Greece, Peloponnese Peninsula
REGULATIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION - FESTIVAL
"A CIRCLE"
GOALS AND MAIN TASKS OF THE FESTIVAL:
ü Revival, preservation and development of national cultures;
ü Acquaintance with the best soloists and ensembles, establishing creative contacts between participants, exchanging work experience;
ü Creation of conditions for the support and development of children's and youth creativity;
ü Preservation cultural heritage and the improvement of art and dance;
ü Raising the next generation in the spirit of patriotism
VOCAL PERFORMANCE CHORAL SINGING INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE ARTISTIC WORD
Basic concept
– a performer or composer presents one or two any works, experienced members of the jury evaluate the performers. The performers and teams that have particularly distinguished themselves in each competitive category, discipline and nomination are awarded the title of Laureate and Diploma winner of the competition-festival of arts - with the presentation of diplomas and medals of the FORUM corresponding to the title. Winners - teams (from 3 people) cups.
The main principle of the formation of competitive categories, nominations and disciplines is the departure from their traditional division exclusively into age groups. And also, a separate competitive category is introduced. "For participants aged 18 and over", which is formed on the basis of experience and general experience the contestant's classes in one or another musical discipline and nomination, regardless of the age of the contestant on the day of the competition subject to the age of the contestant 18 years old on the day of the competition. Category is introduced professionals(soloists or groups - for which performing skills are a profession).
Comments: For example, a member is 18 years old and in their third year of music studies, and another member is 46 years old and also in their third year at a private music school, either on their own or with a teacher. In this example, both of these participants will compete in the same nomination: 3-4 years of study. Thus, this competition gives an opportunity to express themselves to people who, for various reasons, started playing music late, and for whom the path to successful participation in competitions, where the principle of forming participants and competitive requirements is based solely on age, is closed forever.
This contest also does not in the least infringe on the potential and opportunities to express themselves to those participants who have traditionally become involved in music since childhood. For such contestants whose age does not exceed 17 full years on the day of the competition, the traditional competitive category is preserved, in which the method of distribution of participants in competitive disciplines and nominations is formed based on age criteria. Success always comes in different ways. To someone in youth, and to someone in maturity. Everyone should have a chance to prove themselves.
Nominations, performance time
ü Solo (1 person) up to 7 minutes
Baby 7 years and under
Children (11 years and younger)
ü Duet (2 people) up to 7 minutes
Children 7-9 years old
Juniors (12-15 years old)
ü Mixed duet (2 people of different ages) up to 7 minutes
Children 10-11 years old
Youth (16-17 years old)
ü Teacher + student up to 7 minutes
Juniors 12-13 years old
Adults (18 years and over
ü Trio (3 people) up to 7 minutes
Juniors 14-15 years old
Mixed ( different age)
ü Quartet (4 people) up to 7 minutes
Youth 16-17 years old
ü Ensemble, choirs, orchestras,
Adults aged 18 and over
groups (from 5 people) up to 7 min ut (indicating the experience of playing music)
ü Professionals aged 18 and over, program limit up to 10 minutes
Notes:
1) 1 or 2 any works are performed within the time specified for the nomination.
2) In pop vocals - 1 piece.
Disciplines
VOCAL PERFORMANCE CHORAL SINGING INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE ARTISTIC WORD
ü Academic singing
ü Folk instruments
ü Pop vocals
ü Jazz vocals
ü Orchestras
ü Literary and musical composition
AUTHOR'S MUSIC (COMPOSITION) 1 or 2 author's works with a duration of no more than 7 minutes are performed. It is possible to perform full-time author's performance, full-time involvement of performers, as well as public listening to the audio version of the work in the presence of the author. Participants of the nomination, together with the application, send the notes of their compositions in any format, provided that it is clearly and accurately formatted. All involved performers of the discipline receive commemorative medals of the competition.
Rules
Discipline: INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE
Criteria for evaluation: musicality, purity and quality of sound, virtuosity, stage culture, complexity of the repertoire, compliance of the repertoire with performing abilities and age category, performing skills.
Program:
-piano, synthesizer– 1 or 2 works
-violin, cello, viola, double bass- 1 or 2 works.
- button accordion, accordion– 1 or 2 works
-balalaika/domra– 1 or 2 works
-guitar-1 or 2 pieces
- brass– 1 or 2 works
-ensembles and groups- 1 or 2 works.
Discipline: VOCAL PERFORMANCE
(academic, folk, pop direction)
Criteria for evaluation: musicality, artistic interpretation of a musical work, purity of intonation and sound quality, beauty of timbre and power of voice, stage culture, complexity of the repertoire, compliance of the repertoire with the performance capabilities and age category of the performer, performing skills.
Program: in folk and academic directions - 1 or 2 any works.
In the pop direction - 1 any work.
Note:
pop vocal
In this nomination, performances are presented based on the pop style of performance .
Theatrics are welcome. It is allowed to have “backing vocals” in the form of harmonic support, previously recorded in the “minus one” phonogram or performed “live”, the group does not have the right to use backing vocals in the recording. It is not allowed to receive a "double-track" (duplication of the soloist's part in the form of a single overtone). Competitive performances are held with the use of "minus" phonograms, "live" accompaniment (instrumental ensemble, piano, etc.) or without accompaniment. The use of phonograms with recorded backing vocal parts is allowed (subject to the addition and decoration of the number, but not the replacement of vocal data). The participation of backing vocalists is possible (at the request of the contestant).
Evaluated: the ability to use registers, mastery of breathing, diction, artistry,
the complexity of the work, the possession of the microphone.
Discipline: CHORAL SINGING
( academic, folk, pop directions)
It is not divided into age categories.
Criteria for evaluation: musicality, artistic interpretation of a musical work, purity of intonation and sound quality, complexity of the repertoire, compliance of the repertoire with the performance capabilities and age category of the performer.
Discipline: ARTISTIC WORD.
(prose, poetry, tale, literary and musical composition)
Criteria for evaluation: completeness and expressiveness of the disclosure of the theme of the work, stage performance (plasticity, costume, culture of performance), disclosure and brightness of artistic images, performance level, diction of actors, decoration performance, props, matching repertoire age characteristics performers.
Evaluation criteria: logic musical composition, demonstration of knowledge and ability to work with various means of musical expression, genres and forms, originality of creative style.
MUSIC
Media: USB - flash media with recording (flash media should contain only melodies for the festival in mp3 format, indicating the number of the participant, nomination and age category). Flash media must be checked for viruses. We recommend that you carry a copy of the recording on a CD-R with you. CD-RW discs are not accepted. For the lack of melodies for the festival and / or their quality, the participant himself is responsible.
Main questions.
I.1) Definition of the choir by prominent masters of choral art.
2) Directions in choral performance.
3) Type of choir.
4) The number of choirs.
II. Chorus types.
III. Arrangement of the choir.
Target: Determine the significance of the arrangement of the choir for the most favorable sound of the choral work, in connection with the type and type of choir.
Definition of a choir by eminent masters of the choral art
A. A. Egorov (“Theory and practice of working with the choir”): “A choir is a more or less numerous group of singers performing a vocal-choral work. Moreover, each part is sung by several homogeneous voices. In this, the choral group, as a vocal organization, differs significantly from the chamber vocal ensemble (duet, trio, quartet, etc.), in which each individual part is always entrusted to only one performer. The most typical, pure type of choir group is the a cappella choir, i.e. the group singing without instrumental accompaniment. Another type of choir group - a choir group accompanied by a piano, an ensemble of instruments or an orchestra - is no longer completely independent: it shares its performing tasks with instrumental accompaniment.
The a cappella choir is a kind of vocal orchestra, which, based on the synthesis of sound and words, conveys the artistic images of a musical work with its rich colors.
V. G. Sokolov (“Working with the choir”): “A choir is a team that is sufficiently familiar with the technical and artistic and expressive means of choral performance necessary to convey the thoughts, feelings, and ideological content that are embedded in the work.”
P. G. Chesnokov (“Choir and its management”): “The a cappella choir is a full-fledged union of a significant number of human voices, capable of conveying the subtlest bends of spiritual movements, thoughts and feelings expressed in a performed composition. A choir is such a collection of singers, in the sonority of which there is a strictly balanced ensemble, a precisely adjusted system and artistic, distinctly worked out nuances.
Note that Chesnokov refers nuances to the elements of choral sonority, interpreting this concept more broadly than a movable dynamic scale. Nuances, according to Chesnokov, cover the means of musical and choral expressiveness - features of rhythm, tempo, agogics, diction, etc., in connection with their dynamic changes.
Chorus is an extremely capacious concept. It is usually regarded as a musical and singing group whose activity is creative process choral music making (or choral performance). In this context, the choir is a vocal and performing group united and organized by creative goals and objectives. The principle of the collective beginning is obligatory for all participants of the choir and must be maintained at any stage of the work of the choir. A choir is a large vocal ensemble in terms of the number of participants, consisting of choral parts. The basic basis of each choral part is the unison, which implies the complete fusion of all vocal and choral components of the performance - sound formation, intonation, timbre, dynamics, rhythm, diction, in other words, the choir is an ensemble of vocal unisons. Choral performance is expressed in two forms of music making - singing without accompaniment (a cappella) and singing with accompaniment. Depending on the method of intonation - in natural or tempered tuning - the role of intonation increases. Accurate intonation (system) and balanced sound (ensemble) in the choir are the main conditions for his professionalism. A well-coordinated choir is always perceived as a vocal orchestra consisting of human voices, and therefore requires the constant and systematic attention of the choirmaster from the moment the choir sings to the concert performance on the stage. The structure in the choir depends on the skill and training of the singers participating in it, as well as on the personal and professional qualities of the conductor-choirmaster, his will, knowledge, and experience. The system in the choir is always associated with the performance of many different interrelated tasks - from the organization of the singing and choral process and the education (training) of singers to the embedding of the actual choral sonority with the identification of ensemble and system problems. At the same time, important tasks in the process of building a choir - the creation of an ensemble of vocal unisons, the high-altitude uniformity of the performed sounds, their timbre unity - are solved under the condition of properly organized vocal and choral work with singers. In choral performance, various types of arts are organically combined - music and literature (poetics). The synthesis of these two types of art introduces specific features into choral creativity. A logical and meaningful combination of music and words defines the concept of the vocal-choral genre. A good choir is always distinguished by technical and artistic and expressive performance, where, along with the problems of the ensemble and the system, the tasks of musical and literary interpretation are solved.
None of the properties listed above can exist in isolation. All components are interconnected and are in constant agreement.
Initially, choral performance was amateur and only due to special historical conditions acquired the status of professional art. From here come two main forms of choral activity - professional and amateur, hence their own names - professional choir and amateur choir (folk, amateur). The first is a choir consisting of specially trained singers, the second is a choir in which everyone who wants to sing takes part. Classes in amateur choirs are not as regulated as in professional ones.
There are two main directions in choral performance - academic and folk, which are characterized by qualitative differences in the manner of performance.
