Art songs for tenor : a pedagogical analysis of art songs for the tenor voice

Transcription

1 University of Iowa Iowa Research Online Theses and Dissertations Summer 2012 Art songs for tenor : a pedagogical analysis of art songs for the tenor voice Adam Michael Webb University of Iowa Copyright 2012 Adam Webb This dissertation is available at Iowa Research Online: Recommended Citation Webb, Adam Michael. "Art songs for tenor : a pedagogical analysis of art songs for the tenor voice." DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts) thesis, University of Iowa, Follow this and additional works at: Part of the Music Commons

2 ART SONGS FOR TENOR: A PEDAGOGICAL ANALYSIS OF ART SONGS FOR THE TENOR VOICE by Adam Michael Webb An essay submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in the Graduate College of The University of Iowa July 2012 Essay Supervisor: Associate Professor John Muriello

3 Copyright by ADAM MICHAEL WEBB 2012 All Rights Reserved

4 Graduate College The University of Iowa Iowa City, Iowa CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL D.M.A. ESSAY This is to certify that the D.M.A. essay of Adam Michael Webb has been approved by the Examining Committee for the essay requirement for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the July 2012 graduation. Essay Committee: John Muriello, Essay Supervisor Christine Getz Shari Rhoads Timothy Stalter Stephen Swanson

5 To Suzie and Lorelei ii

6 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to my thesis committee: Stephen Swanson, Timothy Stalter, Shari Rhoads, and Christine Getz. I greatly appreciate your feedback and helpful advice. Thank you, John Muriello, my adviser and voice teacher, for your tireless help with this project and throughout this degree. Thank you to my former voice teachers: Stephen Swanson, Gail Dooley, and Jean Thomas. You have helped nurture me into a better performer and teacher. Finally, thank you to my family. It has been a blessing to grow up with such supportive parents and extended family. Thank you to my wife, Suzie. I could not have completed this degree without your unending support, motivation, and love. iii

7 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES...vi LIST OF FIGURES...ix INTRODUCTION...1 CHAPTER I BASIC TENOR PEDAGOGY AND DEFINITION OF TERMS...6 Appoggio...6 Appoggio Exercises...8 Passaggio...8 Vowel Modification...10 Vowel Modification Exercises...12 Giro...14 Tessitura...16 Chiaroscuro...18 Agility...20 Repertoire Selection and The Vocalise...21 CHAPTER II ITALIAN ART SONG AND ARIE ANTICHE...23 Claudio Monteverdi, Rosa del ciel, L Orfeo...23 Alessandro Stradella, attr., Pietà Signore...25 Alessandro Scarlatti, Toglietemi la vita ancor, Pompeo...27 Francesco Durante, Danza, danza, fanciulla gentile...28 Vincenzo Bellini, Dolente immagine di Fille mia, Tre Ariette...30 Vincenzo Bellini, Vaga luna, che inargenti, Tre Ariette...32 Vincenzo Bellini, Per pietà, bell idol mio, Sei Ariette...34 Francesco Paolo Tosti, Ideale...36 Francesco Paolo Tosti, La Serenata...38 Stefano Donaudy, Vaghissima sembianza...41 CHAPTER III ENGLISH ART SONG...44 Henry Purcell, I ll sail upon the Dog Star, The Fools Preferment, Z Thomas Arne, O come, O come, my dearest, The Fall of Phaeton...47 Hubert Parry, No longer mourn for me...49 Roger Quilter, Go, Lovely Rose...51 Roger Quilter, O mistress mine, Three Shakespeare Songs, Op Roger Quilter, Hey, ho, the wind and the rain, Five Shakespeare Songs, Op Gerald Finzi, Her Temple, A Young Man s Exhortation, Op Benjamin Britten, The Salley Gardens, Folksong Arrangements, Vol Samuel Barber, The Daisies 3 Songs, Op John Jacob Niles, Black is the color of my true love s hair...64 CHAPTER IV GERMAN LIEDER...68 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Abendempfindung...69 iv

8 Ludwig van Beethoven, Der Kuss...72 Franz Schubert, Wohin? Die schöne Müllerin, D Franz Schubert, Halt! Die schöne Müllerin, D Franz Schubert, Das Fischermädchen, Schwanengesang, D Robert Schumann, Waldesgespräch, Liederkreis, Op Robert Schumann, Wehmut, Liederkreis, Op Robert Schumann, Die Rose, die Lilie, die Taube, die Sonne, Dichterliebe, Op Robert Schumann, Aus alten Märchen winkt es, Dichterliebe, Op Johannes Brahms, Sonntag, Fünf Lieder, Op CHAPTER V FRENCH MELODIE...94 Jean Paul Martini, Plaisir d amour...96 César Franck, Nocturne, FWV Vincent d Indy, Madrigal, Op Ernest Chausson, Hébé, 7 mélodies, Op Henri Duparc, Lamento Henri Duparc, Chanson triste, Op. 2, No Gabriel Fauré, Lydia, 2 mélodies, Op Gabriel Fauré, Nell, 3 mélodies, Op Claude Debussy, Les cloches, Romances, L Maurice Ravel, Sainte, M CONCLUSION BIBLIOGRAPHY APPENDIX A SONGS ORGANIZED BY PEDAGOGICAL GOALS v

