Singer E - Coaching (6/21/07)

Comment: More musical interpretation from a master. Unfortunately, you cannot see what is happening, as Cornelius actually conducted his students while they were singing. Many times he showed them what to do by his gestures. Quote: To help bring the student to the point at which he is able to identify with the expressive movements initiated within the deepest recesses of his being is the ultimate challenge of vocal pedagogy. Emotion, awakened through free organic and muscular movement, guided by intelligence, refined by sensitivity and taste, and directed with imagination and understanding, comprises the essence of an effective interpretation. Free rhythmic articulation binds function, intelligence, emotion and musical material into an entity - and, as Ffrangcon-Davies (1855-1918) put it so succinctly, "The whole muscular system from head to feet will be in the wise man's singing, and the whole man will be in the tone." (A Dictionary of Vocal Terminology)