2 THE VOICE AND

FRANCIS KEEPING AND ROBERTA PRADA

Originally

LA VOIX ET LE CHANT

TRAITÉ PRACTIQUE

J. FAURE PARIS 1886

this book, translated and expanded contains Faure’s original exercises with all the transpositions as indicated by the author.

3

Copyright © 2005 Francis Keeping and Roberta Prada.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except by a newspaper or magazine reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review.

Published in 2005 by

Vox Mentor LLC.

For sales please contact: Vox Mentor LLC. 343 East 30th street, 12M. New York, NY. 10016 phone: 212-684-5485

Email: [email protected]

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Printed in USA.

Awaiting Library of congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

ISBN 10: 0-9777823-0-1

Originally La Voix et le Chant, J. Faure, Paris, 1886, AU Menestrel, 2 bis, Rue Vivienne, Henri Heugel.

The present volume is set in Times New Roman 12 point, on 28 lb. bright white acid free paper and wire bound for easy opening on the music stand. Page turns have been avoided wherever possible in the exercises, meaning that there are intentional blank spaces throughout. The cover photo of J. Faure as a younger man is from the collection of Bill Ecker of Harmonie Autographs, New York City. The present authors have faithfully translated the words of Faure, taking care to preserve the original intent of the author making changes only where necessary to assist modern readers. The music was written using Sibelius 3 and 4™ software. Transpositions indicated by the author for the various voice types are written out for the first time.

4 TABLE OF CONTENTS

TO THE READER 3 DEDICATION, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 4 FOREWORD 7 INTRODUCTION 15 1 CLASSIFICATION OF THE VOICES 16 2 CHILDREN’S VOICES 18 3 AVERAGE RANGE OF MEN’S VOICES: 21 Dramatic 21 Lyric tenor 22 Light lyric tenor 23 Lyric 24 Baritone 24 Basso profundo 25 voice 26 4 AVERAGE RANGE OF WOMEN’S VOICES: 27 High 27 27 Mezzo-soprano 27 28 29 5 MIXED VOICE, DARKENED VOICE, 30 GUTTURAL AND NASALITY 6 TREMBLING AND BLEATING 32 7 POSITION OF THE HEAD AND BODY 34 8 BREATHING 35 9 THE ATTACK 36 10 MATCHING THE VOCAL SCALE 39 Table for finding the characteristic sound 40 soprano and tenor 42 contralto 46 baritone and bass 51 Exercises on the vowels 56 11 THE VOCALISE 66 12 PRONUNCIATION AND ARTICULATION 67 13 FAULTS OF PRONUNCIATION 68 Exercises and vocalises with words on all the intervals 71 14 133 15 SCALES 137 Preparation for major scales 138 Preparation for minor scales 144 Exercises on scales 150 5

16 ARPEGGIOS 162 Agility Exercises 180 17 THE TRILL 188 18 OTHER ORNAMENTS IN SINGING 196 Appoggiatura 196 Notes lourées 197 Mordant 197 Stentato 197 Gruppetto 198 19 COLORATION 211 20 PITCH MEMORY 213 21 SUSTAINED, SINGING 214 Observations 215 Female chest voice 217 Exercises for crescendo and diminuendo, ; 218 blending of the chest and head registers'. Examples of sustained, legato singing. 222 22 RECITATIVO 231 23 ABOUT FEAR 235 24 NOTES AND ADVICE FOR YOUNG SINGERS 236 25 MY MORNING EXERCISES 248 JEAN BAPTISTE FAURE A SHORT BIOGRAPHY 286 NOTES ABOUT THE AUTHORS OF THE AMERICAN EDITION 288

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On April 2 of 1870, the following resolution was set forth:

IN THE NAME OF THE EMPEROR: The Minister of Arts,……………………….. ……………………………………………… BE IT KNOWN:

Article 1

A commission will be instituted to revise the current regulations of the Conservatoire, to research and propose the proper modifications that can be made, notably from the point of view of teaching and in the interest of curriculum.

