Great vocal teachers from the 16th century through the early 19th century discovered through trial and error how to properly develop the singing voice, and the term bel canto came to be applied to both the manner of singing and the vocal music of that period. But by 1858, according to Rossini, the term was already being misused and wrongly confused with fioriture. Well-schooled in the teaching of singing, Rossini more accurately describes bel canto as being composed of: the building of the instrument; technique, or the means of using the instrument; and style, of which the ingredients are taste and feeling.
In this 50th anniversary edition of The Free Voice, renowned vocal pedagogue Cornelius L. Reid articulates the teaching principles of his own school of functional vocal training, grounded firmly in the old principles while remaining in line with a modern understanding of the physical value of the vocal instrument. The muscles that move the vocal folds and the vocal folds themselves are involuntary, and as such, the singing voice is not an instrument that can be manipulated directly. Reid's approach to singing is one of indirect control, stemming from an understanding of the vocal registers and how specific patterns of pitch, intensity, and vowel affect the vocal folds. Through the vocal exercises outlined in this book, and catered to each individual, a poorly coordinated musculature can be brought to efficiency. Only when the musculature of the vocal mechanism is well-balanced and coordinated can the voice be free, and the natural beauty and resonance of the individual voice come through without force.
Foreword 1 Introduction 2 The Organs of Voice Natural Singing: Correct vs. Habitual 3 Vocal Control Direct Control Control Through Self-Awareness Conceptual Control and Its Limitations 4 The Vocal Registers Mechanics of the Registers 'Pure' Registration Registers and Intensity The 'Break' 'Mixed' Registration A Coordinated or 'Blended' Registration The 'Two-Voiced' Singer Segmentation of the Registers Register Rotation Parallel Relationships Registers and Interpretation 5 Aesthetic Judgment Vowel Quality Vowel Adaptation Common Factors The Legato The Attack Vocal Limitations Voice 'Building' 6 Conceptual Evaluations Textural Properties of the Vowel, Registration and Resonance Temperament, Anatomical Structure and Emotional Identification 7 Vocal Exercises Exercising the Registers Exercises for Separating the Registers, Female Voice Exercises for Separating the Registers, Male Voice Exercises for Register Mutation Preparatory Exercises for Combining the Registers, Female Voice Preparatory Exercises for Combining the Registers, Male Voice The Messa di Voce Messa di Voce-Female Voice Messa di Voce-Male Voice Practice Repertoire and Interpretation 8 Breathing Breath 'Control' Feeling and Emotion 9 Characteristic Voice Movements The Vibrato The Tremolo The Wobble 10 Attitudes Toward Teaching and Learning Self-Perception Freedom and Intuition Spontaneity Stimulus Control Tangible Control Energy and Movement The Conditioned Reflex Theory APPENDIX The Composition of Vocal Tone Pitch Intensity Resonance Duration Quality-The Vowel-Timbre Index
Cornelius L. Reid (1911-2008) began his studies in music at Trinity Church Choir School in New York City as a boy soprano in 1920. His teaching career began as assistant to Dr. Douglas Stanley from 1934 to 1937. From that point on, he developed his own school of functional vocal training based on Italian methods of the pre-scientific era, combined with insights afforded by modern concepts of physiology, acoustics, and psychology.
Reviews for The Free Voice: A Guide to Natural Singing
"""Mr. Reid's technical concepts and methods of bel canto singing and healthy vocal production have been the foundation of my own work as a performer. His technique has sustained my vocal health over the thirty-plus years of my career, and it continues to inform the way I teach my students today."" -- Grant Youngblood, Baritone ""Cornelius Reid's advocacy of vocal health is based on a simple but solid foundation: the play of opposing forces within the vocal mechanism. The Free Voice abounds in probing insights and constructive advice of use to all enterprising singers. A joy to read and re-read!"" -- Pedro de Alcantara, musician and author, Visiting Professor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow"
