An Analysis of Concert Saxophone Vibrato Through the Examination of Recordings by Eight Prominent Soloists
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An Analysis of Concert Saxophone Vibrato Through the Examination of Recordings by Eight Prominent Soloists by Thomas Zinninger August 2013 B.M.E., University of Louisville, 2006 M.M., University of Cincinnati, 2009 in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Dr. James Bunte, Committee Chair ABSTRACT This study examines concert saxophone vibrato through the analysis of several recordings of standard repertoire by prominent soloists. The vibrato of Vincent Abato, Arno Bornkamp, Claude Delangle, Jean-Marie Londeix, Marcel Mule, Otis Murphy, Sigurd Rascher, and Eugene Rousseau is analyzed with regards to rate, extent, shape, and discretionary use. Examination of these parameters was conducted through both general observation and precise measurements with the aid of a spectrogram. Statistical analyses of the results provide tendencies for overall vibrato use, as well as the effects of certain musical attributes (note length, tempo, dynamic, range) on vibrato. The results of this analysis are also compared among each soloist and against pre-existing theories or findings in vibrato research. ii iii TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables vi List of Figures vii PART 1: BACKGROUND Introduction 1 Need for Study 2 Similar Studies 3 The Nature of Vibrato 6 A Vocal Phenomenon 6 Parameters 8 Perception 12 Vibrato in Music 15 Continuous or Ornamental? 15 Emotion, Stress, and Musical Structure 19 Saxophone Vibrato 22 Origins 23 Modern Vibrato 27 Pedagogy 29 PART 2: THE STUDY Methodology 33 Choice of Soloists 33 Choice of Repertoire/Recordings 38 Observational Techniques 40 Measurement Techniques 42 General Analysis 44 Vibrato Use and Non-Use 44 Vibrato Rate and Extent 54 Note Length 58 Tempo 69 Dynamic 81 Range 93 Vibrato Shape 106 Variance Above and Below Pitch 109 Repertoire Analysis 113 Bozza 113 Creston 115 Desenclos 116 Glazunov 119 iv Hindemith 120 Ibert 122 Maurice 125 Conclusions 128 Overall Significant Findings 128 Tendencies by Each Soloist 129 Generational and Geographical Trends 131 Significance of Findings 133 Bibliography 135 Appendix: Raw Data for Each Soloist 140 Abato 140 Bornkamp 141 Delangle 143 Londeix 144 Mule 146 Murphy 147 Rascher 148 Rousseau 150 v LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Sections for the Analysis of Vibrato Use/Non-use 45 Table 2 Standard Deviation and Deviation Percentages for Rates 57 and Extents Table 3 Correlation between Vibrato Rate and Four Musical 105 Attributes Table 4 Correlation between Vibrato Extent and Four Musical 105 Attributes Table 5 Mean Change in Rate and Extent in Long Tones 107 Table 6 Mean Change in Rate and Extent for Each Soloists 109 Table 7 Mean Vibrato Extent Above and Below the Intended Pitch 111 Mean Rates and Extents for: Table 8 Bozza 113 Table 9 Creston 115 Table 10 Desenclos 116 Table 11 Glazunov 119 Table 12 Hindemith 120 Table 13 Ibert 122 Table 14 Vibrato Use for Notes from Rehearsal 6 to 123 8 in the Ibert Table 15 Maurice 125 Table 16 Mean Rate and Extent for all Soloists, Grouped by 132 Generation vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Vibrato Use Percentages on Notes Shorter Than One Second 47 Figure 2 Abato 48 Figure 3 Bornkamp 48 Figure 4 Delangle 49 Figure 5 Londeix 49 Figure 6 Mule 50 Figure 7 Murphy 50 Figure 8 Rascher 51 Figure 9 Rousseau 51 Figure 10 Vibrato Use Percentages for Tempos Less Than 100 bpm 53 Figure 11 Vibrato Use Percentages for Tempos Greater Than 100 bpm 53 Figure 12 Mean Vibrato Rate for Each Soloist 56 Figure 13 Mean Vibrato Extent for Each Soloist 56 Figure 14 Vibrato Rate in Comparison to Note Length 59 Figure 15 Abato 60 Figure 16 Bornkamp 60 Figure 17 Delangle 61 Figure 18 Londeix 61 Figure 19 Mule 62 Figure 20 Murphy 62 Figure 21 Rascher 63 Figure 22 Rousseau 63 Figure 23 Vibrato Extent in Comparison to Note Length 64 Figure 24 Abato 65 Figure 25 Bornkamp 65 Figure 26 Delangle 66 Figure 27 Londeix 66 Figure 28 Mule 67 Figure 29 Murphy 67 Figure 30 Rascher 68 Figure 31 Rousseau 68 vii Figure 32 Vibrato Rate in Comparison to Tempo 70 Figure 33 Abato 71 Figure 34 Bornkamp 71 Figure 35 Delangle 72 Figure 36 Londeix 72 Figure 37 Mule 73 Figure 38 Murphy 73 Figure 39 Rascher 74 Figure 40 Rousseau 74 Figure 41 Vibrato Extent in Comparison to Tempo 76 Figure 42 Abato 77 Figure 43 Bornkamp 77 Figure 44 Delangle 78 Figure 45 Londeix 78 Figure 46 Mule 79 Figure 47 Murphy 79 Figure 48 Rascher 80 Figure 49 Rousseau 80 Figure 50 Vibrato Rate in Comparison to Dynamic Level 82 Figure 51 Abato 83 Figure 52 Bornkamp 84 Figure 53 Delangle 84 Figure 54 Londeix 85 Figure 55 Mule 85 Figure 56 Murphy 86 Figure 57 Rascher 86 Figure 58 Rousseau 87 Figure 59 Vibrato Extent in