Article 2

The commission will be convened, the Minister of Arts presiding, composed of the following members: Messieurs: Auber; E. Augier; Ed. About; Azevedo; A. de Beauplan; Chaix d’Est-Ange; G. de Charnacé; Oscar Commetant; Félicien David; Camille Doucet; Théophile Gautier; Gevaert; Gounod; Guéroult; Jouvin; Legouvé; Nogent Saint-Laurens; E. Perrin; prince Poniatowski; H. Prévost; Reber; E. Reyer; de Saint-Georges; G. de Saint- Valry; Albéric Second; Édouard Thierry; Ambroise Thomas; J.-J. Weiss.

Article 3

The Counselor of State, secretary general of the Ministry of Beaux-Arts. And the Director of the administrations of theaters will function as Vice-Presidents. ………………………………………………. Paris, April 2, 1870 Signed: Maurice RICHARD

Having been invited by the commission to set forth my ideas about how to reform teaching of singing, for reasons of personal convenience I declined the honor that was extended to me; instead I asked two members of the commission if I could develop my project before them.1 After several meetings, the commission adopted the following resolution On June 18th 1870:

Article 4

The students of 2nd, and 3rd year singing (in accordance with M. Reber’s proposal) and all the students of composition will be permitted to attend all singing classes.

In view of such an executive decree, after all that political activity, isn’t it surprising that these resolutions have had no effect whatsoever? All that remains to me to complete this exposition is to appeal to the powers that be that they make every effort to encourage prosperity in the arts. I would be happy if have been able to convince them of the utility of these reforms and to contribute, as far as I am able, to serve the cause of an art which I have practiced since my childhood, and that since then has been the object of my most constant and dearest concerns!

J. FAURE

1 MM. E. Legouvé, E. Perrin. 7

INTRODUCTION

If you would like to sing, it is first necessary to believe… Eug. MANUEL

If examining the vocal apparatus could tell us whether a singer is a tenor or a bass, or if it could distinguish between a soprano and a contralto, if it could allow us to identify the qualities which give the voice its particular charm, brilliance, sweetness and inflection, and above all, if it were possible to somehow make use of these observations, the anatomy of the larynx would surely become an indispensable study for people who plan to make singing their career. The Rubinis, the Nourrits, the Duprez and so many other great artists had only the vaguest notions of vocal formation that were part of their time and they have however never been surpassed as singers. We cannot name any singer who excelled at these special anatomical studies, so we can justifiably conclude that such knowledge has absolutely no influence over the art of directing the voice. I refer to those doctors, and the artists themselves who have been seduced into such study, and who have made the larynx and the voice the object of their research. There is a primary question we must address for those who wish to have a career in . Is a great voice indispensable for success in Opera? There is no doubt about it. Many singers who have had to compete against those endowed with greater brilliance and vocal volume have nonetheless surpassed them through charm, sweetness and expressivity. A great voice then, is not necessary for the stage. Above all the student must have a real vocation and an aptitude for serious study. Well-directed, methodical work will invariably bring about the progressive development of the organ. With people who want to sing as a hobby, one can demand less in terms of vocal work. Effects of sweetness have always been the most appreciated in the salon. The smallest voice is enough when it is well schooled. However, when it comes to musicality and a good ear, one must always maintain strict standards. In the first part of this treatise, I give great importance to vocal study. The full liberty to express and give form to thought with style, nuance, and sentiment, depends entirely upon the flexibility of the voice and gaining its complete automatic control. The art of singing, unlike science, does not continually enrich itself through fresh discoveries. Men eminently competent to carry out such studies have already stated everything there is to know about singing. However I still feel it necessary to clarify certain technical definitions by entering into the most profound detail. I have taken on this task as a way of satisfying students who can never find enough information in achieving their goals. It is for their benefit that I have set down my observations concerning myself and others. The second part of this text is devoted to the deeper understanding of singing and its formulas. Within the confines of a book, I can only teach students an analytical method that permits them to interpret the music of the masters correctly. Since there is no absolute rule for precise sentiment and the delicacy that must be acquired in artistic matters, I have limited myself to pointing out what is offensive to good taste and what is simply not tasteful. A well-marked stamp of personality is only acquired once all these preliminaries have been addressed. 8

1.