The academic choir (or chapel) relies in its activities on the principles and criteria of musical creativity and performance, developed by professional musical culture and the traditions of the centuries-old experience of opera and chamber genre. Academic choirs have a single condition for vocal work - the academic manner of singing. In considering the problems of vocal-choral singing, we will start from the concept of the academic manner of singing.
A folk choir is a vocal group that performs folk songs with their inherent features (choral texture, voice leading, vocal manner, phonetics). Folk choirs, as a rule, build their work on the basis of local or regional singing traditions. This determines the variety of compositions and the manner of performance of folk choirs. should be distinguished folk choir in its natural, everyday form from a specially organized, folk choir, professional or amateur, performing both genuine folk songs and author's compositions in the folk spirit.
Choral works can be characterized by the number of independent choral parts in them, which is determined by the concept of the type of choir. There are works for the choir of various compositions - one-voice, two-voice, three-, four- and more. The principles of using divisi (separation) in choral parts are related to the pitch ratios of singing voices, as well as their harmonic and timbre-color combinations. It is known that divisi harmonically saturates the choral presentation, but at the same time noticeably weakens the power of the sound of choral voices.
The main and minimal structural unit of the choir is the choral part, which is a coordinated ensemble of singers whose voices in their general parameters are relatively the same in range and timbre. It is with the choral part (a group of singers) that the construction of choral sonority begins in many aspects: the choral part is the initial object of the conductor’s work in establishing the ensemble and the system, in the artistic decoration of the work. In this regard, the problem of the smallest number of singers (voices) in the choral part - 3-4 singers, as well as their timbre and dynamic balance, is revealed.
Theoretically, according to the definition of P. G. Chesnokov, a homogeneous two-voice children's, women's or men's choir can be at least 6 singers, for example 3 sopranos (treble) + 3 altos, 3 tenors + 3 basses. However, in modern performing practice, a choir of a similar size is called vocal ensemble. The double composition of the choir is considered more sonorous, where each part has two minimum compositions: 6 first sopranos + 6 second sopranos + 6 first altos + 6 second altos, in total 24 singers are obtained. Here it is also possible to divide (divisi) each party into two groups.
The number of singers in the parts of the choir must be the same. It is unacceptable that a female or children's group of singers of 30 people consists, for example, of 11 first sopranos, 9 second sopranos, 6 first altos and 4 second altos. It is recommended to slightly increase the number of singers in the parts of the first sopranos and second altos in the women's (children's) four-part choir, which is associated both with the dynamic selection of the choral part that performs the upper melodic voice (C I), and with a more compact sound of the chord base (A II) , for example:
soprano first - 8 people;
soprano second - 7 people;
first violas - 7 people;
violas second - 8 people.
Total: 30 people
The sound density of the unison parts of the chamber choir, the number of which does not exceed 10 singers, is incommensurable with the sound of the choral parts of a large choir, where the number of singers in the choral parts is 20-25 singers.
In the theory of choral studies, it is customary to classify the quantitative composition of choirs into three main types - small (chamber), medium and large choirs. In modern performing practice chamber choir with an approximate number of singers - 20-30 people. The average mixed choir, numbering up to 40 people, involves the division of each choral part into two. The number of a large mixed choir usually ranges from 80-120 people (occasionally more).
Under favorable conditions, mass and combined choirs of several hundred and even thousands of people can be created. In the choral literature there are examples of multi-choir compositions, in general, numbering over a dozen and a half independent choral parts.
The existing concept of a double choir means a choir divided into two honors, each of which is relatively independent; both parts of the double choir can be both mixed (full and incomplete) and homogeneous composition. The triple choir accordingly consists of three parts.
There is a special choral literature for any performing composition of choirs, which, of course, takes into account the timbre-catalistic features and the size of the choir composition. Thus, works written for a chamber choir, and therefore aimed at a small group, will sound thick and heavy in a large choir, numbering about 100 singers. And vice versa, the score for a large choir with divisi in different voices in the sound of a small choir loses its figurative brilliance.
Chorus types
The composition of the performing team by groups is characterized by the term type of choir. Singing voices are divided into three groups: women's, men's and children's. A choir consisting of the voices of one group is called homogeneous, and a choir consisting of female (or children's) and male voices or singing voices of all three groups is called mixed. Currently, there are four types of choirs: women's, men's, children's and mixed.
Mixed choir (full composition)
The range of the mixed choir is more than 4 octaves in G-A counter octaves up to 3 octaves. The mixed choir has a great dynamics of sound power from barely audible pp to ff, capable of competing with a symphony orchestra.
male choir
The range for the counter octave is up to 2 octaves. The male choir has a great dynamism of sound, bright timbre colors. The tenor part is the lead melodic voice and sings with a thicker chest sound.
Women's choir
The range is from the fatal octave to up to 3 octaves. Extreme sounds are rare. The most common is a mixed and close arrangement of voices. Many original compositions and arrangements folk songs for the women's choir created by Russian and foreign composers.
Children's choir
The expressive and technical capabilities of the children's choir are closely related to the age characteristics of the composition.
A child's voice is characterized by transparency, softness, sharpness of intonation, and the ability to perfect harmony and ensemble. The sound of the children's choir is distinguished by immediacy and sincerity of performance. The children's choir has great performing abilities.
The arrangement of the choir
The arrangement of the choir is a specific system for the arrangement of singers for the purpose of their joint performing activities. Domestic choral culture has accumulated rich experience on the issue of arranging the choir. The theoretical understanding of this experience was reflected in the works of P.G. Chesnokov, G.A. Dmitrevsky, A.A. Egorov, S.V. Popov, K.K. Pirogov, V.G.Sokolova and others. So, V.G.Sokolov notes that "for the successful work of the choir, a certain arrangement of parts during rehearsals and concert performances, which is familiar to both the leader and the singers, is of no small importance."
One of the most important in this matter is the artistic and performing aspect. It is known that the arrangement should provide the singers of the parts with the most favorable conditions for ensembles. In this regard, A.A. Egorov writes: “By successively rearranging the voices within the group and carefully selecting one voice for another on the basis of homogeneity and timbres, it is possible to establish a complete merger and thereby lay the foundation for a choral part.”
The correct arrangement should ensure the possibility of auditory contact between the singers of various choral parias, because "good mutual hearing of the choral parts creates the most favorable conditions for the emergence of an ensemble and system, which is the basis for the coherence of the choir."
Usually, in the placement of the choir or the stage, they are guided by established traditions. Related parties are in the same group. The voices of each part match each other in terms of timbre, sound range, etc. The choir group is located in such a way that high voices are on the left hand of the conductor, and low voices are on the right. In a mixed choir, sopranos are placed to the left of the conductor, followed by tenors; on the right are the altos, followed by the basses.
Among the many options for the arrangement of homogeneous choirs, one where each party is located in a group, like a sector, is popular. In the women's or children's choir (from left to right): second sopranos, first sopranos, altos first, altos second. In the male choir: second tenors, first tenors, second basses, first basses, octavists are in the center. It is believed that placing the first high voices (I soprano or I tenors) in the middle of the choir improves the sonority, and the location of the second high voices (II soprano or II tenors) “covers” the sound of the first to some extent.
Women's (children's) choir
male choir
|
Octavists |
|||
|
Tenora II | |||
|
Tenora II | |||
|
Tenora II | |||
|
Tenora II | |||
This arrangement of the choir is usually used in sound recording. In this case, a separate microphone is placed before each choral part. The placement of a mixed choir when recording sound takes into account the direction of the sound of each choral part to a separately exposed microphone.
In addition to the above, other options for arranging the groups of the choir group are also used, for example:
Women's (children's) choir
|
Soprano I |
Soprano II |
During rehearsals, the choir should be positioned in the same way as during the performance. It is not recommended to place the choir in the same horizontal plane, as this loses proper visual contact between the singers and the conductor. In addition, members of the choir will be forced to sing “in the back” of the choristers in front. In a mixed choir, it is customary for the male parts to be placed slightly higher than the female ones.
The quartet arrangement of the choir creates the best conditions for the auditory self-control of the singers, takes into account the individual singing abilities of each member of the collective and is used in chamber choirs.
The placement of the choir on the stage depends on the acoustic properties of the reverb. Reverbation is the acoustic property of a room due to the reflective ability of their internal surfaces to increase the strength and duration of sounds (the "echo" effect). With insufficient reverb, the sound becomes “dry”, with excessive reverb, the performance will be “illegible, dirty”. Based on this, at the present time in the St. Petersburg State Singing Chapel. M.I. Glinka (headed by V.A. Chernushenko) uses the arrangement of the choir, in which female voices make up the third and fourth rows, and male voices occupy the first and second rows. At the same time, the leader of this group uses a wide arrangement of the choir.
It is better to arrange the choir in the form of a small semicircle (fan-shaped) or, in extreme cases, in a straight line with small roundings at the edges. The location of the choir exclusively in a straight line is less appropriate.
When performing choral works with piano accompaniment, the instrument is placed in front of the choir in the center or to the right (from the conductor); when performed with an orchestra or ensemble accompaniment, the orchestra or ensemble is placed in front, and the choir is placed in a small semicircle behind it. For example, when performing “Three Russian Songs” by S. Rachmaninov, written for an incomplete mixed choir (altos and basses) and orchestra, choral voices are usually located to the left (altos) and to the right (bass) of the conductor behind the orchestra on a special platform (choral benches) . In this case, the sonority of each individual part becomes more compact and monolithic. The long-term use of one choral part, as, for example, in the specified work, makes it possible to characterize the choral part with a very rare term - a choir of violas or a choir of basses.
Conducted modern scientific research on the influence of acoustic patterns and the location of singers made it possible to make adjustments to the arrangement of the choir and develop a number of practical recommendations aimed at ensuring proper conditions for the auditory self-control of singers:
do not put strong and weak voices in the neighborhood;
use a mixed version of a wide arrangement with an alternation of related and heterogeneous voices.
The presented arrangement has the following advantages:
It creates conditions for achieving artistic ensemble not on the basis of leveling timbres, but by identifying the natural timbre capabilities of each voice, which reflects the trend of progressive vocal and choral methods and contributes to the successful development and improvement of singing abilities.
Creates more effective conditions to organize the choir as a community of individuals (ensemble of soloists).
Contributes to the formation of each singer more high degree responsibility for the quality of their "vocal production". Making music in such an arrangement requires the singer to show maximum initiative and independence.
It contributes to the identification of the individual timbre characteristics of each voice and thus has a very significant impact on the quality of the sound of the choir, which becomes richer in timbre, more saturated and voluminous.
Keywords
Choir; type of; view; number; choral parts; female; male; mixed; children; arrangement; execution; timbres.
