Heartfelt Love: Singing Maiden Characters in Romantic Vocal Music, 1800-1850

<p>The images of maidens in Italian opera and German lieder from the period 1800-1850 are vivid. In the plots of the operas and the scenes and stories of the lieder almost invariably these characters focus enthusiastically on heartfelt love. This exegesis explores the relationship between the expression of love by unmarried women in selected lieder and opera of the first half of the nineteenth century and performance of these works by the young soprano in the twenty-first century. In the period when these songs and operas were written, performers of lieder would often have been of a similar age to the maiden characters portrayed in the songs, and in the case of Italian opera at the time, the singers who created such roles were usually in their twenties or early thirties. As a young soprano myself, in my study I consider some questions which are relevant for twenty-first century female singers who choose to perform these nineteenth-century portrayals of virgin characters. The figures in the works I have selected to study display a wide variety of personalities, moods and emotions, from the tenacious wild rose in Schubert’s ‘Heidenröslein’, to his passionate Gretchen and the melancholic Amina in Bellini’s La Sonnambula. I consider how the soprano may express the different emotions involved and approach performing young maiden characters such as these, whose experiences of life and status in society may be substantially removed from twenty-first century experiences. In order to address these questions, I examine the selected song and aria texts in terms of the relationship between the content of the stories and the characters, as well as analyzing the vocal skills that can be used and vocal effects that may be applied when shaping these roles according to the music as written. In addition, I combine the background to the story and the plot with the musical markings in selected phrases to explore the emotional variety of the characters so as to interpret the deeper significance in the compositions. Through learning and performing these particular pieces I have explored the vocal techniques which are required in singing them from a practical perspective and this enables me to contribute insights I have gained to the general understanding of the skills required for this particular area of the repertoire. Having chosen repertoire for this study which combines Italian opera arias and lieder, and I also consider how the differences I have found in the vocal works may reflect their respective genres and distinguish the skills required for each. Through writing about my own research into the performance of these works, I provide new insights and ideas about these maiden characters which may be applicable to any young sopranos who sing repertoire from this period, and useful for their own vocal perfo</p>

Heartfelt Love: Singing Maiden Characters in Romantic Vocal Music, 1800-1850

<p>The images of maidens in Italian opera and German lieder from the period 1800-1850 are vivid. In the plots of the operas and the scenes and stories of the lieder almost invariably these characters focus enthusiastically on heartfelt love. This exegesis explores the relationship between the expression of love by unmarried women in selected lieder and opera of the first half of the nineteenth century and performance of these works by the young soprano in the twenty-first century. In the period when these songs and operas were written, performers of lieder would often have been of a similar age to the maiden characters portrayed in the songs, and in the case of Italian opera at the time, the singers who created such roles were usually in their twenties or early thirties. As a young soprano myself, in my study I consider some questions which are relevant for twenty-first century female singers who choose to perform these nineteenth-century portrayals of virgin characters. The figures in the works I have selected to study display a wide variety of personalities, moods and emotions, from the tenacious wild rose in Schubert’s ‘Heidenröslein’, to his passionate Gretchen and the melancholic Amina in Bellini’s La Sonnambula. I consider how the soprano may express the different emotions involved and approach performing young maiden characters such as these, whose experiences of life and status in society may be substantially removed from twenty-first century experiences. In order to address these questions, I examine the selected song and aria texts in terms of the relationship between the content of the stories and the characters, as well as analyzing the vocal skills that can be used and vocal effects that may be applied when shaping these roles according to the music as written. In addition, I combine the background to the story and the plot with the musical markings in selected phrases to explore the emotional variety of the characters so as to interpret the deeper significance in the compositions. Through learning and performing these particular pieces I have explored the vocal techniques which are required in singing them from a practical perspective and this enables me to contribute insights I have gained to the general understanding of the skills required for this particular area of the repertoire. Having chosen repertoire for this study which combines Italian opera arias and lieder, and I also consider how the differences I have found in the vocal works may reflect their respective genres and distinguish the skills required for each. Through writing about my own research into the performance of these works, I provide new insights and ideas about these maiden characters which may be applicable to any young sopranos who sing repertoire from this period, and useful for their own vocal perfo</p>