VOICE CLASSIFICATION

TESSITURA

… alone must guide them.

The classification of voices must be made according to color and not to extension. One may be in possession of a voice that has a tenor color, even if it cannot rise above an F or G in chest. Someone who can reach a high A may still be a baritone or even a basso cantante. The same applies to , mezzos, and , in whom a greater or lesser extension may give rise to doubts as to their classification.1 It is then the timbre, and above all the tessitura, which reveals the real nature of voices. We call tessitura the part of the where the singer feels most at ease; the same expression also applies to the several notes chosen by the composer to establish the musical phrase, or notes to which he returns to in a piece by often. Through ignorance of their real resources, many students and singers mistakenly assign their voices to a category other than the one nature has assigned them. Even when the tessitura is not in question, a higher key can sometimes be more comfortable if it helps to avoid notes such as the E natural, so difficult to sing in all voices. The following two examples are easier to sing a half tone higher to avoid having to repeat the dreaded E natural. To understand a role or a piece, some are satisfied to leaf through the score and if they do not see any notes that are extremely high or low for their voice, they conclude that the piece must be easy to sing. This is a grave error because it fails to take into account the tessitura, which may make the piece completely inaccessible to them.2 Others, often out of ambition or unlimited confidence in their lung power, throw themselves into the conquest of a role which they will soon be forced to abandon. How can we expect that students not be tempted to soar like voices that are higher than their own, when the dubious undertakings of some experienced artists serve as dreadful examples of these dangerous encroachments? At the Opéra we have heard the tenor role of Licinius sung by a basso cantante, who the day before interpreted the basso profundo role of Marcel in .3 We have for several years now heard the tenor roles of reprised by an artist of incontestable merit, an excellent musician with a voice of exceptional extension, who can alter the true color of his voice. For this reason we always hear him struggling with a tessitura too high to allow his best qualities as a singer to be appreciated.4 It is very difficult to return safe and sound from these attempts at scaling the heights. Continually stretching, the voice creates excessive tension. When the artist or foolhardy student wishes to turn back,

1 There is no risk in classifying male students as , or females as mezzos. Working low part of the voice carries absolutely no risk to the organ. 2 three or four eccentric low E flats or low C found in the role of Bertram do not place it in the lowest roles in the repertoire, on the contrary, the role is too high for a basso profundo 3 Merly. 4 Marié 9 he must deal with a middle voice thrown out of balance. He will like as not have brought the dreaded bleat upon himself as an inevitable cosequence of the strains he has imposed on his voice. Young people destined for a career in singing must not allow themselves to be dazzled by the notes at the extremes of the range which are of negligible importance. Tessitura alone must guide them. The difficulties of too high a tessitura cannot always be resolved by transposition. By lowering a piece as little as a half step, the top part can become accessible to the voice but often it can also make the lower part of the piece all but impossible to sing. Even when the tessitura is not in question, a higher key can sometimes be more comfortable if it helps to avoid notes such as the E natural, so difficult to sing in all voices. The following two examples are easier to sing a half tone higher to avoid having to repeat the dreaded E natural. All teachers agree on one point at least, that it is easier to stretch the upper extension of a voice than it is to extend the lower. With willpower and a certain amount of physical energy, one can attain some high notes that pass the natural extension of the voice. Willpower and energy are no help whatsoever in the production of low notes, which can only be obtained through calm and opening of the throat.

Pushing ten or twenty times on a high note will not give the student definitive possession of that note. It is with greatest caution and almost imperceptibly that any acquisitions of range must be made. The tessitura itself can, through constant and judicious exercise, be displaced half a tone higher or half a tone lower, but rarely more. In classifying the voices of men, women, and children, I will omit the numerous intermediate voices, and concern myself only with the principal classifications. However I must mention one type of baritone, for which Italian masters, particularly Verdi, have written much. This voice is higher than the old barytons, and lends itself better to expressive singing, thanks to its origins in the tenor voice. It occupies a considerable place in the modern repertoire.1

1 Frequently asked to sing the Verdi baritone roles, I have believed it better to resist the temptation to enrich my repertoire with many magnificent roles, which I would have been happy to interpret, had they been written in a tessitura that my vocal means would permit me to attempt. 10

4.

