Did you watch my vibrato video? I also just posted a short clip of my young baritone student demonstrating his vibrato with the Il Balen cadenza. It`s not perfect yet but one can here the correct pulsation in his voice. When he started lessons a few years ago he was a constricted tenor! I think of vibrato as a perfect balance between breath flow and vocal fold closure. The closure has to be gentle enough so as not to block the airflow but strong enough to create the vibrato. Most, if not all singers today completely block the airflow and so have no true vibrato. Thank you for your message. I look forward to viewing more of your content!
Sorry, I forgot to say I`m mainly self taught though I did have a teacher in London for 3 years in the 90s who introduced me to the idea of register separation and coordination. He wasn`t so good with breath though so I had to work that out for myself. I spoke to Anthony Frisell just before he died and he cleared a few things up for me regarding the high C and how the high notes all start to flip around once one finds the very high notes (C and above) correctly. I basically built my voice from scratch starting with the falsetto and then slowly coordinating the chest tones without blocking the airflow.
Oh, great teacher, you are truly outstanding! I’m amazed by your videos-how incredible it is to find correct teachings of vocal technique online. In fact, many tenors, like Corelli and Monaco, were mostly self-taught up to a certain point and then refined their skills with only a few lessons. There are many methods for mastering extreme high notes (C and above), but some concepts are shared. For instance, the higher one sings, the more the abdominal diameter must expand, and there must be increased pressure at the lower abdomen. Additionally, lifting the soft palate and raising the back of the head are crucial; without deep breath support, it becomes very strenuous. In my opinion, practicing above high C is not about training the voice directly but first about developing the ability to expand the resonance chamber upward. Pavarotti once claimed that on performance days, he would start at 5 a.m., using breath to “attack” the high note position, and if he couldn’t find it, he would try again five hours later. This is pure nonsense-he was too amateurish and lacked true vocal understanding. Caruso never did such a thing. Instead, practice without making sound by using breath to expand the resonance chamber. Strengthening this kind of power is the key. On performance days, it’s only necessary to do exercises to lift and open the resonance chamber-there’s no need to worry about hitting high C. I agree with your point that for high C and beyond, the position and shape of the resonance space must be specially adjusted. It’s helpful to start with falsetto and gradually transition into full voice, practicing regularly so the body adapts. I’m 67, and I sing high C every day with ease. Sometimes, using proper abdominal breath support, I can absolutely hit high C with different vowels, but high D is the human limit. Some tenors who lack proper breath support and scream their notes can actually sing it more easily. For example, Monaco’s high C was weak and often drowned out by sopranos. This shows that for high C and beyond, special adjustments in the position and shape of the resonance chamber are necessary. I only study real tenors born in 1920. Who is Anthony Frisell? I’m unfamiliar with him and couldn’t find much information. In my view, tenors born after 1921 generally departed from the principles of Italian bel canto. Most singers taught by Melocchi also abandoned the true Italian style, even though Melocchi claimed his method was developed from Caruso and Gigli’s techniques. From then on, there were almost no authentic bel canto singers of note. It’s a great pleasure to discuss vocal techniques with you-thank you!
@@lisaszxu1961 I realised quite early on that I wasn`t going to learn old school singing from a teacher so I had to do it myself and then become the teacher for others since nobody was doing it! Anthony Frisell was based in New York and wrote 4 books on singing, The Tenor Voice, The Baritone Voice, The Soprano Voice and his last book The Verismo. It`s interesting that you use the term Bel Canto. In Frisell`s opinion the Bel Canto wasn`t the era of great technique but it was the singers of the 19th century who rebelled against it who created the new technique (fully coordinated registration) which allowed the Verismo style to emerge. Bel Canto wasn´t really a technique but a style of florid singing which used a separate register technique ie. falsetto for the high notes. Have you heard the tenor Bruce Brewer? His teacher trained with a student of Rubini and so his singing is probably closer to Bel Canto than Caruso. Caruso was a product of Verismo technique ie. fully coordinated registers with Appoggio. I`m in the process of writing a book and I`d be happy to email you a copy of it. It´s not finished though as I still need to add chapters on vibrato and tongue position but you`re welcome to read it in it`s current form.