Short conclusions
The vocal and methodological aspect of the arrangement of the choir is touched upon in works on children's musical education. So, M.F. Zarinskaya notes the importance of the arrangement of singers for organizing the influence of some voices on others in the process of vocal education in the choir. She recommends placing in the last row and along the edges of the choir "those who sing in the most beautiful timbre and naturally, also experienced choristers, in front - children who sing more dimly or have certain shortcomings in singing."
test questions
1. What is a choir?
2. Give a description of the mixed choir.
3. What options do you know for arranging the choir?
4. What factors influence the location of choir singers on stage?
Literature
Osenneva M.S., Samarin V.A. Choral class and practical work with the choir. - M. 2003
Keerig O.P. Choreology - S.-P. 2004
Sokolov Vl. Work with the choir - M., "Music", 1983
MAUDO "Orenburg Children's School of Arts named after A.S. Pushkin"
ESSAY
Topic:
Vocal and choir teacherI qualification category
Sablina Elena Vadimovna
2014
Plan
I .The importance of preparing the vocal apparatus for singing ……………….. from 2
1. Typical difficulties on initial stage.
2. The importance of vocal and choral exercises.
II .Development of performing skills ……………………………….. from 3
1. Development of singing breathing and sound attack.
2. Skills in the use of resonators and articulatory apparatus.
III . Final part. conclusions ………………………………………. from 6
IV . List of used literature …………………………………. from 7
Methodical development
"Formation of vocal-choral and performing skills in the choir"
I .The value of preparing the vocal apparatus for singing.
Vocal work in an amateur choir is one of the highlights. As practice shows, the majority of people who come to the choirs do not have any singing skills, and often those who come who are characterized by certain vocal shortcomings: noisy singing, a clamped throat sound, hoarseness, tremulation and others.
Before proceeding to the performance of works, each singer needs to sing. Singing exercises solves two problems: bringing the voice into the best working condition and instilling good performing skills in the singer. "Warming up" the vocal apparatus precedes the vocal-technical training. Methodically, this concept should not be confused, although in practice both tasks can be performed simultaneously. For a novice singer, who does not yet have sufficient knowledge of the correct sound, any "chanting" is a technical part of the lessons. It is valuable to consciously combine vocal exercises with the aim of teaching musical notation. Musical scores help to achieve this, making it possible to connect their auditory representations with visual ones. An amateur performer sings a certain sequence of sounds and sees this sequence on musical staff. With intonation defects, the leader points to the corresponding sound or melodic interval. So musically untrained singers imperceptibly join the musical literacy.
1. Typical difficulties at the initial stage. The need for chanting before a lesson or performance is dictated by the law of gradually bringing the organs of voice formation into an active working state. Chanting is a link between rest and singing activity, a bridge from one physiological state to another. The entire singing process in an amateur choir must be adjusted by the physiological capabilities and characteristics of the psyche. Consider some typical shortcomings of guys who come to the choir:
Vocal unprepared guys breathe unevenly while singing, they seem to choke on their breath, while raising their shoulders. Such superficial, clavicular breathing adversely affects both the sound and the body. To eliminate this deficiency, it is necessary to perform exercises with closed mouth, evenly distributing the breath and making the position of "half gape".
Forced, tense sound. It is distinguished by excessively increased dynamics, sharpness, rudeness of performance. The strength of the sound in this case is a false criterion for the artistic evaluation of singing, and loudness is achieved not by using resonators, but by intense pushing of the sound. As a result, there is a "pressure" on the ligaments. First of all, it is necessary to psychologically rebuild the choir singers, to explain to them that the beauty of the voice and full-fledged sound is achieved not by the physical tension of the respiratory organs and the work of the larynx, but by the ability to use resonators in which the voice acquires the necessary strength and timbre. This will help with singing exercises with a closed mouth in a high position, singing with chain breathing in the piano, mezzo-piano speakers, cantilena exercise, sound evenness, calm breath retention.
- “Flat, small “white sound”. Very often, such sounding in amateur choirs is identified with the folk style of performance. Amateur choral groups that sing with such a sound, as a rule, have no idea of either folk or academic manners of singing, their vocal and choral technique is helpless. First of all, it is necessary to remove the singing at the throat, transfer it to the diaphragm and be sure to develop the skill of “yawning” in the singers, sending a rounded sound to the point of the head resonator.
All this should be done in a single manner of sound formation: at the same time, exercises on “covered” vowels are useful. e", "yu", "y", as well as singing sustained sound into syllables mi, me, ma, with rounding of all vowels.
Bitter sound. It is characterized by the absence of a single manner of vowel formation, that is, "open" vowels sound light, open, and "covered" - more collected, darkened. This happens because the singers do not know how to maintain a fixed position of the “yawn” in the back of the oral canal in the process of singing. To eliminate this, singers need to learn to sing in a single manner, that is, to form all vowels in a rounding way.
Deep, "crushed" sound. May occur due to excessive sound overlap, when the "yawn" is made very deep, close to the larynx. Such singing always remains somewhat muffled, distant, often with a guttural overtone. First of all, you should ease the “yawn”, bring the sound closer, practicing singing syllables with “close” vowels - zi, mi, ni, bi, di, li, la, le etc. Correction of shortcomings will also help to include in the repertoire of works of light, transparent sound, using a light staccato.
2. The importance of vocal and choral exercises. Singing exercises are primarily aimed at the vocal perception of the choir: the correct formation of sound, its timbre coloring, and purity of tone. The main concern is unison. A well-built unison provides ensemble harmony and clarity of sound. But exercises of this kind can give even more. They will serve as a good help in the development of sharpness. musical ear and prepare the singers to overcome the intonational difficulties that they will encounter when working on some compositions. The basis of chanting exercises are combinations in which, one way or another, there are semitones or whole tones. To teach how to correctly perform a tone or semitone means to guarantee the purity of singing. For many reasons, it is easy to detect approximate intonation in most singers. Unfortunately, this applies not only to amateur singers, but also to many professional singers. Sloppy intonation is a consequence of insufficient ear culture. A culture of hearing is brought up and developed in the learning process. Apparently, there are some flaws in this process. Sound and purity of intonation are inextricably linked and interdependent; vocally, the right formed tone always sounds clear, and vice versa - there is never a clear tone if the sound is formed incorrectly.
II . Development of performing skills.
It is best to eliminate shortcomings and instill the right singing skills, on special exercises. We use such exercises to develop performing skills in singers.
Development of singing breathing and attack of sound. The initial skill is the ability to take the right breath. Inhalation is taken through the nose, silently. In the first gymnastic exercises, the breath is full, in the subsequent ones (performed on sound) it is taken sparingly and of varying fullness, depending on the duration of the musical phrase and its dynamics. In the first exercises, exhalation is done through tightly clenched teeth (sound s..s..s..). In this case, the chest is held in the inhalation position (“memory of inhalation”), and the diaphragm, due to the gradual relaxation of the abdominal muscles, smoothly moves back to the main position. The active state and tension of the respiratory muscles should not be reflexively transmitted to the muscles of the larynx, neck and face. In silent exercises, the first feeling of breath support is laid.
- Exercises on one sound. In subsequent exercises, when breathing is combined with sound, these sensations need to be developed and strengthened. To begin with, a single sustained sound is taken on the primary, i.e. most convenient, tone, nuance mf, closed mouth. Following the muscle sensations familiar from the previous
exercises, the choir members listen to their sound, achieving purity, evenness, stability. The evenness of the breath is combined with the evenness of the sound - they provide it and check it. In this exercise, the attack of the sound is developed. As the chorus masters the breath, more and more stringent requirements are imposed on the quality of all types of attack, and above all softness.
- Gamma exercises. The next cycle of exercises for the development of breathing and sound attacks is based on scale-like sequences, starting gradually from two sounds and ending with a scale within an octave - decima. The breathing technique and the feeling of support in these exercises become more difficult. There is an adaptation to the change of sounds, connected smoothly, on elastic breathing. The difference in the sensation of breathing when singing a sustained sound and a scale-like sequence is similar to the difference in the sensations of muscular elasticity of the legs when standing still and when walking. In the second case, the support moves from one leg to another, and the body moves smoothly, without feeling any shocks.
- Exercises in non Legato. It is advisable to start the skills of correctly connecting sounds with non legato, as the lightest stroke. Imperceptible caesura between sounds in a stroke non legato it is quite enough that the larynx and ligaments have time to rebuild to a different height. When combining sounds in non legato it is necessary to achieve that each subsequent sound arises without shocks.
- Exercises in Legato. Hatch Legato most common in singing, their possession should be given special attention. “In the exercises, all three types are worked out. Legato: dry, simple and legattissimo. You need to start dry. legato, which is characterized by a smooth connection of sounds "back to back", without the slightest caesura - a gap, but also without gliding. In the exercises Legato sound attack is used only soft or mixed. A solid attack divides the sound even in the absence of a caesura. In simple Legato the transition from sound to sound is accomplished by imperceptible sliding. For the best performance of this technique, you need, using the skill of "dry" Legato, make sure that the transition - sliding is made briefly, immediately before the appearance of the next sound, with an imperceptible extension (along this tempo-rhythm) of the sound of the previous one. Concerning legattissimo , then it in singing is only the most perfect execution of a simple Legato. When performing the Legato stroke, two breathing techniques can be used in accordance with the artistic task. The first - on a continuous and even exhalation, similar to the performance Legato with one bow string instruments. The second is a decrease, slowing down of exhalation before moving on to the next sound, similar to changing the bow of strings (when they perform a stroke Legato).
- Exercises in Stacatt o. Very useful for developing breathing and a firm attack, singing with a stroke Staccato. You need to start by repeating one sound, and then gradually move on to scales, arpeggios, jumps, etc. “Using all kinds of Staccato: soft, hard, staccaticimo . When singing Staccato, in caesura, a pause between sounds, the muscles do not relax, but are strictly fixed in the inhalation position. The alternation of the moment of exhalation (sounding) and holding the breath on a pause (caesura) should be very rhythmic and not accompanied by crescendo and diminuendo on every sound. This reception is similar to the execution Staccato on the violin without removing the bow from the string. For inexperienced singers when performing Staccato there is an attempt to inhale in the pauses before each sound, which makes Staccato inaccurate, and the execution of this exercise is useless. preparatory gymnastic exercise for singing Staccato: breathing is gained gradually by microdoses; after each microbreath, the breath is held (fixed), the alternation of breaths and caesuras must be strictly rhythmic; exhalation is also performed in microdoses, alternating with stops-caesuras.
- Arpeggiated exercises and jumps. Singing arpeggiated exercises places new demands on the breath. The wider the intervals between sounds, the harder they are connected when singing with a stroke. Legato. Moves change abruptly at wide intervals
register sound conditions from sound to sound and increase the flow of breathing. Before the move
for a long interval up, the muscles of the respirators are activated, an imitation of inspiration is applied
(false breath) by soft, free and instant pushing the diaphragm down; outwardly, this is expressed in a soft jerky movement of the abdominal muscles forward, with complete immobility and free stability of the upper and middle parts chest. Difficulty this technique in that it is performed not on inhalation, but on exhalation.
