Principles of Orchestration Part 35

[Music:

Soprano.

Mezzo-soprano.

Contralto.

Tenor.

Baritone.

Ba.s.s.]

_Note._ It must be remembered that there are some words upon which the voice may not dwell, or sing more than one or two notes. These words may be nouns, p.r.o.nouns, numerals, prepositions, conjunctions and other parts of speech. It would be impossible and ridiculous, for instance, to write a sustained note on such words as "who", "he" etc. The voice may dwell on certain words which, so to speak, possess some poetical colour.[18]

[Footnote 18: Here the author approaches a question so well known to the Russians that it does not require any further elucidation for their guidance. But a whole book would have to be written to form a compendium of practical rules on this subject, and to point out the errors which nearly all French composers openly commit--even those who are famous for their sense of diction and literary style. We can only conclude that the question has come to be considered of minor importance in France, perhaps on account of the lack of definite stress on the syllables of words, which is characteristic of the French language. It is not within the translator's province to discuss the question of French versification or to elaborate the excellent maxims laid down by Rimsky-Korsakov, the first, among many, to touch upon this delicate and important subject. (Translator's note.)]

_Examples:_

No. 303. _Sadko_ [[236]]--Sadko's Aria (Tenor).

" [[309-311]] (see extract, Ex. 81). Volkhova's Cradle Song (Soprano).

_Snegourotchka_ [[9]]--Fairy Spring's Aria (Mezzo-sopr.).

" [[187-188]], [[212-213]] (see extracts, Ex. 102 and 225)--the two Cavatinas of Tsar Berendey (Tenor).

" [[247]]--Miskir's Aria (Baritone).

Vowels.

As regards vocalisation on one syllable, on long sustained notes and in the high register, the choice of vowels is a matter of some importance. The difference in the position of the mouth and lips in forming the open vowel =a= and the closed vowel =ou= is apparent to everyone. The series of vowels from the point of view of open sounds is: =a=, =i=, =o=, =e=, =u=. In women's voices the easiest vowel on high notes is =a=, for men it is =o=. The vowel =i= softens the penetrating quality of the top notes of a ba.s.s voice, and the vowel =a= adds to the extension of range in the very lowest compa.s.s. Lengthy florid pa.s.sages are often written on the interjection =ah=, or simply on the vowel =a=. Owing to the restrictions imposed by literary and dramatic laws, the composer can only follow the above rules to a limited extent.

_Examples:_

_Snegourotchka_ [[293]], [[318-319]] (cf. Ex. 119).

No. 304. _Sadko_ [[83]].

Flexibility.

Voices possess the greatest amount of flexibility in their normal octave. Women's voices are more supple than men's, but in all types, the higher voice is the more agile, sopranos in women, the tenor voice in men. Although capable of performing florid and complicated figures, different varieties of phrasing and the rapid change from staccato to legato, the human voice is infinitely less flexible than a musical instrument. In pa.s.sages of any rapidity, diatonic scales and _arpeggios_ in thirds come easiest to the voice. Intervals bigger than fourths in quick succession and chromatic scales are extremely difficult. Skips of an octave or more starting from a short note should always be avoided. Preparation should precede any extremely high note either by leading up to it gradually, or by the clear leap of a fourth, fifth or octave; but sometimes the voice may attack a high note without any due preparation.

_Examples:_

_Snegourotchka_ [[46-48]] (cf. extract, Ex. 279)--Snegourotchka's Aria (Soprano).

" [[96-97]]--Lell's first song (Contralto).

_Sadko_ [[196-193]] [Transcriber's Note: so in original] (cf. extract, Ex. 122)--Hindoo song (Tenor).

" [[203-206]]--Venetian song (Baritone).

_Pan Voyevoda_ [[20-26]]--Maria's cradle song (Sopr).

Colour and character of voices.