Bel Canto - 500 Years Young: A study in the practical application of ​bel canto​ technique to twentieth-century vocal works in English

<p>As a young singer, it is inevitable that one is bombarded with the history of singing. ​Not only are we asked to listen to vocalists of previous ages, but we are also encouraged to analyse their methods and scrutinise their seminal performances in order to better identify the strengths of each singer​. Curious about the extent to which the lauded seventeenth and eighteenth-century ​bel canto vocal techniques hold relevance to contemporary classical singing and newer compositions, my research focused on whether these well-tried techniques are transferable. While the application of ​bel canto principles to the ​bel canto repertoire are clearly pertinent, my investigation concentrated on the feasibility and applicability of transferring these vocal techniques to modern repertoire, specifically songs and arias written in English, my mother tongue. This exegesis details my exploration of the application of such techniques to these two different sets of repertoire, and aims to shed light on the experience of the process of applying the ​bel canto ​principles to such works, and the potential benefits afforded by the practice of them.</p>

Spectral Aesthetics and ecological listening in the music of Helena Tulve

This chapter analyzes Estonian composer Helena Tulve's unique timbral process in four works: Sula (1999); L'Équinoxe de l'âme for soprano, triple harp or kannel, and string quartet (2008); Arboles lloran por luvia for voices and nyckelharpa (2006); and I am a River for chamber choir (2009). L'Équinoxe de l'âme (The Equinox of the Soul) is based on a text by the Persian mystic and philosopher Shahab al-Din Suhrawardi on the mythical Persian firebird Simurgh. Rather than portraying dissolving as in the orchestral work ice—Sula means to thaw or melt—the timbral transformations of Équinoxe evoke sparks bursting into flame, as well as a philosophical rumination on existence. The remaining vocal works similarly treat their texts with a programmatic flair that blurs the line between the materiality of the sound and its contemplative mood. Tulve's compositional approach can be considered post-spectral in its influences and attention to timbral detail. However, she is also motivated by ecological concerns, and counts herself among a small group of contemporary Estonian composers devoted to expressing this philosophy through music. Her influences meld in a music that prioritizes “slowness”: a sustained focus on spectral detail that reflects the composer's deep-rooted ecological concerns. The chapter thus draws on ideas from ecological theory, timbral analysis, and speculative aesthetics to show how Tulve's compositions express form through timbre and its expression in space, and reflect an ecological aesthetic of listening.

Bel Canto - 500 Years Young: A study in the practical application of ​bel canto​ technique to twentieth-century vocal works in English

<p>As a young singer, it is inevitable that one is bombarded with the history of singing. ​Not only are we asked to listen to vocalists of previous ages, but we are also encouraged to analyse their methods and scrutinise their seminal performances in order to better identify the strengths of each singer​. Curious about the extent to which the lauded seventeenth and eighteenth-century ​bel canto vocal techniques hold relevance to contemporary classical singing and newer compositions, my research focused on whether these well-tried techniques are transferable. While the application of ​bel canto principles to the ​bel canto repertoire are clearly pertinent, my investigation concentrated on the feasibility and applicability of transferring these vocal techniques to modern repertoire, specifically songs and arias written in English, my mother tongue. This exegesis details my exploration of the application of such techniques to these two different sets of repertoire, and aims to shed light on the experience of the process of applying the ​bel canto ​principles to such works, and the potential benefits afforded by the practice of them.</p>

ARCHIPELAGO MUSICAL ELEMENTS IN ANANDA SUKARLAN'S WORK AS PART OF BUILDING INDONESIAN IDENTITY

This study aims to examine the contribution of Ananda Sukarlan as a composer who is serious about building an Indonesian identity through the use of various Indonesian musical elements as material in composing piano and vocal works. How composers arrange various musical aspects that can work in a composition is the focus of this research. The study of musicology is used as an approach to dissect various aspects of the musical used, such as; melody, harmony, texture, tonality, scale, rhythm, timbre. Archipelago musical elements are a fundamental aspect in composing works that have 'new values' and 'different tastes' because they have uniqueness or characteristics. The complexity of the compositional techniques used in the preparation of the work shows a high level of creativity in producing vistuosic works. His works have become a repertoire for recitals, competitions, and music concerts for Indonesian and foreign pianists and soloist singers. Studying the works of Ananda Sukarlan indirectly also understands the musical diversity, the beauty of the region and the rich history of Indonesian culture.

