Further Thoughts about Singing

Extract

In continuing the subject upon which I had the honour of addressing the Musical Association last January, I should like, first, very briefly to call to your remembrance one topic upon which I then spoke, for, in the present paper, I shall have much occasion to refer to it. I allude to the important requisite that as vocal music is a union between poetry and “harmonised melody,” the most careful attention should be given that, in the combination, the various points demanding accent in the one should be responded to with perfect sympathy in the other. This, for the intelligent singer's sake, who is responsible for the perfection of the outcome. I stated to what notes in the diatonic scale, as well as dissonant notes generally, the accented words and syllables should be set. By the detailed observations I made, I implied, if I did not lay it down as a proposition, that singing was musical oratory, requiring that the delivery of the words should be rich in eloquence and in thorough accord with the sentiment of the music. Further thoughts with respect to this branch of the musical art, which I desire to place before you, will have a passing reference to the elocution of singing —the simple delivery of words; and then, and chiefly, to expression, musical and verbal; the full meaning of which I shall endeavour to show according to the view I take of the comprehension of the word. In the remarks I shall have occasion to make, if I may reckon upon your patience, will be seen the several reasons of my dwelling so much upon it. You will pardon my using very simple language, and giving a few rules well known to all thoughtful musicians who have made this branch a special study, that this paper may present some show of completeness. I shall have to make more than simple reference to translated songs, to transposed songs, and to what occasioned much argument and difference of opinion some few years since—musical pitch.