Temat: Zapis lekcji śpiewu prowadzonej przez Luciano...

Poniżej pragnę się podzielić z Państwem zapisem z lekcji śpiewu prowadzonej przez Luciano Pavarottiego i Panią Mirellę Freni (włoska śpiewaczka operowa. Jej matka pracowała w tej samej fabryce papierosów, co matka L. Pavarottiego - http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirella_Freni ).

Pavarotti: What does school of ' singing mean? It is something to which at times we give too much importance, and at others times not enough. Singing techinque: upon this subject there are many theories, and each of these, because they are theory, are, valid. Let us hear what ,Madam Mirella Freni has to say on the subject; she will talk to us about the female voice in particular.
Freni: More than "talk" of singings it is often better to give pratical exgercises! It is natural that the problems for a singer are above alle the breathing, then the technical problems of resonance. There are also nusical problems, in other words many qualities are necessary to make a singer: do you agree?

Pavarotti: Completely. What do you think, for example, is important technically speaking for a lyric soprano like you? What are the transitional notes for the soprano?
(…)
Freni: Well, you cannot go by me you know, because I bave only one change of register, from the lower to the middle register; I should also have the other …
Pavarotti: I haven spoken of the technique of covering the transitional notes. This is the end result of that which is a more complicated process which begins with the breathing. For a man the breathing is without a doubt diaphragmatic.

Freni: (interrupting) I am a woman, Luciano, and I also breath this way. I am horrified when I see certain sopranos who tend to fill the upper part of the lungs with too much air thus causing tension on throat and neck muscles. I find however that the greatest female singers of today, such as, Caballe, Nilsson, Sutherland, and Scotto use abdominal breathing.

Pavarotti: This is absolutely true.

Freni: It is naturally more strenuous for a woman; however, one must work towards abdominal breathing:

Pavarotti: It has one great advantage, one uses less breath as one comes down from the higher notes.

Freni: Yes, but for the soprano , it is right in the lower transitional notes, from low to
middle register, that there is greater difficulty in sustaining the voice, therefore one needs great study, great control, as it is most difficult to obtain.
Abdominal breathing helps for the higher notes, but it is not natural for a woman to use it, therefore one must have great constance, patience and work very hard. ..

Pavarotti: What do you mean Mirella by "singing on the diaphragm".
Freni: One must relax eveything completely, the neck, the scapula, the shoulders, everything; and one moust support the breath with the diaphragm, which is let us say here under the stomach. In good breath support these abdominal muscles are the key. As one inhales the lower rib cage expands the diaphragm is lowered and the stomach protrudes slightly. Once the air is in the abdominal cavities one must then keep it resting on the diaphragm which is stretched downward but not strained, and by constant inward pressure on the abdominal wall the air is then let out gradually as if controlled by a valve. This is the way it is for me. How about you?
Pavarotti: It is the same for me, but it would be sufiicient to watch a baby crying in its cot to have a more precise idea of the meccanism. Watch a baby, you will notice it can cry for ten hours running and it will never become hoarse because it uses the abdominal muscles well. However when one begins to sing, for many unknown reasons, one loses this relaxed control over the diaphragm

(…)

Freni: This is true. To go back to the breathing problem however here is ray advice: the best way to understand correct breathing is to lie flat on one's back, it is easy then to see the low movement of the diaphragm which is relaxed. One is able to
fee! everything opening up inside in a relaxed way. When one is tense however, I is surely due to breaching; a teacher can teach this, but personally the pupil must
also fee! it. The teacher shows a student the way, but it is the student who must
develop these things on his own, through hard work, great will power and with
honesty towards himself, because one must never say; this is too difficult f
cannot do it today I have z sore stomach, a headache, it's not true...