AVERAGE EXTENSION OF WOMEN’S VOICES

HIGH SOPRANO (SOPRANO AIGU)

DRAMATIC SOPRANO

As you see above, the extension of the high soprano and dramatic soprano are nearly the same. The difference lies in the greater facility of the high soprano to pronounce words on high notes and to attack without effort. Leaving volume aside, timbre and character determine the nature of these voices, essentially variations of the same type.

MEZZO-SOPRANO It is sometimes similar to dramatic soprano, sometimes to contralto,

This voice, which serves as a transition between soprano and contralto is, with the baritone, the one most commonly found. Its tessitura differs from that of the dramatic soprano, although it often has the same extension. When the medium low part of the voice (middle C to F) is sung in falsetto it has more strength and brilliance than that of the contralto, and the high notes have more spontaneity. However, it has neither the power nor the masculine character of the contralto in the chest register. 11

CONTRALTO (The rarest voice)

The voice of the contralto is closest to those of men in color, and sometimes also has a similar dramatic thrust and energy; in this case it lends itself admirably to the dramatic genre. It has been utilized more in Italy than in France, where it is often confused with the voice of the low mezzo. [Note: Ulrica and Azucena are not contralto roles.because of tessitura. Trans.] The true contralto voice cannot take on the roles of modern without considerable danger: in such as: La favorite, , Le prophète, the tessitura varies from one act to another, and very often even within the same . Such shifts are foreign to the nature of the contralto voice. This voice, despite its volume, possesses nonetheless a special facility for vocalization. Note: as with all voice types there are lyric, dramatic and contraltos.

In all female voices, there is a change in color between E natural and F,

which for many voice teachers, proves the existence of two distinct registers, the second being a register of mixed voice, from G to D,

and a head register from D to high D natural,

up to the highest notes of the vocal range.

This change in color, recognizable to a practiced listener, is produced in women unwittingly, and cannot be compared to that which exists between the chest and the falsetto or in men. 12 I see no reason to make such a fuss over this change of color, or to give it another name. I discuss this at greater length in the section on mixed voice. In principle I am of the opinion that one must avoid calling attention to this difference in color to students; they are sometimes a lot happier if they remain unaware of its existence. It can cause trouble to unnecessarily underline it.

THE CHEST VOICE IN WOMEN

One cannot deny the penetrating effects that women create when they use chest register. Though not identical, the chest voice in women is comparable to the sound of a boy contralto. The most effective procedure for discovering this register in those sopranos, who are not aware of their chest register, is imitation. No physiological definition will obtain the same results. It is by trying to imitate the voice of young boys, or that of contraltos, that sopranos will find their chest register and assimilate it most rapidly. Singing methods generally agree that the chest voice should be used from C to F or even G.

Some teachers even encourage its use as high as B natural or C. For myself, I do not like to see them bring it higher than an F natural, since the union of the chest voice to the head voice is much more easily accomplished when that passage is effected lower down in the voice. The longer you make the extension of chest, the more difficult it becomes to bridge the precipice that separates the two registers. [Note: pitch was generally lower then. Now we would say that the chest voice should not go above F and more often E and then only for a specific dramatic effect. Trans.] In the first months of study it is wise to forbid sopranos the use of chest voice in their exercises. With those privileged voices in which the union operates imperceptibly to the ear, it is understood that these recommendations do not apply. When nature has done everything it is not only useless but unwise to wish to add anything. In order to effect an easy and secure from head voice to chest, students must train themselves to carry the head voice to the first note of chest and even lower in their vocal exercises.

The chest voice must always be used with the greatest care. It is a double-edged sword, as dangerous as it is difficult to manage. The use of the high notes in chest disturbs the union of the registers, interferes with the homogeneity and balance of the voice, little by little destroying its charm and purity. If not stopped in time, this abuse will lead to the ruin of the voice.1 [Note: confusion in the understanding of the chest voice may be the reason for its having been avoided at all costs by certain artists and teachers. Trans.]

