Ru
EnK. Moshkin
H. Helmholtz’s “On the sensations of tone…” in Russian vocal treatises of the early 20th century
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Russia witnessed active interaction between vocal pedagogy and advancements in the natural sciences. A pivotal role in this process was played by Hermann von Helmholtz’s fundamental work, “On the Sensations of Tone as a Physiological Basis for the Theory of Music” (1863), which served as an interdisciplinary bridge between physiology, acoustics, psychology, and musical practice. Helmholtz not only systematized knowledge about the nature of sound and auditory perception, but also offered a scientific explanation of the mechanisms underlying the vocal apparatus, opening new horizons for vocal pedagogy. This article analyzes the influence of Helmholtz’s ideas on the formation of a scientifically grounded approach in the Russian vocal school during this period. It examines key aspects of his work: the physiology of hearing, resonance theory, vowel and timbre formation, and the use of resonators for sound analysis. Using the treatises by Eva Hortensia Sünnerberg, “What System Should One Follow in Voice Training?” (1912), and Vasily Karelin, “A New Theory of Voice Training” (1912), the article demonstrates how pedagogues integrated Helmholtz’s scientific principles into singing teaching methodologies. Sünnerberg draws on Helmholtz’s resonance theory to explain vowel formation, while Karelin employs it to support his concept of the high laryngeal position. The article concludes that Russian vocal pedagogues’ engagement with Helmholtz’s work reflected a broader trend toward a “grand science” of the voice, and an aspiration to bridge the gap between empirical practice and scientific knowledge.
Key words
H. von Helmholtz, “On the Sensations of Tone…”, Russian vocal treatises, the “grand science” of voice, E. H. Sünnerberg, V. Karelin, inter-discipline study of voice.
For citation
Moshkin K. H. Helmholtz’s “On the sensations of tone…” in Russian vocal treatises of the early 20th century. In: South-Russian Musical Anthology. 2026. No. 1. Pp. 59–65.