(…)

2nd, Student: I have a question on breathing, Many singers, I have noticed, even famous ones, use the diaphragm differently especially when they take high notes, this is more noticeable in men due to their body structure. It is usually difficult to see fow a woman’s diaphragm works as she wears clothes which conceal or restrain the abdominal area. Many famous singers, when they take a high note literally press on the diaphragm, and one can see the stomach area protruding more than normal and, as the breath is let out, returning to the. natural position, in others, still among the well known ones, one sees the diaphragm go in, when they take the high note», it seems as if they aft themselves up with the note. Which method is correct in your opinion?
Pavarotti: Before answering 1 would like to ask a question; which of these two methods do you prefer as a singer?
2nd. Student: Those who actually "press" On the diaphragm.
Pavarottí: You hem given the answer yourself. This is the way I believe to be right,
3rd. Student: I also would like to go back to the question of breathing which is one of my problems.
Freni: (interrupting) this is a problem common to all students at the beginning and even when one has been singing for many years problems caused by breathing can arise. At certain moments notes which came easily before, come forth with difficulty: it is time to recontrol the breathing.
3rd. Student: When one is too tense is there any special vocal or physical exercise one can do to be more relaxed.
Freni: Well as I said before if one breathes well one is also relaxed, keeping the air well supported by the diaphragm, if this muscle becomes too rigid the muscles and nerves in the throat, and neck contract immediately.

Pavarotti: They stiffen.

Freni: Yes, and this must never happen. This, then, is your way of controlling; when you feel any sign of tenseness it means that the diaphragm is not working correctly,
3rd. Student: Therfore one must do vocal exercises trying to keep the breath "light" without forcing even if one does not produce a great volume of voice.
Freni: Now you must tell me what you mean by "light". One may think you do not sustain or press on the diaphragm, which is always necessary in the correct measure, avoiding forcing.
Pavarotti: One must never forget, in my opinion, that the vote is formed fn the throat, and "throaty singing" is caused by the diaphragm not being able to push the voice out of the throat. All wives originate, in the same way but it is the diaphragm which succeeds in pushing enough air through the. meat cards making them vibrate intensely, (as in a wind instrument). When this does not come about there is an insufficient vibration of the cords and the sound becomes "throaty"
(…)

4th. Student: I also wanted to go back to the problem of breathing in this respect: that is, if one has breathing problems should one tackle the higer notes?

Freni: One must go gradually I believe.

4th, Student: Is it better to work on having a consistent volume of voice or...

Freni: No, not as far as Î air. concerned. How about you Luciano?

Pavarotti: I have already said it before; I would first find the right placement for the voice, and have the voice as mother nature made it: continuing in this was. the voice should develop on it's own. If the technique is right the voice -will always develop.
(…)
4th. Student: When one begins to study singing, the most serious problem is that of bringing the voice, as they say, “in the mask”, what method for a beginner is there, to learn the use of head resonance?

Pavarotti: I can say this: I remember in my own career that the mastery of head resonance came about for me by studying Rigoletto with a record cf Jan Peeree, trying net to imitate him too much; of course, even not wanting you always end up by doing it. His mice is a little metallic and technically very much "in the mask", i therefore combined listening to Peerce with singing Rigoletto, which meant that if I minted to sing I had no choice hut to sing in that way. I rememer it very welt, and I believe that ( resolved this problem then, noticing a great improvement in my voice through the study of “Rigoletto” and “Sonnambula”. Even if they have a heavy voice it does not matter because if they are able to sing that stuff, the rest comes very easy.
5th. Student: The question I would like to ask is this: one hears talk of the voice being “back”, of the voice being “forward”, the voice “in the mask”, the tounge which obstructs the flow of sound: of all these problems. Are faults due to incorret teaching at the beginning or due to an inability to express one’s natural vocal instincts or because of an inability to understand note placement?

Freni: We must see first of all how one places the tounge. With some, the tounge rises at the back, this could originate from faulty speech which in turn can influence the voice emission in a negative way. I once saw a teacher, who put a spoon in his pupil’s mouth to try and eliminate this fault. He would press it down to make him get used to it; naturally the sounds he produced were terrible.

Pavarotti: (smiling) rather metallic in guality…
Student: In those cases when one starts out as a bass baritone and ends up a tenor.
— «s this due m an incorrect classification of the voice on the teacher's, part, or is
it due to an evolution of a physical nature. We have an example of change of
register even among great singers who have, started with one type of voice and
ended their career with another

Freni: I would be cautious in giving the blame either to the teacher or the singer, as a singer’s voice is always in continual evolution. One could quite easily set oft* one way ami along or years gradually change. One must go cautiously as this is a very difficult career and many strange things can happen to a voice.