- Reception of "dumping" of breath. Sometimes there is a blurring of the endings of phrases when changing breathing, especially at fast tempos with a crushed rhythm and the absence of pauses at the junctions of constructions. In these cases, it is useful, having switched attention to the end of phrases, to suggest the technique of an instantaneous change of breath by dropping it at the end of the last sound of the phrase, i.e. think not about taking the next sound, but about removing the previous one. In this case, the diaphragm is instantly pressed down, fixing in the inhalation position, and in this way the removal of the last (sometimes very short) sound of the phrase is reflexively combined with an instantaneous breath taking. When performing this exercise, the leader makes sure that the caesura is instantaneous, and the sound preceding it is extremely finished. The breath changes with every beat. It is not allowed to accentuate the end of the sound when dropping the breath.
2. Skills in the use of resonators and articulatory apparatus. These skills are brought up in combination, since the resonators and articulatory organs are functionally connected. In their natural form, resonators usually function in isolation, each in its own section of the range. The training begins with the primary tones of the range, naturally including the chest resonator. Proper voice tuning involves singing with a close sound in a high position throughout the entire range. Taking into account these circumstances, the first exercises are given: singing single sustained primary sounds on the syllables “ si" and "mi", helping to turn on the head resonator in close and high sound, as well as the performance of descending and ascending progressive sequences of several sounds on combinations of syllables "si-ya" and "me-me". The combination of certain vowels and consonants contributes to the achievement of a close and high sound. Combination "b", "d", "h", "l", "m", "p", "s", "t", "c" bring the sound closer; " n", "r", "g", "k" - are removed. Vowels contribute to high sound "i", "e", "yu". It is convenient to connect the “head” and “chest”, achieving mixed sound formation on the syllables “ lu", "li", "du", "di", "mu", "mi", "zu", "zi".
It must be said that most of chanting exercises are performed in a neutral register zone, lonely and convenient for all singers. They are performed in quiet nuances, but with great overall activity. And only 1-2 final exercises cover the full range of all voices and are sung in a full free tone.
Each rehearsal begins with vocal exercises, preparing the vocal apparatus there to work on the repertoire. The repertoire, as a set of works performed by a particular choir, forms the basis of all its activities, contributes to the development of the creative activity of the participants, is in direct connection with various forms and stages of the choir's work, whether it is a rehearsal or creative concert, the beginning or peak of the creative path of the team. The repertoire influences the entire educational process, on its basis musical and theoretical knowledge is accumulated, vocal and choral skills are developed, and the artistic and performing direction of the choir is formed. The growth of the collective's skill, the prospects for its development, everything related to performing tasks, that is, how to sing, depends on a skillfully selected repertoire.
The formation of the worldview of the performers, the expansion of their life experience occurs through the comprehension of the repertoire, therefore, the high ideological content of a work intended for choral performance is the first and fundamental
in the choice of repertoire. The repertoire of amateur groups is as varied in terms of the sources of its formation, genres, style, themes, artistic, as the very concept of "amateur art" is multifaceted and heterogeneous.
Both adult and children's academic choirs, even with competent and conscientious performance concert program, do not always rise to the feeling of that special state of mind that should be main goal both performers and listeners. This state can be defined as “the life of the spirit. In this state, a person comprehends the soul of another person, lives someone else's life in real feelings. And if such a "life of the spirit" appears on the stage, then the "divine spark" carries what is called "education through art." But how can we evoke this true "life of the spirit" in the choristers on stage? After all, what is required of them is what is called reincarnation, the transition to another psychological condition, enhanced - on the verge of hallucinations! - the work of imagination and fantasy! However, not everyone's psyche is so malleable, but creative thinking so bright. There are many other obstacles to real stage creativity in amateur choral activities: physical fatigue after work or study, nervous overload, diet and rest that are in no way connected with concerts, insufficiently learned works, etc. In order to find the “life of the spirit” on stage, a person must to imagine and feel something that he has not yet encountered at all in his own life. And far from always he is able to correctly evaluate the result of his work. Only a conductor, a teacher, leading to the goal, can give with his assessment an educating artistic taste, intellect, moral attitude to art and life. The teacher has no right to be satisfied with a fake! And let all choristers have different intellect, temperament, life experience, mood, condition, etc., even if it is very difficult to teach them to “live on stage”, however, there is an explanation for lack of spirituality in art, but there can be no justification.
III . Final part. Conclusions.
Choral singing is based on the correct vocal and technical culture of performance. Therefore, it is the work on singing skills that is the core around which all other elements of educational and choral work unfold. To instill in the members of the choir the right singing skills means to protect their voices from damage and ensure their normal development. The solution to this problem is quite possible if the leader of the choir has sufficient training in the field of vocal culture and pays serious attention to vocal work. At least two conclusions should be drawn from what has been said:
1) a conductor-choirmaster, in order to be also a conductor-artist, must have a special potential for education, erudition, artistic taste, pedagogical skills and creative temperament. Such a leader can set up many and different people for general empathy, for creative upsurges of the spirit, to enrich the imagination and fantasy of adults or children with new thoughts and feelings for them;
2) the spirituality of choral singing is often hampered by ignorance or ignorance of the general principles of performing vocal and choral music, the observance of which serves as a technical support for artistry, and contributes to the emergence of inspiration.
IV. List of used literature.
Zhivov, V.L. Choral performance: Theory, methodology, practice: Tutorial for stud. higher accounting institutions / V.L. Zhivov - M .: publishing house Vlados, 2003. - 272p.
Ivanchenko, G.V. Psychology of music perception / G. V. Ivanchenko - L. "Music"; 1988-264s.
Kazachkov, S. A. From lesson to concert / S. A. Kazachkov - Kazan: publishing house of Kazan University, 1990. - 343s.
Lukyanin V. M. Training and education young singer/ V. M. Lukyanini - L .: No. Music "1977.
A powerful educational tool. - L .: Music, 1978.-143s.
Morozov V.P. The art of resonant singing / V.P.Morozov. - M.: "MGK, IP RAS", 2002. - 496 p.
Romanovsky N.V. Choral Dictionary / N.V. Romanovsky. – M.: 2000.
Repertoire as the basis of musical education and its features in an amateur choir: Collection of scientific works of the Department of Arts of the Belarusian State Pedagogical University / ed. T. V. Laevskoy. - Barnaul, 2003. - 198 p.
Pashchenko, A.P. Choral culture: aspects of study and development / A.P. Pashchenko. - K .: "Music. Ukraine”, 1989.- 136 p.
Popov, S.V. Organizational and methodological foundations of the work of an amateur choir / S.V. Popov - M .: "State Musical Publishing House", 1961. - 124 p.
Choir work. - M .: Profizdat, 1960, - 296 p.
Samarin, V.A. Choir studies / V.A. Samarin - M .: "Academia", 2000.-208 p.
Sokolov, V.G. Work with the choir / V.G. Sokolov - M .: "Music", 1983.-192 p.
Chesnokov P. G. Choir and its management: A manual for choral conductors / P. G. Chesnokov. - M .: publishing house Moscow, 1961
Shamina, L.V. Work with an amateur choir / L.V. Shamin - M .: "Music", 1983, - 174 p.
In the process comprehensive development art plays a very important role. Observing the children who study at the Children's Music School and comparing them with ordinary students of a general education school, I came to the conclusion that the former are more developed in all respects. Thoughts about all this led to analyzing this situation and revealing what personal qualities a person acquires in the process of musical education. And how musical education affects the world of his feelings and his behavior.
Download:
Preview:
Municipal budgetary educational institution
Additional education for children
Children's Art School "Rainbow"
Tatarsky district of the Novosibirsk region
Article
"Musical and aesthetic education of junior schoolchildren by means of vocal and choral performance"
prepared
solo and choir teacher
Gracheva Anastasia Alexandrovna
Tatarsk
2012
Musical education -
This is not the education of a musician,
And above all, the upbringing of a person.
V.A. Sukhomlinsky
In the process of all-round development of the individual, art plays a crucial role. Observing the children who study at the Children's Music School and comparing them with ordinary students of a general education school, I came to the conclusion that the former are more developed in all respects. Thoughts about all this led to analyzing this situation and revealing what personal qualities a person acquires in the process of musical education. And how musical education affects the world of his feelings and his behavior.
Musical education is considered in musical pedagogy as an integral part of the moral education of the younger generation, the result of which is the formation of a common culture of the individual. In our country, musical education is considered not as a sphere accessible only to the elite - especially gifted children, but also as component the general development of the entire rising generation. The outstanding Soviet teacher V.A. Sukhomlinsky called music “a powerful means of aesthetic education". “The ability to listen and understand music is one of the elementary signs aesthetic culture, without this it is impossible to imagine a full-fledged education, ”he wrote.
“What is lost in childhood is very difficult, almost impossible to catch up in mature years”, - warned V.A. Sukhomlinsky. It is extremely important that the impact of art begins as early as possible, in childhood. If brought up with early years the ability to deeply feel and understand art, then love for it then persists for life, affects the formation of aesthetic feelings and tastes of a person.
The purpose of this work is to reveal the importance of early musical education of children, children of primary school age through the definition of aesthetic, moral and musical goals of education.
Music education can be understood in a broader or narrower sense. In a broad sense, musical education is the formation of a person’s spiritual needs, his moral ideas,intelligence, the development of ideological and emotional perception and aesthetic evaluation of life phenomena. In this understanding -this is human education.
In a narrower sense, musical education is the development of the ability to perceive music. It comes in various forms musical activity which set as their goal the development of a person's musical abilities, the upbringing of emotional responsiveness to music, understanding and deep experience of its content. In this sense, musical education isthis formation musical culture person.
As already noted, art always operates with artistic images. The specific features of musical art is that it reflects life phenomena in musical images.
Music has a powerful emotional impact, it awakens good feelings in a person, makes him higher, cleaner, better, since in the vast majority, it suggests a positive character, elevated emotions. Music seeks to embody the ethical and aesthetic ideal, this is the peculiarity of its content, the features of its impact on a person.
Music is the strongest means of shaping the intellect, emotional culture, feelings, morality.
A decisive role in the purposeful formation of a person's culture is played by artistic activity, which is necessary not only for professionals, but for all people without exception, because it helps to form an active, creative attitude of a person to work, to life in general.
A decisive emphasis is placed on the emotional, creative perception of music, on enriching the musical ear and musical experience of children. The problem of a live, direct reaction to music is put forward as the primary task of education.And it is very important not to miss the moment and start getting to know her at an early age..
The formation of personality is a complex, multi-valued process, acting in the form of a physiological, mental and social development of a person, which is determined by internal and external, natural and social conditions.
A person lives in a society and cannot be free from the demands of this society. These requirements relate primarily to the moral, moral qualities of a person, his behavior.
An important form of introducing children to music is creative performing activity, which can be carried out in the most various types(game on musical instruments, participation in the orchestra, solo, ensemble and choral singing, dance). Of all types of active musical activity capable of covering the broad masses of children, it should be highlightedvocal performance.
The influence of singing on the moral sphere is expressed in two aspects. On the one hand, the songs convey a certain content to it; on the other hand, singing gives rise to the ability to experience moods, the state of mind of another person, which is reflected in songs.Choral singing is the most effective means education not only of aesthetic taste, but also of initiative, imagination, creative abilities of children, it the best way contributes to the development of musical abilities (singing voice, sense of rhythm, musical memory), the development of singing skills, contributes to the growth of interest in music, increases the emotional and vocal-choral culture. Choral singing helps children understand the role of the team in human activity, thus contributing to the formation of the worldview of students, has an organizing and disciplined effect on children, and fosters a sense of collectivism and friendship.
