Practical reflections on the figurative art of singing

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Preface

CCIDENTALLY, now and then utility

has given life to the arts, which have

disappeared with the disappearance of

their usefulness. These arts have been ruined and buried by the succession of centuries. Some of them have not grown beyond a mediocrity, in which state they were born; especially this is true of those in China. Many of them have been at different times more or less cultivated, according to their utility and the degree of interest taken in them by nations and individuals. On the other hand many other arts have gradually been brought to perfection. The larger part of the arts, however, that have had their birth in a favored and beneficial climate, have had with hardly any exception their prosperous life from Africa to Europe, from Egypt to Greece, and were brought from Athens to Rome. But the northern people’s desire for pillage and devastation broke and destroyed the Roman dominions, and laid the veil of ignorance over the Constantine Empire, burying in their barbarism the arts, their founders and supporters. They annihilated the stores of | 11

12 PREFACE knowledge and attainments, and many original products of the talents and industries of our great ancestors.

When the liberal arts were recalled to a new life, after such a disastrous epoch and centuries of oblivion it was still necessary to recover and assemble the few fragments left intact from the rascality of man, and to imitate these remains.

Through the imitation of perfect models, one can acquire great knowledge and culture. (Although as Marmontel says in his article “Critique,” one may misconstrue the word imitation by carrying it to such an extreme that one becomes a slave to models, and thus destroys his own creative ability.) Thus a painter in his examinations gives his pupils some work of Raphael to copy.

But not every art has perfect models for the students to copy and observe. Singing is one of those arts which lives more by the transmission of its precepts than by examples or illustration.

Precept and theory ought to have been in all times and ages the element and inspiration of every | science and every art. But as man comes from the hands of nature absolutely ignorant, it is only through intuition, observation and experience that he is able to deduce and solve them. We conclude then that experience is the wisest teacher of all the arts. In music it is especially true; and those who are the most experienced and practiced in it, must beyond a doubt, possess the most knowledge. I do

PREFACE 13 not flatter myself to such a point, but I only wish for the benefit of the whole profession, to give these suggestions and visions of wisdom which I have acquired in my many years devoted to this art.

I published in Vienna in 1774, some of my thoughts and reflections upon vocal music, for the benefit not only of the teachers, but also for those who study. My efforts have been accepted indulgently, not only in Italy and Germany, but also in France, where they have been translated into that language in the past year 1776 by Mr. De-Fougiers, and a little later in the month of March they were mentioned in the book “‘Literary Story” by the Rev. Abbot Rozier, page 261. But as I found I had omitted some things which I deem useful, I started again, out of pure pastime, to write them out and tothese I have added many other reflections.

The requests of friends, and the authority of professors, have urged me to reproduce the above mentioned reflections and make them more perfect and also enrich them as I have done. I could verify this statement by publishing the gracious letters received from Father Maestro Martini, Giovanni Haffe, alias Saffone, Gaetano Latilla, Nicolo Piccini, Giovanni Amadeo Naumann, and other famous professors of our art. If these letters were not so full of undeserved compliments and praise, I would publish them, but modesty forbids.

Influenced by such authorities and the desire to contribute to the good of the profession, I have not

14 PREFACE hesitated to put my limited ability to the severest torture, in order to reform, refine and perfect this small treatise of mine. I trust that the profession will look with a kind eye upon this work, which IT have done for the advantage of students; and TI also trust that the youths will profit by this work of mine, that they will discover in it, instruction and food, and that they will raise their ambitions, through the nobility of the art and find inspiration to fix their steps well in the path of perfection and honor.

PELE

CONTENTS The Excellence and Sterling Worth of

The Diverse Schools, Famous Men and Distinguished Women, who have Flourished in the past Century and are still PLUSISIETNUL OUGUL suit uid e eae

The Moral Oblwation of Parents toward Their Children and the Necessary Precautions to be taken Before Dedicating Them to the Art of Singing. . ca Tee,

Concerning the Voice in Generale The Chest Register and the Head Register or ECOPNELHO SS Pea coed edge haa

Intonation. .

