HUCKEL, William
Practical instructions for the cultivation of the voice. With a series of rules for its adaptation to the chamber, the concert room, and the stage
London, H. Falkner, s.d. (1820)
small 8vo, contemporary dark green cloth boards, title piece to spine, gilt title and ornamentation to front board, 71 p.; good copy, soiling to cover, old sticker to bottom of spine, foxing to endpapers
Rare first edition copy of William Huckel’s practical singing manual. Not much seems to be known about the author, except that he was a student of Domenico Corri, himself a student of the legendary 18th century voice teacher Nicola Porpora. The text is of great interest, not only for its connection to Porpora, but as the title indicates, for its practical instruction. Huckel’s nuanced instruction on the old Italian school teaching of opening the mouth departs from the usual focus on the smiling upper lip. Huckel writes: “The lower lip should be inclined to the smile, so that the tip of the under teeth may just be seen; for if the lip is allowed to remain in its natural position during practice, the probability is, that it will weaken and damp the tone.” We add: ANELLI (Joseph), Prospectus of a course of four lectures on vocal science, (ca. 1850) small 8vo, booklet, 11 p.
