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From:  Edward Norton <belcantist2003@y...>
Date:  Mon Feb 10, 2003  10:02 pm
Subject:  Re: Is there a "mix-falsetto" thing


Dear Listers:

There IS a "mix-falsetto" thing! William Vennard (voice teacher of Marilyn
Horne) and Weldon Whitlock (voice teacher whose career paralleled that of
Vennard on the "bel canto" side of vocal pedagogy) did not always agree on
everything, but both of these wonderful pedagogues taught what they referred to
as "yawn-sign".

This technique is demonstrated by Vennard in a collection of lps with a booklet
of text that was published by Carl Fischer entitled "Developing Voices". To
hear this you will have to hit a music library that has been around awhile.
Vennard works with a soprano, a mezzo-soprano (said to have been Marilyn Horne,
but I'm not 100% sure of that), a tenor and a bass. Each voice does the
yawn-sigh thing. It starts in a heady/falsetto-y tone and goes right down into
the lower register of the singer's voice. Once you get the hang of it, you've
pretty much got the idea!

Personally, I'd try this out in a lesson with my teacher. That "extra set of
ears" we pay to keep us in check will be able to help to get the most out of it.
As far as I know, this isn't on cd. Most likely you'll have to listen on an
old turntable in a college library, but it is worth the trouble. One challenge
with the set is that the soprano is using the technique to get more lower
register! Sopranos who wanted to work more on top could get the general idea
from listening to the mezzo-soprano sing the exercise. To my ear, the tenor is
a lyric tenor. Hearing the tenor and bass do the exercise is a neat thing for
all male voices as well.

Vennard was a glorious teacher. It is interesting to be able to evesdrop on his
studio by way of these recordings.

Hope that helps!

Ed



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  Replies Name/Email Yahoo! ID Date  
22571 Re: Is there a "mix-falsetto" thinglestaylor2003 <LesTaylor@a...>lestaylor2003 Tue  2/11/2003  
22576 Re: Is there a "mix-falsetto" thingEdward Nortonbelcantist2003 Tue  2/11/2003  
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