Pavarotti: I would say that if one ft in doubt it is always better to try and "tune" the voice higher as these notes end up by being the easiest even if. they are "built". It is ettiier to do a high note by exercising pressure on-the diaphragm than to search for a low note which one does not have naturally

Freni: This is true

5th Student; Presuming: a student has weak low notes: in your opinion. should he work a lot in the lower register or should he let them mature naturally.
(…)

5th Student; I would like to ask Mr, Pavarotti what is the best way to take a high note, and what sensation one feel in those moments, when one thinks “now I must take a high note”.

Pavaroiti: One must/eel the diaphragm in a law position ready la spring into action la support the note.
Frem; And to be ready for it one must be relaxed.

Pavaroiti: Sometimes even when the preparation is correct the note does not come out right, however, in general it does.

Freni: Certainty, it is fatal ¡if one becomes tense

Pavarotti: In this theatre (Theatro Comunale of Modena) I have, had the pleasure of hearing Gigli.
Freni: So have I…
Pavarotti: They had laid me that Gigli came every morning la the theatre to do his vocal exercises. ' was very young, perhaps twelve years old, he was singing m "Lucia " with Lina Pagliughi

Freni: Yes, I rembember bearing it front she gallery (pointing outwards).

Pavarotti: One morning I waited for him down below, and when, he came I asked him, "Maestro how many years have, you studied"? And he said: "I finished a quarter of an hoar ago".
6th. Student: Mrs Freni. Mr. Pavarotii we have beard both through persona} experience and through records some of the famous singers of the past, we know that there are also many beautiful today bat they are not as pure, does this come from an. incorrect modern technique or a good technique of the past?

Pavaratti: As fur as the tenor voice is concerned I have my own theory, and I expressed it do/ore. Nowadays we tend to try and make the voice bigger right away without letting it mature naturally, and for this reason it is more difficult to find the beautiful timbres of former times. Singing "on the spoker phrase" is becoming a rare thing nowadays. One may hear interesting voices which are suitable for certain repertoires, like the drench repertoire, however the 'young student in netterai tends to mm to make bigger a voice which will only develop through time.

Freni: Ye», because, strangely. one does noi know why. one is attracted towards the dramatic genre, if one sings a dramatic opera it seems one is more clever than one who sing*. Bohème, or another opera of this type.-Therefore everyone seems to want to force the voice and sing right away dramatic arms which are not suitable, in this way the vocal study is not carried out 'with tranquillity and seriousness, consequently the vocal instrument is not left to mature step by step as it should.

Pavarotti: A young tenor came to let me hear his voice, i asked what type of voice he had and he immediatly said "Dramatic Tenor" however when he starled to sing he was barely a light lyric the doubt arises whether same singers ready hear themselves.

Freni: Vera mean they do not want to hear...
Pavarotti: No! I Delieve m their sincerity. I am only afraid that they are not capable of hearing themselves. Usually the people who study singing nowadays are very intelligent therefore f one admin their sincerity the only deduction is that they hear their voice vibrating overmuch in their ears and believe they have a voluminous voice whereas the sound that actually comes out is very slight.
6th Student: I would like to brine up the subject of intonation. Many teems one hears singers with beautiful voices who go fiat, does it, depend on the ear or is it a matter of technique, that is, does, k depend on the wrong placement of a note.

Freni; The reason could be tirai one truly does not hear the sound and goes fist or sharp or there could be a technical reason which can be corrected. There could be a weakness in the diaphragm and for this reason the singer can find difficulty in maintaining intonation, or else there are those who put too much pressure on the diaphragm and tend to go sharp, this is a technical fault. It happens even to us, when we study, to come up against such problems when perhaps we have not placed the voice correctly.

Pavarotti: There is a way to control intonation. For example if a student loses intonation in singing a note loudly make him sing the same note piano, then one can understand if he does not hear the note or if he does net know to produce it.

