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[rjc]

MDM, wrote on Thu, 04 June 2009 06:02

...well modern singers have been taught to sing like sirens: the louder the better.. poor diction, lack of interpretation..

Yes. So anyone who has not first had themselves bound to a mast, is apt to fling themselves into the water in an effort to get away.

[PP]

One of my favourite Films of all time is the Ealing Studios black comedy, “Kind Hearts and Coronets”.


'Kind hearts are more than coronets,

And simple faith than Norman blood.'


In 2000,

Readers of Total Film.  

Voted 'Kind Hearts and Coronets'.

The 25th Greatest Comedy Film of all time.

In 2004 they named it the 7th Greatest British Film of all time.

It is set in the Edwardian Period but flashes back to the Era preceding it.

Supposedly featuring, Louis Mazzini who was an Italian Opera Singer the Father of the Films Main Character.

Brilliantly, it amply portrays with considerable accuracy the overly heavy Operatic Vibrato of the period, that was widely considered Vogue in its time.




As a youth, I knew a very great very much older man that had previously been a Professional on the London Stage. But upon conversion to Christianity, had become a Minister, and was now a greatly respected travelling Speaker and Evangelist.  

His Vocal Coach of the time, who himself was of an age, had said to him that he would assist him in Vocal Tone Production, and taught him to speak and read from the Bible in such a way, that brought every nuance of the text alive, in a manner I’ve never heard before, or since.

But when he sang, which he did from the Pulpit with the congregation during Hymns at certain times, his voice became heavily ‘Operatic’ with a continuously wavering Pitch fluctuation, that was so dense you really could not tell, precisely where at all the Pitch was at any moment in time.

The thing was, it made his voice sound to ordinary people, unfamiliar with the changing ‘Operatic Styles’ over time, just like the bleating of a sheep! Now one of the extraordinary wonderful things about going to Church was that I met an incredible amount of extremely lovely, well natured, very beautiful girls.

And I would sit with a whole clutch of them in the back row of the Church and watch them irreverently doubled up in silent laughter, as they tried to sing a hymn, along with the rest of the congregation, fighting back the tears of hilarity, at the dominating projection of such an intensely emotive wavering of sound.

It really did sound quite incredible, and Hymn Books found a new purpose altogether in their hands, as they hid their helplessly laughing faces, as deep as humanly possible within their pages.




And this is the point.

There was a period in which this style of Singing became extremely fashionable, and largely De Rigueur. It is essentially the identical phenomenon, as the modern equivalent we debate today, the absolutely appalling overuse of compression.

Historically, it’s worth reflecting on the fact that most ‘Great Music of Old’ would have originally featured no vibrato at all whatever, much less vibrato altogether, or only vibrato beautifully introduced toward the end of very long sustained notes.

Occasionally used for the purpose of ornamentation.

I tend to like that very much myself.




However where Singing is concerned, and Orchestral Music in certain instances, the amount of detailed knowledge available in archives, is fairly limited, and thus the matter has become the object of great debate and intense scrutiny and interest.

Of course, it’s well worth reflecting on the fact that Ancient Instrument’s of very great Vintage, and Centuries old, did not necessarily enjoy the ‘Absolute Tuning Precision’ or the ‘Tonal Security’, widely available via Equanimously Stable, Musical Instruments, as do Artists of Today.  

Indeed, the Instruments of the Modern Orchestra can be rightly considered to be ‘Highly Evolved’ and even if they look the same, will often feature ‘Discrete Ultra Modern Devices’ to either ‘Enhance’ or ‘Discourage’ inherent features of the Instruments Fundamental Design.




For most of the Twentieth Century, Orchestral Players have applied Vibrato automatically, and only really, since the Seventies have there been well executed attempts, to Produce Recordings on a serious scale, using actual Instrumentation of the Period, reflecting the original Composer's available Instrumentation options and intention.

Although its stretching the point, it’s worth considering that during the second half of The British Empire, the largest formal Empire the World has known, the Victorian Era was awash with pseudo ‘Operatic Styles’ some of which were and became extremely Populist, and thus taken all around the World.

In the days before Radio and Television The D'oyly Carte Operatic Society toured prolifically taking the humorous Music of Gilbert & Sullivan everywhere.

Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber would have grown up, as I did, exposed to this colourful Theatrical Spectacle.

                                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXWkIZUPmDY&feature=relat ed

                                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSloW2coCDQ&feature=relat ed

                                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JEMD5Jtb3A&feature=relat ed

http://www.reallyuseful.com/about-us

http://www.gs-festival.co.uk/




I'm sure.

You like Hammond B3’s & B4’s and Leslie Speakers.

The original name of the Leslie Rotary Speaker was Vibratone.

Leslie Speakers were also called Brittain Speakers, Hollywood Speakers, Crawford Speakers and Leslie Vibratones.