1 One of our loveliest singers, who has so brilliantly occupied the first rank of one of our principal opera houses, drunk with the success that the uses of her chest voice has assured, has greatly cut short her theatrical career by carelessly using it beyond its natural limits. 13 JEAN BAPTISTE FAURE; A SHORT BIOGRAPHY

JEAN-BAPTISTE FAURE (MOULINS 1830 – PARIS 1914)

Faure was the most important French baritone of his day, an indispensable Don Juan in the Salle Pelletier, a newer theater than the Palais Garnier, and the star of the Paris Opéra. He had the authentic sound and a complete technique that stood the test of time. The wisdom with which he selected his roles allowed him great vocal longevity. In La Voix et le Chant, he expounds on the principles of his teacher Louis-Antione-Eléonore Ponchard, one of the finest Rossini singers in France. At 25 years of age, he debuted at the Opéra-Comique in Galthée of Victor Masse, and remained on its roster for the length of his long and distinguished career. From 1861 – 1878 he was the leading baritone at the Paris Opera where he sang Alphonse (La favorite), Guillaume Tell, Pharaon (Moisée). There he created Nelusko (L’Africaine), Posa (Don Carlos), Hamlet and in 1869, Méphisto in the definitive version of . He taught privately and at the Conservatoire. He is the author of numerous songs and in his treatise on singing he adapts the principles of bel canto technique to modern musical requirements.

Adapted from an article by Michel Hart, Le Journal de l’AFPC, No 10, Septembre, 2003, with his kind permission.

Additional information is in part from Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians, New York and London 1906.

FAURE, JEAN-BAPTISTE, son of a singer in the church at Moulins where he was born on January 15, 1830. When he was three the family moved to Paris, and when he was seven his father died. In 1843 he entered the solfeggio class in the Conservatoire, and soon after the maîtrise of the Madeleine, where he studied under Trévaux, an excellent teacher, to whom he owes his sound knowledge of music. When his voice broke he took up the piano and double bass, and was for some time a member of the band at the Odéon theatre. When his voice had recovered he joined the chorus of the Théâtre Italien, and in Nov. 1850 again entered the Conservatoire, in 1852 obtaining the first prizes for singing and opéra-comique. He made his debut Oct. 20, 1852, at the Opéra Comique, in Masse's Galathée, then advancing steadily through various roles until his creation of the parts of Justin in Grisar's Chien du jardinier; the Duke of Greenwich in Auber's Jenny Bell, in 1855; the Marquis d'Hérigny in Auber’s Manon Lescaut; the Marquis de Valbreuse in Clapisson's Sylphe1 in 1856; Crevecoeur in Gevaert's Quentin Durward in 1858. With Hoël in Meyerbeer's Pardon du Ploërmel in 1859 he rose to the first rank. Among his greatest successes were the parts of Malipiero in Haydée; Peter the Great in L’Étoile du nord; and the title role in Nicolo's Joconde. On Sept. 28, 1861, he made his first appearance at the Opéra as Julien de Medicis in Poniatowski's Pierre de Medicis, and remained there as principal baritone for nearly seventeen years. His new parts were in Masse’s La mule de Pedro, in 1863; Nelusko in L’Africaine, April 26, 1865, chosen for this part by Meyerbeer himself; the Marquis de Posa in Verdi’s Don Carlos, in 1867; the title part in Thomas's Hamlet, 1868; Mephistopheles on the first performance of Faust at the Opéra, March 3, 1869; Paddock in Diaz's Coupe du Roi de Thule, and Charles VII. in Mermet's Jeanne d'Arc, in 1873. He made his final appearance there on May 13, 1876, in his great part Hamlet, in which his acting was founded on his boyish recollections of Macready in that part in Paris. (Musical World.)

1 First produced at Baden Baden. Faure achieved a notable tour de force therein, singing baritone on the stage and tenor behind the scenes.

