A Study on Ornamentation and Expression in French vocal Music  (1650-1750)

Kitty Lai

This study aims to understand and learn about the historical performance practice in the 17th century. As an early music singer, I am attracted to the sweet and charming 17th-century French vocal music. In particular, I am interested in the relationship between French ornamentation and expression. This research investigates the background of 17th-century performance practice in France in relation to the ornamentation, the pronunciation of 17th-century French, the different types of ornaments and the expression implied by the ornaments. The performance practice in the 17th century was different from now since it was undergoing a major change from polyphonic to solo music, which emphasised more the text than the music. The knowledge of ornamentation was an expected requirement for all well-trained singers in the 17th century, ornamentation was not merely a decoration, but a tool in emphasizing the importance of the text. Thus, it is necessary to learn ornamentation for a complete 17th-century French vocal performance. Since text was the main element in 17th-century French vocal music, it is important to know the characteristics of French language in this period. The ability to distinguish French long and short syllables was important because ornamentation could only be applied mostly to long syllables. The pronunciation of certain French vowels has undergone a significant alteration, and the ‘old’ way of pronouncing them is included in the study. The research findings also show that some ornaments were meant to be used only in certain expression and they help me to better ‘compose’ French ornamentation in future performances.

French Pronunciation and Translation

The first step is to translate the French text of Par mes chants Tristes et touchants into English and to put into practice the 17^th-century French pronunciation. The follow shows my own English translation and IPA transcription of how I will pronounce the text based on the finding of my research:

Par mes chants

[par me ʃans]

For my songs

Tristes et touchants,

[triste ze tuʃans]

Sad and touching,

Vous connoissez Iris, la douleur qui me presse :

[vu conɛse iris la dulør ki mə prɛsə]

You know, Iris, the pain that presses me:

Mes ennuis sont cruels, rien ne peut les banir,

[me zanɥi sɔn kryɛls rjɛn nə pø le banir]

My troubles are cruel, nothing can banish them,

Et je ne chante pas pour charmer ma tristesse,

[e jə nə ∫antə pa pur ∫arme ma tristɛsə]

And I am not singing to charm my sadness,

Mais plustost pour l'entretenir.

[mɛ plyto pur lantrətənir]

But rather to maintain it.

La langueur

[la langør]

The languidness

Regne dans mon cœur,

[rɛɲə dan mɔn kør]

Reign in my heart,

Et je n'espere pas que jamais elle cesse :

[e jə nɛsperə pas kə ʒamɛ zɛlə sɛsə]

And I do not hope that it will ever stop:

Mais j'ayme ce tourment que rien ne doit finir

[mɛ ʒɛmə sə turmant kə rjɛn nə dwɛ finir]

But I have this torment that nothing must end

Non, je ne chante pas pour charmer ma tristesse,

[nɔn ʒə nə ʃantə pa pur ʃarme ma tristɛsə]

No, I am not singing to charm my sadness,

C'est plustost pour l'entretenir.

[sɛ plyto pur lantrətənir]

It's more to maintain it.

My pronunciation in this French song applied the knowledge learnt in the research, including:

1. Raised vowels: /ɑ/  /a/, /wa/  /wɛ/

2. Absence of nasal vowels: /ɑ̃/  /an/, /ɔ̃/  /ɔn/, /ɛ̃/  /ɛn/

3. Closed vowel: /œ/  /ø/

4. Presence of final consonants /s/

There are other notes about the pronunciation that cannot be written down in the IPA transcription, including:

1. Vigorous /r/

2. Solid /l/

3. Gentle /n/

4. Articulated /ə/ almost like an /ø/

5. Clear pronunciation of every syllable

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Part Four: Implementation in a French Song

This chapter aims at a practical implementation of ornaments in a 17^th-century French Song. The historical research from the previous chapters will serve as the basis for the artistic research of the present chapter.

The French song chosen for this chapter is Par mes chants Tristes et touchants composed by Michel Lambert (1610 – 1696) published in Airs à une, II, III & IV parties avec la basse continue (1689).

Manuscript

Ornamentation and Expression

Par mes chants Tristes et touchants is a French song about the suffering love for Iris, but the singer does not want to end this torture, in fact, wants to maintain it in the heart. It expresses a passion of great languishing sadness, as well as tenderness that is full of bitterness.

The ornamentation great for expressing sadness are:

1. Accent/ plainte

2. La Chûte/ Langueur

3. Tremblement étouffé

4. Very slow cadence

5. Demi-port de voix (port de voix perdu)

6. Gronder

7. Sanglot

The ornamentation great for expressing tenderness are:

1. Tremblement double where there are many passages

2. Less accent

3. Sanglot

Below is the realisation of the actual performance with ornamentation to the French song:

Tip

Tip

French Pronunciation and Translation

Part Four: Implementation in a French Song

Manuscript

Ornamentation and Expression