Vocalisation.
A good vocal melody should contain notes of at least three different values, minims, crotchets and quavers (or crotchets, quavers and semiquavers etc.). Monotony in rhythmic construction is unsuited to vocal melody; it is applicable to instrumental music, but only in certain cases. Cantabile melody requires a fair number of long notes, and a change of syllable in a word should occur at a moment when the voice quits a long sustained note. Short, single notes, changing with every syllable produce a harmonious effect. Owing to the requirements of diction, extended melodic figures sung legato on one syllable must be used with care on the part of the composer; to perform these the singer must possess greater command over flexibility and technique. The possibility of taking breath in the right place is one of the conditions essential to all vocal writing. Breath cannot be taken in the middle of a word, sometimes not even during the course of a sentence or phrase in the text; hence the voice part must be suitably interspersed with rests.
Table F. Voices.
Chorus:
Soloists:
Note. It must be remembered that there are some words upon which the voice may not dwell, or sing more than one or two notes. These words may be nouns, pronouns, numerals, prepositions, conjunctions and other parts of speech. It would be impossible and ridiculous, for instance, to write a sustained note on such words as "who", "he" etc. The voice may dwell on certain words which, so to speak, possess some poetical colour.[18]
Examples:
[No. 303.] Sadko 236—Sadko's Aria (Tenor).
" 309-311 (see extract, [Ex. 81]). Volkhova's Cradle Song (Soprano).
Snegourotchka 9—Fairy Spring's Aria (Mezzo-sopr.).
" 187-188, 212-213 (see extracts, [Ex. 102] and [225])—the two
Cavatinas of Tsar Berendey (Tenor).
" 247—Miskir's Aria (Baritone).