False Blend: A Vocal Pedagogy Problem for the Choral Conductor

Author(s): James M. Jordan

Source: The Choral Journal, Vol. 24, No. 10 (JUNE 1984), pp. 25-26
Published by: American Choral Directors Association
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/23546412
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 Mix ee in that vowel put ah False Blend:
in False A Vocal
Blend: Pedagogy
A Vocal PedagogyProblem
Problem
that vowel, brighter ee, darker ee, . . i/->i
focus your 'eh,' the 'eh' is too bright, IOT for
the the Choral
Chorâl Conductor
Conductor
the 'i' is too bright. Watch your , r . ,
by James
intonation, brighten your 'ah'; it will by James M■ M. Jordan
Jordan
bring up the pitch. Sopranos, modify concert choir. Voice teachers refer to upon request in rehearsal, she
your vowels in the upper register." her as a natural singer. Her wide vocal will do everything the conductor
That litany of the choral conductor range is remarkably even. Weaknesses asks, whether her vocal
attempting to deal with the in the voice are not evident. She technique is at fault or not.
fundamental sound device of choral possesses good technique that allows Amy, on the other hand, is an
music, the vowel, could go on for both flexibility of tone and inexperienced singer. When she
indefinitely throughout a rehearsal. Do articulation. is asked to change her "ah"
those varied prescriptions vocally Student B: vowel as part of her section, she
affect the individual singers in the A sophomore, Amy was accepted into does so. Soon, she acquires a
choirs we regularly conduct? Do group the choir after a year of vocal study as repertoire of "ah" vowels,
vowel prescriptions given by the choral a freshman. During that year, she had seemingly one for each pitch she
conductor help or hinder choral blend? substantial vocal tension coupled with sings.
Do those vowel "band-aids" have the an inability to produce an acceptable Rebecca is the singer who has
vocal health of the individual singer in head tone. That lack of head tone was the problem of rounding vowels
mind? Prescriptions for dealing with partially due to a poor vocal concept throughout her range. She hears
group vowel problems are as varied as combined with a lack of support, jaw the same "ah" vowel prescription
there are different conductors. rigidity, and low soft palate. Those the others hear and begins to
We must take the time to become problems initially became evident as an change her normal production
familiar with individual voices, inability to match pitch. By the time from what she has learned in the
therefore, the problem of choral blend Amy was admitted to the choir, she private lesson. If that vowel
can be dealt with most effectively had overcome many of her problems, prescription happens to be
outside the choral rehearsal. yet, the tension problem remained. "darken the 'ah'," Rebecca's
"Choral blend cannot be forced; it Am^ would be categorized as an vocal difficulties begin anew,
happens" immature, light, lyric soprano. Vowel prescriptions are usually
Student C: suggested to help blend, intonation, or
Sometime ago, I heard the above Rebecca, a junior, is also a soprano. ensemble sound. Those prescriptions,
statement made by Weston Noble. She possesses a relatively mature however, are only as meaningful as the
Noble, at Luther College, Decorah, voice with mezzo-soprano qualities. degree of vocal technique that each
Iowa, has frequently lectured on For some reason, Rebecca's singer brings into rehearsal. More
placement of singers within the choir, production is beleaguered with what importantly, group prescriptions
blend in choral singing, and other would be called "rounded" or cannot cure individual vocal problems
topics related to choral performance. "covered" vowels throughout her on a long-term basis.
At the time, I did not realize the range. Many choral conductors, either as
implications of that statement for the Recall the first paragraph of this an early part of the preparation of a
choral conductor or for the individual article and place it in a rehearsal work or in the final stages before a
singer in a choral ensemble. Nor was I situation where Kelli, Amy, and performance, deal with blend. Choral
able to make the connection between Rebecca are in the soprano I section. blend appears to be created as an
what is taught by the voice teacher in Kelli, the natural singer, is appendage to the music making
the private studio and by the choral virtually free of vocal problems in process. Perhaps we have not taken
conductor in the rehearsal. the private lesson. She is, enough time to clearly define blend in
Vocal techniques of individual perhaps, the only person in the choral music. Nonetheless, the
singers vary in choral groups. Some section producing the vowel cor- achievement of blend through the use
singers enjoy use of good techniques; rectly and naturally. However, of vowel prescriptions preoccupies
some are beleaguered by poor ones.
Vocal techniques are the result of the
amount and quality of vocal instruction
CHORAL STUDIES — Lars Edlund
each singer has received. That From the author of Modus Novus and Modus Vetus comes another
instruction reflects in the differences in highly effective ear training manual: Choral Studies. Singers are trained
vocal techniques. how to listen vertically and horizontally, accurately reproducing difficult
The issue of what I have chosen to
intervals. New notation is explained and phonemes' taught. Special exer
call "false blend" can be best illustrated
cises focus on tonal purity and blend, rhythmic problems, dramatic content
by considering the following "case
studies." and expressiveness. (Eng/Qer/Swed)
Student A: A MOST for fine choirs everywhere! $10.50
Kelli is a soprano in the high-school
James M. Jordan is Director of Choral
Activities at Lewisburg High in
Pennsylvania. He is a Russell Conwell
Fellow at Temple University and is MAGNAMUSIC-BATON
presently serving as President-Elect of 10370 Page Industrial Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63132 314-427-5660
Pennsylvania ACDA.

