8. Before a note, which, by being accented, was to be especially
distinguished in the middle of musical passages, usually before
the highest note of a musical phrase, in order to give the music
a light, graceful character.
In light, airy pieces of music, this last mode of taking breath
had a charming effect, but was mostly left to the taste of the
singer. The earlier singers, moreover, were very skilful in
finding those places where, according to the character of the
composition, an unusual taking of breath was of special effect.
On the other hand, it was considered an advantage in a singer
to take breath as rarely as possible, and, as we have intimated
in the introduction of this book, it was esteemed a great
accomplishment to sing long with one inhalation.
In the old Italian music, by which the vocal _technique_ is
best illustrated, these rules must be observed. In German
music the breathing is governed by æsthetic principles, and
is regulated by the words of the song. Accordingly, breath
can be taken only at the beginning or end of a sentence,
conformably to the punctuation. But if the sentences are too
long, then the breath is to be taken at some fitting place in
the middle of the sentence, so that a word must not be broken
by the breath, nor the article or adjective separated from
the subject.
An Italian aria, in which the attention is given chiefly to
the music and its externals, is executed far more easily and
beautifully than a German aria or a German song. Our German
ballads, full of deep sentiment and in which the music should
give a higher and richer expression to the poetic significance
of the words, require in their execution such sterling spiritual
culture as only the most extraordinary talent can supply the
place of. In the execution of these songs it is, above all
things, necessary that the words should be distinctly heard.
It easily happens in singing that the noise (_Geräusch_) of
the consonants partly from the stronger sound of the tones is
entirely covered, and so words are indistinctly heard. The sound
of the consonants must, therefore, be given more prominently in
singing than in common speech, so that they may be heard along
with the tones. It is a good practice to repeat the words,
exaggerating the articulation. Thus, by persevering attention,
a distinct articulation in singing may be attained without
difficulty. Recitative offers an excellent practice for this
purpose, the music here being subordinate to the words,
according to the intervals of which the composition is for
the most part constructed. Although our recitative is formed
after the declamation of the Greeks, yet it is not to be sung
like this, with pathos, but according to our modern taste, as
naturally as possible, just as in a like situation the words
would be spoken.[19]
To the external aids to expression belongs the swelling of the
tones, one of the easiest, most natural, and most graceful of all
our helps. It consists in giving a tone, whose time permits it,
different degrees of strength. In a contrary way much time is
usually spent in singing the scales, beginning _piano_ and
increasing in strength to the greatest possible _forte_, and
then letting the voice grow weaker and weaker. Instead of these
exercises, which require exertion, the same thing can be attained
far more easily by swelling the tones where it is required in the
composition. In melancholy or mournful compositions, swelling
upon those tones which the rhythm requires to be accented is
very beautiful. But when exaggerated, or where a fresh, cheerful
character is to be preserved in the composition, this aid to
expression easily renders the effect sentimental. Unhappily,
our whole music is vitiated by this sickly sentimentalism, the
perfect horror of every person of cultivated taste. In these
later years the powerful reaction of German æsthetics has had
favorable results in regard to instrumental music, but in the
execution of vocal music this unhealthy fashion of singing still
always commands great applause. This sickly sentimental style has
also naturalized in singing a gross trick unfortunately very
prevalent, the _tremolo_ of the notes. When, in rare cases, the
greatest passion is to be expressed, to endeavor to deepen the
expression by a trembling of the notes is all very well and fully
to be justified, but in songs and arias, in which quiet and
elevated sentiments are to be expressed, to tremble as if the
whole soul were in an uproar, and not at all in a condition for
quiet singing, is unnatural and offensive.
A very beautiful aid to expression, but now only seldom heard,
is the transition from one register to another on the same
note. A note begins with tolerable strength, for example, _d_,
with the action belonging to it of the chest register, and
while it grows weaker it passes imperceptibly into the action
of the falsetto tones. Or the reverse. A note of the chest
register is begun with the action of the falsetto, and becoming
stronger changes into the chest register to which it naturally
belongs. Correctly employed, the most delightful effects may be
produced in this way, especially by a male voice.
Ornaments, such as _appoggiaturas_ and _turns_, _roulades_,
_trills_, &c., are to be used only with taste and care. The
old Italian compositions, which were so arranged as to show
the voice in its fullest brilliancy, have their ornaments
commonly in such phrases as were to be first sung several
times in a simpler way. In the frequent repetition of the same
melody and words, those places were designated by so-called
_firmates_, where it was permitted to the artist to introduce
embellishments according to his own taste. In German arias
embellishments are allowed to be introduced according to the
taste of the singer, only, however, with the greatest care;
but in German ballads not at all. And yet we often hear
artists, who have acquired a certain flexibility of voice,
introducing their little trickeries in the most inappropriate
places.
But none of these aids to expression are to be used so often as
to become mere mannerisms. Only when employed in due measure can
they have an æsthetically fine effect. As so much depends upon
the taste of the singer, it is necessary that he should, above
all things, have a thorough appreciation of the sentiment which
is to find expression in the piece, and seek to make it his own,
and then the ornament is to be introduced only where it accords
with the sentiment, that is, where it is appropriate. The two
greatest artists of the present day, Lind and Stockhausen,
whose expression is perfect, take great pains to understand
the composition thoroughly, and in this way to be fully imbued
with the sentiment.
Without the animation of a soul, singing fails of all effect upon
the hearer, and is ordinary and wearisome. But this animation
must be with understanding and taste--i.e., æsthetically beautiful.
For the beautiful continues beautiful and true only as long
as it is in proportion and not exaggerated--only while those
fine lines are not transgressed where it begins to be untrue,
that is, affected and ridiculous.