Concerning the Dion ay he: M rane or the Way to Open It. .

The Proper Way to Bird Out the Votes to Modulate and to Place It...........

Of the Blending of the ahr tate Porta-

mento and Appoggiatura. .

Trillo and M pera eee bah Morvan te on PL:

THe Aguity of the Voice: i.e eke .

The Knowledge One Needs to Ais or Recite Well in the Theatre. . ig,

Order, Rules and General Behavior to be Observed by an Earnest Student While Learning the Art of Singing.......

123 142 147

BS Hy

. 187

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CHAPTER I Tue EXCELLENCE AND STERLING WortH oFr Music

MONG all the remedies which humanity has invented to fortify itself against indolence and idleness, and among all the objects that hold our imagination and sentiments, there is no doubt but that music is the most jocund and perfect. It is capable of making us forget the pains of life, thus relieving us. It makes us conscious of delicate feelings and it provokes in us more exquisite sentiments, disclosing to us a better existence by giving us pleasure and recreation. It is commonly believed that music takes its derivation from ‘“Musa”’ defined as: “Art of combining sounds in a way pleasing to the ear.” Music is considered the most charming and beautiful of all the liberal arts. And if you investigate the principles of its combinations, the cause and effects which it awakens in us, you will readily see that it can be called a science, as well as an art. The value and excellence of an art can reasonably be determined by three things,—its birth, the number of people who learned it and the advantages derived. 17

The origin of music is very ancient. Song is the most despotic of all and the one which has the greatest power over the human heart, and is also that branch of music which follows most closely its original—Nature. It is certainly contemporary with the world. I will not presume to trace the famous inventor, because it would be boldness and idle since so many learned men have written about it, especially the immortal Father Master Giambettista Martini, convential minor, still living in Bologna. He is a clear minded man, and a light and example of our profession. Indeed as an historian, and in consideration of his works, he rightly deserves to be called the honor of his century and of his order.

Let it be as we read in the Old Testament, that in the first days of the world, Jubal was the first inventor, while Diodoro asserts that the Egyptians resurrected it after the Deluvian period, and Polibio affirms that the Arcadians were the inventors while Plinio attributes it to Anfione, Dionisio and others give the credit to the Grecians. To me this proof is enough, that music is the most ancient art. And I could say with Lucrezio with all surety, that this art was born with the first men; that from the sweet, natural concerts of the birds, they learned to modulate their own voices. For, who is there in the world who does not know more or less how to sing? There is song wherever there is speech. Even the savages who live in the forests like wild beasts, have their own songs. Some of them have been published by

Rousseau in the last table of his Musical Dictionary. It is the custom of the savages to tell their bravery and acts of war, to the congress of their tribes, by singing them in order to add to them more honor and dignity. This art then, claims and flatters itself with the vale of antiquity, the honor of being popular with and accepted by every nation; and it is consequently cultivated by all orders of persons. The sacred and secular histories stand and speak with luminous examples to prove the veracity of my statement.

Lo! How many great and saintly men, versed and involved deeply in the study of military life, politics, philosophy and theology, were attracted by the suavity and sweetness of song, and stole many hours from their grave occupations to study this art! They conquered it, not as a profession but for fancy and delight. They adorned themselves with science and the lyre, as well as with the toga and sword, and thus honored art also. David sung his songs with the harp; Jeremiah sung his “‘Mottettos” with the zyther; Saint Cecilia sung her meditations “Soliloqui’” on the organ; the Holy Arch Bishop Saint Ambrogio, protector of Milan, applied himself to this art to sucha degree that he composed the hymns of grace, sacred to the Lord, in order to keep the religious fervor to a high standard among the people of his Diocese. This singing took the name of Ambrogian chant “Canto-Ambrosiano.” Saint Gregory reformed this ecclesiastic chant, introducing into it the “‘Introitus”

and the style took the name of Gregorian chant, ‘““Canto-Gregoriano”’; Guido Aretino, the venerable monk, invented the so-called ““Canto Fermo”’ and in some places “Canto Figurato,” (of which we are now talking), adding real value to the system which he left us.

