Style in Singing

Haslam, W. E.Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.9

Word count: 132K words
Chapters: 14

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Style in Singing by W. E. HaslamAuthor: Haslam, W. E.,Language: English, Class: MT: Music: Musical instruction and study, Composition, Release Date: May 9, 2007

Editor's review

This book is a concise reader on early vocal style research, from the Project Gutenberg public-domain e-book series. The author discusses style issues in singing, exploring the relationship between diction, phrasing, tone color handling, and interpretation of works. It is not long and clearly structured, suitable as supplementary reading for vocal learners. Its value lies not in systematic technical training like a tutorial, but in reminding readers: singing is not just vocalization, but also mastery of language and style. The original English wording is somewhat old-fashioned, and some terms are distant from contemporary vocal teaching contexts; readers can compare with modern vocal textbooks for understanding. It is suitable for casual reading between practice sessions, reflecting on one's own singing habits; it is also suitable as introductory material for music majors to learn about early vocal literature. Readers are advised to treat it as a viewpoint-based reading rather than an operation manual; reading with questions will yield more obvious gains.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Vocal performance majors needing theoretical perspectives on style and interpretation
Choral or solo singing enthusiasts hoping to improve sensitivity to language handling in singing
Music educators looking for brief English materials for classroom discussion of style
General readers interested in early vocal literature willing to read the English original

Not a good fit for

People learning to sing from zero foundation; this book does not provide systematic vocal training steps
Readers only looking for Chinese vocal tutorials; the original is in English and somewhat old-fashioned in wording
Music learners expecting extensive scores and exercises

Reading tips

First read through to grasp the book's overall view of style, then return to passages related to your own singing problems.
Keep a pen while reading, extract sentences about diction and phrasing, and compare them with the pieces you are currently practicing.
Read alongside a modern vocal textbook, using contemporary terms to explain the old-style expressions in the book.
Read only a small section each time, then try one specific suggestion in vocal exercises or singing practice; avoid trying to do too much.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book suitable for vocal beginners learning completely on their own?

Not very suitable. This book discusses issues at the level of singing style and interpretation, assuming readers already have some vocal foundation and repertoire accumulation. Zero-foundation readers need more systematic training materials for breathing, resonance, and pitch accuracy; they can build a foundation first and come back to this book later for better understanding.

What if the English original is difficult to read?

This book is an English public-domain book with language bearing the marks of its era. It is recommended to first read through with a dictionary; when encountering terminology, there is no need to get stuck word by word—just grasp the main idea of the paragraph. You can also first read Chinese vocal theory books to build a framework, then read the original in comparison, lowering the threshold of understanding.

Does the book contain specific vocal exercises or musical examples?

Based on the materials, this book focuses on discussion of singing style rather than a systematic vocal training tutorial. Readers should not expect complete sets of exercises or step-by-step training plans; it is more appropriate to treat it as a viewpoint-based, reflective reading. Technical training still requires finding other textbooks.

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About the author

Haslam, W. E. Author

W. E. Haslam is an author about whom very little public information is available. It is known only that a single work appears under this name, Style in Singing. Judging from the title, the book discusses style and expression in singing, a subject within vocal art concerned with interpretation and aesthetic delivery, and is addressed to students of singing or readers interested in the art of song. Because no record of the author's life, nationality, identity, or other writings is available, his professional background and the circumstances of writing cannot be confirmed, nor can the book's specific place in vocal literature be assessed. On the available evidence, this work is the only clue to Haslam's writing, and its content presumably concerns the principles and practice of vocal style. Researchers may treat it as a historical text on questions of singing style, though any evaluation of its influence would require further sources.