History and characteristics of classical singing

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Fights against a monster, the Queen of the Night, the Temple of Ordeal, the Chamber of Fire and Water – what sounds like an epic fantasy film is actually an 18th century opera. The Magic Flute was composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and its music is still performed in opera houses around the world. This is the kind of music that many people picture when they think of singing lessons: Classical opera, performing arias and recitatives on stage. But there is much more to learn about this type of singing. Read on to find out more about the history and characteristics of classical singing.

When we talk about classical singing, we first have to look at the term itself – what does “classical” mean? When people talk about classical music, they are referring to the art music of the Western world. Classical singing means performing a specific repertoire from this genre – art songs, arias, secco recitatives. The repertoire also defines the techniques you will learn in your classical singing lessons. But “classical” should not mean “superior” or “most important”. Of course, learning to sing classical music involves a lot of knowledge about your voice and breathing techniques, but this does not mean that it is better than contemporary singing styles such as jazz. Each style of singing has its own unique characteristics. This is why some people find it difficult to use the term “classical” – you should be aware that it only covers a certain type of western music.

Classical singing has evolved over centuries. The main characteristics that distinguish it from other styles of singing are that you stick more closely to the written music. Unlike jazz, for example, you follow the stylistic instructions on the sheet of music. The lyrics you sing are also different: you will find less English and more Italian, French and German in the lieder and arias. Vibrato and legato are not techniques specific to classical singing. Nevertheless, they are important terms to know – singing long vowels with the voice vibrating slightly, and connecting different notes smoothly. The voice is trained like an instrument, and the perfection of achieving a pure, clear, high-quality sound plays an important role.

The bel canto style of singing developed when Italian opera flourished in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. It features, for example, the method of singing very loudly (compared to other styles of music), intensely and clearly. Its main aim is to express emotion through the voice. What is special about this type of singing is the principle of “messa di voce”. This means that the voice reaches a high intensity – not loudness – by pressing air on the glottal lips. Other important characteristics are a high degree of control over breathing, control over the diaphragm and, in general, over all the components that make you produce sounds with your voice.

The beginnings of opera – the music that includes bel canto singing – date back to the end of the 16th century in Florence, Italy. Since then, many people have been fascinated by the emotional combination of classical music and theatre. Watching an opera means watching a visually stunning drama on stage, accompanied by expressive vocal and orchestral music: in syllabic rhythmic secco recitatives, most of the storytelling takes place with less orchestral accompaniment. In arias, the characters reflect on their situation and emotions. Many of them became famous for their virtuosity.

In the age of romantic classical music, sound amplification became even more important. The already large orchestras became grander and louder, and a singer’s voice had to be strong enough to be heard.

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One thing that has changed little in this long history is the classification of voice types. Women’s voices were divided into soprano, mezzo-soprano and contralto (from the highest to the lowest-pitched), and men’s voices were divided into countertenor, tenor, baritone and bass. Nowadays, you will often find these voice types subdivided to define more clearly what kind of voice it is and what kind of music the singer is capable of performing. Perhaps you have a bright, sweet voice – then you might find yourself in more light comedic roles as a soubrette singer. If you have a very warm, acrobatic voice and like to sing long phrases, you are probably a lyric singer. Coloratura singers, on the other hand, are special in terms of their vocal flexibility and ability to perform difficult vocal ornamentation. You can also combine these terms – not forgetting full and dramatic – to describe your unique voice type and skills.

As you can see, this way of singing requires some knowledge of your anatomy and a lot of practice – but that shouldn’t put you off. It opens up a huge world of wonderful, famous classical music: Arias by Handel, Verdi, Mozart and countless other composers. It is a great way to learn, both about yourself and your voice, and about music. And sometimes the music can teach you a lesson, too: The Magic Flute, for example, shows that love triumphs over all – and that sometimes you have to face difficult challenges in order to become a better person. Something that could also apply to the practice of classical singing!

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