Greece and Rome have given many testimonials in favor and honor of Music. Take the Emperors, Alexander the Great, Tito Andriano, and Marco Aurelio, were they not all very distinguished in this art and also her great protectors? Homer assures us that Chirone taught music to Achille, and Homer himself used to sing his own poems, accompanying himself with the lyre and zyther. Cimone and Epaminonda, great generals, enjoyed in the same degree the directing of a choir and the leading of an army.

Temistocle, Licinio Graffo, Marco Cecilio and Appio Claudio, when returning from their victories, could not appreciate the value of their triumphs unless they were accompanied by music.

Not only the ancient heroes cultivated music, but also the great legislators and philosophers did not consider themselves complete unless they had a knowledge of music.

Solone, a Grecian philosopher, wished to study music when he was an old man. Socrates, the honor of the Grecian Lyceums, considered the knowledge of music indispensable to be perfect as a philosopher, and at the age of sixty years, he had the rules of music dictated to him. If we were to believe what Laerzio says: “Pittagora placed the study of music before many other studies and gave it the same attention as Geometry and Arithmetic, and indeed, with such good results that Svida and Boezio say that from the accidental sound of three hammers in a blacksmith’s shop, he discovered the first and the proportion of the principal consonance of the intervals of music.”

In one word, all the ancient writers state and assure us, (Luciani’s gymnastic plutar de musique) that music in that time was considered a necessary art by all people of common sense and knowledge, and the belief was carried to such an extent that people who had no knowledge of music were considered illiterate, as we consider men today who cannot read or write. We can prove this statement by referring you to the speech of the crown of the Royal Academy of Music of Mantua, published there in those records.

Music is such an art that Plato, Aristotle, Cicerone, and Saint Augustin overwhelm it with praise. One calls it “heavenly discipline,” another “‘celestial,”’ another “pleasure,” and another calls it “relief of human miseries.”” We do not find such a number of superlative praises for any other art. Saint Augustin, who has written many books, speaks profusely of music and in fact in his Book IV, Chap. IV of the “Trinity” he shows us that every man from natural instinct feels the suavity of music and the power of musical harmony. That even the uncultured man in all his ruggedness and with no musical knowledge feels its effects.

I give all these assertions, in order to satisfy those who still doubt the power of music. And in fact if more attention was paid to everything that is written today about the effect which music produces, there would not be the need to influence people of every condition to cultivate it.

Music by its hidden, divine power grasps the human heart, stirs it, wraps it about itself and modifies it at will. Now it disturbs, then cheers it; now fills it with love or fright and then moves it to mirth or tears, and all through the secret work of harmony and especially by virtue of song. Take, for example, the “‘furors of Saulle’”’ which were calmed by David’s harp. Take the infamies of Alexander provoked with Frigia’s Cantilena. Were they not calmed by Timoteo with his Lidia? And today, are not our own moods of melancholy dispelled by music and song? Music has also been used to relieve illness. This is proven by the records of the Academy of of Science of Parisin the years MDCCVII-MDCC- VIII. Other similar statements are reported by George Frank De Franckenan, in his book ‘‘Satirae Medicae”’ XX., Lipsiae apud maur. Georg. Weidman MDCCXXII in 12 to page 464 where a medical discourse “‘De Musica” will be found. Macrobio Lib. 2 in suan scrip. C. 3 says, that music cures also bodily disease.

Marziano Cappella states that in ancient times fever was cured with song and the same cure was used to heal wounds. (Perhaps their souls made cheerful and relieved by music, had an influence upon the body, and excited the restitution of strength to the diseased part.) Asclopiade, with the gentle smoothness of his singing, cured deafness. Talete of Creta used music to chase away pestilence and other infirmities. Frischlin “Nicd. in orat. pro musica habit.” 1574 p. 204, speaking of Clinia Pittagorico says that he used to have recourse to his lyre as medicine to cure himself of spells of rage from which he suffered. That music cures pestilence and other infirmities is also asserted by Galeno “De sanit. tuend.” Lib. 1 C. II.