JUNE 1984 Page 25

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many rehearsals. gogical approach to blend can cause a section is a matter of personal taste
The choral conductor/voice teacher more problems than it cures. and preference. However, in matching
should realize that vowel prescriptions In order to arrive at that pedagogical voices to each other (when they are
may cause a great deal of vocal approach to blend, three premises can singing naturally), the following
damage to even the most experienced assist the conductor achieve a true "ingredients" listed by Noble in a
singer. At best, they are a short-term blend. They are: (1) personal vocal lecture-demonstration for
cure for a long-term problem. For experience, (2) seating within a Pennsylvania Music Educators
example, in many choral situations, section, and (3) attention to the Association in 1983, must be taken into
sectional "ah" vowel problems, ingredients of blend mentioned below. consideration: (1) tone color, (2)
depending upon range and dynamic, p / i/ / f F vibrato, (3) pitch, (40) physical height,
may be described as "spread," "airy," . yersonal Vocc" experience, tvery (5) s¡ze Qr ,¡t d f voi and (6)
„ , .,»«>, „ «i i- singer in a choir must understand and . ,. ,, , ,
unfocused colorless, or lacking bg able tQ uge voca) techni an individual s sense of rhythm. With
resonance. Given whichever prob- The singer must be taught free singing he ingredients in mind, the conductor,
lem, the conductor issues one of a ^ , v . i through trial and error, arrives at a
. r • i r- / it •, . • outside the rehearsal betore singer or , , , , . . , . ,
number of quick fixes for the situation. œnductor can h to bring it into a blended section without sacr. icing the
The overall sectional sound improves rehearsa, A,beit a difficult concept to integrity of an individual s vocal
or an instant. achieve, it is important for each singer ec. n|Que- . .
However, is that vowel problem a to produce a free) pure> and uncovered In considering a pedagógica
sectional problem or an individual <>ah<> voweUntheir m>dd\e register. The approach to blend, the choral
vocal problem? All of the students „ah„ vowe, js an accurate mirrQr and conductor must know each voice.
above have compromised their ind.- va,uab,e toQ, for the di is of vocal Through private lessons, idiosyncra
vidua production for the blended probiems. Each student must be sies of voices can be examined with the
vowel. What could have been caused ht what thg sensation of the instructor presenting and reinforcing
by one singer is now remedied by all. freg <lah„ ¡s ¡n Qrder tQ br¡ meanj proper concepts of vowels. Each
But, ,n terms of vocal health, where tQ that yowe, m ensemble. For singer must then take to rehearsal a
does it leave those singers? inexperienced singers, the "ah" vowel working knowledge of vocal technique
Remember that choral blend cannot canno{ be ta ht effectivel en masse. and a vocabulary of sensations --
be forced; it happens. Like it or not, h must be introduced and nurtured in what it feels like to sing naturally and
false blend occurs in many of our jvate gtud The conductor must freely. If blend problems persist ,n the
ensembles at the expense of the vocal know each voice as if each singer were rehearsal those problems may be
health of young singers. B end in his student lnstead of handi Qut evidence of a need for further private
combination with healthy vocal tone is ineffective prescriptions that create the '^truchon, a need for a change in
one of the most exciting areas of our ¡ilusión of blend, he can assist seatin3, or both.
art. The desire for a blended ensemble individua, students remedy vocal Too often blend is viewed by choral
without a proper individual peda- blems that are buried in a sectionai conductors as a group process with
little attention to individual vocal
sound.
technique. Blend can and should be a
Seating within a Section. A voice natural outgrowth of healthy vocal
should be placed in a section where technique. However, it appears that
VOCALISTS that voice naturally sounds best. An blend in choral music has made a
individual should not be forced to strange transition from noun to verb,
blend into a section. Considerable care In that transition, the individual vocal
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must be taken by the conductor health of our singers has been affected,
Don't strain your voice properly to seat each student in the When we take the time to become
My Home Study Voice section from the beginning of the year. familiar with individual voices, the
Attention to the Ingredients of problem of choral blend can be dealt
Course will solve your Blend. The placement of voices within with effectively.
problems.
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p^26 THE CHORAL JOURNAL

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