ghs for her native Spain.

[Music: Lamento

Henri VIII: Act IV

Saint-Saens

Mon Espagne cherie! Mon Espagne cherie!]

Sudden contrasts of colour are of great dramatic effect. A good
illustration is found in the air "_Divinites du Styx_," from Gluck's
_Alceste_. This contrast is still further heightened by a sudden
change of both Intensity and Tempo.

[Music:

Divinites du Styx!
Divinites du Styx!
Ministres de la mort!]

This last phrase, "_Ministres de la mort!_" should be sung in a very
sombre voice of almost guttural character.

It is, indeed, in the recitatives and declamatory passages of Gluck,
Handel, Sacchini, that lyric artists will find unsurpassable material
for study. Requiring, as such works do for their perfect
interpretation, all the resources of Colour, Accent, and Phrasing,
such study is the best possible preparation for the fitting musical
presentment of the lyric drama in some of its later phases.

Colour, then, is the basic element of Style in singing. It is
reinforced by Accent, which, as the name implies, is the accentuation
of details that require to be brought into prominence. This subject,
therefore, next claims attention.

* * * * *

ACCENT

In singing, two kinds of accent are recognized, the Musical accent,
and the Poetic, or Verbal, accent. The first appertains to the domain
of sound; the second, to the domain of significance. The first, for
aesthetic reasons, throws into relief certain tones of a musical
phrase; the second brings into prominence the sentiment underlying the
poem or text. Note, also, that in spoken declamation, accent applies
to a syllable only; in singing, the verbal accent affects an entire
word.

In its relation to Style, the Musical accent must be carefully
distinguished from the Metrical accent which is determined by Time, or
Measure, as well as from the Verbal accent whereby the import of a
word is rendered clear to the listener. Here is an example of Musical
accent, from Act III of Verdi's _Ballo in Maschera_:

[Music: Saper vorreste di che si veste quando l'e cosa ch'ei vuol
nascosa.]

The accents (marked thus [accent symbol]) give to the musical phrase a
piquancy that is admirably in keeping with the gay and careless
character of the page, Oscar, who sings it. In fact, as regards Style,
Musical accent is particularly valuable in song for the purpose of
setting forth the true character of the music. Hence, it may