@@JussiPaul Teacher, I would like to share some of my views; if you disagree, you don’t have to read it. I am very grateful for the vocal perspectives from America that you provided. I have always believed that the level of vocal technique in America is very high. After listening to Bruce Brewer, I understood - this is the level of America. I want to study American singers like Rosa, John McCormack, Jan Peerce, Richard Tucker, and many other outstanding singers, and understand how it happened that, later on, good tenors disappeared. Now I’ve found the reason - Bruce Brewer is solely focused on pursuing a certain vocal effect, without abdominal breath support to express inner emotions slowly. Furthermore, I currently cannot listen to recordings of Giovanni Battista Rubini, but I am confident that Giovanni Battista Rubini can indeed be seen as the beginning phase of Italian bel canto. Many aspects of his singing were not yet mature, but there are historical records of his influence. On the other hand, Enrico Caruso represents the peak of this tradition in the modern era. Giovanni Battista Rubini (1794-1854) lived in the early 19th century, and his vocal style and technique represent the initial form of Italian bel canto. His vocal interpretations not only laid the foundation for later bel canto traditions but also deeply influenced the singers of his time. Rubini excelled in high notes, vocal range control, and emotional expression, and many Romantic operas were tailored for him, marking the increasing importance of the tenor voice in Italian opera. It can be said that Rubini was one of the founders of Italian bel canto technique and style, and his influence provided a solid foundation for later singers. Enrico Caruso (1873-1921) belongs to the peak phase of Italian bel canto, and he reached unprecedented heights in early 20th-century opera. Caruso not only inherited the techniques of Rubini and other predecessors but also developed and perfected bel canto, showcasing it to its fullest extent. His voice control, rich timbre, precise technique, and emotional depth reached the highest standard of Italian bel canto. Through recordings, broadcasts, and world tours, Caruso's influence spread globally, and he became synonymous with Italian bel canto, representing the ultimate expression of this art form. Bruce Brewer can never be considered Italian bel canto. His breath is too shallow, and there is no abdominal support at all. He relies too much on the mouth, nasal passages, mask, and head resonance. His vibrato lacks the sense of tension and support that should be carried by the vocal cords. It is purely a product of the mouth. A tenor like this has nothing to do with Italian bel canto. Thank you for providing me with a lead to research American vocal techniques.
@@lisaszxu1961 I`m no fan of Brewer but he does offer a little window into the old (technically flawed) style of singing which Frisell calls Bel Canto. We will never no for sure how those 19th century singers sounded though we do have the recordings of Moreschi which also give us a clue. What do you think of the later Caruso recordings? Frederik Husler in his book on the anatomy of singing thought that Caruso went astray towards the end of his life.
@@JussiPaul You are right; we can only rely on the limited and fragmented historical records. However, since Caruso belonged to the early era of Italian bel canto, many of the techniques from that time were not even as refined as those of Italian folk singing, because opera itself was born from the foundation of bel canto-style folk songs. A tenor who can only sing opera but not folk songs, or performs folk songs poorly, is not a true bel canto tenor. Caruso possessed both capabilities. Frederik Husler believed that Caruso's later singing lacked certain ideal technical elements, primarily related to breath support, vocal cord coordination, and vocal freedom and fluidity. I disagree with these opinions. Husler was a vocal theorist who could not produce Caruso’s voice himself, nor did he understand the fundamental difference between Caruso and other tenors. So how could he critique him? Caruso maintained excellent breath support until the end of his life. Husler’s comment about "vocal cord coordination" misses the point entirely. Caruso intentionally exerted maximal control over his vocal cords. In fact, Lauri Volpi was known for the greatest vocal cord intervention, while Caruso used the resonance of an internal column of air within his body to create sound, akin to a raven’s voice. His mouth and vocal cords simply performed the task of converting raw sound into articulated words and lyrics. Beyond this, they had no other function. This approach represents the most efficient, natural, and far-reaching vocal technique, using minimal breath. Caruso never talked about "vocal cord coordination" in the modern sense. It cannot be denied that his heavy smoking in later years reduced the lyrical quality of his early recordings, but it also added tonal richness, strength, emotional expression, and dramatic power that were not as prominent in his youth. His signature chest resonance and seamless phrasing remain elements that no theorist could fully capture or reproduce. Overemphasizing power might alter a singer’s sense of vocal freedom and fluidity, but this does not mean that his voice lacked either. Even at 47, Caruso produced many recordings that retained a lyrical quality, with soft abdominal vibrato. At that age, most tenors would only be capable of shouting. Thank you for this exchange!
