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CONCEPTS OF INTERPRETATION tlg
of his later extensive researches in the same field. Seashore writes, more emphatically, that "no singer . . . sings in true pitch, even dynamics, metronomic rime or uniform tone quality. If he did, he could not possibly be regarded as a good singer. [505] Among Seashore's more significant findings are the following:
a) In about 25% of the tones sung, the artist never even touches the correct mean-pitch level. In about 75% of the tones, the correct pitch level is only momentarily attained witMn the duration value of the note. [506, p. 56]
b) Approximately 40% of the tone to tone pitch connections are accompanied by imperceptible portamento (gliding) transitions; about 35% are level pitch attacks, following a minute pause; and about 25% are gliding attacks following a minute pause. [Ibid., p. 73]
c) About 55% of the tones sung are ended with a level release and 45% have a gliding release, usually falling. [Ibid.]
d) Artistic singing lies not in strict conformance to fixed values of pitch, intensity, time and quality, but rather in deviation from these. [511, p. 21]
e) Singers perform by habit, not by exact technical control of the voice; i.e., vocal effects are learned empirically by constant repetition. [506, p. 74]
f) Singers agree on what is good, but they disagree on what they are doing. [Ibid.]
g) The gliding attack or release is not to be condemned since it is €*an important medium for softening the contour of the tone." [509, p. 271]
h) In expressing specific emotions hi song, the artist singer "takes great freedom with the score, usually supplementing the song with dramatic accessories/* essential to his interpretation. [504]
Metfessel also finds that emotional expression, even in artistic singing, adversely affects the pitch accuracy of the voice, causing minute and subtle deviations from true pitch that play an essential part in creating the emotional effect intended. He cautions the singer, however, that "no implication is intended that performers should strive to deviate from pitch.fff [391] All these reports of scientific studies clearly indicate that the errors found in pitch attack among singers "are not due to motor skil deficiency or to auditory misjudgements, but are deviations necessary for the legato flow of the song." [19] |
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