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From:  Jeffrey Joel <JSJoel@c...>
Date:  Sat Apr 8, 2000  1:55 am
Subject:  Re: [vocalist-temporary] Bel Canto technique...


Alain Zurcher wrote:
>I am a bit tired of reading about "the 5 Italian vowels", since:
>1) even in Italian, the "o" and "e" can be open or closed, which makes at
>least 7 vowels,
>2) I cannot find any reason why a [y] (French "u" or German "u") or a German
>closed or open "o" (French "eu") should not be considered (and sung) as
>"pure".

There is no reason why they should not be considered or sung as "pure".
However,
this is a discussion of "bel canto", not "beau chant", so presumably the
discussion will center around Italian. ;-)

Also, there was a great deal of difference in singing styles in France
and Italy in the 17th and 18th centuries. See Sally Sanford's DMA
dissertation from Stanford University as
well as some of the writers of the period (Benigne de Bacilly, J.B.
Berard, etc. Furthermore, as far as we know, 17th century Italian
pronunciation was mostly a good deal closer
to modern Italian pronunciation than 17th century French is to modern
French. You yourself mentioned a site (Olivier....) that had a discussion
of this matter, when I asked
on chant about French stage diction.


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