9 LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES Example 1: Claudio Monteverdi, L Orfeo, Rosa del ciel, mm Example 2: Alessandro Stradella, Twenty-four Italian Songs and Arias of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, for medium high voice, Pietà Signore, mm Example 3: Alessandro Stradella, Twenty-four Italian Songs and Arias of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, for medium high voice, Pietà Signore, mm Example 4: Alessandro Scarlatti, Italian Arias of the Baroque and Classical Eras, Toglietemi la vita ancor, mm Example 5: Francesco Durante, Twenty-six Italian Songs and Arias, Danza, danza, fanciulla gentile, m Example 6 Francesco Durante, Twenty-six Italian Songs and Arias, Danza, danza, fanciulla gentile, mm Example 7: Vincenzo Bellini, 15 Composizioni da Camera, Dolente immagine di Fille mia, mm Example 8: Vincenzo Bellini, 15 Composizioni da Camera, Vaga luna, che inargenti, mm Example 9: Vincenzo Bellini, 15 Composizioni da Camera, Per pietà, bell idol mio, mm Example 10: Francesco Paolo Tosti, 30 Songs, Ideale, mm Example 11: Francesco Paolo Tosti, 30 Songs, La Serenata, mm Example 12: Francesco Paolo Tosti, 30 Songs, La Serenata, mm Example 13: Stefano Donaudy, 36 Arie di stile antico, Vol. 2, Vaghissima sembianza, mm Example 14: Henry Purcell, Standard Vocal Literature: Tenor, I ll sail upon the Dog Star, mm Example 15: Thomas Arne, Twelve Songs: Book One, O come, O come, my dearest, mm Example 16: Thomas Arne, Twelve Songs: Book One, O come, O come, my dearest, mm Example 17: Hubert Parry, Hubert Parry Songs, vol. 49 of Musica Britannica: A National Collection of Music, No longer mourn for me, mm Example 18: Roger Quilter, The First Book of Tenor Solos, Go, Lovely Rose, mm vi

10 Example 19: Roger Quilter, The First Book of Tenor Solos, Go, Lovely Rose, mm Example 20: Roger Quilter, Standard Vocal Literature: Tenor, O mistress mine, mm Example 21: Roger Quilter, Standard Vocal Literature: Tenor, Hey, ho, the wind and the rain, mm Example 22: Gerald Finzi, Collected Songs, Her Temple, mm Example 23: Benjamin Britten, Folksong Arrangements, vol. 1, The Salley Gardens, mm Example 24: Samuel Barber, Collected Songs, The Daisies, mm Example 25: John Jacob Niles, The Songs of John Jacob Niles, Black is the color of my true love s hair, mm Example 26: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sämtliche Lieder, Abendempfindung, mm Example 27: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sämtliche Lieder, Abendempfindung, mm Example 28: Ludwig van Beethoven, Lieder und Gesänge, Der Kuss, mm Example 29: Ludwig van Beethoven, Lieder und Gesänge, Der Kuss, mm Example 30: Franz Schubert, 200 Songs, Wohin? mm Example 31: Franz Schubert, 200 Songs, Halt! mm Example 32: Franz Schubert, 200 Songs, Das Fischermädchen, mm Example 33: Robert Schumann, Liederkreis, Opus 39, Wehmut, mm Example 34: Robert Schumann, Dichterliebe, Die Rose, die Lilie, die Taube, die Sonne, mm Example 35: Robert Schumann, Dichterliebe, Aus alten Märchen winkt es, mm Example 36: Robert Schumann, Dichterliebe, Aus alten Märchen winkt es, mm Example 37: Johannes Brahms, Lieder, Vol. 1, Sonntag, mm by C.F. Peters...92 Example 38: Jean Paul Martini, The French Song Anthology. Plaisir d amour, mm Example 39: César Franck, The French Song Anthology, Nocturne, mm vii

11 Example 40: Ernest Chausson, The French Song Anthology, Hébé, mm Example 41: Henri Duparc, The French Song Anthology, Lamento, mm Example 42: Gabriel Fauré, Gabriel Fauré: 50 Songs, Lydia, mm Example 43: Gabriel Fauré, Gabriel Fauré: 50 Songs, Nell, mm Example 44: Claude Debussy, Douze chants avec acct. de piano, Les cloches, mm Example 45: Claude Debussy, Douze chants avec acct. de piano, Les cloches, mm Example 46: Maurice Ravel, Collected Songs, Sainte, mm viii

12 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Appoggio Exercise. Richard Miller, Training Tenor Voices, pg Figure 2: Vowel Modification Exercise. Richard Miller, Training Tenor Voices, pg Figure 3: Vowel Modification Exercise. Richard Miller, Training Tenor Voices, pg Figure 4: Vowel Modification Exercise. Richard Miller, Training Tenor Voices, pg Figure 5: Tessitura Exercise. Richard Miller, Training Tenor Voices, pg Figure 6: Tessitura Exercise. Richard Miller, Training Tenor Voices, pg Figure 7: Tessitura Exercise. Richard Miller, Training Tenor Voices, pg Figure 8: Tessitura Exercise. Richard Miller, Training Tenor Voices, pg Figure 9: Agility Exercise...20 Figure 10: Agility Exercise...21 Figure 11: Agility Exercise. Richard Miller, Training Tenor Voices, pg Figure 12: Passaggio Exercise...34 Figure 13: Legato Vowel Exercise...38 Figure 14: Triplet Exercise...41 Figure 15: Passaggio Octave Exercise...42 Figure 16: Agility Exercise...47 Figure 17: Appoggio Exercise...62 Figure 18: Tessitura Exercise...66 Figure 19: Consonant Exercise...68 Figure 20: Arpeggio Exercise...77 Figure 21: Octave Buzz Exercise...78 Figure 22: Octave Agility Exercise...79 Figure 23: Passaggio Exercise...81 Figure 24: Articulation Exercise...90 ix

