Style in Singing Part 7

In Italian lyric theatres, _pointage_ becomes necessary in many French operas, owing to the prevalent custom of allotting to contraltos certain roles written for soprano and known as "dugazon roles" (from Madame Dugazon, who created the type). The parts of Siebel in _Faust_ (Gounod), Urbain in _Les Huguenots_, Stephane in _Romeo et Juliette_ (Gounod), are all written for soprano, and when sung in Italian require not only transposition of the princ.i.p.al airs, but the use of _pointage_ in pa.s.sages where transposition is impossible owing, for instance, to the partic.i.p.ation of other characters in the scene. Thus the air sung by the page Urbain (_Les Huguenots_) on his entrance is sung in the French theatres as written by Meyerbeer, _i.e._, in _B_ flat. In theatres where the Italian version is given, this air is transposed a third lower into _G_, necessitating later numerous _pointages_, for the reason already given.

I said that many deviations from the printed text are the work of the author, or are authorized by him. A moment's reflection will convince one of the truth of this statement. The singer chosen--usually by the composer himself--to "create" a role, _i.e._, to interpret for the first time some part in a new opera, generally studies it with the composer, or under his direct supervision, and thus learns, directly or indirectly, his ideas as to the meaning, style of execution, tempi, etc., of the music. Very often during rehearsals, when the composer begins really to hear his own work, he makes modifications in certain pa.s.sages, alterations of the words or suppressions of the notes that are either ineffective, or lie awkwardly for the voice. But the opera has already been printed for the convenience of the singers and choristers studying the roles and choruses; consequently, such modifications, rearrangements, and "cuts" (as excisions are termed), do not find their way into the published scores.

Meyerbeer, as I have been informed by competent authorities, was constantly modifying his compositions. With him, the work of revision and emendation was never finished. It is said that this was more especially the case with his last opera, _l'Africaine_, which he was continually altering and revising, never being able to satisfy himself. Two versions of the libretto were prepared for him by Scribe, and two distinct settings of the music are published, although only one is performed.[5]

[Footnote 5: Cases are numerous of changes made by composers even after their work has been produced. The Fountain Scene in _Lucia_ was entirely remodelled by Donizetti, some time after its original production at Milan, the first setting being replaced by the "Regnava nel silenzio" now used, written for Persiani when the opera was first given at the San Carlo, Naples.]

In Nelusko's first air occurs the following pa.s.sage, in which a great _crescendo_ is marked, culminating _ff_ on the word _rien_:

[Music: non, n'otent rien a ta majeste!]

Although the opera was produced after the composer's death, Jean-Baptiste Faure, the great baritone chosen to create the role of Nelusko, studied it with Meyerbeer, who authorized several verbal and musical changes in it.

[Music: non, n'otent rien, non, non, non, n'otent rien a ta majeste!]

Without the first alteration it is impossible to realize the composer's wish for a climax on the word "_rien_"; the second change is due to the fact that the _tessitura_ of the phrase is somewhat high, and Faure, who was a low rather than high baritone, dreaded the high _f_-[sharp].

Indeed, it was for this latter reason that this most accomplished singer never sang in Verdi's operas. According to his own statement, he had to deny himself this pleasure, because most of the baritone parts in the Italian composer's operas are written in a high _tessitura_.

When Gounod wrote his _Faust_ for the Theatre-Lyrique, Paris, spoken dialogue was used in place of the recitatives subsequently added by the composer when the work pa.s.sed, ten years later, into the repertoire of the Opera. In its earlier form, therefore, it belonged to the category of _opera-comique_, in which tenors were then permitted to use the falsetto voice for their very highest tones. This custom, though sanctioned in _opera-comique_, was not permitted or accepted in _grand opera_, to which Gounod's work in the revised form now belongs. At the beginning of the sixth bar from the end of the tenor _cavatina_ in the Garden Scene: "_Salut! demeure chaste et pure_," occurs the high sustained _c_.

Not all tenors who sing the role are possessed of the much-coveted "_do di petto_," so a discreet _pointage_ becomes a necessity, since the tone was originally intended, as I have said, to be sung in falsetto. Those robust tenors who, possessing this tone, launch it out at full voice, unheeding the delicate accompaniment with violin obbligato in the orchestra, and the calm, mystic serenity of the surroundings, are surely more desirous of drawing the attention of the public to themselves, than actuated by an artistic desire to interpret faithfully the scene as intended by composer and librettist.

