In no land is song so much a part of the daily life of the individual as
in Italy. The Italian peasant literally wakes up singing and goes to bed
singing. Naturally a kind of respect, honor and even reverence attaches
to the art of beautiful voice production in the land of Scarlatti,
Palestrina and Verdi, that one does not find in other countries. When
the Italian singing teachers looked for a word to describe their vocal
methods they very naturally selected the most appropriate, "Bel Canto,"
which means nothing more or less than "Beautiful Singing."
Probably no words have been more abused in music teaching than "bel
canto," and probably no words have a more direct meaning or a wider
significance. What then is "good singing" as the Italians understand it?
Principally the production of a perfectly controlled and exquisitely
beautiful tone. Simple as this may seem and simple as it really is, the
laws underlying the best way of teaching how to secure a beautiful tone
are the evolution of empirical experiences coming down through the
centuries.
It is a significant fact that practically all of the great singers in
Wagner roles have first been trained in what is so loosely termed "bel
canto" methods. Lilli Lehmann, Schumann-Heink, Nordica and others were
capable of singing fine coloratura passages before they undertook the
works of the great master of Beyreuth.