14 In London he first appeared at Covent Garden, April 10, 1860, as Hoël, and returned there every season until 1866, excepting 1865. His parts included Don Juan, Figaro in Le Nozze, Tell, Assur, Fernando in , Alfonso XI, Pietro in Masaniello, Rudolph in Sonnambula, St. Bris, Peter the Great, and, on July 2, 1863, Mephistopheles in a production of Faust, which he created, and in which he has never been surpassed. In 1870 he played, at Drury Lane, Iago in the revival of Rossini’s Otello; Lotario in the English production of and in other works. From 1871 to 1875 inclusive he was again at Covent Garden, for the first time there as Hamlet, Caspar, and the Cacique in the production of Gomez's Guarany. In 1876 he sang at Drury Lane; and in 1877 at Her Majesty's theater for the first time in England as De Nevers, and Alfonso in Lucrezia, which part he played, May 19, 1877, on the occasion of the last appearance on the stage of Mme. Therese Titiens. In 1857 he was for a short time Professor of singing at the Paris Conservatoire. In 1870-72 he sang with great success in opera at Brussels, and on Jan. 27, 1872, was appointed Inspector of the singing classes at the Conservatoire there and in France. In 1861 he appeared at Berlin at Meyerbeer's request, but the in his voice did not please the Germans. In1878, however, he sang in Italian at Vienna with the greatest success in two of his best parts, Don Juan and Mephistopheles among other roles, and was appointed by the Emperor of Austria Imperial Chamber Singer. He also toured the French provinces in concert. Faure was a good musician and a fine actor. He was also an art collector and a man of great culture. He owned sixty-eight paintings by Edouard Manet and he patronized Alfred Sisley’s trip to Great Britain in 1874 from which he acquired six canvasses. His voice was a baritone of great extent and of very fine quality. In 1859 he married Mademoiselle Lefebvre (1828-1905), the leading interpreter of Dugazon rôles at the Opéra Comique. He composed two books of songs (Heugel), and the present Treatise on Singing. He was decorated with the Legion of Honor, in a ceremony together with his dear friend Manet, whose paintings he collected in great number. He was nominated for this honor by his friend, M. Antonin Proust, one time Minister of Arts, to whom this volume is dedicated.

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NOTES ABOUT THE AUTHORS OF THE AMERICAN EDITION

Francis Keeping

Baritone Francis Keeping, a musician, writer and illustrator, moved to New York in 2000 after a twenty- year stay in Italy and the UK where he performed in opera and recital in the principal theaters of Europe. He teaches voice in New York and in Italy, and is a principal in Vox Mentor LLC and Vocalimages, the latter a non-profit corporation fostering music in education. He has recorded several albums for international recording companies with his repertoire spanning most genres from the sixteenth century religious works to contemporary. Future recording projects include nineteenth century Italian, French and English art songs. In 2003 he made his Broadway debut not as a singer but as an artist when he designed the graphic art elements including the stage curtain seen in the Broadway hit musical, Wicked. As a writer he has co- authored The ear and the voice with Roberta Prada, a translation and adaptation of the work of Dr. A. A. Tomatis and the first English version of J.B. Faure’s The voice and singing Imminent projects include overseeing both the musical and illustrative aspects of a new children’s book by Stephen Josephs and an illustrated book on characters from the world of opera.

Roberta Prada

Roberta Prada, contralto, studied in Buenos Aires at Teatro Colon’s Instituto Superior de Arte and began her career there. She has sung in Europe, the UK, South and North America in leading roles in opera, concert and recital. Her repertoire includes French and Italian 19th Century works, baroque masters, and other rarities. Prada lives in New York and is president of Vocalimages Inc., a 501 C (3) entity producing a documentary on vocal longevity and Vox Mentor LLC, a company devoted to projects aimed at the furtherance of excellence in the performing arts, especially classical singing. She is author with Francis Keeping and Pierre Sollier, of the English adaptation of The Ear and the Voice by Alfred A. Tomatis, Scarecrow Press, 2004, and translator of J.B. Faure’s The voice and singing with Francis Keeping. She is a graduate of Wellesley College, and is trained in Neurolinguistic Programming, and in the work of Dr. Tomatis. She presently offers Tomatis-based programs for diction training, public speaking, and accelerated language training.

More can be found about this book and other related topics on the Vocalimages website at www.vocalimages.com and also on www.voxmentor.com