“Il Mio Tesoro” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: The Individual Features of Breath Control by Tenor Singers upon Performance of Vocalizations
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Abstract
Mozart’s Aria “Il Mio Tesoro” presents a high example of vocal art, vividly reflecting the style of bel canto as expressed in its combination of cantilena style and virtuosic sections. The latter include vocalizations, which are regarded as a conglomeration of passages, sustained notes, and mini-vocalizations of various types.
For the first time the features of breath control in the interpretation of the aria’s most complex and extended vocalization in the light of its different redactions are studied. It is shown that the idea of performing the virtuosic section of the aria in one breath is consistent with the text of the piano-vocal score and lies at the basis of the quicker tempo indicated in the main edition. In this regard, the work on coordination of breath control and voice mobility is of extreme importance for a better reflection of Mozart’s style.
This study presents a system for identifying the various levels of breath control and determining the quality of phrasing of expanded vocalization, which are based on the degree of correspondence with the authorial text, both the verbal and the musical, as well as the duration of the phonatory exhalation. It is shown that the duration of phonatory exhalations during the performances of virtuosic vocalizations may vary within quite significant individual limits (up to 23 seconds long). It is noted that the levels of breath control do not form static formations: they can increase or decrease depending on the level of the performer’s training and motivation.
Examination of this aria in its historical and theoretical contexts, combining the information obtained with individual features of breath control – all of these play an important role in choosing the optimal approach to the interpretation of its main technical spots. The results of the study may serve as an informational and methodological guide for tenor singers when working on the interpretation of the virtuosic sections of this aria and for classical vocal teachers who make use of this aria to improve students’ vocal breathing, and may provide a basis for further study of vocal technique.
Keywords: Aria, tenor, breath control, vocalization, interpretation, vocal phrasing.
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