13 Figure 25: Passaggio Exercise Figure 26: Vowel Exercise Figure 27: Even Scale Octave Exercise Figure 28: Articulator Exercise x

14 1 INTRODUCTION Tenors pose a unique challenge to voice teachers. The physical demands and expectations of repertoire require the tenor to have supplemental skills not found in general voice pedagogy textbooks. Tenors require a distinct approach to technique that varies from other voice types in the following areas: passaggio, vowel modification, appoggio, giro, chiaroscuro, tessitura, and agility. This project will address each of these areas with a tenorspecific point of view. This project is informed by my transition from lyric baritone to tenor. When I made the transition I was an experienced voice teacher and performer with a strong working knowledge of vocal pedagogy. However, I found it difficult to find clear answers to tenorspecific pedagogical questions. I discovered that I needed to supplement my voice training with nuanced understandings of tenor pedagogy. The definitive source for tenor training is Richard Miller s Training Tenor Voices. In his preface to Training Tenor Voices, Miller explains that many issues set the tenor apart from other voice classifications. 1 First, Miller says, the normal male voice is the baritone tenors and basses are outside that norm and are therefore fewer in number. Second, he argues that although singers in every voice type must possess solid technique, the tenor must demonstrate a higher degree of precision than other singers due to the extraordinary demands placed on the voice. Third, the shortage of tenors is not a new problem. He claims that this shortage is not only due to the physicality of the tenor voice being outside the male norm, but it is also due to a deficit of training for tenors. Miller points 1 Richard Miller, Training Tenor Voices (New York: Schirmer Books, 1993), ix-x.

15 2 out that many voice teachers express a lack of confidence in training tenors, stating that many teachers admit that teaching the tenor voice remains a mystery. 2 Without adequate guidance in technique and repertoire selection, many tenors can inadvertently pursue a technically unhealthy path. Fourth, the performance demands on the tenor voice are greater than those for other voice types. The tenor is asked to sing at demanding pitch levels for long periods of time while simultaneously expressing dramatic subtlety. Lastly, Miller discusses the personality of a successful tenor; he must be willing and able to overcome the aforementioned pitfalls of the tenor voice. The successful tenor possesses a unique blend of guts and intelligence. 3 The purpose of this project is to assist voice teachers in training tenors by selecting forty art songs that are pedagogically useful in the training of the tenor voice and providing specific pedagogical strategies for the learning process of the selected repertoire. The list of repertoire consists of ten art songs from each of the four main Western singing languages: Italian, English, German, and French. These four languages have been selected because they represent the vast majority of standard art song repertoire for the typical undergraduate tenor. They appear in this order because it is a logical progression of languages the tenor should study, from the legato and vowel-focused Italian language, to the sophisticated nuances of French. The selected songs, divided by language, then appear chronologically. The level of difficulty for the majority of the selected repertoire is approximately the same. Most of the songs are at a medium level of difficulty, and all of them are appropriate for undergraduate 2 Miller, ix. 3 Miller, x.

16 3 tenors. Songs with a high level of difficulty are described as specifically appropriate for advanced undergraduate tenors. The intended audience for this project is voice teachers of undergraduate tenors. A typical teacher of undergraduate tenors likely possesses a working knowledge of vocal pedagogy. However, unless the teacher is a tenor, this training typically limits the teacher s ability to guide the tenor through nuanced technique. An undergraduate tenor is facing a turning point in terms of his physical development between the ages of 18 and 22, and it is the most important time for him to learn healthy technique. It is essential that the tenor s teacher be equipped to explain how a tenor s approach to technique is unique, and what repertoire he should sing to progress and fulfill his potential. This project aids teachers and young tenors in a practical approach to technique and repertoire selection by identifying the technical issues in each song, explaining ways to approach those technique issues, and highlighting positive pedagogical results from learning each song. By following the strategies set forth in this project, the tenor and teacher will be more equipped to select appropriate art song repertoire beyond those songs presented in this project and address vocal technique through the song learning process. Art song was selected because it represents an accessible repertoire for the young voice. Art song is generally less difficult than operatic and oratorio repertoire. Undergraduates are expected to sing art song more frequently than operatic or oratorio repertoire in their courses of study, and degree recital programs contain either art songs exclusively, or art songs primarily. The combination of vocal and performance demands makes art song an effective genre through which to address pedagogical issues.

17 4 There are many exceptional vocal pedagogy textbooks available that provide singers and teachers with solid technical foundations by authors such as Manuel Garcia, Giovanni Battista Lamperti and others. However, general voice pedagogy books lack specific detail about the nuances of each voice type. Among the available books that address the tenor voice, Richard Miller s Training Tenor Voices stands out as the most comprehensive and detailed for tenor pedagogy, although it does not contain extensive guidance for repertoire. Anthony Frissell s The Tenor Voice is a brief discussion of basic pedagogy that does not give the reader a thorough understanding of tenor pedagogy or repertoire. There are also many biographical books by great tenors such as Enrico Caruso that can provide interesting insight into the tenor voice, but the reader must search through the anecdotes, extract the pedagogical value and then translate it to the voice studio. Repertoire guides are available for opera arias by authors such as Berton Coffin, Richard Boldrey, and Mark Ross Clark; these provide pedagogical information based on voice type. For example, Berton Coffin s The Singer s Repertoire and Richard Boldrey s Guide to Operatic Roles and Arias list arias by voice type and further delineate the arias by Fach. Mark Ross Clark s Guide to the Aria Repertoire provides much more information including range, tessitura, Fach, librettist, and other background information, as well as a plot synopsis. However, all three of these sources are specifically opera aria guides. Despite the importance of art song in the career of young singers, and the importance of art song as a primer for learning opera arias, there is a lack of art song guides that help teachers and students select repertoire based on voice type. Carol Kimball s Song is the most comprehensive guidebook for art song literature, but it focuses on biographic and style information rather than pedagogical issues, including

