Robert Toft – författare

This book establishes the principles of interpretation that singers active in England (both foreign and English) applied to recitatives, arias, and songs, by composers such as Handel, Mozart, and Rossini. Expression lay at the heart of persuasive singing during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries and Robert Toft here ably places the concept and its practices in a broad cultural perspective. Singing was related closely to speaking in this period: when the techniques of delivery that were common to both arts (emphasis, accent, tone of voice, pauses, breathing, and gesture) are combined with resources peculiar to singing (portamento, messa di voce, tempo, rubato, vibrato, and ornamentation), the style which emerges differs markedly from that of the late twentieth century. Most singers today perform the repertoire of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, but until now no book has addressed the principles which governed song performance in this period or shown how historical understandings may be used to move and delight modern audiences.

Musicians in the 16th century had a vastly different understanding of the structure and performance of music than today's performers. In order to transform inexpressively notated music into passionate declamation, Renaissance singers treated scores freely, and it was expected that each would personalize the music through various modifications, which included ornamentation. Their role was one of musical re-creation rather than of simple interpretation--the score represented a blueprint, not a master plan, upon which they as performer built the music. As is now commonly recognized, this flexible approach to scores changed over the centuries; the notation on the page itself became an ostensible musical Urtext and performers began following it much more closely, their sole purpose being to reproduce what was thought to be the composer's intentions. Yet in recent years, scholars and performers are once again freeing themselves from the written page--but the tools for doing so have long been out of reach.With Passionate Voice gives these tools to modern singers of Renaissance music, enabling them to learn and master the art of "re-creative singing." Providing a much-needed historically-informed perspective, author Robert Toft discusses the music of composers ranging from Marchetto Cara to John Dowland in the context of late Renaissance rhetoric, modal theory (and its antecedents in language), and performance traditions. Focusing on period practice in England and Italy, the two countries which produced the music of greatest interest to today's performers, Toft reconstructs the style of sung delivery through contemporary treatises on music, rhetoric and oratory. Toft remains faithful to the ways these principles were explained in the period, and thus breathes new life into this vital art form. With Passionate Voice is sure to be essential for vocalists, teachers and coaches of early music repertoire.

Musicians in the 16th century had a vastly different understanding of the structure and performance of music than today's performers. In order to transform inexpressively notated music into passionate declamation, Renaissance singers treated scores freely, and it was expected that each would personalize the music through various modifications, which included ornamentation. Their role was one of musical re-creation rather than of simple interpretation--the score represented a blueprint, not a master plan, upon which they as performer built the music. As is now commonly recognized, this flexible approach to scores changed over the centuries; the notation on the page itself became an ostensible musical Urtext and performers began following it much more closely, their sole purpose being to reproduce what was thought to be the composer's intentions. Yet in recent years, scholars and performers are once again freeing themselves from the written page--but the tools for doing so have long been out of reach.With Passionate Voice gives these tools to modern singers of Renaissance music, enabling them to learn and master the art of "re-creative singing." Providing a much-needed historically-informed perspective, author Robert Toft discusses the music of composers ranging from Marchetto Cara to John Dowland in the context of late Renaissance rhetoric, modal theory (and its antecedents in language), and performance traditions. Focusing on period practice in England and Italy, the two countries which produced the music of greatest interest to today's performers, Toft reconstructs the style of sung delivery through contemporary treatises on music, rhetoric and oratory. Toft remains faithful to the ways these principles were explained in the period, and thus breathes new life into this vital art form. With Passionate Voice is sure to be essential for vocalists, teachers and coaches of early music repertoire.

The art of bel canto, or 'beautiful singing,' is perhaps the most referenced and yet the most enigmatic and elusive style in the repertoire of the classically trained singer. During the bel canto era of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, composers routinely left the final shaping of recitatives, arias, and songs to performers. Vocalists in turn treated scores as a starting point for interpretation and personalized the music as their own, rather than merely giving voice to the score as written, transforming otherwise inexpressively notated music into passionate declamation. In other words, singers saw their role more as one of re-creation than of simple interpretation. Familiarity with the range of strategies prominent vocalists of the past employed to unlock the eloquent expression hidden in scores enables modern singers to take a similar re-creative approach to enhancing the texts before them. In this first ever guide to the bel canto style, author Robert Toft provides singers with the tools they need to bring scores to life in an historically informed manner. Replete with illustrations based on excerpts from Italianate recitatives and arias by composers ranging from Handel to Mozart, each chapter offers a theoretical discussion of one fundamental aspect of bel canto, followed by a practical application of the principals involved. Drawing on a wealth of documents surviving the era, including treatises, scores, newspaper reviews, and letters, this book reflects the breadth of practices utilized by singers of the bel canto era, affording modern day vocalists the opportunity to not only how singers altered and embellished the texts before them, but also to develop their own personal style of doing so. Complete with six complete aria scores for performers to personalize through bel canto techniques, and a companion website offering demonstrations of the principles explained, Bel Canto is an essential resource to any singer or vocal instructor looking to explore and master this repertoire.

