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CONCEPTS OF INTERPRETATION |
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11. "Think and sing in terms of groups of notes" and short phrases, rather than in individual notes and syllables. [Karapetoff 310]
staccato:
1. The correct staccato is controlled by an. Automatic breath reflex similar to "a hearty belly laugh." Like the laugh, it must sound spontaneous. [Stults 597]
2. There is a "short stroke of the diaphragm" on each staccato tone [Owsley 441, p. 95]
3. "Staccato is entirely a glottic action, a rapid starting and stopping of the vocal cords." [Clippinger 104, p. 38]
4. The vocal cords leap together and fly apart again on every staccato note. Therefore, to strengthen the vocal cords, practice the staccato action countless times. [Henley 247]
5. Staccato practice builds "vocal surety . . . and develops flexibility in the arching of the soft palate." [Elizabeth Schumann 498]
Importance of variety and tone color. Variety is the diversification of interpretative effects in the rendition of a song, brought about by the intermixture or succession of different qualities or characteristics of vocal expression. It is opposed to monotony which is a mechanical and stereotyped sameness throughout the performance. (W) Color, in a literal sense, denotes the quality or timbre of the voice; that is, the various shades of vowel quality. [Glippinger 104, p. 12] In a more general sense, however, color refers to those characteristics of the singer's voice that give "life, vivacity, reality or imaginative intensity" to his expression; a composite of subtle gradations in tonal quality and dynamics that vividly portrays the imagery and mood suggested by the text of the song. (W) "Tone color is that modulation in the voice that is expressive of the singer's emotions/' [Samuels 487, p. 38; Lewis 343, p. 57] The comments of 12 authors are summarized here.
"I do not always sing a song the same way," says Lotte Lehmann. "The singer who in himself is not capable of changing conceptions would certainly be no creative artist." [338] Originality in interpretation is important. The tone quality must be varied at will "to suit the character of the song." [Karapetoff 310] Originality (variety), always the mark of the genius, may be defined as "a personal rearrangement of experience or ideas." [Hemery 238, p. 108] Mursell and Glenn admonish the vocal student against what is called "straight line singing." Interpretations must be made to vary with the meaning of the text. Important words require |
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