However, most people simply called them Leslie's and in 1949, Don Leslie gave in and completely dropped the name Vibratone.

Graciously leaving aside the highly acclaimed, tremendously  innovative Leslie Speaker and its Organ Controls of ‘Tremolo and Celeste’.




A wider acquaintance with a variety of Organ Manufacturers Products of the time, would have familiarised you with the very common occurrence of far less obtrusive stops like Tremolo, Theatre Organ, Operatic Vibrato, and Chorus all heavily fluctuating, whereas Vibrato, Vibrato I & II, Sustain Vibrato, etc. Were much lighter and more in Vogue.

The salient point to consider here is, that this type of Voice and Singing Style was still about, and prevalent to the extent that its Legacy was both directly and widely reflected in Musical Instrumentation, and indeed, heard on the Radio regularly, and in Live Theatres where old ‘Wurlitzer Type Organs’ still prevailed.

Friday Night is Music Night, regularly featured a Theatre Organ from Blackpool.

And was one of my Fathers listening pleasures.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/fridaynight/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHpNgmI0RLs

                                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW9NTsmhrq0&feature=relat ed




SO the influence of a Heavy Tremolo or Vibrato Style of Sound, lingered for very long while indeed.

And is directly related, to a much earlier, distinct ‘Operatic Vocal Style’ which became popularised.

In perhaps a somewhat caricaturised form, and was thus.

Very prevalent in Theatrical Singing.




Some of you.

May of course, be wondering.

How on Earth you can add a Heavy Vibrato to a Xylophone?

But so much was the Power of Expression felt to be enhanced when a Heavy Vibrato was added.

That in 1921 the Vibraphone and later the VibraHarp were invented, with butterfly valves in their resonating tubes to produce a pronounced Tremolo with the possibility of enhanced Sustain controlled via Damping Mechanism.

Most people love the beautiful Vibrato Effect of Vibes, but don’t realize that its invention is inspired by a period when Tremolo and Vibrato Effects were deemed to be almost, if not completely essential factors, in creating Expressively Beautiful Sound.




I expect.

That most here know of this device.

In the 1940’s Paul A. Bigsby invented a Tremolo or Vibrato for Guitars.

http://www.bigsbyguitars.com/products.html




By designing the ubiquitous Stratocaster, Leo Fender defined and evolved the concept further.

                                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkevzYfTQoo&feature=relat ed

                                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1ctz2jT8l8&feature=relat ed




And of course, both Kahler and Floyd Rose took it to yet another level altogether.




Furthermore.

In the late 1940's

Danelectro, Gibson, and Premier.

Incorporated Tremolo circuits into their Guitar Amplifiers.

Later in 1955 Fender introduced their first Guitar Amplifier with Tremolo. The Tremolux (model 5E9).

Then Magna Electronics began manufacturing Professional Amplifiers that incorporated unique designs and revolutionary new features such as Stereo Vibrato.

So in 1956 Fender responded by introducing the Vibrolux. The Vibrolux supposedly had Vibrato (pitch modulation), but in reality this was just another variation on the Tremolo in the Tremolux.

In fact, no Vintage Professional Fender Amplifer has ever had true pitch-bending vibrato, regardless of catalogue hype to the contrary.




There is often a degree of confusion or misunderstanding in regard to these terms.

And sometimes they are used inappropriately.




But Vibrato..

Is essentially a variation in the ‘pitch’ of a musical note, or ‘frequency’ if you prefer.


Whereas, Tremolo..

Usually refers to variations in the volume of a musical note or its amplitude, simulating reiterations.

Both of these terms have long historic roots in Music Notation and its Latin Origins, But in practice, it’s difficult for a either a Singer or a Performer playing a Musical Instrument to achieve an absolutely pure, Vibrato or Tremolo. Where there is variance, only involving Pitch or Volume alone, and it is usually the case that variations in both Pitch and Volume will often coincide.

They have a mutually reciprocating, closely symbiotic, relationship.




This is the underlying reason for the apparent interchangea’bility of use in regard to these terms.

They are and remain different components, that in my opinion may be regarded to be at their most useful and beauteous, when they are combined in varying degrees to create a desired effect, most tastefully appropriate, for the specific Musical situation.




Although devotees have raged about these matters for Centuries, and there are particular arguments that exist on either side of a deeply polarized debate. These frankly, hold little interest for me, for as I have already indicated, what really matters to me is what was actually in the mind of the Composer.

Once that is determined, you are faced with the question of either reproducing the Work largely utilizing Modern Day, Highly Evolved Musical Instruments of Great Stability and Accuracy of Intonation or what are often essentially Replicas, however well made, or less than ideal condition Musical Instruments of Very Great Vintage.

These Specialized Instruments can be extremely expensive to obtain, presuming its possible to, even if they are replica’s, and they will be difficult and expensive to maintain.

