Table Of ContentI
in(Fronoh
qfrENCH
A MANAAL OF DIOTIOIV
qfrENICH
AIVD VOCAL frEPERTOIfrE
Thomfi,s firubb
WITH A FOREWORD BY PIERRE BERNAC
SCHIRMER BOOKS
A Division of Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc.
NE\¡/ YORK
Collier Macmillan Publishers
LONDON
rll
Contcnts
List of Musical Examples xi
Foreword by Pierre Bernac xiii
Preface xv
An Introduction to Singing in French
Diction, the Missing Link I
zz
The French heu and the English 3
The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)
French: A Legato Language 5
Consonant-Vowel Flow 7
h
Hiatus, Mute and Aspirate 9
Syllabic Division 12
Stress and Word Rhythm 16
Scores, Editions, Printing Procedures, and Errors 18
2 Singing the Sounds of the French Language 21
The Fifteen Vowel-sounds in French 2l
Ways of Classifying Vowels 22
Some Guiding Rules for the Formation of Vowels 24
The Tip of the Tongue 24
The Sides and the Middle of the Tongue 25
The Rounding of the Lips 25
The Jaw 25
vii
vlll Contents
Glottal Attacks 26
Vowel Modification 26
Phoneticization, Formation, and Singing of the Vowel-sounds 27
The Tongue Vowels 27
til
27
[e]
28
[e]
30
[a]
31
Exercises 32
The Lip Vowels 33
[q]
33
[c]
34
[o]
35
[u]
37
Exercises 37
The Mixed Vowels 38
lvl
39
lsl
40
[a]
42
The [a] and [a]. or Schrta +j
Pronunciation and Slllab,ificatiern ol Final -('. 'e.\. -ent 16
Singing Final. Unstressed -¿'. -(.\ . -¿'ri1. [e] or [a]? 48
Vocalization of the Hiatus in Final [ice]. [ea], [ya] 53
Exercises 53
The Nasal Vowels 54
tól
56
tól
s8
tél
58
tcl
5e
Exercises 60
Phoneticization, Formation, and Singing of the Semiconsonants
61
Semiconsonant [q] 62
Yod Lil 64
Semiconsonant [w] 65
Erercises 66
Phoneticization, Formation, and Singing of the Consonants 67
The Explosives [b] tdl tcl tpl [t] tkl 70
The Fricatives [v] [z] Bl tfl tsl Ul 73
The Nasals [m] [mm] [n] [nn] 75
The Lateral [] [Il] 77
Flipped [r]. Rolled [rr], Uvular [R] 77
E ',erci.re¡ 19
IX Contents
Liaison 8I
Forbidden Liaisons 82
Optional Liaisons 85
Compulsory Liaisons 88
Phonetic Changes Due to Liaison 90
Special Words and Liaison 92
Exercises 95
How to Phoneticize and Prepare the Text of a Song or
Aria 97
The Phoneticization and Intoning Procedures 97
The Interpretation of a French Song or Aria Text 99
Aria
Selection of the Song or 99
Fluent Recitation of the Translation 100
Fluent Recitation of the Originql f,ext in French 101
Text
Research on the 101
Interpretation while Singing 102
"French Style" 104
The Application of Diction Techniques to Other
Aspects of Singing 105
Recitative 105
Diction in Coloratura Passages 134
Vocal Staccato 137
Vocalic Harmonization 138
A Catalogue of French Vocal Repertoire 141
Key
Abbreviation 1,41
Songs 143
Arias
164
Coloratura Soprano 165
Lyric Coloratura 167
Lyric Soprano 169
Soprano (Dramatic or "Spinto") 172
Lyric Mezzo-soprano 175
Mezzo-soprano 177
Light Lyric Tenor 180
Tenor L82
Baritone I85
Bass-baritone, Bass 188
I
Contents
Appendix
191
Index of Vowel-letters, Single and in Combination l9l
Index of Consonant-letters, Single and in Combination 204
Pronunciation of Proper Nouns Occurring in the Repertoire 214
Bibliography 217
Key
Answer 219
Recording Illustrations (F1ex-Record) 222
Musicnl Erunples
Musical Example I "Chanson triste," H. Duparc-J. Lahor 6
Musical Example 2 "Les Berceaux," G. Fauré-Sully- t7
Prodhomme
Musical Example 3 "Connais-tu le p&ys," Mignon, A. t7
Thomas
Musical Example 4 "Fleurs," Fianqailles pour rire, F. 43
Poulenc-L. de Vilmorin
Musical Example 5 Carmen (Act IIf , G. Bizet 43
Musical Example 6 "Lé Secret," G. Fauré-A. Silvestre 48
Musical Example 7 "Le Secret," G. Fauré-A. Silvestre 48
Musical Example 8 Carmen (Act IID, G. Bizet 49
Musical Example 9 "Il pleure dans mon coeur," Ariettes 49
oubliées, C. Debussy-P. Verlaine
Musical Example l0 "Ici-bas," G. Fauré-Sully- 50
Prodhomme
Musical Example 11 "Le Dromadaiae," Le Bestiaire, F. 50
Poulenc-G. Apollinaire
Musical Example 12 Manon (Act II!, J. Massenet 50
Musical Example 13 Carmen (Act II), G. Bizet 50
Musical Example 14 Faust (Act I), C. Gounod 51
Musical Example 15 Lia's recitative and aria, L'Enfant 51
prodigue, C. Debussy
Musical Example 16 "Asie," Shéhérazade, M. Ravel- 5l
T. Klingsor
xi
xii
Musical ExamPles
Musicat Example 17 "Le Paon," Histoires naturelles, 52
M. Ravel-J. Renard
Musical Example 18 Louise (Act II), G. Charpentier 52
Musical Example 19 "De Réve,o' Proses lyriques, 53
C. Debussy
Musical Example 20 Carmen (Act II), G. Bizet 82
Musical Example 21 Roméo et Juliette (Act I), C' Gounod 83
Musical Example 22 "Phidylé," H. Duparc-Leconte de Lisle 98
Musical Example 23 Thésée (Prologue; 1675), J.-B' Lully t07
Musical Example 24 Thésée (Frologue; 1675), J.-B' Lully 108
Musical Example 25 "Tristes appréts," Castor et Pollux 109
(1737), J.-P. Rameau
Musical Example 26 "Tristes appréts," Castor et Pollux r09
(1737), J.-P. Rameau
Musical Example2T Orphée et Euridice (Actlll;1774), 110
C. W. R. von Gluck
Musical Example 28 "Absence." \Ltir: d étá (1840), tt2
H. Berlioz-T. Gautier
Musical Example 29 "Absence.' -\'¿ri¡-i ¿l t'¡á (1840), 113
H. Berlioz-T. Gautier
Musical Example 30 "-{bsence. -\'zri¡-r ./ .'¡,' fl840), tt4
H. Berlioz-T. Gautier
Musical Example 31 Fa¿¿s¡ (Act I: 18:9 r. C. Gr¡unt¡d 116