The colouring of the voice, whether it be brilliant or dull, sombre or sonorous depends upon the individual singer, and the composer has no need to consider it. The chief question is interpretation and may be solved by the judicious choice of artists. From the point of view of flexibility and expression voices may be divided into two cla.s.ses, _lyric_ and _dramatic_. The latter is more powerful and of greater range, the former possesses more suppleness and elasticity and is more readily disposed to different shades of expression. Granted that the rare combination of the two cla.s.ses is the composer's ideal, he should nevertheless be content to follow the main artistic purpose which he has set out the [Transcriber's Note: to] achieve. In complicated and important works the composer should bear in mind the characteristics of the various voices he employs; moreover, if he use two voices of the same calibre, e.g. 2 Sopranos or 2 Tenors, he should discriminate between the range and register of their respective parts, writing for one slightly higher than the other. It is no rare occurrence to meet with voices of an intermediate character (mezzo-carattere) combining the qualities of each type to a modified extent. To such voices the composer may a.s.sign roles demanding the characteristics of each cla.s.s, especially secondary roles. At the present day, besides the roles suitable to the dramatic and lyric type of voice, it is customary to give prominence to those demanding some special qualifications, voices of a certain tenderness or power, a specified range or degree of flexibility--attributes decided by the artistic object in view. In casting secondary and minor roles the composer is advised to employ a medium range and less exacting demands on technique.

_Note._ After Meyerbeer, who was the first to write for a special type of heavy mezzo-soprano and baritone, Richard Wagner created a type of powerful dramatic soprano, of extensive range, combining the quality and scope of the soprano and mezzo-soprano voices; likewise a similar type of tenor, possessing the attributes and compa.s.s of the tenor and baritone together. To demand that voices shall be equally brilliant and resonant in the high and low register, that singers shall be endowed with a super-powerful breathing apparatus and an extraordinary faculty for resistance to fatigue (Siegfried, Parsifal, Tristan, Brunhilda, Kundry, Isolda), is to exact something little short of the miraculous. Such voices are to be found, but there are some singers with excellent though not phenomenal vocal powers, who, by the constant pursuit of Wagnerian parts endeavour to increase their range and volume, and only succeed in depriving the voice of correct intonation, beauty of tone, and all subtlety of _nuances_. I believe that less exacting demands and greater perception of what is required, skilful and judicious use of the high and low registers of the voice, a proper understanding of _cantabile_ writing combined with orchestration which never overpowers the vocal part will be of greater service to the composer, from an artistic point of view, than the more elaborate methods of Richard Wagner.

Voices in combination.

Treating solo voices in a polyphonico-harmonic manner is the best method of preserving their individual character in _ensembles_. A distribution which is wholly harmonic or entirely polyphonic is seldom found. The first plan, largely used in choral writing, simplifies the movement of the voices too greatly, eliminating their melodic character; the second method is wearisome and somewhat disturbing to the ear.

As a general rule the voices are arranged according to the law of normal register. Crossing of parts is rare and should only be done with the intention of emphasising the melody in the ascending voices above those adjacent in register, e.g. the tenor part above contralto, the mezzo-soprano above the soprano, etc.

Duet.

The combinations most conducive to the proper movement of parts are those of two voices related within an octave 8 [Sopr./Ten., M.-sopr./Bar., C.-alto/Ba.s.s. Movement in tenths, sixths, thirds or octaves (the last very seldom) will always produce satisfactory _ensemble_, and if the parts progress polyphonically, it need not happen _frequently_ that they are separated by more than a tenth, or that undesirable crossing of parts will result.

_Examples:_

_Sadko_ [[99-101]]--Sopr. and Tenor (cf. Ex. 289, 290).

_Servilia_ [[143]]--Sopr. and Tenor.

_Ivan the Terrible_, Act I [[48-50]]--Sopr. and Tenor.

_Kashtche the Immortal_ [[62-64]]. Mezzo-sopr. and Baritone.

=Voices related in fifths and fourths, 5 [Sopr./C.-alto, 4 [C.-alto/Ten., 5 [Ten./Ba.s.s.= should progress nearer to one another; it is rare for them to move in tenths, common in sixths and thirds; they may also proceed in unison. The two voices are seldom separated at a greater distance than an octave, and certain cases will require crossing of parts, which, however, should only be for periods of short duration.

_Examples:_

_Snegourotchka_ [[263-264]]--Soprano and Alto.

* _The Christmas Night_ [[78-80]]--Alto and Tenor.

* _Legend of Kitesh_ [[338]]--Tenor and Ba.s.s.

Voices related in thirds;

3 [Sopr. M.-sopr. Ten. Bar.

[M.-sopr., C.-alto, Ba.s.s, Ba.s.s,

may move in unison, in thirds and sixths, and admit very largely of the crossing of parts. Separation by more than an octave must only be momentary, and is generally to be avoided.