The art of bel canto, or 'beautiful singing,' is perhaps the most referenced and yet the most enigmatic and elusive style in the repertoire of the classically trained singer. During the bel canto era of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, composers routinely left the final shaping of recitatives, arias, and songs to performers. Vocalists in turn treated scores as a starting point for interpretation and personalized the music as their own, rather than merely giving voice to the score as written, transforming otherwise inexpressively notated music into passionate declamation. In other words, singers saw their role more as one of re-creation than of simple interpretation. Familiarity with the range of strategies prominent vocalists of the past employed to unlock the eloquent expression hidden in scores enables modern singers to take a similar re-creative approach to enhancing the texts before them. In this first ever guide to the bel canto style, author Robert Toft provides singers with the tools they need to bring scores to life in an historically informed manner. Replete with illustrations based on excerpts from Italianate recitatives and arias by composers ranging from Handel to Mozart, each chapter offers a theoretical discussion of one fundamental aspect of bel canto, followed by a practical application of the principals involved. Drawing on a wealth of documents surviving the era, including treatises, scores, newspaper reviews, and letters, this book reflects the breadth of practices utilized by singers of the bel canto era, affording modern day vocalists the opportunity to not only how singers altered and embellished the texts before them, but also to develop their own personal style of doing so. Complete with six complete aria scores for performers to personalize through bel canto techniques, and a companion website offering demonstrations of the principles explained, Bel Canto is an essential resource to any singer or vocal instructor looking to explore and master this repertoire.

Recording Classical Music presents the fundamental principles of digitally recording and editing acoustic music in ambient spaces, focusing on stereo microphone techniques that will help musicians understand how to translate "live" environments into recorded sound.The book covers theory and the technical aspects of recording from sound source to delivery: the nature of soundwaves and their behavior in rooms, microphone types and the techniques of recording in stereo, proximity and phase, file types, tracking and critical listening, loudness, meters, and the post-production processes of EQ, control of dynamic range (compressors, limiters, dynamic EQ, de-essers), and reverberation (both digital reflection simulation and convolution), with some discussion of commercially available digital plugins. The final part of the book applies this knowledge to common recording situations, showcasing not only strategies for recording soloists and small ensembles, along with case studies of several recordings, but also studio techniques that can enhance or replace the capture of performances in ambient spaces, such as close miking and the addition of artificial reverberation.Recording Classical Music provides the tools necessary for anyone interested in classical music production to track, mix, and deliver audio recordings themselves or to supervise the work of others.

Recording Classical Music presents the fundamental principles of digitally recording and editing acoustic music in ambient spaces, focusing on stereo microphone techniques that will help musicians understand how to translate "live" environments into recorded sound.The book covers theory and the technical aspects of recording from sound source to delivery: the nature of soundwaves and their behavior in rooms, microphone types and the techniques of recording in stereo, proximity and phase, file types, tracking and critical listening, loudness, meters, and the post-production processes of EQ, control of dynamic range (compressors, limiters, dynamic EQ, de-essers), and reverberation (both digital reflection simulation and convolution), with some discussion of commercially available digital plugins. The final part of the book applies this knowledge to common recording situations, showcasing not only strategies for recording soloists and small ensembles, along with case studies of several recordings, but also studio techniques that can enhance or replace the capture of performances in ambient spaces, such as close miking and the addition of artificial reverberation.Recording Classical Music provides the tools necessary for anyone interested in classical music production to track, mix, and deliver audio recordings themselves or to supervise the work of others.

This is a concise and insightful piece of popular music scholarship, analyzing the creative processes behind some very familiar hit singles from the 1960s. "Hits and Misses" examines a selection of songs and recordings through the lens of textual criticism and delineates the creative process as it unfolds from the initial conception of a song to the final mix presented on disc. The book takes as its subject top 40 singles released between 1963 and 1971 in the USA, Britain, and Canada, and considers the songs themselves and their transformation in the studio. Robert Toft studies the methods by which recordists (songwriters, arrangers, band members, producers, and engineers) impart their ideas to audiences. The first part of the book concentrates on songs and examines lyrics and the strategies songwriters employ to develop a story, as well as the music that enhances the telling of those stories. The second part of the book investigates the sonic surface of recordings and considers how recordists fashion musical material into effective musical discourse. "Hits and Misses" will be an invaluable text for all those who are studying the sound, craft, and context of pop music.