But used properly, they can impart a distinctive quality of deeply revealing sound, that for some means, ‘There’s no going back to the Future!’

However, there is unfortunately, an important consequence emerging from such ventures utilising these Instruments.

For more often than not, they remain absolutely perfect vehicles for a very specific, limited range of Music.

And of relatively little use really, in the broader overall spectrum, of the available Repertoire.

And this of course, is why these Musical instruments have evolved over time.

And matured into the form with the concomitant capabilities.

We recognise and experience today.




Please appreciate that if your Musical Instrument is Highly Accurate in Pitch, the possibilities of endless degrees of variety, in the application of Vibrato, becomes an additional creative factor some will relentlessly want to exploit.

It’s really all a matter of both interpretation, and the practical viability of whether it is even possible to bring together an Ensemble of highly accomplished Players with Musical Instruments of Very Great Vintage.




It’s also worth asking yourself, this profoundly deep, incisively perspicacious question.




If a Composer.

Was actually alive today.

And had available to them, a more beautiful sounding Musical Instrument, of Far Greater Accuracy in Pitch, Tonally Secure being far more Stable, with a Greater Useable Compass altogether.

Would he still remain committed, utterly captivated by the Sound of Less Pitch Accurate Instruments, that were far more Unstable, with a Lesser Range?




In my experience.

All Great Composers were and remain.  

Quick to employ, every innovative benefit available.

To the extent that many have been deeply involved in the Invention.

Development and Evolution of the Musical Instruments of The Orchestra, as we know them today.

For me, it is not a foregone conclusion that they themselves would ever want to hold onto, past methods of rendering their Music.

I am happy that the World is large enough, and the interest profound enough, to allow for entirely different viewpoints and interpretations to be available.

Indeed, I believe that were the Composer’s alive today, they would be enchanted, delighted and enthralled that their Works received, so Variationist  a range of Performance.



I would.

Wouldn’t you?

Hundreds of years later!




Although it was before my time.

And the lady was a formidable force, tremendously well loved.

It’s well recognised that Tetrazzini was completely out performed by Dame Nellie Melba.

Who could be extremely uncharitable to her competition and was renowned for upstaging other brilliant Performers. Her recordings even cost more!

On 15 June 1920 Dame Nellie Melba made a historically famous broadcast from Chelmsford, recognised as the first live public entertainment broadcast ever to be made.




And I am happy.

To present to you.

The very Microphones she used.

And pictures of her Singing into them that are posted below.

With an extraordinary selection of Vintage Microphones, that is just a very small part.

Of an incredible Collection of Historically Significant Inventions located for prosperity here at Oxford.




In 2004 the Marconi Collection

Was presented to the University of Oxford by the Marconi Corporation.

The Critically Acclaimed On Line Exhibition is considered so significant, that it has won a BAFTA Factual Award.

This large and unrivalled archive of objects and documents records the work of Guglielmo Marconi and the Wireless Telegraph Company he founded.




The documents are kept in the Bodleian Library

http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/bodley

http://www.flickr.com/photos/classicalmania/2286678541/




And the objects, in the Museum of the History of Science.

http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/about/

http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/index.htm




Please scroll down and click on the Jpeg's to access highly detailed, full sized pictures.

Here is Dame Nellie Melba actually making her famous broadcast in 1920, using the microphone now in the exhibition.

And in detailed close up the microphone used on 15 June for her famous broadcast from Chelmsford, the first live public entertainment broadcast ever.


http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/marconi/presspack/#technical_info


She has signed it ‘Nellie Melba 1920’.





The Marconi Company’s Recording Studio in Chelmsford in 1920 with a Male Artist Singing into a Microphone.


http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/marconi/exhibition/broadcasting.htm




The Museums online systems.

Do not allow the pictures mentioned below to be directly hyperlinked.

But if you wish to peruse the online exhibition and catalogue at your leisure you will find.

http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/marconi/



A microphone that was made by Marzi.

For Captain H J Round's telephony experiments in 1910.



A  microphone used in the early days of broadcasting. 1923.



The Round-Sykes moving coil microphone in the BBC studio at Savoy Hill, London.

When the BBC was created, the studios were moved from Marconi House to Savoy Hill.



The Royal Microphone, also known as the King's Microphone, pictured on display in the window of Marconi House, The Strand, London c.1923.

The passers by admiring the 'Royal Microphone', also known as the King's Microphone, in the showroom window.



The original Sykes microphone that was used for broadcasting until 1923 when Captain H J Round developed an improved version which became standard use in London and other broadcasting stations.

With six paperbound coils in massive cast-iron frame with circular end - 33cm (13in.) diameter.

Teak case with rubber seal round mouthpiece aperture.




In the Museum there are an innumerable amount of Historic Artefacts that would be of great interest to many.