The importance of singing performance can hardly be overestimated in personal development child. Singing not only develops aesthetic perception, aesthetic feelings, artistic and musical taste and the whole complex of musical and musical sensory abilities. Singing contributes to the formation of an aesthetic attitude to the surrounding reality, enrichment of the child's experiences, his mental development, as it reveals to him a whole world of ideas and feelings. It expands children's horizons, increases the amount of knowledge about the surrounding life, events, natural phenomena. The importance of singing is also great in the development of a child’s speech: it is enriched vocabulary, the articulatory apparatus is being improved, children's speech is improving.
Singing classes help to develop social and personal and communicative qualities help to organize and unite children's team. In the process of singing, such important personality traits as will, organization, endurance are brought up. The influence of singing on moral development is expressed, on the one hand, in the fact that a certain content and attitude to it are conveyed in songs, on the other hand, singing gives rise to the ability to experience the mood, state of mind of another person.
Singing is considered as a means of strengthening the body of schoolchildren. It forms proper breathing, strengthens the lungs and vocal apparatus, improves blood circulation. According to doctors, singing is the best form breathing exercises. Singing activity contributes to the formation of correct posture.
In the field of musical psychology, singing is considered as one of the forms of music therapy that affects the emergence of various emotional states.
The correct selection of song material (including folk songs, works of classics, Soviet and foreign, as well as contemporary composers) contributes to the education of children's feelings of patriotism, internationalism, broadens their horizons.
The art of singing requires mastery of vocal and choral skills. But work on vocal and choral skills is not purely technical and should be connected with work on in an artistic way works. Vocal and choral technique is improved as a result of systematic, hard work over song material of different form and content.
Choral singing has an exceptional influence on the formation of a child's personality. This is greatly helped by the fact that choral art music and words come together. This fact enhances the impact on the child's psyche, on his artistic development, imagination and sensitivity. The very process of mastering a choral work is always associated with painstaking work to overcome artistic, performing or technical difficulties, and therefore instills industriousness in children, makes them subordinate their personal interests to the interests of the collective. It is choral singing, as a mass art, that instills in children a feeling of sincere love for their Motherland and people. This art form has a special advantage.
Choral singing is the most accessible type of musical performance. The voice apparatus "instrument" is being improved along with the growth of a person, his development. The education of singing skills is at the same time the education human feelings and emotions.
Choral music is closely related to the word, which creates the basis for a more specific understanding of the content. musical works. Choral music is always bright programmatic. Its content is revealed through the word, through the poetic text and musical intonation, melody. Therefore, the ideological and emotional essence of the content of choral music doubles, as it were. Choral singing provides the possibility of initial musical impressions, contributes to the mastery of "musical speech", which helps to more accurately and deeply reveal musical abilities.
So, we found out that the aesthetic, moral and musical goals of education are, first of all, developing. In the process of musical education, optimal conditions are created for the comprehensive development of children, and this happens only through activity.
Vocal performance has an impact on the formation of aesthetic taste, contributes to the formation of character, norms of behavior. It enriches the inner world of a person with vivid experiences. Music lessons are nothing more than a cognitive multifaceted process that develops the artistic taste of children, fosters a love for musical art - forms the moral qualities of a person and an aesthetic attitude to the environment.
Based personal experience and analysis of the works of famous teachers-musicians (D.D. Kabalevsky, V.N. Shatskaya, N.L. Grodzenskaya, B. Asafiev), having studied the literature - Zh. V. Chalova, V.V. Emelyanova, A. E. Varlamova, we can conclude that music adorns our life, makes it more interesting, and also plays an important role in common work for raising our children. Musical development has an irreplaceable effect on the overall development: the emotional sphere is formed, thinking is improved, the child becomes sensitive to beauty in art and life.
In our country, many organizations are engaged in the musical and aesthetic education of children, and all of them are united by one goal - the education of a harmoniously developed, spiritually rich person.
List of used literature
- Kotlyarevsky I.A., Polyansky Yu.A. Actual problems musical education. - Kyiv. "Musical Ukraine", 1986.
- Sukhomlinsky V.A. I give my heart to children. - Kyiv. "Radyanska school", 1973.
- Radynova O.P. Musical development of children. - M.: "VLADOS", 1997.
- Teplov B.M. Psychology of musical abilities. - M.: "Nauka", 2003.
- Obukhova L.F. Age-related psychology. - M .: "Pedagogical Society of Russia", 2004.
- Zolotareva A.V. Additional education for children. - Yaroslavl. "Academy of Development", 2004.
- Kryukova V.V. Music pedagogy. - Rostov n / a .: "Phoenix", 2002.
- Petrushin V.I. Musical psychology. - M.: "VLADOS", 1997.
Introduction
The choir is such a collection of singers, in the sonority of which there is a strictly balanced ensemble, a precisely adjusted system and artistic, distinctly worked out nuances. So wrote P. G. Chesnokov.
The choir is a kind of vocal orchestra, which, based on the synthesis of sound and words, conveys the artistic images of a musical work with its rich colors.
The academic choir relies in its activities on the principles and criteria of musical creativity and performance, developed by professional musical culture and the traditions of the centuries-old experience of the opera and chamber genre. Academic choirs have a single condition for vocal work - the academic manner of singing. Further, in considering the problems of vocal and choral singing, we will start from the concept academic style of singing.
Depending on the profile of activity, academic choirs are called differently. For example.
Name chapel the choir received from the place where the singers were housed. In the Middle Ages, a Catholic chapel and a chapel in a church were called a chapel. Initially, the chapels were only vocal. Since then, polyphonic choral singing without instrumental accompaniment has been called singing a cappella. Boys' choirs are also called choirs.
Chamber choir– new form modern musical performance. As a rule, these are professionally trained singers who combine the qualities of a solo vocalist and a choral singer. Chamber ensembles are able to perform extremely complex works, have a special subtlety, detailed performance, dynamic and rhythmic flexibility. In chamber choirs, a mixed (quartet) arrangement of singers is used. This contributes to the creation of surround sound, reveals the creative activity of singers. Quantity - 30-40 people.
Opera choirs arose at the beginning of the 17th century. In 1600, J. Peri's opera "Eurydice" was staged in Florence, in which the madrigal choir took part. In the opera seria, the choir was almost absent; in the opera buffa, it appeared sporadically. In the operas by H. Gluck and L. Cherubini, the role of the choir as the bearer of the image of the people begins to increase. Classical opera composers (W. A. Mozart, L. Van Beethoven, G. Verdi, M. I. Glinka, A. P. Borodin, M. P. Musorsky, N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, P. I. Tchaikovsky, E.F. Napravnik, and others) in their opera scores assigned great artistic and performing tasks to the choir. The difference between an opera choir and another lies in the specifics of the opera genre as a synthetic art form, where the choir singers perform certain role-playing tasks on stage. At the same time, the choral voice performed by the singer must be learned by heart. N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov wrote about this: “The choir is learned by heart for opera, and almost by heart for concert performance.”
Song and dance ensemble, as the name implies, testifies to the unification of the vocal and choreographic genres. The synthetic form of such ensembles is rooted in folk art from ancient times. Song and dance ensembles occupy a significant place in professional performance. Their performances are often in the nature of theatrical performances with a single dramatic development. The principles of the work of the choir are similar to the principles of the work of the choir of the musical and opera theater. Children's song and dance ensembles have also become widespread. Almost 20 years in the city New Urengoy YaNAO existed and creatively developed the Children's Exemplary Song and Dance Ensemble "Shining", the choirmaster of which was Kuzmiychuk N.A.
Choir studios. Since the late 1950s. children's choral studios are being created, which have become a new mass phenomenon in the organization of choral education of children. Choral studios have influenced the emergence of other forms of education - music studios and choir schools, as well as essentially specialized choir departments in children's music schools. Children's choral studios were created at the palaces of culture, palaces of pioneers and schoolchildren and had a single organizational form: the main work with children was carried out at choral classes. Most of the well-known children's choirs ("Pioneria", "Spring", "Vesnyanka", "Joy", etc.) have gone through a period of active studio activity and have now been transformed into vocal and choral schools.
Training choirs are created in general educational institutions: in children's music schools and schools of musical and aesthetic education, in secondary specialized educational institutions - musical and musical pedagogical schools, in higher educational institutions - conservatories, institutes, academies. They serve to develop the professional skills of students. The main tasks of the educational choir: acquaintance with the vocal and choir repertoire, development of individual singing skills, active study of the techniques and skills of practical work with the choir.
At educational institutions are created and exist amateur amateur choral groups in which students and teachers of educational institutions take part. This form of choral performance is widespread everywhere.
Under definition choir type understand the characteristics of the performing group by the constituent groups of singing voices. It is known that singing voices are divided into three groups - women's, men's and children's. Thus, the choir, which unites the voices of one group, is called homogeneous and a choir having combinations of female (or children's) and male voices or singing voices of all groups - mixed. In performing practice, four types of choirs are common: women's, men's, children's, mixed.
The choirmaster is the master of the choir, the teacher of choral singing, therefore, for the professional, highly artistic sound of the choir, each choirmaster needs to study vocal technique. The basis of vocal pedagogy is the unity of deep singing breathing, high vocal position and a clear, understandable word - good diction (with a free articulation apparatus). This trinity contains the basic principles of vocal work in the choir.
Hearing development and its role
Hearing is the main regulator of vocal and speech function. The voice apparatus and the ear are two inseparable parts of a single system of sound transmission of information. Hearing is a sense organ that brings to the brain the sound phenomena occurring in the environment surrounding the body. Voice apparatus can express only what has entered the human brain through hearing or what has arisen in the brain on the basis of these auditory impressions. If a person loses his hearing in childhood, then he has no sound representations and therefore he has nothing to express with his vocal apparatus. Thus, the vocal apparatus can only express what was perceived through hearing. All this emphasizes the importance of developing correct vocal ideas from childhood. Based on my many years of experience with the children's choir, I can confidently say that the child's singing in the choir favors the development of an ear for music, correct vocal performances and simply elementary musicality. Hearing can be developed extremely finely with systematic training. When, during music theory lessons, students are asked to listen to intervals or chords, at the beginning they perceive the sound in a generalized way. Only later do the individual sounds included in one or another consonance begin to differ.
The generalization of the initial perception is associated with the spread of the process of excitation in the core of the analyzer, and the ability to distinguish with the development of differential inhibition. This is easy to check for everyone. If we take a chord on the piano and begin to analyze by ear the sounds of which it consists, then at the very moment when our attention is concentrated on the analysis, for example, of a lower sound, the rest of the sounds of the chord will disappear for a moment from consciousness. The same thing will happen if attention is focused on the middle or some other sound of the chord.
