lore fischer.pdf

8/10/2019 Lore Fischer.PDF

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Lore lisciier

ULLETIN

INTERVIEWS

Lore ischer

TNB:

Frau Fischer, iou have had an enviable career

both as singer and teacher. I-ro,n tour vast storehouse

of

performance experiences iou must have a large reservoir

of know/edge to impart to the mature student. Y et, not

aiwa is, even with the mature student, have all vocal

problems been resolved. Do

iOU then return once again to

the basics

of

technique with such a singer? How does the

wise teacher proceed in such cases?

LF: After I have made a thorough examination of a voice

new to me, including range extension and the varying

kinds of literature - literature which includes intensive

consideration of legato line in singing, the coloratura

factor, the rapid change of forte and piano, as well as the

demonstration of a command of the events of consonant

and vowel - I acquire an approximate picture of the

possible vocal problems that the young artist is encoun-

tering

Next, I question the singer as to the degree to which he

or she is aware of the shortcomings my ear identifies, and

then I try to point out the best way to overcome those

shortcomings

TNB:

When a toung singer comes to you with a fine

instrument, but with little vocal technique and with a

limited performance background, where ,night ou most

probabl begin with technical work?

LF: Whatever the case, I begin by establishing the basics

of a dependable vocal technique. First of all, this consists

of consciously establishing a proper working of correct

breathing, with resultant efficient breath support.

Essential to this technique is a clear understanding of

what is meant by complete relaxation and expansion.

Then, from the proper understanding of these functions

may grow the feeling for one s individual perception of

resonance capacity; such individual concept is essential

for the beauty of the voice and for effortless mastery.

If the young singer has little or no performance

experience, and consequently lacks a positive feeling for

vocal style, I would introduce him or her to easy and

practical examples from differing periods of the vocal

repertoire.

Moreover, a young singer should make use of every

opportunity to hear examples of good performance in

concert and opera, further educating him or her through

the rich treasury of recorded performances from

authoritative interpreters available to us today.

TNB:

As

ou so well know, there exist a number of

viewpoints regarding the best wat to manage breath for

singing (breath support). Please allow me to ask several

rather

specific questions regarding the process of

breathing fr singing: 1) in what position should the chest

be found immediate/i prior to inhalation. 2) exact/)

where in the torso is expansion flt in inhalation, 3) how

long should that initial position he maintained, and 4)

what is the position of the rib cage at the beginning of

inhalation and at the close of a relative/i long phrase?

IF: I assume that by

chest

and by

rib ( age you

mean one

and the same thing. I will base my answers to your

questions on this supposition. 1 answer in four parts:

I) With inhalation - which should be practiced by

slow breathing exercises - approximately three-to-four

seconds should be involved, during which the breath is

taken slowl

y

through partly-closed lips with the ribs and

sternum raised; accordingly. the diaphragm descends,

and simultaneously the intercostal muscles stretch

outward; thereby the chest cavity is considerably

enlarged. Consequently, the diaphragm must extend

itself, together with the increased expansion of the rib

cage, against the stomach wall. This is the position it

achieves immediately following the act of inhalation.

2)

Expansion resulting from this inhalation will he felt

throughout the entire torso. At the same time, particular

attention must be taken to ensure that the breath be kept

low and that it not be pushed into the upper areas of the

lung

3)

After the singer has become sensually aware of this

position, and has trained the intercostal muscles

stretched long and wide) to stay in this position, he or she

may remain in this near-inspiratory position for a very

long time. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that the

student not initially inhale too much breath, in which case

the breathing muscles will be tense, and exhalation may

then not proceed either slowly or evenly.

4)

Ideally, the position of the rib cage experienced at

the moment of inhalation should be maintained through-

out the long phrase. A natural, relaxed (but upright)

posture gives the student the correct feeling for breath

apportionment, in a relatively brief period of time.

TNB:

Do males and femnales breathe in the same manner

for singing?

