'system of my own on pronunciation with those diacritical instructions in which experts delight; nor do 1 think it helpful to do so as each teacher of Voice Production, each Elocutionist has his own method of approach towards the formulation of vowel sounds and the pronouncing of consonants. Not only do methods of teaching come into question but the number of speech sounds in ' English Page-45 are rarely agreed upon by different authorities.1 Nevertheless we are interested in pronunciation as far as vocal tone is concerned. For an effective and clear pronunciation the vocal ton

VI COORDINATING RHYTHM Coordinating Rhythm TO COORDINATE ALL the factors and elements we have now studied in the preceding chapters we must enter into the real secret of Speech as a Power, identify ourselves with the central unifying factor which gathers together our technical knowledge and practice to produce the kind of speech which is at once effective and interesting enough for the audience to want to hear; arresting and provoking enough for them to want to understand; compelling -and inspiring enough for them to want to remember. That unifying factor is Rhythm. Page-57 Before we enter into the possible realms of rhythm, however, let us fi

III THE VOCAL CORDS AND LARYNX The Vocal Cords and Larynx .A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF the anatomy of the vocal cords and larynx is not necessary for the purpose of clear and effective speech, for we are concerned with these organs in a s much as a knowledge of them can make clear in Our mind their function and purpose only. Nevertheless, we can draw on our imagination to visualise the action of the vocal cords. We can think of the vocal cords as the type of stage curtains which are drawn back from the center towards the sides, so that the whole stage can be obscured, or as much as the central opening will allow. Pa

VII THE POWER OF MANTRA The Power of Mantra. " The secret Self in all beings is not apparent, but it is seen by means of the supreme Reason; the subtle, by those who have the subtle vision." (Katha Upanishad, III. 12) 'WE HAVE SAID that the secret of Speech as a power is Rhythm, because rhythm is the central unifying element which gathers together all the perfection achieved; or it is by our sense of rhythm that it has been possible to bring all the other factors effectively together for a single harmonious purpose. Page-67 In all speech expression, and especially with poetry and all poetic expression, rhythm is the first thing w