Musical hearing is not limited to the ability to distinguish the pitch of sounds, that is, to pitch hearing. It also manifests itself in the ability to distinguish the coloring of sounds - timbre hearing, the place of a given sound in tonality - modal feeling, harmony - harmonic hearing. With proper training, all these manifestations of musical ear can be developed to a high degree. Of course, in connection with the special susceptibility of childhood, they can be developed with greater ease and completeness by teaching from childhood. I would like to point out that the use harmonic chants, singing the canons at each lesson of the choir contributes to the improvement of purity choral order(consistency between the singers of the choir regarding the accuracy of pitch intonation). Harmonic hearing helps you feel the vocal line of your voice within the harmony. It is customary to distinguish between so-called passive hearing and active hearing. Passive is the ability to hear correctly, and active is the ability to accurately portray what is heard with the voice. If passive hearing is considered as the development of differentiations in the auditory analyzer, then active hearing includes the ability to control the vocal apparatus to form a sound of the desired height.
Organization of a unified singing breath
There are three sections in the vocal apparatus: the respiratory organs that supply air to the glottis; the larynx (source of sound), where the vocal folds are placed; articulation apparatus with a system of resonator cavities that serve to form vowels and consonants.
It is difficult to overestimate the importance of organizing a single singing breath. This organizes and mobilizes the performance, provides a one-time entry of the choir.
The respiratory organs are the lungs with the respiratory tract and the muscles that carry out the process of breathing. The lungs consist of a delicate porous tissue, which is an accumulation of vesicles - alveoli, connected by channels that form the bronchial system. The bronchi of the right and left lungs are connected to the trachea, which ends in the larynx. The bronchi and trachea make up the so-called bronchial tree.
When inhaling, the muscles of the chest and diaphragm (the muscular septum separating the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity) expand the chest cavity in the vertical, lateral and anterior-posterior directions, and air enters the lungs under the influence of atmospheric pressure. The greatest expansion of the chest and filling of the lungs occurs in their lower part due to a decrease in the dome of the diaphragm and expansion of the chest in the region of the lower ribs.
In singing, it is customary to distinguish between several types of breathing: costal(thoracic) with a predominance of the work of the chest, abdominal(abdominal) with a predominance of the diaphragm; costabdominal(chest diaphragmatic, mixed), in which the chest and diaphragm are involved to varying degrees. There is another type of breathing that is not practiced in singing - clavicular(clavicular) breathing, in which the movements of the upper ribs, collarbones and shoulders predominate.
Breath is the energy source of the voice. No wonder the Italians say: "As you breathe in, so you sing." In my practice of working with the children's choir, I always follow the acquisition and
development of the abdominal type of singing breathing. It is very important to pay attention to the next fact that happens when most children inhale (lifting the shoulders up). In order to avoid this gross mistake, it is necessary to constantly explain the following: at the moment of inhalation, the free shoulders go down (sensation of desire) and the child will feel the abdominals very well, which will allow him to feel support.
The breathing process consists of three phases:
1. Inhale. In singing, he must be silent, fast, as in life. The volume and nature of inspiration depends on the form and nature of the musical phrase. Inhalation is through semi-open mouth for a small yawn. This is my belief based on practice.
2. Holding the breath - fixation of the breath taken, which gives the singer the opportunity to gather and feel the volume and density of the breath taken.
3. Exhalation - actually singing. It should be economical, with a gradual expenditure of air on deep leaning breathing.
In the choir, a single common breathing technique should be developed. The training of the choir team in uniform singing breathing should be carried out sequentially, with the help of exercises.
The development of diaphragmatic breathing is recommended to start with active movements of the diaphragm and abdominals, not related to the breathing cycle. This technique helps the chorister to concentrate and achieve activation of the muscles of the diaphragm and abdominals. Then breathing can be connected to the movements of the diaphragm and abdominals. On the hand of the conductor, all the singers of the choir take a quick, active breath. At the same time, the entire respiratory apparatus takes air into the lungs, fills them, slightly pressing on the diaphragm, which, naturally descending, condenses, as it were, springs the abdominal cavity. In this regard, the lower ribs are slightly expanded. For control, you can put the palm of your hand on the lower ribs. The next exercise is complicated by holding the breath, which is also controlled by the palms on the lower ribs.
The last stage of practicing unified diaphragmatic breathing according to the conductor's auftact is exhalation. First, it is an active exhalation with strong jerks, which develops the elasticity and elasticity of the intercostal muscles. Then you can move on to a gradual exhalation on the support (as if you are breathing so carefully not to extinguish the candle). The main thing is to learn how to control the work of muscles and organs in order to prepare them for the general process of singing phonation, since breathing exercises are only the beginning of understanding all the mechanics.
So, having worked out all three stages of the process of uniform choral breathing in the exercises, you can move on to phonation breathing: inhale, hold, exhale with strong jerks, preferably on the vowels "U", "O", "A". Then - inhale, hold, gradually exhale on a long, extended sound, to the same vowel sounds.
The sound should be completely smooth, without pressure and vibration. It is most convenient to start this exercise with a primary tone - FA of the first octave for women's or children's choirs and FA of a small octave for a male choir. As an option, you can use closed-mouth singing, which helps to sharpen the high vocal position. When performed with a “closed mouth”, the domed position of the upper palate should contribute to the activity of the head resonators. Thanks to phonation exercises on long, sustained sounds, smoothness of exhalation is achieved, since the basis of singing is the ability to gradually and evenly release a stream of air. At the same time, a uniform, correct diaphragmatic breathing develops in the choir, which is consumed evenly, which contributes to the evenness of sound leading and the stability of intonation.
Such phonation-breathing exercises are necessary when working with choirs of all kinds, in any age category. When working with a children's choir group, it is advisable to use phonation-breathing exercises as a game option (“buzz with a steamboat”, etc.)
In the exercise with alternating syllables on repeating sounds, the essence of the length of the sound line and the gradual expenditure of breath remains unchanged. The task is further complicated by the achievement homogeneity vowel sounds and maintaining positional height on repetitive sounds.
The so-called “explosive” consonant sounds “d” should contribute to the feeling of depth of breathing. "b", as well as a combination of consonants "br", "gr". The vowels "a", "o" also help to eliminate tightness. With an underlined pronunciation of consonants, vowels should be vocalized softly, rounded. The vowel should immediately take on a certain form, and not be squeezed out.
For the development of proper singing breathing in the choir, invaluable assistance is provided by strokes. The use of the staccato stroke activates the breath, and the next quarter, sustained on tenuto, contributes to maintaining the evenness of sound production and the feeling of the melodious phrasing unity of the vocal line in different performing strokes. The iotized syllables "ya", "ye" reinforce the role of the head resonators, tune in to a high singing position.
For the development of respiratory flexibility and evenness of sound leading, it is advisable to combine spasmodic exercises with examples of progressive movement in the same interval range, but in different strokes and with different expressive tasks.
With the help of exercises, a dynamic stereotype is formed (to make the unusual habitual), the systematic maintenance of which allows the teacher to achieve the desired effect with the least expenditure of labor and time. Gradually, this effect will be achieved automatically.
The relationship of diction with deep singing breathing and the height of positional uniformity.
Diction(lat. dictio) - making a speech orthoepy(from Greek. orthos- right, epos- speech) observance of pronunciation norms (phonetic and grammatical) adopted in this literary language. Pronunciation in Russian differs from its book style. In speech, individual vowels are reduced, that is, weakened in strength, shortened, change their sound, for example: unstressed "o" approaches "a" (well - well), unstressed "I" to the middle between "e" and "i" ( phenomenon - phenomenon).
It is customary to distinguish three types of pronunciation: everyday, stage speech and singing pronunciation. Singing pronunciation is closer to stage speech, but there is a significant difference between them. The voice in speech is characterized by a fast glissando.
Instability of individual tones, reflex "modulations". In singing, the greatest attention is paid to the singing tone, the pronunciation is rhythmically strictly organized, the breathing is longer than in speech, and is subject to the requirements of the music. The specificity of singing diction lies in the neutralization of vowels, prolonged sound retention on vowels, their pronunciation in different registers with a lesser degree of reduction than in speech; in the rapid pronunciation of consonants with their assignment within the word to subsequent vowels.
The nature of singing diction, while maintaining the clarity of pronunciation, depends on the nature of the music, the content of the work, and its imagery. There are six vowels in Russian: "a". "o", "u", "e", "i", "s". Adding "y" creates iotized vowel sounds: "i", "e", "yu", "yi".
Vowels, unlike consonants, pass through the oropharyngeal canal, do not encounter obstacles, and in their pronunciation are participants in the semantic formulation of the word.
In vocal methodology, they say that singing vowels should sound full and noble, because the everyday pronunciation of vowels in singing makes it flat, vulgar. It is impossible to reduce vowel sounds at the expense of consonants, but at the same time, when singing vowels, one must not forget about consonant sounds, which play a decisive role in singing. The consonant sound is most often a kind of impetus for the melodious sound of vowels. In the choir, consonants are performed shortly, clearly, actively, quickly and simultaneously, since the slow, drawn-out pronunciation of consonants deprives vowels of melodiousness. The resonance of the upper, hard palate is achieved only with an energetic, active pronunciation of consonants, from which the vowels following them would be repelled. Consonants, unlike vowels, are produced by organs of articulation. The articulatory active of consonant sounds is emotionally connected with the respiratory function and causes involuntary activation of singing breathing.
The instinctiveness of breathing is preserved in the pronunciation of all labial consonants - "m", "b", "p", as well as in explosive consonants - "t", "k". In the active pronunciation of consonants, there is always a certain push or, rather, a rebound: “m”, “b”, “p” - repel from the lips; "l", "n" - the tip of the tongue is repelled from the upper teeth and the upper palate; "r" - the vibrating tip of the tongue is repelled from the upper palate. It is no coincidence that speech therapists use "r" to develop language activation. For a better sonority, the “r” in the choir is doubled, and sometimes the choirmasters are asked to perform a triple army “r”.
On the contrary, the hissing sounds “s”, “sh”, “f”, “h”, “u” require brevity and speed of pronunciation. The consonants "l", "m", "n", "p" are sonorant consonants, that is, sounding (semi-vowels), since the sound prevails over the noise. They contribute to vocalization, as they are pitched. The active pronunciation of semivowels contributes to the resonation of the upper, hard palate. By developing the brightness of consonants, we strengthen and develop the elasticity of the articulatory apparatus, especially the lips. Vigorous closing of the lips on consonants makes the word embossed.
During singing, the skill of transferring a consonant sound is developed, with which the word ends at the beginning of the next syllable. The brevity of the transferred consonant sound, as it were, lengthens the length of vowels. Double consonants are most often sung without doubling. The exception is sonorant consonants. For example: in the words sleepy, illumined, lunar, the double sonorous “n” is not reduced, but as a semivowel it contributes to vocalization. The expressiveness of vocal articulation requires the separation of two homogeneous vowels by a caesura. For example, in the work of S. Slonimsky to the verses of A. S. Pushkin "Winter Road" there are homogeneous vowel sounds "A and O", which, when performed, are separated by a caesura - "only striped versts come across (fall) alone."