LF: The basic principles of the singer s breath, as already

discussed in the preceding questions, are identical for

male and female. Nevertheless, low breathing in a man

may be developed more in the direction of the abdominal

cavity, whereas the female anatom

y

requires more

emphasis on the intercostal and sternal regions. In any

case, one often sees less dangerously high breathing in

men than in women.

TNB:

How do

y

ou assist the student in acquiring agility

in singing? Are there specific vocalises that ou use?

Could You indicate some of them for us?

10

N

FEB 982


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LF: With every voice

which presents itself to me I deal

with exercises for both relaxation and muscular activity.

Above all, the elasticity of the diaphragm is required for

agility. For the development of the essential flexibility of

the diaphragm. I require that the student inhale properly,

that he or she hold the breath, and then exhale with a

slight

outward

push on the repeated sound [php]. It is

very important that one train the abdominal-

diaphragmatic muscles to move

outward during this

vocalise.

After the action of this movement is correctly

established. I give the student rapid descending mordent

exercises (Figure I), with the first tone articulated by a

light impulse from an elastic, supple diaphragm. This

action is followed by a double-mordent (Figure 2), and

then by short, rapid triplet exercises on "da" or

whereby the pronunciation of the consonant, with the tip

of the tongue exactly located behind and in contact with

the top teeth, is exactly coordinated with a light flexible

out wardpush

of the diaphragmatic w all (Figures 3 a nd 4).

-

I I

F? r

J 77g j

;

pr_l Jd.yJy:III

l

Another group of ascending exercises then follows.

executed within the range of only a 5th, in small sequenc es

of 4, then 5, and finally, 6 and 7 notes (Figures 5. 6, 7 and

8). All of these exercises must be done very rhythmically

and alwa

y s in connection with a feeling of relaxation in

the areas of head and shoulders and with flexible strength

in the breathing apparatus.

-

( Music copied b

William D. Lever/c)

TNB

/ have heard recordings 0/jour

O W f l singing, and I

am aliiars struck hr

i our marvelous legato line and hr

the constan tlr vibrant tone displa red, two aspects of

singing whichI must confess I do not alwa

s hear from

some of

our German colleagues. Two questions follow

from this observation: I) do

ou agree that legato and

vibrant tone as musical and vocal ideals are often lacking

among a number o

German-trained singers? and 2) how

do

ou go about teaching the student to sing a vibrant,

legato line?

IT: Perhaps the fact that even as a child I knew

instinctively that I would become a singer could help

explain what you so kindly say about my own singing.

Very early I began to play the violin, and I searched there

for the tonal ideal of compactness and richness

(I)ichiig-

keit des Manges), legato.

and natural vitality (natrli-

chen Lehen), v ibrato,

that I believe quite naturally

carried over into my own singing

With regard to your two questions. I must reply that

unfortunately it is often the case in the training of German

singers that too little attention is paid to the natural

Ideal

Tone (Idealk/ang),

the natural quality of each singing

voice. Therefore, my work is often concerned to a large

extent with detecting stiffness and tightness in the singing

muscles, and disclosing the manifold and most delicate

interpla

y

of those two important poles in singing: proper

tensions, and relaxations. While making the student

conscious of the necessity of this dynamic interplay of

tension and relaxation. I work together with him or her to

bring to life the singer's individual

Ideal Tone.

As a purely technical device for achieving this balance,

I have m

y

students sing low scales in a concentrated,

vibrant legato, followed by slow triads in the same way (I

may also suggest a Lied

by Schubert ), and finally, very

slow octaves in ascending chromatic patterns.

TNB

In relation to the previous question, when one

sings Bach or other late Baroque vocal literatures, should

one re/i heavil

on straight tone as some people current/i

believe? In jour viewpoint is this vocal/i a sound device

and is it st

listi ll

correct:)

l.l :

It is correct that with Bach and other composers of

the late Baroque Period, one can make use of a calmer,

more instrumentally-conceived vocal color, but by no

means can a "dead" vocal color do justice to this glorious

music. I would never build a voice upon this vocal

coloration - upon an absolutely straight tone and.

indeed. I hold such a practice to be stylistically incorrect

as well.

