> Otherwise, how could so many of them think that eliminating vibrato will
> solve their choir's intonation problems?
My theory (which works better for amateur choruses than professional
choruses) is that untrained or ill-trained choral singers may have
vibratos that distort the pitch (too wide, too fast, too slow,
whatever) and that instead of dealing with the specific issues of
helping each singer find a vibrato that sounds in tune, the conductor
is more likely to ask everyone to cut their vibrato. You must admit
that in voices that are not operating at their technical best, pitch
is much clearer when vibrato is absent.
Not that I advocate any of this, but it is my theory of why choral
conductors so often ask for non vibrato. I also agree with Karen
Mercedes's argument about the boychoir sound and its role in the
history of choral singing.
Naomi Gurt Lind
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