18 5 voice type. Victoria Villamil s A Singer s Guide to the American Art Song , is a more detailed art song guide, but it only focuses on American art song and does not provide pedagogical support for individual voice types. Sergius Kagen s Music for the Voice is a song guide that contains valuable information regarding range, tessitura, and general notes about the pieces. However, it does not address vocal technique and it is somewhat outdated. What is missing in current literature, and what this project addresses, is a pedagogically focused analysis of carefully chosen repertoire for the tenor voice. Repertoire selection is extremely important for young tenors because inappropriate repertoire can significantly damage his voice. Much of the well-known tenor repertoire is operatic and full of drama, passion, and robust singing often in the extended high range. If a young tenor attempts these dramatic arias at too early an age, his vocal development can be disrupted. The art songs selected for this project expand the tenor s abilities and range, but in smaller increments than the technically demanding arias of Puccini, Verdi, or Leoncavallo. With careful attention to technique and with repertoire guidance in the early stages of a tenor s development, the tenor will be better prepared for a successful career marked by skill and longevity. Appendix A provides a list of art songs discussed in this project that are specifically helpful for achieving particular pedagogical goals.

19 6 CHAPTER I BASICS OF TENOR PEDAGOGY AND DEFINITION OF TERMS The following discussion of tenor pedagogy is meant to supplement the information found in a typical vocal pedagogy textbook. Some points of vocal pedagogy, such as posture, are not included because a tenor should approach them in the same way as any other voice type. While the following points may also apply to other voice types, tenors must approach them uniquely, based on the demands on his voice and repertoire. The pedagogical terms and vocalises described in this chapter are referenced throughout the project in order to provide an understanding of their applications to the tenor voice. Many of the following subjects are derived from Miller s Training Tenor Voices since it is the primary source for tenor pedagogy. As a tenor goes through progress in mastering his technique in each of these categories, he will build a technique that empowers him to sing with confidence and knowledge of his instrument. Appoggio Singing requires one to extend an exhalation much longer than is necessary for typical speech in everyday life. The standard breathing approach advocated by many pedagogues is called appoggio. The Italian verb appoggiare means to support or to lean. Miller explains that appoggio is not simply a breathing technique. It encompasses the ideas of breath management and support. 4 Given the frequency with which the tenor must use his 4 Miller, 25.

20 7 upper range and the increased breath pressure needed to produce those pitches, coordinated appoggio breathing is a necessity. The essence of appoggio is that opposing forces, the stretching and expanding of the ribcage and laryngeal musculature, are what provide the support for the voice. The lower abdominal muscles help support this posture and delay the expulsion of air, but the real impetus for the breath comes from the dynamic energy inherent in an expanded ribcage. Therefore, appoggio refers to dynamic muscular support necessary to maintain open posture that is able to produce focused airflow, rather than an active contraction of muscles, which expels air at an unsustainable rate. The upper abdominal muscles should be relatively relaxed and extending outward, and the lower abdominal muscles should be contracted or tucked inward. When the singer is properly engaged in appoggio, singing feels relatively easy. One of Lamperti s maxims of singing is, It is co-action, not non-action, that causes controlled effort to feel effortless. 5 Furthermore, Miller adds that muscle tension is to be avoided, but muscle tonus is vital to all energized physical action. 6 The breath is not relaxed; it is energized. The lower abdominal muscles are engaged to support an open posture and resist the collapse of the ribcage without extreme effort, thus creating the sensation of ease and fullness in the torso and neck. 5 Giovanni Battista Lamperti, Vocal Wisdom, trans. William Earl Brown (New York: Taplinger, 1957), Miller, 26.

21 8 Appoggio Exercises An effective exercise for developing appoggio is the use of short notes produced with a clean onset, and having the singer remain in the position of inhalation. Figure 1 should be executed at a moderate tempo, in a comfortable pitch range, on [a]. The emphasis is on maintaining this posture during inspiration and expiration. The length of time in the position of inhalation in this exercise strengthens the targeted abdominal muscles and the intercostals, which provides the physical support of the appoggio technique. Figure 1. Appoggio Exercise. Richard Miller, Training Tenor Voices, pg. 30. Once the singer has mastered Figure 1, he should change the rhythm to eighth notes with small breaths between each note. This builds the appoggio musculature and helps with flexibility and coordinated onset. Miller adds that appoggio onset exercises, such as Figure 1, should be included in the daily regimen of every tenor. Balanced appoggio onset facilitates coordination between airflow, subglottic pressure, and vibrato rate. The appoggio onset also gives the tenor the basis on which to extend his appoggio technique to longer phrases. Passaggio The passaggio is a registration event that occurs in every voice type. The primo passaggio is the first transition point in the voice in which a singer cannot sing higher in his