Like the very first Experimental Valves made, and other Pioneering Electrical Equipment.

There are even Telegrams from The Titanic.

The Morse Code Signal CQD.

Predated

SOS.




P

[MDM,]

people may recognize Melba because her name was used for Melba Toast, I think.. another culinary offspin of Opera as mentioned was Chicken Tetrazzini..


interesting thing on that museum page,  there is the receiver of Marconi's first TRANSATLANTIC radio transmission..

it looks like a PASSIVE coil wound up and connected to a cristal earpiece..


if you think about the implications of this it's staggering..

basically Marconi was able to be heard across the atlantic with a weak spark-gap generator radio signal, and the signal was strong enough to be heard on the handheld passive receiver..

today with the billions of watts of radio waves, computer radiation etc. he would not have heard a thing.

the world was completely devoid of radio and electromagnetic interference.

I wonder how that would have affected the psyche of people living in that era...

[Kris]

J.J. Blair wrote on Fri, 05 June 2009 18:28

Did you get the Count Basie one?

They didn't have it, but Lyra picked out some Basie in your honor...(pretty good selection for her first trip to the record store!  And all for less than $30!)

[A.J.]

Kris wrote on Sat, 06 June 2009 12:49

J.J. Blair wrote on Fri, 05 June 2009 18:28 Did you get the Count Basie one? They didn't have it, but Lyra picked out some Basie in your honor...(pretty good selection for her first trip to the record store!  And all for less than $30!)

Great Photo!!

[Kris]

PP wrote on Sat, 06 June 2009 03:27

In fact, no Vintage Professional Fender Amplifer has ever had true pitch-bending vibrato, regardless of catalogue hype to the contrary. There is often a degree of confusion or misunderstanding in regard to these terms. And sometimes they are used inappropriately. But Vibrato.. Is essentially a variation in the ‘pitch’ of a musical note, or ‘frequency’ if you prefer. Whereas, Tremolo.. Usually refers to variations in the volume of a musical note or its amplitude, simulating reiterations. Both of these terms have long historic roots in Music Notation and its Latin Origins, But in practice, it’s difficult for a either a Singer or a Performer playing a Musical Instrument to achieve an absolutely pure, Vibrato or Tremolo. Where there is variance, only involving Pitch or Volume alone, and it is usually the case that variations in both Pitch and Volume will often coincide. They have a mutually reciprocating, closely symbiotic, relationship. This is the underlying reason for the apparent interchangea’bility of use in regard to these terms. They are and remain different components, that in my opinion may be regarded to be at their most useful and beauteous, when they are combined in varying degrees to create a desired effect, most tastefully appropriate, for the specific Musical situation. P

Here's one of my most prized posessions... mainly because of it's sweet, sweet tremolo (as you can see labeled vibrato)... I just describe it as milky...approx. 15 years older than me, an so much wiser!...

[Edvaard]

Kris wrote on Sat, 06 June 2009 12:49

J.J. Blair wrote on Fri, 05 June 2009 18:28 Did you get the Count Basie one? They didn't have it, but Lyra picked out some Basie in your honor...(pretty good selection for her first trip to the record store!  And all for less than $30!)

As they say, you have to learn how to crawl before you walk, but this is such blatant evidence that dancing comes to us long before walking.

That particular 'look in the eye', the perfect hand thrust, just as on her back, hardly knowing what she;s doing or how that came her to at all.

We sometimes have to figure out what's 'wired into' us and not, folks.


After all that, I only intend compliment here.

Cute baby, and she looks quite lively.


I bet she keeps the home folks busy.

[Barry Hufker]

OK, this comment in NO WAY has anything to do with that cute baby.  I was reading the thread title and this popped into my head.  And because my brain has no filter, I am typing that thought here.

Gearslutz -- where the misshapen go to fight it out with the malnourished.


Barry

[Hank Alrich]

SneerSltuz R Us?

[seedyunderbelly.com]

Yeah  what Barry said  feed that thing!

[seedyunderbelly.com]

j/k shes adorable of course

[Kris]

lol!

Edvaard wrote on Sat, 06 June 2009 23:20

As they say, you have to learn how to crawl before you walk, but this is such blatant evidence that dancing comes to us long before walking. That particular 'look in the eye', the perfect hand thrust, just as on her back, hardly knowing what she;s doing or how that came her to at all. We sometimes have to figure out what's 'wired into' us and not, folks.

I figure it starts with the first 4 heartbeats!  (The average resting human heart rate is about 70 bpm according to wikipedia)

[Barry Hufker]

Ah, Wikipedia: Where the misinformed go to post it for the uneducated.

[Kris]

Ouch!

[compasspnt]

Funny indeed Barry, but I also heard that Wiki has been shown to be at least as accurate as Brittanica.

At least The News said that.