I will add another example known to all who are familiar with the lives of great musicians who lived not so long ago. Some men were sent to Rome to assassinate “‘Allessandro Stradella,” a famous musician. When the assassins reached Rome they made inquiry concerning Stradella, as to where they could find him. At that moment he was in the church of St. John Laterano, singing one of his own Oratorios. They went immediately to that cathedral in order to see him and to be able to follow him until the propitious moment arrived to carry out their cruelty. When they reached the church, Stradella was singing with his accustomed suavity and with such sweetness that the assassins, moved and won by the melody of his singing, not only abandoned the idea of killing him and thus lost the gold that they were to receive for their deed, but their hearts were so deeply touched that conversion revealed those treasures of worth which can be found in the hardest man. They repented for having entered into the plot to carry out such an inhuman design, and touched by remorse for having planned to destroy the life of such a rare artificer, they decided to respect him and keep him as sacred. To that end they waited for him and told him their reason for being there, and in order that he might protect himself from persecution and vengeance told him that he had a great enemy.

As a last example I will tell you what music did for the cruel man Amuratte IV. (1). (Extract of the history of the Ottoman Empire by Prince Cantemir, published in Paris in 1743, Vol. 4, in 12th, to Book 3, Kingdom of Amuratte, to the letter K.) When he took the city of Bagdad he ordered that without exception every citizen was to be killed. Among the unfortunates was Schac-culi, a valiant Persian musician. He begged so hard for his life that he was allowed to appear before Amuratte before being killed and to whom he spoke thus: “I do not feel sorry to lose my life, but I regret that with my death such an excellent art as music shall also die. By living I hoped to bring it to perfection. Let me live only long enough to perfect this divine art, and if I succeed in reaching the goal to which I aspire, I shall die happier than if I possessed your empire.” Schac-culi was permitted to give an exhibition of his knowledge. He took in his hands a “Scheschadar” (a kind of harp) and accompanying himself, he sang the “Conquest of Bagdad” and the “Triumph of Amuratte” with such sweetness and feeling, that the Prince felt so enraptured he not only stopped the butchery at once, but returned liberty to those people.

I have nothing more to say, except to encourage the young students and lovers of this art to apply themselves with earnestness and good will, in order that they may some day, become an honor to themselves, to their country and to their art!

Chapter II

Tur Diverse Scuoots, Famous MEN anp Dis- TINGUISHED WOMEN, WuHo Have FLOURISHED IN THE ART OF SINGING IN THE PAST CENTURY, AND ARE STILL FLOUR- ISHING ‘TO-DAY

LTHOUGH the rules and fundamental

principles of music are well known and

are everywhere observed and followed,

the varied ways of applying them in instrumental as well as in vocal music, render the execution different. The amount of pleasure to be derived, depends upon the execution. As the purpose of this work is to deal with vocal music, or the art of singing, I will disclose the different methods and systems followed.

The systems which have characterized the diverse schools of this beautiful art are varied. Many methods have been and are still used in any one of these particular schools. Every learned master follows his own judgment; molding his ideas by the ability and intelligence of his pupils. In spite of this fact, many men and women of great worth and virtuosity, have come from all these schools and systems, before the public.

The success of a singer depends mostly upon the science of his teacher and his method of directing him, and also upon his ability to understand the nature of his pupil. I do not intend to speak of the schools of other nations, but only of that of Italy, because I know it. In practicing I have had the opportunity to make the observations and reflections contained in this small treatise. The most celebrated schools which have flourished for so long a time in Italy and were still in existence at the end of the last century, were those of the “‘Fedi’’* in Rome, of Francesco Antonio Pistochi in Bologna, of Giuseppe Ferdinando Brivio in Milan, of Francesco Peli in Modena, of Francesco Redi in Florence, of Giuseppe Amadori in Rome, of Nicolo Porpora, Leonar-

*Singular is the industry used by the Fedis in Rome, the school that at the end of the last century (XDC) was the most famous of Italy. Angelino Bontempi of Perugia says that those valiant singers used to take their pupils very often for a stroll where there was the famous echo in the Valley of St. Paul. There they exercised their pupils to sing in a loud voice._ The echo being nothing else than the repetition of the voice, which exposed every defect of the voice of the one singing, thus the students convinced by such evidence of their faults, could correct them more easily. These famous masters were associated with Bernardo Pasquino, a celebrated organ and cembalo player; with Archangelo Carelli, a composer of note and a violin player. While communicating the beauties of their arts with themselves, they were of great stimulus to the illustrious students coming out from their school.