22 9 chest voice without breaking or adding a mixture of head voice. The secondo passaggio is the second transition point in which the singer cannot sing higher in the mixed voice and must use head voice. The area between the primo and secondo passaggi is typically a perfect fourth, and is known as the zona di passaggio. 7 As the pitch ascends through the zona di passaggio, the cricothyroid muscle increases activity, elongating and thinning the vocal folds. However, it is continually balanced by varying degrees of thyroarytenoid muscle activity, which is associated with chest voice. Consequently, a mixed voice is achieved in the zona di passaggio, as the opposing muscular activities find equilibrium. Once above the secondo passaggio, the singer is using nearly exclusively the cricothyroid muscle. 8 The goal of a classically trained singer is to make the passaggi points unnoticeable. Therefore, the tenor must achieve a balance between the forces that control pitch most notably the cricothyroid and thyroarytenoid muscles and breath. Miller states, Dynamic balancing among the laryngeal muscles and the resonator tract enhances desirable gradual registration equalization and results in a registration timbre historically termed voce mista, voix mixte (mixed voice), or voce media (middle voice). 9 In order for the laryngeal muscles to find balance and equalization with the resonator tract, the voice must always remain free to react to ever-changing demands. A dynamic balance between opposing muscular forces cannot be achieved through a forced setting of one s technique. The key to finding dynamic balance lies in laryngeal freedom, through regulated airflow. Based on his teacher s 7 Miller, 3. 8 Miller, 4. 9 Miller, 3.

23 10 feedback and his own sensory experience of feeling muscle coordination, the tenor can regulate his airflow so that adequate breath pressure is achieved without creating excessive subglottic pressure. Once the laryngeal muscles are sufficiently free and supported with correct breath, the passaggi points are minimized and a unified timbre is achieved throughout the tenor s range. Passaggio exercises are referenced throughout this project. Vowel Modification Vowel modification is an essential technique of the tenor voice because the tenor s tessitura lies in a range where vowel modification is necessary. Vowel modification is designed to achieve scale unification and increase the presence of the singer s formant. The singer s formant, or vocal ring, is a resonance of the vocal tract consisting of a cluster of the third through fifth formants that has a peak of energy at a frequency of approximately Hz. One main concept of vowel modification is that, as Miller states, the initial vowel undergoes some migration as the scale ascends, by modifying toward a near neighbor. The laryngeal configuration changes for each vowel, and there should be a corresponding change in the shape of the resonator tract. 10 Vowels are defined by the first two formants, or strong resonances, of the vocal tract. For example, the [i] vowel has a very low first formant and a very high second formant. 11 The [i] vowel is perceived as bright, because the second formant is at such a high frequency. Conversely, the [u] vowel has a low first and second formant and the low frequencies of the formants mean the [u] vowel is generally perceived as dark. When pitch and vowel formants 10 Miller, Ingo Titze, Principles of Voice Production, 2 nd ed. (Iowa City: NCVS, 2000), 161.

24 11 do not line up positively, modification is employed. Vocologist Ingo Titze sets forth rules for modifying vowels: 1) All formants decrease as the length of the vocal tract increases. This can include comfortably lowering the larynx or even protruding the lips slightly. The result will be a darker tone. 2) Formants decrease with lip rounding and increase with lip spreading. This means that lip posture greatly affects timbre and should be monitored. Jaw lowering will raise the first formant, which can either aid or further complicate pedagogical issues. 3) A mouth constriction lowers the first formant and raises the second formant. A pharyngeal constriction raises the first formant and lowers the second formant. This means that a mouth constriction creates brighter vowels, and a pharyngeal constriction will create darker vowels. 12 Understanding how articulators affect vowel formants is crucial for the teacher and singer. Young tenors should work for effective vowel modification to help achieve consistent timbre. Vowel modification has an effect on timbre because the singer is adjusting the overtones in his voice. To use vowel modification to help timbre, Miller suggests that modification toward a closed vowel is to be used for a tone that is spread or too open. Modification toward a more open vowel is to be used to address a narrow or excessively bright tone. 13 Vowel modification includes a naturally low larynx, as occurs in inhalation, but does not include laryngeal depression. Vowel modification is not to be confused with the term covering. Covering has a negative connotation and can be defined as overly darkening the vowel by retracting the tongue. Lastly, whereas covering implies a sudden heaviness 12 Titze, Miller, 39.

25 12 applied to the voice, vowel modification is applied gradually in the course of an ascending line. It is essential to maintain a well-defined vowel, with adjustments being minimal and only as necessary. Vowel Modification Exercises It is the teacher s duty to create and adapt vocal exercises that move toward a specific goal. With a working knowledge of general pedagogical concepts, a teacher can adapt basic exercises effectively. In the case of vowel modification, the overall principle is that the singer should be aware of consistent timbre and the singer s formant, and the vowel should only be modified slightly so that the original vowel is still distinguishable. The following melodic exercises are adapted from Miller s Training Tenor Voices. Figure 2. Vowel Modification Exercise. Richard Miller, Training Tenor Voices, pg. 52. Figure 2 represents a simple melodic pattern that outlines the interval of a fourth. This exercise should be sung on a closed vowel such as [i] or [e], in order to establish a greater sensation of forward resonance, with careful attention paid to a consistency of timbre. The singer will find that slightly modifying the vowel toward a more neutral position as the pitch increases will help maintain consistent timbre and ensure consistency of the singer s formant. This exercise should be repeated in successive half-step intervals until the tenor ascends past the secondo passaggio.

26 13 Figure 3. Vowel Modification Exercise. Richard Miller, Training Tenor Voices, pg. 53. The exercise illustrated in Figure 3 is to be sung with a closed vowel such as [e] on the first pitch, moving toward an open vowel such as [ɔ]. This exercise should be repeated, ascending by half step until it outlines B 3 and F-sharp 4. The tenor can experiment in this exercise with a variety of closed-open vowel combinations, so that each vowel is represented and goes through the important process of slight modification. Different singers will have unique strengths and weaknesses in terms of which vowels ring consistently based on their individual vocal tract resonances. Figure 4. Vowel Modification Exercise. Richard Miller, Training Tenor Voices, pg. 54. Figure 4 stretches the range of the vocal exercise in Figure 3 from a fifth to a sixth. This exercise should be repeated by ascending half steps until the top note of the phrase reaches the secondo passaggio, which for most tenors will be around G 4. Sing Figure 4 with a closed vowel at the beginning, switching to an open vowel at the climax as explained in Figure 3. Starting with a closed vowel and transitioning to an open vowel helps the tenor practice vowel modification and consistent timbre.