Did you watch my vibrato video? I also just posted a short clip of my young baritone student demonstrating his vibrato with the Il Balen cadenza. It`s not perfect yet but one can here the correct pulsation in his voice. When he started lessons a few years ago he was a constricted tenor! I think of vibrato as a perfect balance between breath flow and vocal fold closure. The closure has to be gentle enough so as not to block the airflow but strong enough to create the vibrato. Most, if not all singers today completely block the airflow and so have no true vibrato. Thank you for your message. I look forward to viewing more of your content!
Sorry, I forgot to say I`m mainly self taught though I did have a teacher in London for 3 years in the 90s who introduced me to the idea of register separation and coordination. He wasn`t so good with breath though so I had to work that out for myself. I spoke to Anthony Frisell just before he died and he cleared a few things up for me regarding the high C and how the high notes all start to flip around once one finds the very high notes (C and above) correctly. I basically built my voice from scratch starting with the falsetto and then slowly coordinating the chest tones without blocking the airflow.
Oh, great teacher, you are truly outstanding! I’m amazed by your videos-how incredible it is to find correct teachings of vocal technique online. In fact, many tenors, like Corelli and Monaco, were mostly self-taught up to a certain point and then refined their skills with only a few lessons. There are many methods for mastering extreme high notes (C and above), but some concepts are shared. For instance, the higher one sings, the more the abdominal diameter must expand, and there must be increased pressure at the lower abdomen. Additionally, lifting the soft palate and raising the back of the head are crucial; without deep breath support, it becomes very strenuous.
In my opinion, practicing above high C is not about training the voice directly but first about developing the ability to expand the resonance chamber upward. Pavarotti once claimed that on performance days, he would start at 5 a.m., using breath to “attack” the high note position, and if he couldn’t find it, he would try again five hours later. This is pure nonsense-he was too amateurish and lacked true vocal understanding. Caruso never did such a thing. Instead, practice without making sound by using breath to expand the resonance chamber. Strengthening this kind of power is the key. On performance days, it’s only necessary to do exercises to lift and open the resonance chamber-there’s no need to worry about hitting high C.
I agree with your point that for high C and beyond, the position and shape of the resonance space must be specially adjusted. It’s helpful to start with falsetto and gradually transition into full voice, practicing regularly so the body adapts. I’m 67, and I sing high C every day with ease. Sometimes, using proper abdominal breath support, I can absolutely hit high C with different vowels, but high D is the human limit. Some tenors who lack proper breath support and scream their notes can actually sing it more easily. For example, Monaco’s high C was weak and often drowned out by sopranos. This shows that for high C and beyond, special adjustments in the position and shape of the resonance chamber are necessary.
I only study real tenors born in 1920. Who is Anthony Frisell? I’m unfamiliar with him and couldn’t find much information. In my view, tenors born after 1921 generally departed from the principles of Italian bel canto. Most singers taught by Melocchi also abandoned the true Italian style, even though Melocchi claimed his method was developed from Caruso and Gigli’s techniques. From then on, there were almost no authentic bel canto singers of note.
It’s a great pleasure to discuss vocal techniques with you-thank you!
@@lisaszxu1961 I realised quite early on that I wasn`t going to learn old school singing from a teacher so I had to do it myself and then become the teacher for others since nobody was doing it! Anthony Frisell was based in New York and wrote 4 books on singing, The Tenor Voice, The Baritone Voice, The Soprano Voice and his last book The Verismo. It`s interesting that you use the term Bel Canto. In Frisell`s opinion the Bel Canto wasn`t the era of great technique but it was the singers of the 19th century who rebelled against it who created the new technique (fully coordinated registration) which allowed the Verismo style to emerge. Bel Canto wasn´t really a technique but a style of florid singing which used a separate register technique ie. falsetto for the high notes. Have you heard the tenor Bruce Brewer? His teacher trained with a student of Rubini and so his singing is probably closer to Bel Canto than Caruso. Caruso was a product of Verismo technique ie. fully coordinated registers with Appoggio. I`m in the process of writing a book and I`d be happy to email you a copy of it. It´s not finished though as I still need to add chapters on vibrato and tongue position but you`re welcome to read it in it`s current form.
