A Glossary for Listening to Singers, Volume 1

July 9, 2022, 4:00 pm

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Detail of Mathilde Marchesi's treatise of vocal exercises, zoomed in on "Messa di voce"
Detail of Mathilde Marchesi's "Bel Canto: A Theoretical and Practical Vocal Method"

Brush up your knowledge of some the most common terms used when describing the art of singing. This week, Oliver will describe what it means “to phrase” as well as terms related to articulation like staccato and portamento; and a term related to form, cabalettaDon’t worry, there won’t be a pop quiz!

 

Playlist

Léo Delibes: The Bell Song from Lakmé
Edita Gruberova, soprano
Munich Radio Orchestra
Gustav Kuhn, conductor
French & Italian Operatic Arias
EMI 7243 5 65557 2

Gioacchino Rossini: “Bel raggio lusinghier” from Semiramide
June Anderson, soprano
Arturo Toscanini Symphonic Orchestra of Emilia Romagna
Miguel Angel Gomez Martinez, conductor
June Anderson Live in Concert
Bongiovanni GB 2504-2

Giacomo Puccini: “Si, mi chiamano Mimì” from La bohème
Renata Tebaldi, soprano
Orchestra e coro dell’ Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Roma
Alberto Erede, conductor
Puccini: La bohème
Decca 440 233-2

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: “Deh vieni, non tardar” from Le nozze di Figaro
Anna Moffo, soprano
Philharmonia Orchestra
Alceo Galliera, conductor
Anna Moffo: Mozart Arias
Testament SBT-1193

Giuseppe Verdi: “O mio Fernando!” from La favorita
Shirley Verrett, mezzo-soprano
RCA Italian Opera Orchestra
Georges Prêtre, conductor
Shirley Verrett in Opera
RCA Victor Gold Seal 09026 61457 2

Gaetano Donizetti: “Torna, torna o caro oggetto” from Rosmonda d’Inghliterra
Lella Cuberli, soprano
RAI Chorus and Symphonic Orchestra, Milan
Bruno Bartoletti, conductor
Portraits: Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti
Warner Font 0927 43352-2

Donizetti: “Torna, torna o caro oggetto” from Rosmonda d’Inghliterra
Joan Sutherland, soprano
Orchestra dell’Accademia di Santa Cecilia
Sir John Pritchard, conductor
Joan Sutherland: The Voice of the Century
Decca 475 7983

Camille Saint-Saëns: “Mon cœur s’ouvre à ta voix” from Samson et Dalila
Marilyn Horne, mezzo-soprano
Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo
Lawrence Foster, conductor
Marilyn Horne Recital
Erato 4509-98501-2

Francesco Cilea: “Io son l’umile ancella” from Adriana Lecouvreur
Montserrat Caballé, soprano
Barcelona Symphony Orchestra
Gianfranco Masini, conductor
Montserrat Caballé: The Ultimate Collection
RCA Victor Red Seal 74321 37714 2