Freni: Yes!

Pavarotti: If he does not hear it. ¡i means that he has a defective' ear, if he. does not know how to produce it in full voice it nearly always depends on the diaphragm
(…)

1st, Student: Sings aria
Student: Sung example.

Pavarotti: Repeat from the beginning, and try now to keep the voice light, because to me a teems to be aid very dark and of baritone quality. Therefore try to (kink of the tenor totve, fry not to cover the transitional notes too much, "focus"(or colour) but do not cover aver much as now the voice seems to he restricted,

Student: Sung example,

Pavarotti: It seems to me that you are not breathing properly, try breathing more relaxed. Even f you take, a fraction longer, it doesn't matter. Try to keep your sound slightly more open, lighter and I do not mean by this that you should abandon the support. I do not mean lighter in intensity but lighter in colour, less dark
(…)

3rd. Student: Sung example.
Pavarotti: Stop: Emilio will lei you hear what he really can do in the next recording: let us give him J minutes break. Go and drink a glass of water.
4th, Student: Brief suns, example
Pavarotti; Stop, stop. Try and open your mouth wider, give more space to allow the voice to come oat and use more legate. You should try, especially when singing in the middle and lower range, so open your throat more: this means physically speaking to gentle tower the "Adams Apple" jus', as when yawning and take on an expression of surprise. This is the position which one should use In articulation and I personally feel, to be she right position for the attack of the sound. You must also try when you sing not to do any portamento between one note and another (brief sung example) and try to think of the last note, you sing, before taking your next breath.
5 th. Student: Vocal exercises.
Freni: {interrupting} As first year student your are quite good, you must not tremble, we have been saying for the past two hours that to sing well one must be serene and in control. J understand the nervousness of staging here in front of everybody; however I can already tell you not to darken your initial notes too much and keep the sound light so as to be able to go up well
Student: Continues vocal exercises
Freni: Breath in a relaxed way, we have time
Student; Vocal exercises,
Freni: I was watching the way you were breathing, it seems you take the breath incorrectly you are listing up the chest too much instead of trying to bring the abdominal muscles well into play; and for this reason your breath is lost and you arrive at the end of the exercise with little breath left. Try: even if it. does not come right, we are here to correct you
Student: Continues with vocal exercises.
Freni: Breath in a relaxed way, we have time
Student; Vocal exercises,
Freni: I was watching the way you were breathing, it seems you take the breath incorrectly you are listing up the chest too much instead of trying to bring the abdominal muscles well into play; and for this reason your breath is lost and you arrive at the end of the exercise with little breath left. Try: even if it. does not come right, we are here to correct you
Student: Continues with vocal exercises.

Freni: We cannot improvise! It is a pity that those who bus these records cannot sec: it would be marvellous to see how this young lady prepares the attack, by taking an enormous breath and filling the whole rib cage and chest, it should be the exact opposite. Now try to breathe as little as possible, even if you do not get to the end of the exercise
Student; Continues with vocal exercise.
Freni; Do you see how you managed to gel to the end? Do you understand now what happens when taking too much breath; all your muscles tighten
6th. Student: Sung example.
Freni: This phrase is written mezzo forte, and a little slower, but let us leave that question aside for the moment; you will never be able to do a good piano note if you sing with the teeth so close like this... (example). Why is this, 1 do get angry do you never look at singers to see what they do? 'They do not sing like that!! Can it be possible thar you look only at bad singers, is this not so? Please look at good singers! Continue..,
Student: Sung example..
Freni: (iinterrupting) I wanted to Jet you go on, but your intonation is faulty, this, it seems, is due to you breathing incorrectly, at least I think so; it could depend on other things. Certainly you cannot sing like that...(example) so rigid; how is it possible? Do you think the public hearing you is happy'? Try always to give a mellownes of tone, naturalness (sung example). As you see everything comeinfo action, however 1 have not moved my diaphragm; as I finished the first phrase I took a very small breath to attack the piano note and if came, as the position was prepared — that is how it is, but if you begin to "stiffen" your abdominal muscles you will not succeed!