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From:  Karen Mercedes <dalila@R...>
Karen Mercedes <dalila@R...>
Date:  Fri Jul 6, 2001  1:44 pm
Subject:  Re: Fw: [vocalist] ?'s about breathing, recitals, & voice size


On Fri, 6 Jul 2001 Greypins@a... wrote:

> what? while there are long running passages in both composers' music,
> they require no more breath than less ornate passages of the same length
> unless, you are one of those 'ha-ha' singers. additionally, in a lot of the
> longer passages, both bach and handel wrote in 16th note rests that allow for
> a quick refueling.

Would that Herr Bach had been so kind, when writing that fiendish run in
the "Esurientes" from his MAGNIFICAT, or, indeed, Mr. Handel when writing
that extended passage (a' pia-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-anti miei) in "Cara
sposa". Or, indeed, Herr Mozart, when he wrote "Parto, parto" in LA
CLEMENZA DI TITO. My former voice teacher suggested that the thing the
latter two of these pieces had in common was that they were composed to be
sung by castrati who, by the peculiarities of their physiognomy -
child-sized voice in man-sized body (with man-sized lung capacity) - were
able to sing endless phrases on a single breath (I'd be interested in
other people's thoughts on this theory). But that still doesn't explain
Herr Bach's expectations, because I don't believe he wrote for castrati.

KM
............................
NEIL SHICOFF, TENORE SUPREMO
http://www.radix.net/~dalila/shicoff/shicoff.html

My Own Website
http://www.radix.net/~dalila/index.html

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ To hell with life as snug as hand in glove. +
+ - Ho Xuan Huong +
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  Replies Name/Email Yahoo! ID Date Size
13069 Re[2]: Fw: [vocalist] ?'s about breathing, recita Vicki Bryant   Fri  7/6/2001   3 KB

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