| Share page | Visit Us On FB |
|
224 |
TRAINING THE SINGING VOICE |
||
|
MASTERY OF THE TEXT
The original words of a song constitute its text. Interpreting the text of a song is the vocal expression of its words, poem, subject matter, thought content, message and meaning, with all their implications of emotional and intellectual interpretation, as distinguished from the mere rendition of the musical score or musical and instrumental accompaniment. (W) Songs without words are instrumental compositions. Vocal songs always use a text. [Henderson 243, p. 103]
Text comes before tone in vocal study. Eighteen authors believe, with La Forge, that "the poem is the point of departure" in studying singing. [527] **The first requisite of the vocalist is to be understood/' says Philip.
[446, p. 99] Technical ability is directionless unless the singer has "some distinct mental intention in singing/* [Aikin 4] Greene voices a dissenting opinion, however. He insists that although intelligibility of meaning is important in interpreting a song, "the music must always come first" and may not be suixffdinated. [209, p. 121] Other affirmative opinions are summarized in the following statements:
1. "*The word phrase [always] governs the musical phrase. . . . The major moods of the poem are invariably associated with the harmonic structure and melodic action" of the song. [Haywood 234; also Vale 619, p. 44]
2. Interpretation will be enhanced if the meaning of the words is first understood. (Wilson 673, p. 97]
3. Merer begin with the music; first consider the text. [Eustis 163]
4. Singing is "the vitalization of text by musical tone . . . the creation of the [vocal] tone must be for that purpose and that alone." [Henderson 243, p. 7]
5. "Learn the text first so that you will know what you are singing
about." [Ryan 480, p. 76]
"Speaking ike song" Speech and song are distinguishable largely by the formalities and style of vocal utterance related to each. (Chapter IX)
When stripped of its musical score, the text of a song can be rendered in spoken style as a means of capturing and accentuating* its essential thought content. [Gonkiin 121, p. 47] When so performed, the words of a song can be made to resemble intensified or declamatory spoken utterances, thereby eliminating many complexities of oral and musical expression and fedltating the comprehension of the text. Seventy-four authors recommend this type of speaking approach to the study of interpretation in singing. |
|||