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By this uncertain light we discovered the white buildings of Albano, sprinkled about the steeps. We had not many moments to contemplate them, for it was night when we passed the Torre di mezza via, and began breathing a close pestilential vapour.
Some singers do not see the necessity of doing exercises every day; I am not one of those. I always sing my scales, first with full power, then taking each tone softly, swelling to full strength, then dying away in mezza voce. I use many other exercises also employing full power. English is also one of the daily studies, with lessons three times a week.
The voice is naturally divided into three registers the chest, medium and head. In a man's voice of lower quality this last is known as "falsetto," but in the case of a tenor he may use a tone which in sound is almost falsetto, but is really a mezza voce, or half voice. This latter legitimately belongs to a man's compass; a falsetto does not.
I have previously mentioned mezza voce and will now say a word on this subject, for the artistic use of the "half voice" is a very valuable adjunct in all singing. It may be defined simply as the natural voice produced softly, but with an extra strength of breath.
"It is in ottava rima, a faint echo of the immortal Niccolo Correggio, composed in honour of one whose description is beyond the flight of human song." "Yet you sing of her?" "It is no better than an acknowledgment of the impossibility to sing of her. Thus " And striking a chord or two, he began, a mezza voce: "Quando sorrideran' in ciel Gli occhi tuoi ai santi "
He has shown me the philosophy, the psychology of singing. He has taught me the science of intense diction. By means of such diction, I can sing mezza voce, and put it over with less effort and much more artistic effect than I ever used to do, when I employed much more voice. You hear it said this or that person has a big voice and can sing with great power. A brass band can make a lot of noise.
On the other hand, with a soft note taken in a register foreign to it, as soon as its strength is augmented the register must suddenly be changed and the result is like a Tyrolean yodel. So remember in a mezza voce to see that the register is right and to use a double breath strength. I speak of the matter of register here for the benefit of those who must keep this constantly in mind.
Ma forte not too mezza voce!" He took a mandolin from the sideboard and pressed it into the chef's arms. "Signor Guglielmo è sempre buffo," said the cook. "That's it buffo, buffo," cried Franck, striking the table with his fist. His smile had already turned somewhat idiotic, and he seemed to think "buffo" meant "to sing." "Cosa vuole sentire?" asked Brambilla.
Of this we may be sure, that no one can sing a good full tone unless he can sing a good mezza voce. When the mechanism is sufficiently free from resistance that a good pianissimo can be sung then the conditions are right to begin to build toward a forte. Further, when the mechanism is entirely free from resistance there is no conscious effort required to produce tone.
Stockhausen, the distinguished vocal teacher, recently remarked in the Frankfurter Zeitung that "the mezza voce is the natural song, the constant loud singing being only a struggle with unequal weapons against our modern orchestra." No doubt he is right.
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