The sounds "y" and "x" are created by the movement of air between part of the upper hard palate and the base of the tongue. The consonant sound "y" gives the accompanying vowels the hardness of the attack. The sound combination "yi" sharpens the pitch of the vocal position, corrects the hoarse overtones and uncollected sound. But the "horizontal" nature of the vowel sound "and" requires academic composure, "ennoblement" of the sound. For these purposes, the vocal technique of "mixing vowels" "and" with "yu" is used. When singing, flat sound formation is unacceptable, especially on the vowels “e”, “i”, which are formed from the vowels “u”, “u”. These vowels must be built vertically. In singing, vowels are not formed at all like speech, and it is necessary to achieve their formation necessarily rounded and in a high position, without tension and on the breath. E. Caruso suggested mixing the vowel sounds “and” with “o” in the upper case. The vowel "and" has the greatest impedance(an interconnected system of oscillations of resonators and vocal cords), i.e., it removes part of the load from the vocal cords. In addition, the vowel "and" activates the closure of the ligaments, which improves the formation of a high sound formant. In singing, “and short”, activating the upper palate, contributes to the work of the head resonators, and the consonant “x” emphasizes the aspirated nature of the sound attack.
Constant work on the clear pronunciation of the text strengthens the entire speech apparatus, and the distinct pronunciation of the text in singing becomes familiar and natural, as in life. Syllabic combinations with explosive consonants release and activate the articulatory apparatus. The syllables "yes" and "ma" contribute to the freedom of the articulatory apparatus and, at the same time, the concentration of sound. The syllables "mi", "gri" help to tune the choir to a high and close sound position. The syllabic combinations "bra-bre-bri-bro-bro" and "gra-gre-gri-gro-gro" activate the articulatory apparatus.
As speech exercises, you can use the following tongue twisters.
The rich bull fought sideways, the bull butted, the bull was invigorated.
Malanya chattered milk, blurted out, but did not blurt out.In the yard of the widow Varvara, two thieves were stealing firewood.
Lilac tooth picker.Grandfather Don blew a tune, Grandpa hit Dimka with a tune.
In our backyard, the weather got wet.A beetle buzzes over the honeysuckle, a heavy casing on the beetle.
It may be that it cannot be, only that cannot be, that it may not be, the rest can be.Carl stole the corals from Clara, and Clara stole the clarinet from Carl.
Queen Clara severely punished Charles for stealing corals.Logarithm, logarithm and non-logarithm.
Thirty-three ships tacked, tacked and did not catch.A cap was sewn, but not in a Kolpakov style, a bell was poured out, but not in a bell style.
It is necessary to re-cap-re-cap the cap.
It is necessary to re-bell-re-bell the bell.You can’t re-speak all tongue twisters, you can’t re-speak all tongue twisters.
Since the word is closely connected with rhythm, rhythmically difficult fragments in vocal pedagogy are worked out by pronouncing the text in the rhythm of the work. This technique is very often used at school, in work with middle-aged and older children. But with small children of the first grades of school and especially of kindergarten age, this method cannot be used, since small children, due to their age-related emotionality, having spoken the text once, will no longer sing, but will continue to recite it expressively.
Exercises for positional uniformity.
Maintaining the height of the position in a downward movement is very important. The downward movement from the third to the tonic is intoned taking into account the modal-harmonic features.
1. The high major third, as it were, sets the positional level of the exercise. When performing the exercise sequentially, it is necessary to “get” the height of the third tone every time. The next two, descending major seconds are intoned broadly, with a focus on the stability of the tonic.
2. The downward movement from the fifth to the tonic is characterized by intonation of large seconds (wide) and intonation of small seconds (narrow).
3. The off-bar introduction on a fractional beat, the constant return to a high positional reference point on a weak beat activates the auditory attention of the choristers in building the positional uniformity of the vocal line in a downward movement.
4. In the exercise, the sustained sound in the soprano part is a positional beacon for the entire choir. The exercise contributes to the development of polyphony.
In addition to "pulling" sounds to the positional top of the phrase, the alignment of the vocal line always depends on the relationship of sounds in the melody. Unlike the temperamental scale of the piano, the choral sound does not have an absolute value, pitch accuracy
sound and always depends on the high ratio, the relationship of sounds to each other. The purity of intonation depends on the stable feeling of the tonic, on the high, light intonation of the third tone in major and, conversely, the slightly darkened intonation of the minor third tone, depends on the sharpness of the introductory tones to the tonic or altered sounds in the mode. Also, in a live musical performance, there are no intervals with a constant, absolute pitch, since the interval value will fluctuate depending on specific musical conditions. A certain overtone content of each sound causes the intervals to be intoned in relation to each other. The positional sound zone cannot be constant, since each time it depends on the specific overtone conditions of the sounds.
High vocal position, as the basis of intonation, building an ensemble.
The development of diaphragmatic breathing as a single general breathing technique in the chorus begins with physiological breathing exercises and gradually turns into phonation exercises (exercises). With the advent of sound, one more singing task is added - the organization of a uniform, high singing position. V. Morozov said: “using appropriate recording devices with the help of a vibration sensor, physiologists have established that sounds rich in high overtones and having a well-defined singing formant (lat. forms- generating), are qualified by the term "high position". A high singing formant gives the voice brightness, brilliance, metal, range, flight of sound.
In sound formation, the presence of such a sensation as a “yawn” is very important.
A yawn brings all parts of the mouth into the right position, as if freeing the prevailing place for the sound, where it could be not constrained by either the tongue or the soft palate.
A high singing position is not only an acoustic concept, but also a physiological one, as it causes a feeling of good sounding of the upper head resonators. Thanks to the resonators, the sound becomes more intense and, at a certain concentration of sound energy, can be enriched with higher overtones. The pitch of the singing position should be the same for the entire phrase. The single height of the vocal position is built according to the position of the high the sound of a musical phrase. Since choral singing is predominantly a polyphonic phenomenon, the positional sound zone cannot be constant and each time depends on the specific overtone conditions of the melodic line and harmonic structure. Therefore, choral tuning is essentially a zone tuning and requires special, careful alignment and uniformity of the positional zone.
A. A. Arkhangelsky (1846-1924) put forward requirements for the choir: “First figure out what sound you need to take in terms of height and nuance, and then take it accurately and cleanly. Control yourself in pitch all the time. The lowering of the sound is due to the fact that you do not stand straight and immediately on the note, but take it with the “entrance”. The choir can downgrade from one up or down singer." For the uniformity of the sound of all voices in the party and the creation of a single timbre, A.V. Sveshnikov (1890-1980) usually asked the singers: "Sing with such force that you can hear your neighbor, listen to his timbre and imitate him."
A high vocal position depends on the skillful combination of the depth of breathing with the sonority of the head resonators. A single high position in the choir ensures the purity of intonation, brightness, richness of timbre and flight of sound, and also contributes to the ensemble unity of the choral parts and the harmonic harmony of the entire choir.
The vibration of the upper head resonators helps to find and feel the high singing position. Resonance is an acoustic phenomenon in which, as a result of vibration, vibrations similar in frequency and close in amplitude occur. In singing, with the help of resonators (chest, head and mixed), you can change the timbre of the voice, increase the duration of the sound, amplify the sound and achieve its flight. The vibratory sensation only in the chest cavity makes the sound muffled, so singing in a low register implies the reception of a mixture of head and chest resonators, as well as a special soft, careful sound. Typically used in low case soft sound attack, i.e., the convergence of the ligaments to the state of phonation simultaneously with the start of exhalation. At solid attack, the glottis closes tightly before exhalation begins.
aspirated attack - the closure of the vocal cords after the start of exhalation, as a result of which a short aspiration in the form of a consonant "x" is formed before the sound. Singing practice has approved as the main form of sound production soft attack. Experienced singers are proficient in all types of sound attack.
So, the purity of intonation depends on the accuracy of tuning the resonators to the vibration frequency of the vibrators. This largely depends on the internal, mental pre-hearing. The sharper the inner ear, the more accurate the prediction of the frequency of vibrations of sound.
A high singing position contributes to the sound evenness of the vocal parts, smoothing the registers, evens out the structure of the entire choir, makes the sound compact, collected and helps to achieve the unity of performing tasks.
Articulation techniques in vocal and choral performance.
The articulatory apparatus consists of active (controllable) organs (tongue, lips, soft palate, lower jaw) and passive (teeth, hard palate, upper jaw).
About the language, the term "articulation" means the degree of clarity, dissection of syllables when pronouncing a word. Articulation in music should be understood as a way of “pronouncing” a melody with varying degrees of dismemberment or connection of its constituent tones. This method is specifically implemented in strokes- Techniques for extracting and maintaining sound. Articulation is a very important and powerful means of musical expression, acting on a par with such means as melody, harmony, rhythm, texture, tempo, dynamics, timbre. To realize the significance of articulation, it is enough, for example, in a work of a sharp, abrupt character, with the invariance of its melody, rhythm, harmony, texture, to change only a stroke, merging sounds or chords together. In this case, the nature of the composition will be distorted beyond recognition.
Vocal and choral music borrowed the term "stroke" from the field of instrumental, and in particular bow performance, which mainly uses sound science techniques such as legato and staccato. There are usually three techniques for extracting sound - fusion (legato), dissection (non legato) and brevity (staccato), each of which includes a number of gradations.
The main form of vocal sound science is legato. The art of legato is associated with the skill of smooth and even distribution by the singer of the sound flow from tone to tone, from syllable to syllable without breaking a single singing line, without interruption or push. Despite the change in pitch and the difference in the pronunciation of vowels and consonants, the dissection of adjacent sounds and syllables should be minimal. To do this, it is necessary that the vowels be sung as long as possible, and the pronunciation of the consonants would be extremely accurate and fast. The calm, smooth and gradual movement of the melody facilitates the execution of legato, and the spasmodic one significantly complicates it. When moving from one tone to another, the greatest tenor of the 20th century, Enrico Caruso (1873-1921), never changed the sonority of the sung vowel or the quality of the sound. At the same time, he did not allow a single particle of breath to leak unproductively between two sounds - this is the secret of the absolute legato. The most favorable conditions for legato performance occur when singing with a closed mouth or to a vowel sound (vocalise). If, when singing to a vowel sound, the choral part begins to “float”, losing its rhythmic definiteness, a sonorous consonant sound can be added to the vowel. The most used consonants are m, n, l, which sound almost the same vocally in singing. Many conductors, when working with the choir over legato, sometimes associate vocal density with the sound of stringed instruments. A. A. Egorov (1887-1959) called the technical technique of full and general legato in the choir a “choral bow”, which contributes to greater expressiveness in creating melodiousness and cantilena. Among the common shortcomings in the performance of legato, one should note the “blurring” of individual sounds, especially in the downward movement, which is usually the result of a weakening of attention to the sound of the voice and the introduction of the speech principle of sliding, as well as emphasizing pitch changes in the melody with an additional push of breathing.