Comparison to Dynamic Level 88 Figure 60 Abato 89 Figure 61 Bornkamp 89 Figure 62 Delangle 90 Figure 63 Londeix 90 Figure 64 Mule 91 Figure 65 Murphy 91 Figure 66 Rascher 92 Figure 67 Rousseau 92 viii Figure 68 Vibrato Rate in Comparison to Range 94 Figure 69 Abato 95 Figure 70 Bornkamp 95 Figure 71 Delangle 96 Figure 72 Londeix 96 Figure 73 Mule 97 Figure 74 Murphy 97 Figure 75 Rascher 98 Figure 76 Rousseau 98 Figure 77 Vibrato Extent in Comparison to Range 99 Figure 78 Abato 100 Figure 79 Bornkamp 101 Figure 80 Delangle 101 Figure 81 Londeix 102 Figure 82 Mule 102 Figure 83 Murphy 103 Figure 84 Rascher 103 Figure 85 Rousseau 104 Figure 86 Mean Vibrato Extent Above and Below the Intended Pitch 111 for Each Soloist ix PART 1: BACKGROUND Introduction The etymology of the word “saxophone” is simple. There is “sax,” from its Belgian inventor Adolphe Sax, and “phone,” which is often defined as: “a sound, esp. from the voice.”1 It is appropriate that Sax used this word when he named his invention as many believe it to be the closest of all wind instruments to the human voice. The Cambridge Companion to the Saxophone even begins with Thomas Liley describing the saxophone as a “singing instrument.”2 This sentiment can also be confirmed with acoustical evidence. The sounds of both the saxophone and the average human voice have a concentration of harmonics around 2000 Hz giving them similar timbres.3 However, the similarity may best be illustrated by the “vocal” manner in which the instrument is often played. Marcel Mule once claimed that it was the vocal-like eloquence of the saxophone that led to its popularity.4 One of the most important factors in this vocal quality is the extensive use of vibrato by saxophonists of the past 80-90 years. It is rare to hear a live performance or a recording of a saxophonist—in either the jazz or classical idioms—that lacks the use of vibrato. There are certainly individual jazz performers who play with little to no vibrato, and several contemporary classical works call for a “straight” tone 1 Thomas Liley, “Invention and Development,” in The Cambridge Companion to the Saxophone, ed. Richard Ingham (Cambridge University Press, 1998), 1. 2 Ibid. 3 Claude Delangle and Jean-Denis Michat, “The Contemporary Saxophone,” in The Cambridge Companion to the Saxophone, ed. Richard Ingham (Cambridge University Press, 1998), 163. 4 Claude Delangle, “Interview with the Legendary Marcel Mule on the History of Saxophone Vibrato,” Australian Clarinet and Saxophone (March 1998), trans. Huguette Brassine, 7. 1 quality, but these are undoubtedly considered the exceptions rather than the rule. In concert music, which will be the focus of this study, all of the notable recorded saxophonists have used vibrato on their performances of standard repertoire. Need for Study Vibrato has not only been used extensively by concert saxophonists since the 1930s, its existence has been crucial to the musicality and individuality of many notable performers. Musically, vibrato has been used to manipulate the emotion or tension of certain notes or passages within a piece. It is also one of the defining characteristics of an individual’s playing style. The performances of saxophone greats such as Marcel Mule or Claude Delangle are often instantly recognizable for their distinctive vibrato use. Because of the immense importance of vibrato to the concert saxophone, a study is needed to explore and quantify its use. Through analysis, we can gain a better understanding of how saxophonists have used vibrato in a variety of musical situations. This study analyzes the use of vibrato by eight prominent concert saxophonists across 28 recordings of standard saxophone repertoire. There were two main objectives for the analysis. The first was to look for general trends in vibrato use by the performers. This was best achieved by examining how certain musical attributes such as beat placement, note length, or dynamic level affected vibrato use. The second objective was to explore the differences in vibrato use between each performer. The musical attributes’ effects were also considered here as well as the comparison of general trends in each soloists vibrato. 2 The decision to analyzing historical recordings instead of controlled experimentation had both advantages and disadvantages. Measuring the parameters and shapes of vibrato would have been easier and possibly more accurate if a group of saxophonists were recorded for the specific purpose of vibrato study. Yet the analysis in some ways can be of higher quality with “real” commercially available recordings. Each recording chosen represents a true “performance” for an audience (whether or not it was in front of a live audience is inconsequential; it was intended for an audience). Therefore the vibrato use should be of the utmost authenticity.