Vocal Traditions in Conflict

I outline what my book is about in the form of a brief homily. My text:

‘Music must, somehow or other, reflect the manners and fancies of its birth-time and birth-place,—and also the conditions of executive art … I believe that thoughtful science, not shrinking from retrospect, not averse to discovery, will increasingly refer to Record, not to Tradition,—will increasingly separate that which is of the hour, from that which does not pass away. The “players” have had their riot:—the orchestra and its combinations have been driven into that prominence and perfection to which extravagance and corruption may be the inevitable sequel. The turn of the singers may be again to come.’

Henry Chorley, 1862

Dear Reader,

Chorley’s prediction that commentators will focus more on Record than on Tradition has indeed come to pass, with increasing emphasis on Historically Informed Practice. But, it’s apparent that reference to ‘Record’ is currently limited to instrumental music, with the orchestra continuing to ‘have its riot’. Historical keyboards, string, wind and brass artefacts have been revived. The recorder, viol, cornett, lute, harpsichord and other instruments (viewed a century ago as ‘antique’) are being reconstructed and expertly performed once more, thereby ‘reflecting the manners and fancies of music’s birth-time’, but (so far) absent the ‘inevitable sequel’ of extravagance and corruption. Unfortunately, vocal performance is still ruled by tradition. Most classical vocalists remain wedded to the traditional opera house sound. Few attempts have been made by institutions to adopt the teachings of Pierfrancesco Tosi, Giambattista Mancini and Richard Mackenzie Bacon, as set down during the long 18th century.

The book explores the historic record of vocal sound in detail. Besides treatise writers, I cite reviews by Johann Quantz, Wolfgang Mozart, Charles Burney, Richard Edgcumbe, Gioacchino Rossini and Henry Chorley himself, plus many others. You will find comprehensive appraisals of over 135 historic vocalists, describing the voices of some 24 castrati, 46 other males and 65 females, often appearing in print for the first time. I track in detail the changes from straight voice, registral extension and soft high notes, as expected from singers in 1830, to continuous vibrato, loud singing from the chest on high notes, plummy/ throaty emission and suppression of falsetto singing, which had become the expected norms for most opera and concert singers by 1920. But one recent development would have pleased Rossini, who was unhappy with the deterioration in vocalism already evident to him during the 1850s. I refer to the work of some pop and folk singers, plus a small handful of classical artists, who are discovering for themselves the beauties of long 18th century bel ca...