27 14 Giro A combination of the ideas of vowel modification and appoggio is the historical Italian school approach of giro, which translates as turn. Especially important to tenors, the giro strengthens the head voice so that it rings in the singer s formant, reducing laryngeal tension and facilitating the easy sensation that is the marker of balanced singing. At the core of giro is the path on which the breath carries the voice. Giro del fiato, turn of the breath, is a specific term that relates to the breath traveling up and back over the soft palate, and then turning forward toward the mask. 14 The great tenor Franco Corelli noted, We are constructed in such a way that there s a curve and that is the path of the breath. 15 Corelli maintains that the forward sensations of resonance felt by singers serve as a target for directing the breath. If the tenor can direct the breath through this curved path, he achieves a more pleasing and rounded tone that is produced effortlessly. Corelli also refers to this dynamic relationship between breath and resonance as striking in the mask. The clear sensations of forward resonance indicate that the throat and voice are free, he states, [b]ecause when the throat is free, and you let the breath pass tranquilly, and the chords are healthy, only then the voice strikes in the mask. 16 Pedagogue Miriam Jaskierowicz Arman suggests that giro is the ideal approach to placement. When the voice is carried on the breath in the up-and-back path around the soft 14 Gioacchino Li Vigni, <jacklivigni@gmail.com> Gira/Giro, 15 December 2011, personal (15 December 2011). 15 Jerome Hines, Great Singers on Great Singing (New York: Doubleday, 1928), Hines,

28 15 palate, the frontal resonance sensations are felt strongly and with minimal effort. Arman also notes that the coordination of breath and resonance in the giro allows the singer to negotiate transitions in the voice with very little effort. 17 Therefore, the giro s usefulness in the zona di passaggio is critical. If the tenor can achieve giro, he feels the breath flowing freely and the voice ringing very high. This minimizes the stress felt in the larynx and allows for vocal freedom through passaggi points. In the giro approach to high notes, the tenor directs the breath and therefore the vowel placement to turn up and forward so that the vowel rings in a slightly higher and more forward place, while modifying the vowel toward a neutral position. Additionally, the tenor when using the giro aims to sing on the sharp side of the pitch. This helps the tenor approach pitches with a lifted quality and in tune. The giro approach mitigates the removal of pressed phonation and uneven vibrato, which contributes to tenors singing flat in the zona di passaggio. Corelli explains the giro approach to tenor high notes in this way: There are many beautiful voices that have not found the way to the high notes how to girare [turn] the high notes. One thing is very clear: if you make a middle-voice sound and then go up to the range of the passaggio, singing with the same kind of sound, it s not going to work. You must make a change as you go up. [ ] Now this famous passaggio, between a note placed normally in the central voice on awe and the high note on oo, goes more in the mask, it goes higher [in placement]. Practically speaking, that is the path. 18 When connected to solid breath support, the giro aids the tenor in transitioning into a ringing head voice. Depending on the melody in context, the tenor should start using the giro 17 Miriam Jaskierowicz Arman, The Voice: A Spiritual Approach to Singing, Speaking, and Communicating (Plantation, FL: Music Visions Intl.), Hines, 64.

29 16 around his primo passaggio, and he must be fully in the giro technique before he ascends past the secondo passaggio. Tessitura While a singer s vocal range is a factor in repertoire selection, tessitura plays a much more important role. Tessitura is the average pitch range of a piece of music, and can also refer to the most comfortable pitch range for a singer. As stated previously, tenors are required to sing high pitches very frequently, or, in a high tessitura. Ease in a high tessitura is essential for healthy production and longevity. The passaggi points are a good indicator of where the tessitura might be most comfortable, but with practice, a tenor can find ease even in his problem areas. The following exercises should be sung in neighboring keys and on one continuous vowel, starting with a front vowel such as [i] or [e] to establish strong resonance and continuing until each vowel is mastered. They are to be practiced in succession, so that mastery of one prepares the singer for the next. A young tenor should start the exercises shown in Figures 5 and 6 on C 4 and work his way up to E 4 or F 4 over time. The mastery of these tessitura exercises takes time and should not be rushed. The exercise in Figure 5 is designed to establish a consistent resonance between the chest voice and the zona di passaggio. Without a smooth connection into the passaggio, the chances are slim for a successful tone above the passaggio.

30 17 Figure 5. Tessitura Exercise. Richard Miller, Training Tenor Voices, pg The exercise in Figure 6 works similarly to that of Figure 5 but in the opposite direction. The emphasis here is to establish consistent tone through the zona di passaggio and above the secondo passaggio. Figure 6. Tessitura Exercise. Richard Miller, Training Tenor Voices, pg In Figure 7, the exercise reaches higher pitches and stays in or above the zona di passaggio for the entire exercise. Assuming that the previous exercises have been accomplished, the transition toward the A 4 should be free and smooth. For many tenors, A 4 is the most important note above the secondo passaggio. If a tenor can execute a free and ringing A 4, the technique for higher pitches is remarkably similar, whereas each note in the zona di passaggio is produced with slight differences. The main point of Figure 7 is to build stamina and negotiate pitches above the passaggio. The tenor should start Figure 7 on C 4 and work his way up to E 4 as he masters the technique.

