Dear Linda and Vocalisters:
Classical singing does tend to emphasize the vowel line. A common
device to encourage students studying classical singing is to sing a
phrase using only the vowels from the words in order to obtain the
idea of the musical phrase being continuous, that is, continuous
vowels. Consonants are then sometimes described as clothes pins on a
clothes line; they are attached but they do not cut the line nor
detach the elements between the clothes pins. All of this is a poor
attempt to convey to the singer that the essence of what is being
sung must be expressed through a continuous, connected series of
vowels, at least as much as is possible.
In this sense there is no difference between singing classical song
and singing opera. Opera places much stronger dramatic demands on
the voice because of the conditions such as singing with orchestra,
playing a character in costume with sets, scenery, lighting and so
on. But classic song is also dramatic in the sense that a character
is often being played by the singer.
The differences that I see between classical singing and pops
singing, at least for the last 35-40 years is the presence of
amplification and the electronic alteration of the voice that
possible with this technology. I do not lament the introduction of
this technology, in fact, I often find it very interesting. But I do
object to the singing style that electronic technology encourages
crossing over into the classical song style or opera. And it
clearly has become more and more a part of some the singing that we
hear from not a few presently well known singers.
I believe it is possible to sing in both styles but my experience is
that the singer must be very diligent about making the required
differences in style. I might also add that because pops singing is
so strongly personality oriented it is less of a error for a
classically trained singer to bring classical elements into pops
music than for a pops singer to bring pops elements into classical
music because classical music is less personality oriented, or should
be.
Good discussion!
--
Lloyd W. Hanson, DMA
Professor of Voice, Pedagogy
School of Performing Arts
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
|
|  |
