Who can give me a "how-to" opinion on pianissimi?
I'm experimenting with a bunch of different things lately -- and the bottom line may be that I'm just too young to have it all together yet -- but I'd like to know how all you singers or teachers make a pianissimo happen. A high one, I mean.
To my ear, there are two different types of pianissimi out there. One is a fluffy, floaty soft tone I have no use for -- Sumi Jo is the epitome, as are Ruth Ann Swenson and Fleming. It's a nice, pretty sound, but it's not my conception of an operatic pianissimo; it's just breath and space.
The other is a cored, whittled-down, pinpoint of sound that makes you gasp for breath and lean forward in your seat, a tiny thread of sound that is quiet but not soft. I heard Ana Catharina Antonacci do one last year. Tebaldi, Milanov, Callas have all recorded good ones.
Unfortunately, most of the singers' comments I have heard go along the lines of, "How do you achieve your divine pianissimo that makes the fans go wild?" "I was born with it." Except Milanov. She says that she had to work for it, which gives me hope.
If you go to this web site, you will hear (if your computer browser auto-loads .wav files) a clip of Milanov to see what I mean: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/handelmania/
I know Dr. Diane studied with Milanov... did she share?
Or the rest of you -- how to you do/teach a good pianissimo? And do you agree with me that there are two different types out there?
Isabelle B.
===== Isabelle Bracamonte San Francisco, CA ibracamonte@y... ibracamonte@y...
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