Instrumentation and
Orchestration_, p. 255.]

CHAPTER VII

INTERPRETATION IN CONDUCTING

(_Concluded_)

TIMBRE, PHRASING, _ET CETERA_

[Sidenote: IMPORTANCE OF TIMBRE IN INTERPRETATION]

Having devoted considerable space to discussing the two expressional
elements for which the composer is mainly responsible, let us now
present briefly certain matters connected with the other six elements
in our list (see p. 46). The two described as being partly controlled
by composer and partly by the interpreter are timbre and phrasing, and
we shall accordingly treat these first. Timbre or tone-quality is less
important than either tempo or dynamics, and is obviously less under
the control of the conductor. The vocalist may be induced to sing more
loudly or the violinist to play more rapidly, but it is often
impossible to get either to so modify his actual tone quality as to
make his rendition more expressive. And yet, in spite of this
difficulty, there are many passages in both choral and orchestral
music in which the essential significance depends absolutely upon
beauty or ugliness or plaintiveness or boldness of tone; and
especially in choral music is it possible for the conductor to induce
his chorus to bring out many more such effects than is usually done. A
positively ugly and raspy vocal tone may convey a certain dramatic
effect that no mere variation in dynamics is able to bring about, an
example of this being found in the _Chorus of People_ who sing at
various points in the cantata by Dubois called _The Seven Last Words
of Christ_. Another very short passage of the same sort is found in
Stainer's _Crucifixion_ in the scene at the cross. Mr. Coward has
written more in detail upon this point than anyone else, and we may
well quote his discussion of the topic "characterization."[21]

[Footnote 21: Coward, _Choral Technique and Interpretation_, p. 73.]

One of the distinguishing features of modern choral
technique is what I term "characterization," or realism of
the sentiment expressed in the music. Formerly this kind of
singing was tabooed to such an extent that when in
rehearsals and at concerts I induced the Sheffield Musical
Union to sing with graphic power musicians of the old school
voted me a mad enthusiast, extravagant, theatrical, ultra,
and many other things of the same sort. These people
wondered why I wanted variety of tone color--who had ever
hea