Mathilde Marchesi (1821-1913) was probably the most renowned singer teacher of the late 19th century. Herself the pupil of the great Manuel Garcia the Second, and the associate of the unsurpassable divas of the middle 19th century, she also linked the traditional bel canto teaching method to the beginning of the 20th century. Early in her career her woks was praised enthusiastically by Rossini, who was for a time officially in charge of voice training in Francel and toward the end of her career she prepared such superstars as Melba, Calve, Eames, Alda and others.
Today Marchesi is remembered not at all for her singing career. Rather, she is known first as the teacher of a surprising number of great singers and also as the voice teacher who carried the bel canto technique into the 20th century. Her ideas are still studied, primarily by female singers, especially the sopranos with whom she specialized.
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Part One: Elementary and Progressive Exercixes for the Development of the Voice Chromatic Slur Diatonic Slur Portamento Scales Exercises for blending the Registers Exercises on two notes Exercises on three notes Exercises on four notes Exercises on six notes Exercises on eight notes Chromatic Scale Minor Scales Exercises for Flexibility Varied Scales Repeated Notes Triplets Arpeggi Messa di Voce (Swelled Sounds) Apoggiatura - Acciaccatura (Crushed Note) - Mordente The Turn The Shake (Trill) Shakes by Thirds |
Part Two: Development of the Exercises in the Form of Vocalises Attack Portamento Sostenuto Diatonic Scale Dotted Diatonic Scale Minor Scale Major and MInor Scales alternating Chromatic Scale Repeated Notes Triplets Areggi Appoggiatura and Acciaccatura (Grace Notes) Mordente and Turns Syncopation Long Intervals Staccato, Mezzo Staccato, and Accented Notes Shakes |
Bel canto (Belcanto, bel canto) (Italian, beautiful singing), an Italian musical term, refers to the art and science of vocal technique which originated in Italy during the late sixteenth century and reached its pinnacle in the early part of the nineteenth century during the Bel Canto opera era. Bel canto singing characteristically focuses on perfect evenness throughout the voice, skillful legato, a light upper register, tremendous agility and flexibility, and a certain lyric, "sweet" timbre. This volume embodies Madame Marchesi's "vocal alphabet," or basic instructions and exercises that formed the voices of her great pupils. An introductory text discusses breathing, attack, registers and similar matters, while the remainder of the book contains many exercises and vocalises that teach voice management and projection. Marchesi's book is today even more important than when it first appeared, for it offers the basis for a construction of the bel canto training system. At the time the book appeared, the bel canto system had gone out of fashion in favor of more modern schools that seemed to offer more rapid maturation, voice volume, and dramatics. Today, a more realistic reevaluation has revealed that the bel canto system gave the singer much longer performing life, a more pleasing voice, and far greater musical ability. As Phillip Miller states in his introduction, "a solidity, a sure technical mastery, an even scale with no register break... strong, even and secure trills, their coloratura masterly." In addition, the resurgence of interest in early 19th century opera renders a work like Marchesi's indispensable to the modern singer.
| 6480 Book $12.95 |
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Practical Guide for Students Exercises for Blending the Registers Chromatic Scale Minor Scales Exercises for Flexibility Varied Scales Repeated Notes Triplets Arpeggi Messa de Voce (Swelled Tones) The Appoggiature The Turn The Trill Trills Separated by a Third Development of the Exercises in the Form of Vocalises |
This very complete guide to Marchesi's style of vocal training has everything from a written guide for students, to a wealth of different exercises, each with instructions on vowel use and mouth placement. This method has been in use now for almost 100 years and has been of great use to singers of all styles. A tried a true means to get the most out of your voice.
| 6478 Book $15.95 |
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Mathilde Marchesi was a mezzo-soprano, teacher of singing, and exponent of the bel canto technique. She was an advocate of a naturalistic style of singing: she called for a fairly instinctive method of breathing and was particularly concerned with vocal registration, calling it "the Alpha and Omega of the formation and development of the female voice, the touchstone of all singing methods". These 20 vocalises are perfect for your daily vocal practice and having been used by some of the great singers of the past 100 years.
| 6408 Songook $7.95 |
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Mathilde Marchesi was a mezzo-soprano, teacher of singing, and exponent of the bel canto technique. She was an advocate of a naturalistic style of singing: she called for a fairly instinctive method of breathing and was particularly concerned with vocal registration, calling it "the Alpha and Omega of the formation and development of the female voice, the touchstone of all singing methods". These 20 vocalises are perfect for your daily vocal practice and having been used by some of the great singers of the past 100 years.
| 6466 Book $7.95 |
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Portamento Sustained Legato Diatonic Scale Dotted Notes Major and Minor Scales Minor Scale Chromatic Scale Figures in Four Notes Repeated Notes Triplets Arpeggios Appoggiatura and Acciaccutura Gruppetti Syncopation Wide Intervals Staccato, Flautato and Sforzato Trill |
30 excellent vocal exercises that will help develop, strengthen and warm up your voice. Specifically men or women with high or medium vocal ranges.
| 6475 Book $8.95 |
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Swelling and diminishing upon a tone - Larghetto Portamento - Andante e molto legato Portamento - Sostenuto molto Smooth, even singing - Moderato Smooth, even singing - Larghetto Diatonic Scale - Andantino Diatonic Scale - Allegretto Diatonic Scale - Moderato Diatonic Scale with dotted notes Andantino Quatrains - Allegro giusto Chromatic Scale - Andante Chromatic Scale - Andantino Theme with variations - Andantino Minor Scales - Andante Repeated Notes - Andantino Triplets - Allegretto Arpeggios - Allegro giusto The long and short appoggiatura - Moderato Gruppetto and Mordente - Andantino Syncopation - Allegro giusto Detached and accented notes - Moderato Large Skips - Deciso Shake - Andantino 1st Recapitulation - Andante 2nd Recapitulation - Allegro |
Mathilde Marchesi was a mezzo-soprano, teacher of singing, and exponent of the bel canto technique. She was an advocate of a naturalistic style of singing: she called for a fairly instinctive method of breathing and was particularly concerned with vocal registration, calling it "the Alpha and Omega of the formation and development of the female voice, the touchstone of all singing methods". 24 excellent vocal exercises that will help develop, strengthen and warm up your voice. Specifically for Sopranos and Mezzo-Sopranos and have been used by some of the great singers of the past 100 years.
| 6477 Songbook $9.95 |
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This book is a collection of elementary exercises of progressive difficulty. 102 exervises for the mechanism of the Soprano and Mezzo Soprano voice and 12 for the execution. It comes complete with instruction and tips on how to execute them properly.
| 6483 Book $6.95 |
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