Tag Archives: Lilli Lehmann

Buying a voice

Over the last six months, I have observed a number of young singers learning from two singing teachers at once. Often, without the singing teachers agreeing to this or, even worse, being told! This trend is understandable if the teachers complement each other and work together. For example, one teacher is a classical teacher andContinue reading “Buying a voice”

Philosophy

In February 2020, while preparing for a lockdown in South Africa, I began a three-year project affectionally named the ‘Lilli Lehmann Project’. This project was inspired by the great German Soprano, Lilli Lehmann. Lehmann wrote several books including a book translated into English as ‘How to Sing’. It was a chance appearance of her bookContinue reading “Philosophy”

Sticking your neck out (literally)

The attitude of the pupil, in singing, should be as natural and easy as possible. Mathilde Marchesi, Bel Canto: A theoretical & practical vocal method. Dover Publications, Inc., New York. The image above says it all. Here are two audio examples to demonstrate the importance of the neck position for singing. Example one demonstrates aContinue reading “Sticking your neck out (literally)”

The Lilli Lehmann Project* – Light Coloratura

In a previous post, I demonstrated three voice characters: light coloratura quality, lyric quality and dramatic quality by referring to the lessons in Lucie Manen’s book ‘The Art of Singing’. Manen describes how to achieve the voice characters. She also wrote that Lilli Lehmann performed all three roles in The Tales of Hoffmann. In otherContinue reading “The Lilli Lehmann Project* – Light Coloratura”

Nasal Close

Lilli Lehmann writes “[t]he nasal close of itself brings a new color into the singing…the word is much more clearly intelligible…”. Below is a demonstration of a Cancone solfeggio phrase. The first ‘sol la’ is sung without a nasal close and the second is with a nasal close. Can you hear the second ‘sol la’Continue reading “Nasal Close”

Voice Characters

In previous blogs, I have demonstrated starting the note from the larynx mechanism, the pharynx, the nasal and the imposto. Here is a chance to put these ideas together to create three different voice characters. To achieve this, I have followed Lucie Manen’s book ‘The Art of Singing’ and recalled the teachings of the lateContinue reading “Voice Characters”

Nasal

Lilli Lehmann laments that nasal resonance is often neglected. Today I made a sound file of ‘ng’. I practice ‘ng’ throughout my vocal range. If I concentrate on my happy surprise breath, onset and support then I feel what Lilli Lehmann calls ‘whirling currents’. Here are a pair of ‘i’ vowels without nasality and aContinue reading “Nasal”

Oskar Guttmann’s Breathing Exercises

Concerning the breath and much more besides, there is so much that is excellent in Oscar Guttmann’s ‘Gymnastik der Stimme’ that I can do no better than to refer to it and recommend it strongly to the attention of all earnest students. Lilli Lehmann, How to Sing, 1899/English Version 1914. Lilli Lehmann approved of OskarContinue reading “Oskar Guttmann’s Breathing Exercises”