diction in art songs...

[Edwina Cruise]

I did some pronunciatioin coaching for Russian opera singers in another 
life.  What got me the job was not my knowledge of Russian, but my 
experience as a choral and solo singer. The compromise is between what 
works well for the singer and what is perceived as language norms.  
Singing on a reduced vowel schwa, for example, doesn't project sound as 
well as a more strongly emphasized vowel.   The more vigorously the 
voice box is opened and stretched, the bigger the sound.  Therefore the 
preference for souinds of "a" and "o".  But it's the musical notes that 
the critical issue.  When Tanya sings "Ya l dozhdalas'" the 4 syllables 
are sung on a 1/4 note, 1/16, 1/16, and 1/4.  Therefore only the 1st and 
last syllables of the phrase are emphasized.   Diction is also a 
function of character....  I don't think this helps much. Edwina Cruise

Michael Denner wrote:

>Anyone have a good, practical, and efficient guide to Russian diction for singers? 
>
> 
>
>I'm helping a couple of members of our conservatory. They're singing романсы and art songs. I have seared on my brain Avanesov's Русское литературное произношение from a grueling class with Larry Richter, but I don't know how valid those norms are for contemporary performances of art songs.
>
> 
>
>For instance: Listening to a variety of interpretations of Rakhmaninov's Сумерки, I hear very different pronunciations. One older version (Chanos, Naoumenko), seems to follow Avanesov's directions: doesn't reduce the O except word-initial and Naumenko pronounces the -E- in a participle as /ye/. Восходят he sings /восходят/ and not /васходит/, etc...
>
> 
>
>A newer version  (Atoll, Dodoka) - observes all the norms that I associate with R1 speech, including a /yo/ in the past-passive participle and all the non-word-initial O's and unstressed я --> /и/, etc. 
>
> 
>
>So, if this song were to be performed in Moscow, today, what model of diction would one probably use? (I realize that this question is probably not as simple as it's posed, but I guess I'm looking for popular expectations.)
>
>~mad
>~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
>   Dr. Michael A. Denner
>   Editor, Tolstoy Studies Journal
>   Director, University Honors Program
>
>   
>   Contact Information:
>      Russian Studies Program
>      Stetson University
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>      386.822.7380 (fax)
>
>      google talk michaeladenner
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>
> 
>
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