Part 3 (1/2)

INTENSITY

In musical terminology every gradation of volume in sound, from the faintest to the loudest, enters into the category of Intensity. One of the accepted rules of the _arte del bel canto_ was, that every sustained tone should be coloured by some graduation of intensity.

Thus the ability to augment and diminish the volume of tone was so highly esteemed--indeed, so essential--that singers spent much time in acquiring the _messa di voce_, that is, the steadily graduated emission of tone from the softest degree to the loudest and again to the softest: _p_ [crescendo symbol] _f_ [decrescendo symbol] _p_. This exercise invariably formed a part of each day's study, and was practised on several vowels throughout the scale, except the extreme tones, save in rare instances. It was, in fact, indispensable that the singer should be able to colour every tone in three forms of graduated intensity: Soft to loud _p_ [crescendo symbol] _f_; loud to soft _f_ [decrescendo symbol] _p_; and soft to loud and soft again _p_ [crescendo symbol] _f_ [decrescendo symbol] _p_.

This command of intensity, therefore, is invaluable. But it is even more effective when the artist has the power to combine the various gradations of Intensity with different shades of Colour; in other words, when he can sing a tone _crescendo_ and _diminuendo_ in the clear and sombre timbres.

The pa.s.sage, already cited, from Alceste's great air in Gluck's opera _Alceste_, furnishes an admirable ill.u.s.tration of the dramatic emotion created by a sudden contrast of Intensity as well as Colour. In the invocation ”Ye ministers that dwell in night!” the clear timbre is used with gradually increasing volume until at the phrase (sung _adagio_) ”Ministers of death!” the timbre changes abruptly to a sombre quality with sinister effect, which effect is augmented by being sung _pp_.

[Music: Gluck (Alceste: Act I)

Divinites du Styx!

Divinites du Styx!

Ministres de la mort!]

A still more striking example of the impressive effect produced by sudden contrasts of intensity is offered in the magnificent air ”Total Eclipse,” from _Samson_ (Handel). In it, a judicious use of tone-colour, accent, and variations of tempo, all combine to elucidate in the highest possible degree the idea of both composer and poet:

[Music: Sun, moon and stars, sun, moon and stars are _dark_ to me.]

The words ”Sun, moon and stars” should be given strongly accentuated, and the tempo gradually accelerated. The repet.i.tion of the phrase should be sung with still greater intensity; then, at the pa.s.sage ”are dark to me,” the colour of the voice changes to one of very sombre quality, and the original tempo is resumed. The first consonant in the word ”dark” should receive a slight stress.

The _crescendo_ has always been a favourite device of composers, particularly of those who write for the lyric theatre. It was an effect held in high esteem by Rossini, who introduced it constantly in his operas--witness his overtures and ensembles. All are familiar with the wonderful _crescendo_ which precedes the appearance of the Knight of the Swan, in _Lohengrin_, where the sonorities are augmented by gradual additions of voices and instruments until the culminating point is reached. An instance more poignant still is found in the great ”Liebestod” in _Tristan und Isolde_.

Although Herold, the French composer, observed that in working up to a climax one should begin a long way off, a singer must be careful not to reach his maximum of vocal sonority before the musical climax is attained. The tenor Duprez created a sensation that is historic, in the long _crescendo_ pa.s.sage in the fourth act of _Guillaume Tell_, by gradually increasing the volume of sound, as the phrase developed in power and grandeur, until the end, which he delivered with all the wealth of his exceptionally resonant voice.

Before closing this chapter on Intensity, I should advise singers whose voices possess great natural volume or power not to abuse this valuable quality by employing it too frequently. The ear of a listener tires sooner of extreme sonority than of any other effect. Talma, the great actor, wrought many reforms on the French dramatic stage, not only in costume--prior to his time Greek or Roman dress only was worn in tragedy--but also in the manner of delivering tragic verse. Against the custom, then prevalent, of always hurling forth long tirades at full voice, he inveighed in these terms: ”Of all monotonous things, _uproar_ is the most intolerable” (_de toutes les monotonies, celle de la force est la plus insupportable_). An artistic singer will use his most powerful tones, as a painter employs his most vivid colours, sparingly.

PHRASING

Phrasing is simply musical punctuation. In singing, it may be separated, like accent, into two divisions: Musical and Poetic, or Verbal, phrasing. If the following pa.s.sage were performed by an instrument, it would not require any particular grouping or phrasing:

[Music]

But when sung, it would fail in effect if not performed with a very slight pause after the word ”n.o.bis,” thus:

[Music: Ave Maria

Luzzi

Ora pro n.o.bis, Maria.]

As another ill.u.s.tration of the excellent effect of correct phrasing may be cited the song _Psyche_, by Paladilhe. Its effect is heightened if the musical phrasing be judiciously combined with a change in Colour and Intensity:

[Music: Quand il les flatte, j'en murmure!]

(Should be sung):

[Music: Quand il les flatte, j'en murmure!]