Musical Example 32 Carmen (Act III: 18--1 --+r. G Bizet t2t
Musical Example 33 Manon (Act V: 18831. J. \lassenet 123
Musical Example 34 "La Chevelure." Cl¡a¡lsttns tl¿ Bilítis 127
(1897), C. Debussy-P. LouYs
Musical Example 35 Pelléas et Mélisctnde (Act 1: 1891- 128
1903), C. Debussy
Musical Example 36 Arianna (1608), C. Monteverdi 130
Musical Example 37 Dialogues des Carméliles (Act II: 19-s7l' t32
F. Poulenc
Musical Example 38 Scylla et Glaucus (1746), 135
J.-M. Leclair, I'ainé
Musical Example 39 Les Pécheurs de Perles (Act I: 1862- 136
63), G. Bizet
Musical Example 40 "Green," Ariettes oubliées (1888), 138
C. Debussy-P. Verlaine
Musical Example 41 "Lydia" (c. 1865), G. Fauré-Leconte de 139
Lisle
L
Forcutord
bU Piorrc Bornoc
In vocal music, the sonority and the rhythm of the words are an integral
part of the music itself. They inspired it no less, and at times even more,
than the idea they express. A literary text has its own and proper music.
If the singer ought to make an effort to sing each work of music in its orig-
inal language, the reason is that the music of the poem is as important as
the music set lo the poem. The music of the words and the music itself are
one and the same; they should not be disassociated.
The artist who attempts to sing all his repertoire in the original language
realizes that a careful study is required to enable him to render justice to
the literary texts as well as to the music. Not only has he to make himself
understood to those who know the foreigrr language, without any faults
in his pronunciation and especially without spoiling it with the typical ac-
cent of his own language, but also, and this is very important, he has to
acquire the same quality of sound, of voice production, that he has in his
own language, or in the languages most favorable to his voice.
My long experience as a performer and as a teacher makes me believe
firmly that one does not have to speak a foreign language fluently in order
to sing it not only correctly but also expressively. But if it is by overcoming
technical problems that the singer succeeds in performing the musical
line, it is also by overcoming technical problems that he will succeed in
performing the literary text in a language that is foreign to him.
The French vocal repertoire contains some of the most genuine master-
pieces ever written in music. But English-speaking singers are sometimes
reluctant to attempt their interpretation because of ideas they may have
xiii
xtY Foreword
I
about the difficulties of singing the French language. Again, can take
advantage of my long experience in teaching it to English and American
singers to assure them that they can sing in French as well and as com-
fortably as in any other language, if they are taught the proper basis'
This is why I am proud and happy to present this book, which to my
knowledge has no equivalent. It is remarkably conceived and cleverly
realized. Its author is not only an excellent linguist, but first of all an ex-
cellent musician as well. He has a thorough knowledge of his subject and
great experience in applying this knowledge.
Singing in French is the perfect basis for anyone who has to teach this
repertoire and a most precious book ofreference for any singer who has
to interpret it. In my opinion this is an invaluable contribution to the study
of French vocal literature.
Pierre Bernac
Paris, France
F
Prcfoco
This book, written and revised five times over the past nine years, was
a product of sheer necessity for my coaching both at the conservatory and
at home. Following the French dictum On n'est jamais si bien servi que
par soi-méme, "He who helps himself is best helped," this manual of
French singing diction and vocal repertoire was compiled to be used both
as a text for the classroom and as a source ofreference in the private studio.
It was my class schedule at the Manhattan School of Music that initially
determined the outline and scope of this manual: two weekly classes, one
hour apiece, for two semesters, with no more than ñfteen students per
class. This is ideal, I admit, and happily, the Manhattan School realized
the importance and intricacy of such a course. I dedicate the first semester
to amastery of all the sounds and of the legato (through chapter 2). The
second term is then spent in the application of the skills learned in the
first to the singing and performing of the French vocal repertoire. Not all
of my colleagues, I know, have been so fortunate-budget problems,
outdated "priorities" (who said singers need theory and music history
more than diction?), administrative or departmental confusion. Nor will
the situation be rectified overnight. But this manual can be easily adapted
to a course of almost any length if the instructor is willing to organize it
effectively and efficiently. In only one class hour per week in a fifteen-
week semester, the most and best that can be accomplished is a mastery
of the sounds, of the legato, and their application to one or two songs.
Work in depth is always better than skimming, when a skill is involved;
the singer can later transfer what has been thoroughly learned to other
materials. Above all, a course in diction for singers müst not be "aca-
XY