@@JussiPaul
Teacher, I would like to share some of my views; if you disagree, you don’t have to read it. I am very grateful for the vocal perspectives from America that you provided. I have always believed that the level of vocal technique in America is very high. After listening to Bruce Brewer, I understood - this is the level of America. I want to study American singers like Rosa, John McCormack, Jan Peerce, Richard Tucker, and many other outstanding singers, and understand how it happened that, later on, good tenors disappeared. Now I’ve found the reason - Bruce Brewer is solely focused on pursuing a certain vocal effect, without abdominal breath support to express inner emotions slowly.
Furthermore, I currently cannot listen to recordings of Giovanni Battista Rubini, but I am confident that Giovanni Battista Rubini can indeed be seen as the beginning phase of Italian bel canto. Many aspects of his singing were not yet mature, but there are historical records of his influence. On the other hand, Enrico Caruso represents the peak of this tradition in the modern era.
Giovanni Battista Rubini (1794-1854) lived in the early 19th century, and his vocal style and technique represent the initial form of Italian bel canto. His vocal interpretations not only laid the foundation for later bel canto traditions but also deeply influenced the singers of his time. Rubini excelled in high notes, vocal range control, and emotional expression, and many Romantic operas were tailored for him, marking the increasing importance of the tenor voice in Italian opera. It can be said that Rubini was one of the founders of Italian bel canto technique and style, and his influence provided a solid foundation for later singers.
Enrico Caruso (1873-1921) belongs to the peak phase of Italian bel canto, and he reached unprecedented heights in early 20th-century opera. Caruso not only inherited the techniques of Rubini and other predecessors but also developed and perfected bel canto, showcasing it to its fullest extent. His voice control, rich timbre, precise technique, and emotional depth reached the highest standard of Italian bel canto. Through recordings, broadcasts, and world tours, Caruso's influence spread globally, and he became synonymous with Italian bel canto, representing the ultimate expression of this art form.
Bruce Brewer can never be considered Italian bel canto. His breath is too shallow, and there is no abdominal support at all. He relies too much on the mouth, nasal passages, mask, and head resonance. His vibrato lacks the sense of tension and support that should be carried by the vocal cords. It is purely a product of the mouth. A tenor like this has nothing to do with Italian bel canto. Thank you for providing me with a lead to research American vocal techniques.
@@lisaszxu1961 I`m no fan of Brewer but he does offer a little window into the old (technically flawed) style of singing which Frisell calls Bel Canto. We will never no for sure how those 19th century singers sounded though we do have the recordings of Moreschi which also give us a clue. What do you think of the later Caruso recordings? Frederik Husler in his book on the anatomy of singing thought that Caruso went astray towards the end of his life.
@@JussiPaul
You are right; we can only rely on the limited and fragmented historical records. However, since Caruso belonged to the early era of Italian bel canto, many of the techniques from that time were not even as refined as those of Italian folk singing, because opera itself was born from the foundation of bel canto-style folk songs. A tenor who can only sing opera but not folk songs, or performs folk songs poorly, is not a true bel canto tenor. Caruso possessed both capabilities.
Frederik Husler believed that Caruso's later singing lacked certain ideal technical elements, primarily related to breath support, vocal cord coordination, and vocal freedom and fluidity. I disagree with these opinions. Husler was a vocal theorist who could not produce Caruso’s voice himself, nor did he understand the fundamental difference between Caruso and other tenors. So how could he critique him?
Caruso maintained excellent breath support until the end of his life. Husler’s comment about "vocal cord coordination" misses the point entirely. Caruso intentionally exerted maximal control over his vocal cords. In fact, Lauri Volpi was known for the greatest vocal cord intervention, while Caruso used the resonance of an internal column of air within his body to create sound, akin to a raven’s voice. His mouth and vocal cords simply performed the task of converting raw sound into articulated words and lyrics. Beyond this, they had no other function. This approach represents the most efficient, natural, and far-reaching vocal technique, using minimal breath. Caruso never talked about "vocal cord coordination" in the modern sense.
It cannot be denied that his heavy smoking in later years reduced the lyrical quality of his early recordings, but it also added tonal richness, strength, emotional expression, and dramatic power that were not as prominent in his youth. His signature chest resonance and seamless phrasing remain elements that no theorist could fully capture or reproduce. Overemphasizing power might alter a singer’s sense of vocal freedom and fluidity, but this does not mean that his voice lacked either.
Even at 47, Caruso produced many recordings that retained a lyrical quality, with soft abdominal vibrato. At that age, most tenors would only be capable of shouting.
Thank you for this exchange!