(MA CH)

Wh do Leo, Francesco Feo, and Donenico Egizio in Naples. Many singers were sent from these schools who were made famous not only by their profession but by the number of new singers they made in return. ‘To these they transmitted in uninterrupted succession the beauties of the art in their own varied styles. They transmitted also the easiest and most natural method of performing these beauties. To proceed in order, I shall mention all those men and women, one by one, who have been the bright lights of our art at the end of the last century. The Chev. Baldassarre Ferri, born in Perugia, possessed a most beautiful, flexible, sweet and harmonious voice and had the widest range one ever heard. He was a unique and prodigious singer and was at all times covered with requests by every monarch of Europe, who wished to do him honors of every kind. After his death, every poet of Italy wrote hymns to commemorate his memory. His contemporaries wrote that words could not express the beauty of his voice, and his graceful manner of singing. He had to a high degree all the necessary schooling in every style of singing. He was joyful, fierce, grave and tender, all at will. He enraptured the hearts with his pathos and was able (in one breath) to go up and down two octaves trilling continually and marking every degree (today this is called chromatic scale) with such perfection and without accompaniment, so that if suddenly the orchestra were to strike a chord on the tone he was singing, whether B-flat or B-sharp, one would hear in that instant a chord so perfect that it could not but cause comment!

Another singer who flourished at the beginning of this century was Giovanni Paita, the splendor of Liguria, born in Genoa. Very few people could compare with him in singing and acting. Francesca Boschi of Bologna was a celebrity of such intelligence that in Venice she was baptized the “Musical Solomon.”

Two other celebrated singers were Siface and Chev. Matteucci, who were considered singular for their evenness of voice and interpretation. Matteucci after having satisfactorily served at the court of Spain, returned when an old man to his home in Naples where he was still living in 1730. Out of pure devotion, this great man sang in church every Saturday. Although he was eighty years of age, he was still able to sing in any style and preserved a voice of such clarity and purity, that if he was not seen, one would think him a singer in the flower of his youth. This same gift of preserving the voice at a very advanced age was given also to Gaetano Orsini, who died covered with honors at the Imperial Court of Vienna.

Francesco Antonio Pistocchi* at the end of the past century felt called by the Lord to the retired life of the Fathers of the Oratorio in Forli. After some

*He was admitted a composer to the celebrated academy of the

Filarmonics of Bologna, in the year 1690, and was Prince of the academy in the years 1708-1710.

time, he took up his residence in Bologna, his native town and there opened a school of singing. He assisted every pupil with such abnegation and love and taught such doctrine that it will be expedient to stop for a moment and consider a few of his pupils in order that you may deduct his science and knowledge. One of his most famous pupils, was Antonio Bernacchi of Bologna (and my teacher.) He, as he confessed himself, was not gifted with a very good voice. He was persuaded by his friends, and decided to trust himself absolutely under the direction of Pistocchi, who not only greeted him very kindly, but at once mapped out for him his line of study, which would eliminate his defects and place him as soon as possible in condition to benefit himself by the advantage which may be hoped for as a fruit of constant application in the exercising of music. Bernacchi undertook his difficult task bravely, willing to study the necessary length of time as the rules of his teacher required. He never missed his daily lessons, in order to avail himself of his teacher’s advice. During the time of his study, he not only refused to sing in any of the churches and theatres, but even refused to sing for his most intimate friends. He continued living in this way, until his teacher gave him permission to do otherwise, and at that time he startled the world with his art. My pen is too arid to pretend to tell you all the honors received by this man. It is enough for me to say, that he was universally admired in Italy, Germany, England and singularly at the Court of Bavaria, where he sang for many years with the illustrious Bartolino di Faenza, and he was one of the greatest individuals of the profession, as all those will certify who heard him sing and there are many such persons still living. This one instance is a great example showing the advantage to be derived from the interest of a good teacher and the results which a conscientious student can expect from close application. Thus to render the natural defects insensible and to curb* the organs of the voice, so that a bad voice can be changed not only into one of mediocrity, but into a thoroughly good voice. Antonio Bernacchif not only kept one of the principal places as a singer, but also followed in the steps of his teacher and opened a school for