Character and Non-character in Art Song

<p><b>Whom is a singer portraying when performing? While this is a straightforward question in opera where there is usually a concrete character to play, it is not always obvious in art song. The persona that the singer portrays in art song is not always clearly delineated: they may be a familiar figure, a nameless wanderer, a detached narrator, or even a disembodied consciousness. The outburst of singing may be an act of soliloquy or an internal thought process. It could occur as part of a chronological sequence of events or perhaps fall outside of time entirely. These portrayals require different embodied instincts from those in operatic singing.</b></p> <p>My exegesis explores some of the different kinds of vocal personae one can portray in art song performance. I posit a framework within which I categorise my personal methods of performance, relating to how an audience member might perceive these personae in relation to themselves. With reference to four selected solo vocal works, I detail how my application of this framework informs my performance, resulting in a unique embodiment of these abstract personae.</p>

Character and Non-character in Art Song

<p><b>Whom is a singer portraying when performing? While this is a straightforward question in opera where there is usually a concrete character to play, it is not always obvious in art song. The persona that the singer portrays in art song is not always clearly delineated: they may be a familiar figure, a nameless wanderer, a detached narrator, or even a disembodied consciousness. The outburst of singing may be an act of soliloquy or an internal thought process. It could occur as part of a chronological sequence of events or perhaps fall outside of time entirely. These portrayals require different embodied instincts from those in operatic singing.</b></p> <p>My exegesis explores some of the different kinds of vocal personae one can portray in art song performance. I posit a framework within which I categorise my personal methods of performance, relating to how an audience member might perceive these personae in relation to themselves. With reference to four selected solo vocal works, I detail how my application of this framework informs my performance, resulting in a unique embodiment of these abstract personae.</p>

Style trends of modern vocal performance

The purpose of the article is devoted to the peculiarities of creative interpretation of musical works in vocal performance, namely the consideration of a number of professional and personal characteristics of singers, as well as three interrelated stages of the process of creative interpretation. The methodology of the study is dialectical and systemic methodologies used in the field of cultural studies. General scientific and logical methods of analysis, synthesis, induction, and deduction, historical and comparative research of the problem are used. The author applies a hermeneutic approach to the study of the essence of vocal-performing style, identifying the personal content of objects to be interpreted. The scientific novelty of the work lies in deepening ideas about modern stylistic trends in vocal performance, clarifying the essence of the concepts of «performing style», «vocal-performing style», substantiating the tendency to interest in classical vocal works in modern vocal performance. Conclusions. Nowadays there is a steady tendency to interest in classical vocal works. The more significant, richer, and deeper in content the works of the past, the greater the preconditions for the interpretations of performers of one era and subsequent eras to be quite diverse and modified in the future, by bringing unique and individual means of expression in the interpretation of classical works. Active development of the classical tradition can be considered a stable and natural trend in the development of modern vocal and performing arts.

Chamber vocal works by Ivan Karabyts in the Ukrainian musicological discourse

The purpose of the article is to characterize the most significant works of Ukrainian scientists dedicated to the chamber vocal music by Ivan Karabytsand to identify promising areas for further study. The methodology involves the use of theoretical, systematic, and analytical methods to characterize the scientific works of Ukrainian scientists, which examines the chamber vocal works by Ivan Karabyts. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the identification of promising areas of research of chamber vocal and pop song creativity by Ivan Karabyts as a representative component of Ukrainian music of the second half of the 20th century. Conclusions. In modern Ukrainian musicology, the work by I. Karabyts is incompletely presented: the least researched to date are his chamber vocal works and pop songs are almost unstudied, although this musical layer is representative of both the composer’s work and Ukrainian music of the second half of the 20th century. Among the scientific works of Ukrainian researchers, the most important are the dissertations by O. Haluzevska and O. Hurkova, in which the issues of musical poetics and stylistic features of several vocal cycles by I. Karabyts were considered. Among the promising areas of research of chamber vocal works of the composer are the interaction of verbal and musical components, the interpenetration of elements of academic and non-academic music, the processes of stylistic synthesis.