A lot of art and vocal training requires performance non legato . This is one of the most difficult strokes in vocal art, since the technique of its performance contains elements of legato and staccato. It is the presence of such dualism that determines its specificity. When playing a melody on a stroke non legato, the sounds do not connect with each other. The separation of sounds is produced by a short delay (without resumption) of breathing before a new sound. The feeling of the attack of each note should be preserved. Sometimes non legato is indicated by dots above the notes, united by a slur.
Harder than non legato is the stroke marcato, meaning an underlined, distinct performance of each note. It is characterized by the fact that underlining is achieved not with the help of short pauses between sounds, but through an accent.
Vocal performance staccato consists in the maximum reduction in the duration of sounds and an increase in the pauses between them without delaying the rhythmic movement in time. Failure to comply with this condition leads to a violation of the metrorhythmic pulsation. The attack here is by means of a sharp thrust of the diaphragm, combined with a soft but active reaction of the larynx. The staccato voice should sound elastic, light and quiet. Work on mastering the staccato contributes to the development of the flexibility of the voice, the accuracy of the sound attack, the certainty of intonation and the activation of singing breathing. In artistic and figurative terms, this stroke is necessary for the embodiment of grace, subtlety, airiness. Staccato is indicated by dots above or below notes. The main task of vocal staccato is not to lose the positional and sound evenness of the singing line, not to lose the continuity of musical thought.
Each stroke, taken separately, has an innumerable number of shades inherent only to it, diverse in character. So, staccato can be prickly, sharp, airy, graceful, legato - more or less connected, melodious, expressive, saturated. If we take into account all kinds of interweaving and combinations of strokes, it becomes clear that there is no limit to their diversity and expressiveness.
The quality of the choral sound is determined by the degree of melodiousness of the choir, the subordination of the performance of the vocal line of musical phraseology and the integrity of the form of the work. The vocal basis of the strokes always implies a depth of breathing, a positionally aligned, uniform line of sound science and a characteristic singing of the vowels of a word.
Factors of influence on the formation of the timbre of voices
In choral practice timbre most often they understand a certain coloring of the voices of the choral parts and the entire choir, some kind of constant sound quality, singing style.
There are also more subtle modifications of the timbre, depending on the content, the mood of the poetic and musical text, and, ultimately, on the feeling that needs to be expressed.
The collective nature of choral performance determines the special significance that the development of a single manner of sound formation, a single timbre coloring of sound has here.
Under a single manner of sound formation is meant the correct sound formation with the same degree of roundness (sombre) of vowels. This is a very difficult task, since the variety of vowels in itself predisposes to a certain sound diversity.
If you send sound waves forward into the hard palate, the sound will become more open, will acquire a light color; if sound waves are directed back into the solid sky,
the sound will become closed, deaf. It is also known that if the mouth is opened more in the vertical direction, the sound will be closed, and if in the horizontal direction, the sound will become open. In this regard, the task of equalizing the sound is reduced to the maximum convergence of vowels according to the method of their formation. Open vowels should be formed like closed vowels. For example, when performing the sound "a", one should imagine "o"; with the sound "and" represent "yu"; with the sound “e”, represent “e”, etc. Such a constant mental correction in the performance of open vowels in the manner of sounding covered ones gives the effect of a single coloring of the performed vowels.
To maintain one position on various vowels, it is useful to sing them sequentially, starting with the most beautiful sounding, gradually equating others to it.
If you need to round the sound, it is useful to sing in sequence lu-le-la-le-li; if you lighten up li-le-la-le-lu. However, bringing the vowels closer to each other, it is important to observe the measure so that the individual characteristics of each of them are not distorted.
No less important than achieving uniformity in the sound of vowels horizontally is vertical alignment. The voice has a register structure, that is, it sounds differently in different parts of the range. The transition from one register to another, the performance of the so-called transitional sounds without changing the timbre is an extremely difficult task and requires constant work from the choirmaster. One of the most effective ways to change registers is to round the upper sounds to help form transitional sounds.
For the development of a particular timbre, consonants are also of great importance. Already their names - hissing, hard and soft, sonorous and deaf - speak of sound features. Consonants can convey rumble, whistle, hiss, softness and hardness, strength and weakness, strength and lethargy. The color of the subsequent vowel, the color of the whole word, depends on the pronunciation of the consonant sound.
When working with the choir on the pronunciation of consonants, it is also necessary to proceed from the nature of the composition and its specific images. In the work heroic character consonants should sound stronger and more emphasized than in lyrical works, where they are pronounced softer. Humor, like heroism, requires clear, sometimes even grotesquely underlined consonants. A great influence on the quality of the timbre of the choral part is the presence in the voice vibrato (lat. - hesitation). Vibrato pulsations make the voice lively and soulful. If the vibrato speed is too high, tremolation appears in the voice, if the oscillation frequency is too low, the impression of unstable intonation, “swinging” of the sound appears.
To eliminate the shortcomings of vibrato, the following techniques are useful:
a) exercises with melodic movements,
b) exercises in soft singing (with an increase in sound, the range of vibrations increases), c) exercises on the vowels "o", "u",
d) singing with a closed mouth.
The collective principle of the performing process in choral singing makes special demands. Here everyone must give up their individual manner of shaping the timbre and, with the help of “eclipse” or “lightening”, rounding or openness of the sound, find such gradations that will ensure maximum unity and unity of the part.
Like-mindedness, like-feeling of singers in an ensemble performance contributes to the development of facial expressions corresponding to one or another experience, which most directly affects the timbre. The influence of facial expressions on the formation of various shades of timbre was noted by many outstanding Russian teachers. In a singer who is able to get carried away during performance, who feels what he is performing, the voice itself takes on the shades required by the meaning of the text.
Along with visual and expressive possibilities, timbre can also have a certain influence on shaping. Keeping the same timbre throughout the sound of any passage serves as a factor contributing to its integrity and difference from other material. Therefore, the choirmaster, wishing to set off any section of the work brighter, more contrastingly, must find a new timbre color for it.
There is also a certain relationship between timbre and intonation. The conductor does not achieve pure choral tuning if he thinks only about the pitch of the sounds, without linking the work on intonation with the timbre. Intonation, as a way of embodying an artistic image, is always accompanied by a certain timbre coloring of the voice. The formation of the timbre qualities of the voice is very important, since it is also connected with the peculiarities of auditory perception. If the singer's voice sounds too deep, without sufficient timbre brightness, the impression of impure intonation is created. Conversely, a light timbre tone is almost always associated with pure, high intonation. Therefore, when a conductor looks for the necessary musical intonation in the sound of the choir, he must simultaneously think about the appropriate timbre.
A double connection - acoustic and artistic - is observed between the timbre of the choir and dynamics. It has been established that the overtone composition of the sound changes with the strength of the sound, and thus the timbre qualities.
Practice shows that the impact of sound power on the timbre of the choir largely depends on the experience of the singers. Usually in a fairly advanced, experienced choir, the forte sounds bright, juicy, but soft. The piano sounds warm, gentle, but clean and light. In a beginner choir, the forte is often characterized by sharpness, loudness, forcing the sound, while the piano is hoarse and lacks both intonation and timbre purity.
At the initial stage, one should adhere to a moderate sound intensity (mezzo-piano, mezzo-forte). In this case, the singers sing without excessive physical tension, which occurs when singing forte or fortissimo, and at the same time do not lose the support of sound, which often accompanies the performance of piano and pianissimo. However, with the development of vocal and technical skills of singers, the dynamic scale should also be expanded.
The formation of the main timbre of the choir also depends on the tempo. At a moderate and slow pace, the timbre ear of the choir participants develops more successfully, and it is easier for the conductor to control and correct some inaccuracies.
In the formation of the choral timbre, the role of the show, which the conductor performs both with the help of voice and through gesture, is extremely important. The voice of the choirmaster, which usually means not strong, but clear and pleasant with a pronounced timbre, easily ensembles with others, wide in range, sounding fairly even in all registers, flexible in terms of timbre. Instrumental sound is far from an ideal model for the formation of vocal and choral timbre. Using the instrument as a sounding standard leads to the fact that the timbre of the choir becomes dry, inexpressive and loses the best qualities inherent in vocal sound. The effect of a conductor's voice demonstration will become even greater if the choirmaster, having demonstrated a certain timbre nuance, indicates that it can be achieved with the help of such and such a breath, such and such an attack of sound, facial expressions, articulation, and so on. In conclusion, it can be noted that interesting timbre colors in the choir can be extracted by revealing the features of the sound of one of the choral parts. For example, if it stands out bass line, then with a gradual decrease in the brightness of the upper voices, you can create the impression of a full, voluminous and fundamental choral sound.
If, however, the soprano part is singled out (similarly covering the rest of the voices), the impression of a light, transparent sound arises.
Conclusion
Nowadays, a choirmaster working with a choir must possess the necessary minimum of theoretical knowledge. He must be at the level of knowledge about the voice that science has reached today. They need to know what phenomena of voice formation are now quite explainable, what has already been firmly established, what still raises doubts, and what are the ways to comprehend what still remains unclear. Only knowledge allows you to understand what is rational in the methodology and what is less appropriate, what is important, what is secondary, what is the cause and what is the effect.
The methodological development highlights the range of main issues that arise before the conductor in the process of working on a choral work from the first acquaintance and the formation of a performing idea to its implementation in the process of rehearsal work. Vocal work with the choir greatly influences choral performance. The relationship of deep singing breathing, high position, clear words, articulation techniques and the formation of voice coloring contributes to improving the quality of choral sound.
It is possible to brilliantly study individual regularities of the impact of performing means, but not be able to implement the knowledge gained. Much depends on the conductor, his intuition, talent, culture, mastery experience, will, pedagogical gift, taste, sense of proportion.
There is no doubt that knowledge of the laws of performing expressiveness and vocal methodology, the study of the stylistic features of music, reduces the possibility of performing arbitrariness and creates the prerequisites for the formation of an individual, but reasoned and objective performance interpretation.
The range of questions on the vocal methodology of choral performance will constantly expand. Any theory cannot be formulated once and for all. Life practice makes additions and amendments to it. This methodological development should
considered as an attempt to generalize the patterns associated with performing practice.
Bibliography.
1. V.A. Samarin"Choral Studies and Choral Arrangement". Moscow. 2002
2. I.B. Barkhatova, I. K. Lutsenko Voice Hygiene. Tyumen. 2010
3. A.V. Nikolsky"Voice and hearing of a choral singer" Moscow. 1998, 2nd ed.
4. V.P. Morozov"Secrets of vocal speech". Leningrad. 1967
5. G.P. Stulova"Theory and practice of working with a children's choir." Moscow. 2002
6. L.P. Zinoviev"Vocal Tasks of Auftact in Choral Conducting". St. Petersburg, 2007
7. G.P. Dmitrevsky Choir Studies and Choir Management. St. Petersburg, 2007
8. A.A. Yurlov"Singing education as a basis for improving the performing culture of choir singers". Moscow. 1983
9. L.V. Zhivov"Choral performance". Moscow. 2003
10. N. V. Romanovsky"Choral Dictionary". Moscow. 2005
