Style in Singing | Page 9

singer should be able to colour every
tone in three forms of graduated intensity: Soft to loud p [crescendo
symbol] f; loud to soft f [decrescendo symbol] p; and soft to loud and
soft again p [crescendo symbol] f [decrescendo symbol] p.
This command of intensity, therefore, is invaluable. But it is even more
effective when the artist has the power to combine the various
gradations of Intensity with different shades of Colour; in other words,
when he can sing a tone crescendo and diminuendo in the clear and
sombre timbres.
The passage, already cited, from Alceste's great air in Gluck's opera
Alceste, furnishes an admirable illustration of the dramatic emotion
created by a sudden contrast of Intensity as well as Colour. In the
invocation "Ye ministers that dwell in night!" the clear timbre is used
with gradually increasing volume until at the phrase (sung adagio)
"Ministers of death!" the timbre changes abruptly to a sombre quality
with sinister effect, which effect is augmented by being sung pp.

[Music: Gluck (Alceste: Act I)
Divinites du Styx! Divinites du Styx! Ministres de la mort!]
A still more striking example of the impressive effect produced by
sudden contrasts of intensity is offered in the magnificent air "Total
Eclipse," from Samson (Handel). In it, a judicious use of tone-colour,
accent, and variations of tempo, all combine to elucidate in the highest
possible degree the idea of both composer and poet:
[Music: Sun, moon and stars, sun, moon and stars are dark to me.]
The words "Sun, moon and stars" should be given strongly accentuated,
and the tempo gradually accelerated. The repetition of the phrase
should be sung with still greater intensity; then, at the passage "are dark
to me," the colour of the voice changes to one of very sombre quality,
and the original tempo is resumed. The first consonant in the word
"dark" should receive a slight stress.
The crescendo has always been a favourite device of composers,
particularly of those who write for the lyric theatre. It was an effect
held in high esteem by Rossini, who introduced it constantly in his
operas--witness his overtures and ensembles. All are familiar with the
wonderful crescendo which precedes the appearance of the Knight of
the Swan, in Lohengrin, where the sonorities are augmented by gradual
additions of voices and instruments until the culminating point is
reached. An instance more poignant still is found in the great
"Liebestod" in Tristan und Isolde.
Although Herold, the French composer, observed that in working up to
a climax one should begin a long way off, a singer must be careful not
to reach his maximum of vocal sonority before the musical climax is
attained. The tenor Duprez created a sensation that is historic, in the
long crescendo passage in the fourth act of Guillaume Tell, by
gradually increasing the volume of sound, as the phrase developed in
power and grandeur, until the end, which he delivered with all the
wealth of his exceptionally resonant voice.

Before closing this chapter on Intensity, I should advise singers whose
voices possess great natural volume or power not to abuse this valuable
quality by employing it too frequently. The ear of a listener tires sooner
of extreme sonority than of any other effect. Talma, the great actor,
wrought many reforms on the French dramatic stage, not only in
costume--prior to his time Greek or Roman dress only was worn in
tragedy--but also in the manner of delivering tragic verse. Against the
custom, then prevalent, of always hurling forth long tirades at full voice,
he inveighed in these terms: "Of all monotonous things, uproar is the
most intolerable" (de toutes les monotonies, celle de la force est la plus
insupportable). An artistic singer will use his most powerful tones, as a
painter employs his most vivid colours, sparingly.
* * * * *
PHRASING
Phrasing is simply musical punctuation. In singing, it may be separated,
like accent, into two divisions: Musical and Poetic, or Verbal, phrasing.
If the following passage were performed by an instrument, it would not
require any particular grouping or phrasing:
[Music]
But when sung, it would fail in effect if not performed with a very
slight pause after the word "nobis," thus:
[Music: Ave Maria
Luzzi
Ora pro nobis, Maria.]
As another illustration of the excellent effect of correct phrasing may
be cited the song Psyche, by Paladilhe. Its effect is heightened if the
musical phrasing be judiciously combined with a change in Colour and
Intensity:

[Music: Quand il les flatte, j'en murmure!]
(Should be sung):
[Music: Quand il les flatte, j'en murmure!]
It is the clashing of the Musical and Verbal phrasings that often makes
translations of lyric works unsatisfactory. The two phrases are
independent, not welded together. So far from being "Music wedded to
immortal Verse," these instances resemble