It was owing to the use by light tenors of the so-called falsetto voice, now no longer in favor with the public, that such of the _operas-comiques_ by Boieldieu, Halevy, Auber, etc., which still keep the stage, necessitate frequent _pointage_, in order to render their execution compatible with existing requirements. Sometimes a composer utilizes an exceptional voice, as was the case with the roles written for Martin. This singer must have possessed either a strong tenor voice with exceptional low tones, or a baritone voice with perhaps an unusual command of the falsetto--history furnishes but vague information on this point. In any case, the roles written for him--called Martin-tenor or Martin-baritone parts--are now a.s.signed to the ordinary baritone. _Pointage_ then becomes inevitable, as in the case of Herold's _Zampa_, the compa.s.s required as printed being from

[Music]

In the roles, such as _Mignon_ (Thomas) and _Carmen_ (Bizet), written for Madame Galli-Marie, their respective composers themselves have so arranged the parts that they may be sung by either mezzo-soprano or soprano. The role of Mignon has alternatives, in order that it may be sung by three types of female voices. The roulades and cadenzas were subsequently added by the composer for Madame Christine Nilsson.

If the role is sung by a high soprano, Mignon's first air, "Connais-tu le pays," is transposed a tone higher into _E_ flat.

In the famous duet between Raol and Valentine in the fourth act of _Les Huguenots_, the composer has given alternative notes for those tenors who do not possess the exceptional alt.i.tude required for the higher of the two:

[Music: Ah! viens! ah! viens! ah! viens!

or

viens! ah! viens!]

I heard recently, however, a performance of this opera, in which the tenor sang the whole of the music as written, without either transposition or _pointage_. So it was sung, I should imagine, by the famous Adolphe Nourrit, who created the role; but the pitch at that time (1836) was lower than it is at present.

Thus composers have recognized the necessity at times of _pointage_ in certain roles written for exceptionally gifted singers, in order to render possible to the many that which was originally written for the few.

Changes from the published version have also been made--and proving effective have pa.s.sed into tradition--by singers who, exercising the liberty then accorded them by composers, have slightly modified certain pa.s.sages for several reasons: for instance, to augment the effect by making the phrase more characteristic of the vocal instrument, or to express more forcibly the composer's idea.

The following ill.u.s.trations will render my meaning clearer. The changes originated in the causes I have mentioned, and are attributed to Madame Dorus-Gras:

[Music: "Robert, toi que j'aime"

tu vois mon effroi! tu vois mon effroi!

change

-froi! Ah!

Grace, grace pour moi-meme, pour toi-meme.]

The phrase "Grace, grace," in which Isabelle implores Robert of Normandy's forgiveness, occurs three times. When it recurs for the last time, a change from the printed text is not only justifiable; it is demanded, in order to give additional intensity and power to the phrase, and to avoid the monotony caused by mere repet.i.tion. This modification is all the more defensible, as the composer has subst.i.tuted the orchestra, with the strings _tremolo_, for the rhythmical harp-figure with which he accompanies the phrase on its first and second presentations. Here is the accepted traditional change:

[Music: Grace, grace pour moi-meme, pour toi-meme.]

Again, to sing the final cadenza of this air as Meyerbeer briefly indicated it, would be impossible and absurd:

[Music: (as printed)

ah! grace pour moi.

(as sung)

ah! grace, ah! grace pour moi.]

Other changes have their origin in the fact that sometimes a great climax is rendered impossible of realization because the musical phrase culminates on a vowel-sound difficult of emission on that note, and devoid of sonority; another word has sometimes to be subst.i.tuted.

For this reason, in the first air of Alice in the same opera (_Robert_), "_Va, dit-elle_," a verbal rearrangement is always resorted to:

[Music: Sa mere va prier pour lui, sa mere va prier pour lui, sa mere va prier pour lui, va prier]

To avoid the disagreeable and ineffective result produced by the high descending pa.s.sage on the word "lui" (p.r.o.nounced in English as "lwee"), the last few bars are performed thus:

[Music: sa mere va prier, sa mere va prier]

When _La Tosca_ (Puccini) was produced in French at the Opera-Comique, Paris, the unfortunate artist to whom was allotted the tenor role was expected by the translator to sing at full voice, and after a crashing chord from the entire orchestra, marked _ffff_ in the score, the following words:

[Music: au peril de ma vie]

As it was found to be out of the question to produce the effect desired with the words as they stood, the phrase was afterwards changed to:

[Music: pour combattre l'infame]

Frequently modifications, most happy in their effect, are due to the inspiration of a particularly gifted artist.

Madame Viardot-Garcia, finding the phrase of the cabaletta in the aria "_Se Romeo t'uccise_" (_Romeo e Giulietta_, Bellini) somewhat weak and ineffective, made the skilful _pointage_ here given:

[Music: (as printed)

Ma su voi ricada il sangue

(as sung by Mme. Viardot-Garcia)