Young People deserve an Explanation

Young people deserve a mixed diet of classical and transient music. Classical music needs to be explained as music of a particular period of history. Popular and classical music of the period needs to be played and explained, just the same as music or 2005 classical and transient music needs to be explained. There was an orchestra professor at Northwestern who played Shostakovich to his children, so that they would except 20th century, modern music. Now, Shostakovich seems calm. The whole science and study of music is consonance and dissonance. Consonance and Dissonance is a good starting point for young people. All the things that have been going on in classical music are now going on in transient music of 2005.

Singing "On the Breath"

Singing "On the Breath" is certainly what we singers are all aiming at. The Intercostals do play an important part in the process and one does feel the sensation in the back. The floated tone, one teacher, I believe Norman Gulbrandsen, Northwestern University School of Music, described as suspended animation. The breathing process stopped, was suspended, but the singing went on, on the breath. Exhalation will always win. An interesting concept. Marc Alan Innes

Placement and Support

One of the definitions of "forced" tone or pushedsinging is that it goes off the breath. Or, moreexactly, the voice leaves a balanced position in breathsupport. You can do a lot with a voice and for along time, if it is properly supported; we all knowthe moment when it happens, and how it feels andsounds, but I can think of a hundred examples of singers who burned up voices because they wentoff adequate support to the breath. You can hear it:the tone becomes shallow, labored, forced, evenyelled - that is when breath support is inadequate.Sometimes a top professional singer will go througha period of problems with support, and then regainit (depending on technique or age), or just quit. G.Farrar is often cited as someone who retired early(age 40) because of a loss of a good supported tone-300 Butterflies will do it - a lyric voice forced off thebreath for a long time. Dessay's recent bouts of vocalcord nodes/surgeries probably reflect this; Steber'spremature withdrawal from opera related (in part) to the loss of muscle health needed to support thetone. It happens. I think "support" and "on thebreath" are two of the most frequently applied technical terms or concerns of voice teachers andcoaches. I once asked Harshaw, what are the basicelements of singing? She said, two: Placement and Support. I think later diStefano had trouble in bothdepartments. jim/sfe

Sing "On the Breath"

All singing is "on the breath" and the breath is supported by the abdominal muscles, not by the back muscles. In fact, strong abdominal muscles help protect the back against strain. So there are no singers who sing "off the breath" or who fail to support with the abdominal muscles. But there are degrees of support resulting in throats which seem relaxed or tight and strained. Those who have observed infants crying will see the very direct connection between vocal sounds and "stomach" muscles. People have noticed that babies can cry for hours and never get hoarse. Their throats are relaxed and their stomach muscles are operating automatically to push the breath up and out.Men generally cannot achieve the same floating sound in the upper register that we hear from some women. Men have to cover their high notes and this induces a degree of pressure and tension which some women can avoid. Singers such as Gigli (Mi par dudir ancora) and Gedda (Magische note), however, had well developed piano or head voices and could produce a floating sound on high notes. Gigli in particular retained a very relaxed sound throughout his range at all times and seemed to be singing with very little effort. This effect was achieved through full relaxation of the throat and excellent breath support. The most important factor in the physical production of the singing voice is breath support and such support is based on strong muscles used properly. With strong breath support, vocalists can achieve most of what is required; without it, good singing is impossible. Other factors, physical and intellectual, come into play, but voice is breath. I think the expression goes "cantare e respire," an oversimplification that nevertheless makes an important point.Jake Drake