My coaching with Ruth was cancelled today. I was disappointed, but a little relieved too, since I'm still not feeling well. So instead of getting dressed and going to St. Paul, I crawled back in bed with my iphone and my music binder and did a couple of hours of listening and score study.
Today I noticed how much my perception of performances is affected by how I feel physically and emotionally. Different performances were my favorites today as those singers connected with the place I was today.
Schwarzkopf's "wogenblauen" (the soft G in Morgen) is still the most gorgeous sound ever, except maybe Caballe's floaty high note in "Casta diva", but I didn't listen to that today so it doesn't count. Schwarzkopf has an interesting voice. The things I've listened to are not very consistent, but maybe I've been listening to the wrong things. However, when she is on, she is so on that you forgive every other little flaw.
This is a big oversimplification I am sure, but as I listened to the voices of the past, singers that are now dead or retired, I hear tone that is less consistent, but overall performances that I like more than some current performers. It's almost like the current generation has perfected the sound too much, losing the risk that must be involved to achieve true beauty. Of course there are exceptions, on both sides, but still I wonder. And it makes me wonder about my own singing. Yes, I need to really work the technique and the sound, but I can't forget that first and foremost it is about communicating and connecting with my audience, whoever it may be. A pretty sound can't make up for missing expressivity. Beauty is something much deeper than just the tonal concept. I think it involves vulnerability.
More on this later.
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