Of course, we all know that in Bach's time, the solo

voca l parts were sung by bo

y

s voices. But does not a boy s

voice also have a natural life and vitality of its own'? I.

myself, have sung an infinite amount of Bach. I was for

many years a major soloist at the most important

performances in the

J homaskirche,

Leipzig, and at all the

great Bach Festivals, but it never occurred to me to

consciousl y

alter m

y

vocal sound while singing Bach

Naturally, extremely big, unfocussed voices, and

bombastic operatic tones, are inappropriate to the

realization of either the clear, instrumental lines of Bach's

music or to the absolute equality of each of his ingenious

parts, be that part given over to the human voice, the

oboe, the flute, the violin, the cello, or whatever. Ifwc are

successful in educating the young singer to listen to the

totality of the musical texture, so that the singer

understands that his or her own vocal instrument is but

Continued)

IAN l

FH 1992


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Riverside

Travel

Invites You To.

00

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_J 5

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Effective Date

L

TH E R ING 1982

Seattle and the

Wagner Festival

German Cycle:

July 23 30

English Cycle:

July 31 August 7

Includes opera tickets,

tour of Mt.

Ranier, cruise to Victoria, B.C.,

and much more

LONDON 82

Fine Arts Tour

May 22 June 6

( )aI

be a foregone conclusion but it has not always been so.

Even in the last rounds of contests in which the highest

demands are made upon those who reach that level

singers are sometimes so masterful that the first and

second prizes have been shared respectively because

several contestants meet the same high performance

standards. This has been increasingly true in the last five

years. in this I see something of an improving tendency in

the level of such competitions and I would here like to

congratulate the up-and-coming generation of singers. I

would also like to dedicate to them all my effort and love

and hope that they will never tire in the pursuit and

aspiration toward the highest goal in the art of singing.

TNB: Mani' thanks to

y

ou, Frau Fischer, fr your

willingness to share

y our vii eit poitits on singing w ith us. it

has ahi'ai's been exciting to watch Y ou teach and to hear

the positive results of tour teaching in the performances

y

our students. Best wishes for continued success

[The Editor wishes to acknowledge the assistance of'

Mr. Carl Davis. Stuttgart, in the translation of this

interview.]

Frau Kammersngerin lore Fischer

has been a prom inent f igure in

the

European concert nor d /or several ( lei ac/i 's. She has performed w ith

toot of

u

nie'rnwiunal l i ' -acclaimed conductors and orchestras

of

h e r

generation. as

wel l as a t m a/or music fest iva ls . She has in troduced a

large repertory f contemporar

y

vocal l iterature, much u/it writ ten fur

her b y

noted composers. Frau Fischer was Jr a number

of'

y e a r s

P r

ofe ssor

a the /loi 'hstj ale fur .tusik, Sw ttgart, and current/v teaches

pr ivateh and at the Internationale Som nierakademnie, ' Mo:ar teum,"

Sal:/mrg. She

i

/rcquenf member

o

adjudication panels at

international

vua comnp etition.s on several continents, and often gives

020.5/er Iass,'s

tit

Europe and the U. S.

P L E A S E S E N D C H A N G E O F A D D R E S S N O T IC E 6 0 D A Y S I N A D V A N C E

Opera at Covent

Garden,

South

bank

Concerts,

Westend Theatre,

Museum &

Cathedral Lectures,

Overnight

to Bath &

Strat

ford

just some

of

the highlights

18 DAY

CHINA TOUR

October

1982

Chinese cultural performances,

Gardens & archeological

d i g s

For Free Brochures

Contact Your Fine Arts

Travel gency

RIVERSIDE TRAVEL

P.O. Box 675

Waukesha, WI 53187-0675

414 542 1333 Telex

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(outside

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1-800-558-2027

E N G L I S H S O N G C O L L E C T I O N S

The Recording:

n g l i s h S o n g R e c i ta l

Ian Partridge sings - and Jennifer

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M

um 1)v1 ui,'imni'nf

OXFORI) UNIVERSITY PRESS, INC.

t o o

MADISON AVIN%JI. NEW YORK, NY l?Ql

JAN FEB 1982

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