Category Archives: Uncategorized

Here is a fantastic exercise to develop your breath control. Lilli Lehmann approved of Oskar Guttmann’s book ‘Gymnastics for the Voice’. This exercise is taken from his book. Stand in Oskar Guttmann’s base position (I blogged about this in an earlier post). Breathe in through the nose, suspend for 5 seconds and then exhale throughContinue reading “Breathing with Interruption”

Esther Salaman’s book ‘Unlocking Your Voice – Freedom to Sing’ describes the start of the note as a ‘caress of the glottis’, a ‘tiny click’ and ‘imploding’. Here are some sound files I made on a, i and u using the mechanism of the larynx. Salaman’s exercise for beginners is to take a ‘happy surprise’Continue reading “The Start of the Note”

Lilli Lehmann’s book ‘How to Sing’ describes the sensations of ‘whirling currents’. She writes “[a] mistaken idea of ‘singing it forward’ misleads most to press it forward and thus allow it to be speedily dissipated”. Here is a demo of one of the many ways to train yourself to find and maintain these whirling currentsContinue reading “Whirling Currents”

Here is a demo of singing ‘vi’ and swelling on every note. It is a great exercise to sing when learning the notes of a new song. Today, I am concentrating on remaining connected to my support and not scooping up to notes.

Giambattista Mancini, in his singing manual, “Practical Reflections on the Figurative Art of Singing” 1777 wrote: “Singers must always pay attention not to acquire that common fault of imitating too closely what they see and hear; for instead of improving their natural gifts, they will often lose them. However, I do not mean to excludeContinue reading “Sane Judgment”

Today, I have great joy in sharing with you one of my Spotify Playlists called ‘Coloratura Arias for Soprano’. The Playlist is based on the G. Shirmer Opera Anthology called by the same name. I am a big fan of the Schirmer anthologies. I appreciate having so many arias in one book, as well asContinue reading “Coloratura Arias For Soprano”

The Happy Surprise breath is described by Lucie Manen in her book ‘The Art of Singing’. It was used by Lilli Lehmann. The breath is inaudible and sets you up beautifully for a clean onset.

Below is a link to Lilli Lehmann’s recordings and an audio book of her book ‘How to Sing’ on Spotify. Lilli Lehmann recorded when she was about fifty eight years old. I welcome you to listen to her singing and reflect on the wisdom of her teachings.

…the standard of singing is lower than it was, both upon the operatic stage and in the concert room. The voices of contemporary singers do not compare for beauty with those of the past; nor does their technical training, save in the rarest instances, nearly approach the same height of perfection. Herman Klein, Essays onContinue reading “The standard of today’s singing”