& Sofari_File fit View History Bookmarks Window Helo e 4) > HL seem Tue 405 eM Qi eco o 8 pia gooale com c Saaienee ‘Sroes A Aratatg Liter Oesoing aces |__ Vora Chana Mine APwlemer = ue: ‘Shges An bona Lat or Bewapre vee. | Sa Songs for Young Singers, An Annotated List for Developing Volces —Aser J Hoon repertoire study for furure high school choir directors and voice ers Melodie Contour The Analysis Protocol ‘The melodic contour may be the mos significant indicator of 4 song's difficulty. Narow ranges make fewer vocal demands than do wide ranges. High tessitura challenges the student's ability to sing a unified scale, Wide or frequent leaps, or other awkward melodic contours further stretch basic vocal skis. ‘These observations inform the melodie values thus: [Not all songs are created equal. Choosing the right song forthe right student and occasion becomes almost an art in itself. As an id for voiee teachers and choir dzvctors of beginning and intermediate singers, this study includes an analysis of each of the songs in order to determine its level of difficulty, The * For a song with « small range (an octave or analysis protocol takes into consideration seven values: melodie less) contour, phrasing, language, rhythm, accompaniment, + Fora song with a moderate range (an octave 2 hharmonic language, and dynamics. Each of these values and ahalfor ess) receives a numeric score, as described below. The sum of the *+ For a song with a wide range (more than one 3 scores places the song in one of thre eategories: elementary, snd half octave) + Porhigh tessitura a 1 pot intermediate, and advanced. 20 @® Sobre est ico Esta amosre est em Meus Livos& Sofari_File fit View History Bookmarks Window Helo & 4) SM sem Tue 405M coe o 8 pia gooale com Saaienee ‘ers Chara Mii APertrmers Gi Sa Songs for Young Singers, An Annotated List for Developing Volces —Aser J Hoon harmonic language, the more developed must be the young singer's musicianship. + For radon, diatonic hemmonies 1 Level of Difficulty 1 Fordhomasc hemos 2 A song's dfficlty grows out ofthe combination ofits several ji Foratonai harmonies > cements, Most exitcal for the young singer are the vocal demands ofa son, is melodic contous, ange and esi, the F Dynamics length of its phrases, the rapidity of it articulations, an its dynamic contrasts. Musical elements als play significant role. I the singer is to perform as the composer intended, then dynamics must play @ part of the equation, Dynamics become increasingly difficult t9 manage the more extreme their contrast ‘becomes. + For moderate dynamics (mp-m/) 1 + Forloud or soft dynamics (pf) + For extreme dynamic contrasts (pp-ff or more) Foreign or obscure texts, raythmic complexities, harmonic language, and the accompaniment pattems all influence the ‘overall difficulty of «song. ‘The analysis protocol reviews basic elements in a quick and simple way and might be applied 10 any song or ara in order to determine its appropriateness for a singer's level of development. The combination of the seven values will indicate song's level of diicuy. Elementary level Scores between 7-11. awn @O Sobre est ico Esta amosra est erm Meus Livos& Sofari_File fit View History Bookmarks Window Helo & 4) SM sem Tue 405M eco o 8 pia gooale com aja Saaienee Seger ovata Liter Oeeeping aces | Vocal Chane Mis APortrmer= Gul eee eee Sa Songs for Young Singers, An Annotated List for Developing Volces —Aser J Hoon Intermediate level ‘Scores beoween 12-16. {all short ofthe demands ofa selection, while confidence grows Advanced level ‘Scores above 17. with each success A song can be simplified by reducing the difficulty of its clements (ic, by singing shorter phrases, translating foreign q texts, disregarding dynamic values, and, in some eases, singing ‘alteate high or low notes to shrink the range or tesitura). The degree to which one depers from the desires of the composer must be resolved by each singer and teacher and may differ for songs studied and songs performed in public. In this study—and {in most auditions and competitions —the composers” wishes will, be honored. ‘Teachers and singers should aot choose a song primarily because of its level of diffieulty. A simple song sung well ‘outshines a difficult song sung poorly. Rather, songs should be chosen to match the development ofthe singer. As musical and i vocal skils improve, more difficult lteramure may be sung suecessflly. Discouragement attends those whose techniques we @O Sobre est ico Esta amosra est erm Meus Livos& Sofari_File fit View History Bookmarks Window Helo & coe oO 4) SM sem Tue 405M 8 pia gooale com Alc Saaienee ‘ers Chara Mii APertrmers Gi Sai Songs for Young Singers, An Annotated List fr Developing Voices — Aver Phrasing Phrasing places demands on another basic vocal ski: breath ‘management. Most young singers have no difficulty singing four to six second phrases. They experience moderate difficulty in singing phrases of six 10 ten seconds in length, and only the ‘more advanced singers can manage the breath demands of phases lasting ten seconds or longer. Some fast songs leave lite time to breathe, thereby adding value to this clement. + Fora song with short phrases (6 seconds or Iss) 1 + Fora song with moderate phrases (10 seconds or less) + For a song with long phrases (more than 10 seconds) add 1 ‘+ Fora song which leaves lite time for breathing Rhythm More than metronomic markings or tempo indications, the pity of melodic articulation marks one of the vocal complexities of a song. Melodies of moderate speed, with litle ‘or no demands placed upon articulation present no dificalties to a young singer, while melodies requiring either fst or sustained aniculation present more challenge, the melodies demanding very fast (including coloratura) oF very sow articulation of notes being the most difficult. Changing meters, cross rhythms, Demeolas, and other thythmie devices add to the overall shythmie complexity of a song. ‘+ Moderate mation + Rapid or slaw motion + Very fist or very slow motion (inluding coloratura) 2 3 a= @® Sobre est ico Esta amosre est em Meus Livos& Sofari_File fit View History Bookmarks Window Helo & 4) SM sem Tue 405M eco o 8 pia gooale com aja Saaienee Seger ovata Liter Oeeeping aces | Vocal Chane Mis APortrmer= Gul eee eee Sa Songs for Young Singers, An Annotated List for Developing Volces —Aser J Hoon *+ Rhythmic complexities (syncopation, cross meters, add 1 Accompaniment patems generally fall into thee categories: etc) point ‘mirror, supportive, and independent. Accompaniments which mirror the melody ether exactly or spproximately, simplify the task of singing the forthe young singer. Pttems which ‘Text singing the melody for the young sing suppor the melodie line without mirroring the melody presume ‘greater musical autonomy of the young singer. Independent — leven antagonistic—accompaniments demand the singer's p musical selProlience, ‘+ Mirror accompaniments 1 Foreign language texts add a level of complexity 10 the singer's task, particularly ifthe singer takes seriously the desire to communicate the text's meaning, while texts in the native language do not divide the singer’s concentration, More commonly, failure to absorb the meaning of «foreign text leads to rote memorization of meaningless tone syllables and ‘+ Supportive accompaniments + Independent aovompaniaeats ‘uninspired performances. + Fornative language texts 1 ‘Harmonic language *+ For foreion language texts 2 ‘The harmonic language of a song-distonic, chromatic, or ‘atonal—plays an important role in the ability of young singer Accompaniment to successfully perform a given song. The more complex the ann @O Sobre est ico Esta amosra est erm Meus Livos