Sprechstimme ( German letters. Speech voice; "Sprechshtimme"), Sprechgesang ( German letters, speech singing; "Spreechgezang") is a chanting technique for which the rhythmic durations are precisely observed (recorded in notes ), but the line of pitch is not maintained, although the relief of the melody (in case it is notched) - stays at the same height, the ascent and the descent are generally respected.
Sprechstimme's vocal recitation, spread in avant-garde music of the 20th century, was first used by Engelbert Humpertink in his Royal Children melodrama ( German Königskinder , premiere 1897; was reworked into opera, premiere 1910). The Sprechstimme technique was actively introduced in his compositions by Arnold Schoenberg , most consistently in the Lunar Pierrot vocal cycle (1912), as well as in the operas Lucky Hand (op. 1913, premiere 1924) and Moses and Aron (not finished, premiere 1957), in the cantata "The Survivor of Warsaw" (1947). In the preface to Lunar Pierrot, Schoenberg wrote that the melody indicated in the vocal part with a diagonal striking of the calm,
... not intended for singing. The task of the performer is to transform it into a speech melody (Sprechmelodie), in the most careful way referring to the designated height of the sounds. To do this, the performer must:
- To withstand the rhythm is as precise as in singing, that is, with freedom no greater than he can afford to perform an ordinary vocal melody;
- Clearly aware of the difference between the singing sound (Gesangston) and speech sound (Sprechton) - the singing sound firmly holds the pitch, and the speech sound, having barely indicated it, immediately leaves, rising or falling, while the altitudes of the individual tones should be transmitted in general.
The performer must be wary of the manner of pronouncing "chanting." This is absolutely not meant. On the other hand, in no case should we strive for the realism of natural speech. On the contrary, the distinction between regular and musical speech should be distinct. But the latter should never resemble singing.
In addition to Schoenberg, Alban Berg used the Sprechstimme technique in the twentieth century (in the operas "Wozzeck" [premiere 1925] and "Lulu" [not finished, premiere 1937]) [1] , Klaus Huber ("Askez", for flute, Sprechstimme and tape recorder , 1966), Benjamin Britten (in the opera “Death in Venice”, premiere 1973), Wolfgang Rome (in the opera “Jacob Lenz”, premiere 1979), Walter Zimmerman (in the cycle “On the benefits of detachment,” Vom Nutzen des Lassens) , 1984) and other composers.
Since the composer does not precisely define the intonation of the pitch in Sprechgesang (exactly how the voice should “touch” the notched pitch, how quickly it leaves and in what particular direction the notes do not specify in the notes) Sprechstimme’s interpretation of the same vocal part differs. from a friend to a much greater extent than the performing interpretations of "ordinary" vocal music.
Notes
- ↑ In the preface to Wozzeck, Berg uses the word Sprechstimme, not Sprechmelodie (like Schönberg). In the score of the opera everywhere (for example, in the 4th act of Act III) in cases where the author assumes Sprechstimme, the remark gesprochen (spoken) is used.
Literature
- Boulez P. Note sur le Sprechgesang // Boulez P. Relevés d'apprenti. Paris, 1966, p. 206–208.
- Griffiths P. Sprechgesang // The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians . New York; London 2001.
- Jackson R. Performance practice: a dictionary guide for musicians. New York; London 2014, p. 368.