Tim BraithwaiteGeorg Falck on the use of Extemporised Florid Ornaments and Trills in an Ensemble Setting (1688)‘Although they are set only in the system of the cantus, these examples of accentus and variation of intervals can be used in the other...
Tim BraithwaiteManuel Garcia on Changing or Replacing Words when Singing:In altering or re-arranging words, or syllables, care should be taken to retain and mark the measure or accent of a melody, and only...
Tim BraithwaiteTosi on the Excesses of Modern (1723) Singers, and the Patience of the Waiting OrchestraԤ 5. Every Air has (at least) three Cadences, that are all three final. Generally speaking, the Study of the Singers of the present...
Tim BraithwaiteGiovanni Bardi Discussing Good and Bad Singing in a Letter to Giulio Caccini (c.1578)I become nauseated when I recall some singers I have heard, whether solo or accompanied by others, improvising on a choirbook, not caring...
Tim BraithwaiteIsaac Nathan’s Annotations on a Handel Aria and the Swelling and Dying of the Voice‘The preceding examples receive their colouring from the discrimination of the singer; but a still nicer task remains for him to execute,...
Tim BraithwaiteLascia Ch’io Pianga (as?) Sung by Signora Isabella in the Opera of RinaldoThe extract below from William Babbel’s ‘Suits of the most Celebrated Lessons’ (1717) shows a transcription for keyboard of the famous...
Tim BraithwaiteFermatas in Fifteenth-Century Polyphony: A Notated Cadenza A Gloria from an unknown mass setting by Estienne Grossin. Check out the ossia cadenza!