Contemporary voice and flute techniques
Published by Bärenreiter, the series of books devoted to new instrument techniques and playing styles for contemporary music continues to expand.
Written by Nicholas Isherwood, the volume devoted to the voice not only explains each technique in detail, but also provides each one with pedagogical advice and numerous appropriate, simple and effective exercises. Isherwood covers areas such as amplification, the various uses of electronics with the voice, the many forms of vibrato, as well as interpretive issues such as the use of different timbres in the voice.Aria or Scelsi's use of vibrato. Advice is also given on different registers and forms of agility (diaphragmatic, glottal, etc.), while chapters are devoted to theater and dance (musical theater) and improvisation. After summarizing the voice types required by the Baroque and Romantic repertoires, he details the characteristics of those used in the contemporary repertoire, which is surprisingly close to the Baroque voices, but with tessituras extended into the extreme low and high range, in particular with increased use of the falsetto. The book concludes with a concrete example of working on a score with the Sequenza III by Berio, where every aspect of the performance of this landmark work of contemporary vocal music is covered, and a list of over 300 contemporary pieces for solo voice, with indications of voice type and difficulty. A CD is appended with examples of all the techniques covered.
Authors of two other volumes in the series, one devoted to the transverse flute in C, the other to piccolo, alto and bass flute (this 2nd volume includes a CD of examples), Carin Levine and Christina Mitropoulos-Bott concentrate above all on practice. Each chapter of their book includes detailed exercises and tips for better sound effects production. Both volumes include extensive appendices with complete fingering charts for treble, bisbigliando, microtones and multiphonics. The 2nd volume is optional, but refers to the first in terms of explanations, practical exercises and tips.
These three bilingual volumes (German/English) are designed for students, teachers and composers alike.
Isherwood, Nicholas: The Techniques of Singing / Die Techniken des Gesangs, BVK 1861, 212 S., € 54.00, Bärenreiter, Kassel
Levine, Carin / Mitropoulos-Bott, Christina: The Techniques of Flute Playing I / Die Spieltechnik der Flöte I, BVK 1595, 142 S., € 46.50
id., The Techniques of Flute Playing II / Die Spieltechnik der Flöte II ,Piccolo, Alto and Bass Flute / Piccolo, Alt- und Bassflöte, BVK 1788, 127 S., € 46.50