*The organs of the voice can be curbed only in tender youth at the age of ten or twelve years; at such age they were admitted at the school at that time, but at the grown age, bad shapes of vocal organs and harmful habits are a difficult thing to correct; they can be modified but the singing will never reach an ideal degree of perfection. (Note of the translator.)

THe joined the above mentioned academy of the Filarmonics as a composer in the year MDCCXXII. He studied the art of counterpoint under the celebrated Dr. Giuseppe Antonio Bernabei in Munich of Bavaria, and in Bologna under Giovanni Antonio Riccieri. He was Prince of the Academy in the years MDCC XXXXVII-LI. and succeeded in obtaining a_ pontifical “Bulla” from the Saint Pope Benedetto XIV. in favor of that academy vesting those teachers with the authority to look that the ecclesiastic music be dignified and according to the majesty of God, and to approve those who were to serve as composers of sacred music in the city and diocese of Bologna.

the benefit of young and worthy students. Among his pupils, Carlo Carlani of Bologna (now dead) is especially worth mentioning. Others living are: the famous Giovanni Tedeschi, alias Amadori, who sings at the royal chapel at Naples. Also Tommaso. Guarducci, an accomplished chamber singer of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, and the celebrated and universally known Antonio Raff. These four professors who won renown as singers in their own varied and appropriate styles, also lived such honorable lives that the whole profession can not help but take them as an example.

Antonio Pasi of Bologna, also a pupil of Pistocchi, made a glorious name for himself by his masterly singing. He sang with such rare taste due to his art of perfect portamento and unfolding of the voice. He introduced a mixture of granite composed of graceful gruppettis, turns, light passages, thrills, mordentes and tempo rubato,which he rendered so perfectly and in their proper place, that he formed a style peculiar to himself which was also surprising*. Giambattista Mirelli, of the same city and school, sang contralto in a sustained style, with a noble “‘portamento di voce.”” Yet his voice did not lack sufficient agility of granite quality nor did it lack the thrill and morden-

*The terms used throughout this book to distinguish the many embellishments and styles of singing which are the special attainments. of each artist, being so received in every school of music as such and having a determined significance, do not need further explanation.

te, which altogether, enabled him to perform in any style. His musical accent was one of his best prerogatives, and as he was a man of high culture, his singing was almost perfect, so that he rightly deserved the title of an erudite singer, Another singer of Bologna was Annibale Pio Fabri, alias Balino, who was also a pupil of Pistocchi. He was one of the most excellent tenors of his time and was admired in all the first theatres of Italy, and was warmly welcomed by various princes, especially by 5. C. M. Emperor Charles VI., who honored him by offering himself to be godfather for one of his daughters. He was also an honorary member, composer of the Philharmonic Academy in 1719 and Prince of the Academy during the years 1725-29-43-47 and 50. Later he went to fill the position of singer at the Royal Chapel of Lisbon, where he died on August 20 of the year of 1760. Bartolino di Faenza, another pupil of Pistocchi and companion of Bernacchi, made a reputation for himself by his varied and perfect style. You see, these five professors received their instructions from the one teacher, yet each had an absolutely different style—one which corresponded to each one’s disposition and natural gifts. This example is sufficient to show us that a good experienced teacher cannot have only one way of instructing his pupils. It proves that to be successful in making perfect singers, a teacher must know every way in which to handle his pupils, in order to train each individual voice; for he must know the right remedy for each voice. The teacher that possesses this talent will