31 18 Figure 7. Tessitura Exercise. Richard Miller, Training Tenor Voices, pg The final tessitura exercise, Figure 8, combines the pitch freedom that has been established with the previous exercises and adds a demand for flexibility and agility. The difficulty with faster rhythms is in being able to maintain balanced resonance, or chiaroscuro. Care should be taken to ensure that the vowel modification is appropriate and that balanced resonance is achieved throughout. The tenor should start Figure 8 on C 4 and work his way up to E 4 as he masters the technique. Figure 8. Tessitura Exercise. Richard Miller, Training Tenor Voices, pg Chiaroscuro The term chiaroscuro is a combination of the Italian words for clear, chiaro, and dark, or oscuro. It represents a delicate dichotomy of two opposing timbres, and is at the core of balanced resonance; the ideal timbre has characteristics of brightness and darkness simultaneously. In practical terms, the chiaro characteristic of a tone refers to the singer s formant that soars over orchestration, and the oscuro quality develops warmth and beauty. Chiaroscuro is important to tenors, because balanced resonance is essential for managing

32 19 tension. Without chiaroscuro, the tenor may push in an effort to achieve greater resonance or projection. Through chiaroscuro the tenor can achieve his desired resonance in a way that allows for laryngeal freedom and good breath management. To achieve chiaroscuro, the principals of vowel modification are employed. In the Journal of Singing, pedagogue Adam Kirkpatrick states that vowel modification necessarily occurs in chiaroscuro singing because of laws of physics. 19 He is referring to the physical properties of formants that determine the necessary vowel modification to achieve a desired tone quality. The balanced resonance of chiaroscuro must start with a comfortably low, or seated, larynx. The vocal tract is then adjusted to maintain the singer s formant. Chiaroscuro is inextricably linked to balance in nearly every aspect of singing. It is a continuous goal toward which to strive rather than a precise technique to be honed. Kirkpatrick recommends what he calls the chiaroscuro maneuver to help isolate and exercise this specific aspect of timbre. 20 In this simple exercise, the singer chooses a vowel and pitch, and sustains that pitch while exploring the vast extremes of chiaro and oscuro. The singer should start with an excessively bright tone and continue toward excessive darkness. With the teacher s help, the tenor will recognize the optimum balance along that continuum and will be able to identify balanced resonance by the bloom, or effortless increase in vocal intensity of his voice and ease of production. 19 Adam Kirkpatrick, Chiaroscuro and the Quest for Optimal Resonance, Journal of Singing-The Official Journal of the National Association of Teachers of Singing 66, no. 1 (2009): Kirkpatrick, 20.

33 20 Agility For a tenor, developing agility is a necessity given the large amounts of florid writing in the tenor repertoire. Even in styles where florid writing is less prevalent, agility is extremely beneficial as it implies freedom and flexibility in the voice. Miller points out that agility stems from balanced muscle coordination, and that mastery of the appoggio breath is the foundation for vocal agility. 21 Due to the quick adjustments necessary in agility exercises and passages, some aspects of the appoggio are of great importance, such as posture and relaxed inspiration. When a passage contains florid writing, it is impossible for the voice to make the necessary adjustments if the larynx is inhibited by poor posture or support. Figure 9. Agility Exercise. The vocal exercise in Figure 9 is useful in establishing a pitch change of moderate speed. Legato is to be maintained, ensuring balanced resonance and adequate support. The exercise is to be repeated by half-step increments as illustrated. Start the exercise with a single front vowel, such as [i], and add contrasting vowels as illustrated. The following exercise, Figure 10, is designed to gradually increase the speed of the note change. This is a useful agility exercise, and can also be used to develop skills for a trill. Repeat this exercise on any comfortable pitch on a single vowel. 21 Miller, 88.

34 21 Figure 10. Agility Exercise. Figure 11. Agility Exercise. Richard Miller, Training Tenor Voices, pg. 88. Agility exercises can be physically equated with the sensation of laughter, as demonstrated by the exercise in Figure 11. In this exercise, the singer should use a staccato approach to the pattern, simulating laughter. Miller uses the closed mouth hm in order to heighten awareness of the abdominal activity. The singer should feel a sense of openness in the ribcage, and minimal pulses from the abdominal wall, which are nearly imperceptible. 22 Overall, the pulses do not literally come from a lunging of the abdominal muscles. Such a production would be too slow and too heavy for any practical application. Once the singer establishes firm control over the concept of the laughter-like hum, he can proceed to an open vowel, without adding unnecessary abdominal movement in order to maintain appoggio. Repertoire Selection and The Vocalise Choosing appropriate repertoire is an extremely important but potentially tricky undertaking for an emerging tenor. Many teachers and singers first look at the range of a 22 Miller, 90.

35 22 song to determine if it is appropriate. While range is an important consideration, it is simply dangerous for range to be the only or even primary consideration. For a beginning tenor, tessitura is of utmost importance and encompasses many pedagogical issues. Range, dramatic character, and musical styles are secondary factors. Choosing the right repertoire helps ensure successful performance and helps develop a progression of repertoire as the voice matures. For young tenors, mastering a high tessitura is essential. Young singers may be unfamiliar with their head voice and therefore will have problems moving in and out of the secondo passaggio. Head voice is defined here as a tone production used in the middle and upper range that relies on a greater use of cricothyroid muscle than thyroarytenoid muscle. The sensations of head voice are more concentrated in the head, rather than the chest. Choosing repertoire that is challenging, yet attainable is the best way for a young tenor to discover his voice and find the elusive balance of breath and energy required to sustain a high tessitura. Appendix A will help teachers assign repertoire from this project to students based on desired pedagogical outcomes. Additionally, it is useful for the advancement of the tenor s technique to develop vocal exercises based on phrases of his new repertoire that cover the transition into and out of the higher tessitura. This could be as simple as isolating a phrase in the song and using the notes and rhythms as an exercise, or using the contour of the phrase with some rhythmic and melodic adjustments in order to make it a more accessible exercise. Combining the tenor s repertoire and vocalises in this way will help the tenor make clear connections between technique and repertoire in the song learning process and ensure that his repertoire is improving his technique.

