Melisma
Definitions
Melisma: “A group of notes sung to a single syllable of the libretto.”[3] Vocable: “A word included to maintain form rather than to add meaning.”[4] Melodic Sequence: “The more or less exact repetition of a melody at another level.”[5] Coloratura: Singers who specialize in challenging and virtuosic singing. |
Melisma is essential both to the structure and the meaning of both works. In both, performers are expected to add vocables, such as the “r” sound, to extend the text.
For example this section of Mozart's opera (Figure 1) is a melisma setting the word mehr meaning 'more'. This phrase consists of three figures; it starts with an ascending scalic semiquaver run into a repeated quaver C before dropping to an F, the descending perfect fifth an interval of great strength. This first figure is then repeated after a beat’s rest down a third (a melodic sequence). The third figure again starts a third lower but instead of a single repeated note the soprano repeats an F then a G before singing two bars based around an F major arpeggio (bb.7-8 in figure 3). This famous phrase from the Magic Flute opera sets entirely one word and in it one melodic idea developed sequentially.
The use of the descending melodic sequence and the use of the repeated high notes, at the very highest register of the soprano voice, creates a dramatic and angular melody that is emphasised by the very disjunct last three bars of figure 1. This phrase also shows the development of melodies as the third time that we hear the figure it has an altered ending. The use of broken chords and repeated notes also helps to show the vocal agility of the coloratura singer and the harsh character of the Queen of the Night. The phrase also develops the meaning of the word Nimmermehr “nevermore” as the length of the melisma helps to carry the feeling of a long lasting consequence. According to some sources the high disjunct figuration suggests laughter of an evil witch. [6] The same technique is used throughout Legend of white snake. It helps to depict and make real heightened emotions. It helps keep the musical phrases and libretto fit as shown in figure two. In Figure 2, an extract from the Szechuan opera, the singers are accompanied by a complex rhythmic pattern played by the percussion section. The singers have a long melismatic section and like in the Mozart there is a rest in the melisma. This extract is all sung on the syllable ‘a’ and in free time determined by the rhythm of the language used. The section can almost be split in half as the first bar is an octave descent from D and then the second bar decorates the final D. The descending section uses the repeated rhythm of a crotchet followed by two quavers with a variation the third time like Mozart's Masonic imagery, which I will mention in the structure section. The second half uses mainly dotted rhythms based on a D minor arpeggio, with passing note E's.
The range of the Mozart is an octave from F using broken chords as the principal melodic source. The Legend of white snake also uses an octave, from D however, using descending scales as the principal structural basis in a similar manner. This extract from the Szechuanese opera (figure 3) uses very high virtuosic singing like Mozart to develop the character and show the skill of the singer. I will mention some of the techniques used to achieve this in the section on ornamentation. However, these long melismatic sections could also be vocables to try and create a more virtuosic melody. This would be harder to achieve without the additional length of the phrases as a large proportion of the movement is on an added vocable. This passage is also quite striking due to the high register used; the soprano singer sings not only very high but the part requires a coloratura as it also uses lots of ornamentation. |