UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI Date: 5-Oct-2009 I, Barbara E. Paver , hereby submit this original work as part of the requirements for the degree of: Doctor of Musical Arts in Voice It is entitled: Reconsidering Language Orientation for Undergraduate Singers Student Signature: Barbara E. Paver This work and its defense approved by: Committee Chair: David Adams, MM David Adams, MM Mary Stucky, MM Mary Stucky, MM Kenneth Griffiths, MM Kenneth Griffiths, MM 10/5/2009 223 Reconsidering Language Orientation for Undergraduate Singers A document submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts in the Performance Division of the College-Conservatory of Music by Barbara E. Paver B.M. University of Arizona, Vocal Performance, June 1992 M.M. University of Cincinnati, Vocal Performance, June 1996 Committee Chair: David Adams, M.M. Abstract Paver, Barbara E. Reconsidering Language Orientation for Undergraduate Singers . Doctor of Musical Arts Document, University of Cincinnati, 2009. Foreign language lyric diction is a compulsory subject in all undergraduate vocal performance degrees in universities. However, the effectiveness of its teaching depends on the capacity of students to absorb the material, for which many are largely unprepared, due to their lack of previous language study. Further, native speakers of North American English experience difficulty in distinguishing reflex responses in their own speech from the proper articulations of foreign sounds. Initially, lyric diction textbooks addressing Italian, French, and German are reviewed for their content, pedagogical sequence, use of International Phonetic Alphabet, and exercises, with regard to their appropriateness for use at the undergraduate level. The role of phonetics in teaching lyric diction is then explored in relation to anatomy and physiology, as well as consonant and vowel formation. Consonant articulation and vowel formation as typically demonstrated by native North American singers are analyzed, and descriptive diacritics from the International Phonetic Alphabet are used to show the contrast between the native North American singers’ habits in speech and singing, and the articulatory adjustments necessary to form accurate foreign sounds. English vowel and consonant sounds are compared to sounds in Italian, German, and French with which they have allophonic relationships. Exercises are prescribed for the correction of North American accents in pronouncing Italian, German, and French. iii Contents Illustrations.....................................................................................................................................vi Acknowledgements.......................................................................................................................vii Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter One: Review of Multiple-Language Diction Texts.......................................................... 4 A Handbook of Diction for Singers .............................................................................................4 Diction .......................................................................................................................................11 Diction for Singers ....................................................................................................................17 The Singer’s Guide to Languages .............................................................................................21 A Singer’s Manual of Foreign Language Dictions ...................................................................27 Chapter Two: The Use of Phonetics in Teaching Vowels ........................................................... 33 Adapting Basic Phonetics to Lyric Diction...............................................................................33 Introducing Phonetics to Beginning Diction Students ..............................................................36 North American Regionalisms and Vowels..............................................................................43 Chapter Three: Introducing Consonants: Place, Manner, and Voicing ....................................... 46 Narrow Transcription and Use of IPA Diacritics......................................................................50 North American English and Articulatory Reflex ....................................................................52 Conclusion..................................................................................................................................... 56 Bibliography.................................................................................................................................. 58 Appendix 1: Exercises for Vowel Formation................................................................................ 61 Exploring Sensations in the Vocal Tract...................................................................................62 Locating and Forming Specific Vowel Sounds.........................................................................63 Exercise One: Cardinal Vowels ............................................................................................64 Exercise Two: Tongue Vowels and Lip Vowels................................................................... 65 Exercise Three: Vowel Practice ............................................................................................65 Exercise Four: Secondary Vowels ........................................................................................66 Exercise Five: Contrasting Sounds .......................................................................................67 Exercise Six: Mixed Vowels.................................................................................................67 Exercises Seven: English Mixed Vowels..............................................................................68 Appendix 2: North American Vowel Formation .......................................................................... 70 Additional English Vowel Considerations................................................................................74 Diphthongs ................................................................................................................................75 Appendix 3: Consonant Allophones ............................................................................................. 79 Selected Adaptations from Peter Ladefoged’s Rules for English Allophones .........................80 iv Appendix 4: Exercises in Consonant Articulation........................................................................ 85 Classifying Consonants.............................................................................................................85 Exercise One: Voicing ..........................................................................................................85 Exercise Two: Aural and Visual Connection........................................................................86 Place of Articulation..................................................................................................................86 Exercise Three: Place of Articulation: Initial Consonant......................................................88 Exercise Four: Places of Articulation: All Consonants.........................................................88 Manner of Articulation..............................................................................................................88 English Allophones ...................................................................................................................90 Exercise Five: Articulatory Target Practice: /d/, /n/, /t/, and /l/ allophones.......................... 91 Diacritic Symbols......................................................................................................................92 Exercise Six: Ear Training ....................................................................................................93 Pre-Phonatory Tuning ...............................................................................................................94 Exercise Seven: Pre-Phonatory Tuning.................................................................................94 Pilot Consonants........................................................................................................................95 Exercise Eight: Pilot Consonant /θ/ ......................................................................................95 Exercise Nine: Pilot Consonant /p/ .......................................................................................95 Appendix Five: Sample Language Orientation Syllabus.............................................................. 96 v Illustrations Tables Table 1: German-English Homophones.........................................................................................7 Table 2: Exercises in /i/ Vowel ....................................................................................................12 Figures Figure 1: TheVowel Tree .............................................................................................................23 Figure 2: The Consonant Flower..................................................................................................23 Figure