
Bel Canto means "beautiful singing" in Italian; it's also the study of the art of singing as founded on the school of Nicolo Porpora. Ewan Harbrecht Mitton, with a pedagogy line three steps from its founder, has made it her life’s work to study, master and teach this technique. At the urging of her vocal students, she's written down her teachings on this disappearing art, with the hopes of passing on this legacy to generations of future vocal teachers and students.
Book One: "The Ten Essentials" provides chapters devoted to breath, onset to tone, register identification and blending, voice classification, pronunciation and diction, agility, ornamentation and performance. Terms chiaroscuro, portamento, and messa di voce are discussed, with detailed instructions provided in the correct way to sing in the classical Italian, German, French and English styles.
Book Two: "Vocal Training, Vocalizes" provides the teacher and student with a rich multimedia audio and notation series of vocal exercises in the classic bel canto technique. Audio clips with the author's verbal instructions, examples of how the exercises are to be sung, demonstrations, and piano accompaniment for high voice (soprano, tenor) and low voice (alto, bass) are provided via MP3 download or optional set of five CDs. Instructions are provided in posture and breathing, with specific instructions, audio, and notation for each of the exercises.
What makes the Authentic Bel Canto series unique is how it brings together the exercises of Italian masters Porpora/Sbriglia for beginning voice; Marchesi's exercises for advanced voice; Jean de Reszke vocalizes with notes from Ewan's lessons with Maggie Teyte; vocalizes to correct specific problems; and those intended to develop coloratura. The Marchesi vocalises include the important syllables which Marchesi originally used with her students - information which is sorely missing from other vocalise books available today.
As a legacy to Ewan, the Mitton family is pleased to offer these materials at no cost via digital PDF and MP3 download here. For those with Apple devices (iPad, iPhone) please visit the Apple "Books" link above for your free interactive books with embedded audio tracks!
Book One: "The Ten Essentials" provides chapters devoted to breath, onset to tone, register identification and blending, voice classification, pronunciation and diction, agility, ornamentation and performance. Terms chiaroscuro, portamento, and messa di voce are discussed, with detailed instructions provided in the correct way to sing in the classical Italian, German, French and English styles.
Book Two: "Vocal Training, Vocalizes" provides the teacher and student with a rich multimedia audio and notation series of vocal exercises in the classic bel canto technique. Audio clips with the author's verbal instructions, examples of how the exercises are to be sung, demonstrations, and piano accompaniment for high voice (soprano, tenor) and low voice (alto, bass) are provided via MP3 download or optional set of five CDs. Instructions are provided in posture and breathing, with specific instructions, audio, and notation for each of the exercises.
What makes the Authentic Bel Canto series unique is how it brings together the exercises of Italian masters Porpora/Sbriglia for beginning voice; Marchesi's exercises for advanced voice; Jean de Reszke vocalizes with notes from Ewan's lessons with Maggie Teyte; vocalizes to correct specific problems; and those intended to develop coloratura. The Marchesi vocalises include the important syllables which Marchesi originally used with her students - information which is sorely missing from other vocalise books available today.
As a legacy to Ewan, the Mitton family is pleased to offer these materials at no cost via digital PDF and MP3 download here. For those with Apple devices (iPad, iPhone) please visit the Apple "Books" link above for your free interactive books with embedded audio tracks!