On Fri, 25 Jan 2002, Lea Ann wrote:
> Can anyone tell me if there are any guidelines or rules in ornamentation?
Ornamentation ususally happen on a portamento right? For those of you that like
ornamentation or do it...do you just improv off the top of your head or do you
use a tried and true plan of attack? I am sort of stumped I have tried it a
few times with Lascia Ch'io Pianga (Handel) and don't ever seem to get back down
to the note at the end of the portamento...I just fly off somewhere and end up
sounded really silly. Can someone provide more info?
Not necessarily always or even mostly on the portamento. Can also be
notes interpolated between whole steps or thirds in a progression.
I strongly urge you to coach with a Baroque music specialist before
attempting your own ornamentation unless you are well-immersed in Baroque
musical style. Many opera singers not "grounded" in Baroque style tend to
favour Bel Canto style ornamentation which is absolutely wrong for Handel,
Purcell, etc. Even great singers like Marilyn Horne were guilty of this
anachronistic ornamentation - I can't bear to listen to her Handel arias
recording because of how inappropriate her ornamentations are.
For very good ornamentation guidance, I highly recommend you listen to
recordings by singers like Drew Minter and Andreas Scholl - both Baroque
specialists with impeccable credentials. Even if they're not singing
"your" arias, you can get a very good idea of what is "done" and "not
done" in Baroque vocal ornamentation. Also listening to Baroque solo
instrumental music, e.g., flute or violin solos, can give you some good
ideas as to the Baroque ornamentation aesthetic. It's not all that
different for vocal music.
Karen Mercedes
http://www.radix.net/~dalila/index.html
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What lies behind us, and what lies before us
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