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Choral Concepts -
Diction
by
Ron Anderson, Ph.D.
SFA
Professor of Music, Chair For more information
about Dr. Anderson,
visit his
faculty
web site.
Or you may contact him
via email. |
Diction -
"If you can't understand it, the
message ain't gettin' through!"
How
to Handle the "r"
Voiced and Unvoiced
Consonants
Rhythmic Diction
Expressive Diction
How to Handle the "r"
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Only sing "r" before a vowel
sound.
-
Don't sing "r" before a
consonant sound.
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Don't sing "r" before a pause.
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In serious music, flip the "r"
between vowel sounds.
(See: Marshall, Madeline, The Singer's
Manual of English Diction. New York, G. Schirmer, 1953.)
Voiced and Unvoiced
Consonants
-
Learn to sing unvoiced
consonants separate from the vowel that follows with varying degrees of
intensity. Examples: s, k, t, p, f, h, etc.
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For "musical line" think vowels;
for "expression" think consonants.
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Voiced consonants normally
cannot be separated from the vowels that follow. They can, however,
be used expressively by lengthening their duration when appropriate.
(For example, lengthening the "l" in the phrase "I love you!"]
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The danger in using consonants
for expression and clarity is that performers often approach them by
punching the consonants AND the vowels that follows them. That, of course, can completely
destroy the sense of "line." Practice emphasizing and lengthening
consonants WITHOUT punching the vowels that follow. This is part of the work of developing artistic diction.
Rhythmic
Diction
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Every sound within every word
must be placed within a rhythmic context.
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Be sensitive to consonant
releases; often the release is more "delicate" off the beat rather than on
the beat.
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Always give the vowels of a
diphthong proportionate rhythmic values; usually the primary vowel sound
receives the greater proportion of rhythmic time.
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Try solving diphthongs in words
that come before pauses by singing the primary vowel sound to the release,
placing the "whole" diphthong on the actual release point in the rhythm of
speech. Thus, the completion of the diphthong and any consonants
that follow it will be heard slightly after the release beat.
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Don't sing words; sing all of
the sounds of the words.
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Distinguish between strong and weak (unaccented vowel sounds)
and avoid making them all equal.
Expressive
Diction
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Look for the emotional words
within a phrase; look for the dramatic words; look for the words that "must"
be understood if communication with the audience is to take place!
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Make sure that these words
are clearly understood. To do this may require one to slight or "rob
time" from less important words so the important ones will emerge clearly
within the context. Many monosyllable words
fall into the category of being
"less important." These include "the," "a" and
"an," "and," "as," "of,"
"than," etc. When they are followed by an emotional or dramatic word, don't
hesitate to use some of the duration of these
words to emphasize the initial consonant of the following word,
for example: Sing the
lines yourself to find the best solutions.
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Make sure that you overlay
the singing line with a verbal thought. This will also help the development of
phrase shape and dramatic meaning within the phrase.
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When words are being sung
very quickly, don't try to make each word or syllable equal. Make the important
words stand out. Our ears will supply much of the rest because of communicative
context.
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Copyright ? 2002, Department
of Music at Stephen F. Austin State University
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