Vocalist.org archive


From:  "Lloyd W. Hanson" <lloyd.hanson@n...>
"Lloyd W. Hanson" <lloyd.hanson@n...>
Date:  Tue Mar 27, 2001  12:26 am
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] Mozart in falsetto/ how styles change (was: grumpy mozartians)


Dear Isabella and Vocalisters;

Sorry but I must disagree with you and Tako in this regard. The
story of the high C mentioned often as an example of Rosinni's
dislike of size in the voice in that register is a recurrent, but
mistaken myth. From other writings of the time it is obvious that
the tenor in question was not "singing" that high C but, rather,
shouting it. It was described by Rossini and others as ugly and no
doubt it was. But to extrapolate from this that other tenors of this
time were singing in falsetto or even in a light effeminate voice is
not accurate. There are many roles from that period that require
full head voice from the tenor and have been sung that way since that
time.

There is also no evidence that the tenors of Mozart's day sang with
falsetto or a light quality. There are many references to the
ringing tones of the leading tenors of this time.

To confuse this issue even more, there are some would say that all of
Pavarotti's high C's (and above) are sung in falsetto. Clearly this
is an error and Mr. P would be the first to correct to this
misconception.

We live in an age that is trying to make all early music straight
toned and light, as if the makers of music from what we musicians
call the Baroque and Classic ages were only interested in the effete
and effeminate. Even castrati were expected to sing with a
penetrating ring to the voice that women singers of that day could
only envy. If one studies the documents that attempt to support this
straight toned, non-ringing singing it become apparent that there is
little to support these ideas and a lot to support the understanding
that has been traditionally used in opera. It is the very ringing
quality of the singing in Italian opera that so intrigued J. S. Bach
such that he included it into his Sunday cantatas.

--
Lloyd W. Hanson, DMA
Professor of Voice, Pedagogy
School of Performing Arts
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011

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