My first singing lesson was on January 4 2016; they've continued weekly with very few breaks; let's say a round figure of 500. Initially they lasted an hour; I upped the fee and V - almost perversely - increased lessons to 90 minutes.
Gradually the songs got more difficult. Recently V launched a very, very difficult song: Der Muller und Der Bach, number 19 in the 20-song Schöne Müllerin cycle by Schubert. I ask myself: will I ever master it?
Listen to it HERE.
See if you can identify why it's so damn difficult. While being musically terrific.
Modulation?
ReplyDeleteSir Hugh: Sir Hugh: Modulation is generally defined as: "to vary (one's voice, etc) in tone, pitch, etc". It forms the basis of most songs except those consisting of a single unchanging note. It requires further expansion. I've only encountered the word once and that was perjoratively: ie, when a singer foresees a high note beyond that singer's range and, while singing, changes what remains of the whole song to a lower key. I will explain the problem if there's any interest but any hint of musical technicality usually leads to comment no-no.
ReplyDeleteSir Hugh: On reflection I think things may be clarified if the general (dictionary) definition adds "from that which is written" after "vary".
ReplyDeleteBelow are two of the several definitions from my on-line dictionary.
ReplyDelete1. variation in the strength, tone, or pitch of one's voice:
2. Music: a change from one key to another in a piece of music:
Their bold approach to harmony and modulation.
Tthere is a beautiful modulation from B flat to G major.
I think my suggestion related to those definitions, that is something like what I was thinking.I can only try to explain in layman's rather than technically musical terms. In the music (song) there seemed to be numerous instances where there were significant leaps from low to higher pitch or vice versa combined with a contrasting tonal expression.