36 23 CHAPTER II ITALIAN ART SONG AND ARIE ANTICHE Italian song provides a wealth of opportunity to master tenor technique and should be the first language the tenor should study. Lamperti states that Italian is the best language in which to study singing, because it is the only one without aspirates. 23 Italian is a legato language that emphasizes vocalic connection. Glottal strokes, the sudden stop in airflow produced by quickly closing the space between the vocal folds, are forbidden in Italian. Italian vowels are pure when compared to English vowels, which have many diphthongs and even triphthongs. The consistency of pure vowels is preferable when working to achieve consistent tone and legato. An important skill for the tenor singing in Italian is the ability to incorporate consonants into the legato line, so that the tone remains vibrant. Included in the Italian repertoire are art songs and arie antiche. Arie antiche, or early opera arias, have been assimilated into the art song repertoire due to the infrequency of performance of the opera, or because only portions of many of the operas exist today. Claudio Monteverdi, Rosa del ciel, L Orfeo The first selection for examination is Rosa del ciel, from Claudio Monteverdi s ( ) L Orfeo. This early aria is characterized by declamatory melodic writing, with some opportunities for singing long phrases. The range is E 3 to G 4, and the tessitura is wide, approximately A 3 to E 4. The aria is appropriate for either a tenor or lyric baritone. Rosa del ciel is traditionally sung by lighter voices, which makes it appropriate for young tenors. 23 Lamperti, 7.

37 24 The declamatory style of Rosa del ciel is an opportunity for the tenor to exercise his diction. It is an important skill to be able to sing text with clarity and without losing resonant tone. An exercise for the tenor to practice this skill is to intone a phrase of text on a single pitch in the upper-middle part of his range. After the tenor has intoned the declamatory phrases of the aria, the next step is to sing the phrases in context. Example 1 shows one of the declamatory phrases in Rosa del ciel. The double consonants on tutto, stellanti, and dimmi are particular points of concern in this phrase. The tenor must lengthen the consonant without interrupting the momentum of the phrase by keeping his breath support engaged consistently. Example 1. Claudio Monteverdi, L Orfeo, Rosa del ciel, mm by Novello. Reprinted by permission. Careful attention should be paid to maintaining the singer s formant, or ring, in his voice, while pronouncing the text clearly. A helpful modification of the intoning exercise is for the tenor to sing on a single pitch with the vowels of the text only. In this way, the tenor

38 25 can track the vowel changes without the interruption of consonants or pitch changes. This modification will help ensure the tenor s tone quality is consistent even in declamatory phrases. Alessandro Stradella, attr., Pietà Signore Pietà Signore was previously attributed to Alessandro Stradella ( ) in the 24 Italian Songs and Arias collection published by G. Schirmer. However, musicologist Guido Salvetti convincingly argued that François Joseph Fétis is the true composer. The 26 Italian Songs and Arias collection, published by Alfred Publishing Company, include this song with the title, Se i miei sospiri, and attributes the song to Francois Joseph Fétis. There is no substantial difference in the piano accompaniment between the G. Schirmer and Alfred editions. The version of Pietà Signore in d minor that appears in the medium-high edition of 24 Italian Songs and Arias published by G. Schirmer is the most beneficial for solidifying the tenor passaggio; the key of d minor places the melodic line squarely in the zona di passaggio and extends the upper range to sustained G 4 s. Historically, the G. Schirmer edition admittedly does not have a sterling reputation for accuracy in publication; but it is readily available and widely used, and suits the pedagogical purposes of training the tenor voice. Studying this song in lower keys would be beneficial for vowel modification or for a younger tenor who is not ready for such a high tessitura. For example, studying Se i miei sospiri in c minor, which appears in the medium-high edition of the Alfred collection, would exercise F 4 as the highest note in the piece. The tessitura is therefore a whole step lower and more accessible for a younger or less developed tenor.

39 26 The opening vocal line, shown in Example 2, is an extremely instructive phrase for the tenor. The melody passes through the zona di passaggio, reaching the secondo passaggio on the pitch F 4. This is a crucial pitch in the tenor s range in which he must actively reduce the amount of weight in his voice in order to maintain freedom and flexibility. Specifically, between D 4 and F 4, the tenor must use the giro, and turn the vowel toward a higher and more forward sensation of resonance. This approach promotes a healthy head voice in the zona di passaggio rather than a heavy chest mechanism. Example 2. Alessandro Stradella, Twenty-four Italian Songs and Arias of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, for medium high voice, Pietà Signore, mm by G. Schirmer. Reprinted by permission. The passage in Example 3 demonstrates the difficult tessitura of Pietà Signore. Measures on Se a te giunge il mio pregar require the tenor to sing in a ringing head voice free from laryngeal tension. He should use the inhalation before measure 31 to properly seat his larynx, which will help with the [u] of giunge. It is important that the tenor maintain an open posture through the phrase in order to prevent laryngeal constriction. Thus, when the tenor increases his breath flow the giro technique can help the voice ring clearly.