HOW TO SING A SONG - online book

THE ART OF DRAMATIC AND LYRIC INTERPRETATION.

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	38 DRAMATIC AND LYRIC INTERPRETATION You create the atmosphere of a song (and I continue to look at each song as a condensed drama) if you give to each of the persons ap­pearing in the song such importance of action as is due to him. In the example we have before us {La Legende de St. Nicolas) we have already indicated by the coloration of voice that, for instance, the butcher is secondary. He is accessory only, a tool to show the miraculous mission of the Saint. Only once does he step out from the background, when he sees himself discovered by the Saint and tries to flee: Hors de sa porte il s'enfuya . . . We have tried to indicate by coloration of voice the state of mind of the butcher, frightened to death by the discovery of his crime. We have tried to indicate his flight by prolonging the last note of It is not a question of throwing out into the audience a high note. The interpreter of the song has to indicate, discreetly but neverthe­less plastically, that the butcher is striving to get to the door. I might mention right here an objection which has been made so many times by critics.