Ornamentation in the vocal treatises of Manuel Garcia (son) and Henrietta Nissen-Saloman: The Paris method and its implementation into the practice of the Petersburg conservatory

The article is dedicated to ornamentation in the vocal treatises of    representatives of the Paris Conservatory Manuel Garcia (son) and his trainee Henrietta Nissen-Saloman. Special attention is paid to the vocal embellishments teaching, which was approved at the Petersburg Conservatory in the periods from 1860 to 1872, and in 1878/1879 academic years, due to the acting professor Henriette Nissen-Saleman. Reference to the treatises “The Method of Music Conservatory Singing” (“La Méthode de chant du Conservatoire de musique...”, 1803/1804), created by the Committee of the Paris Conservatory professors, headed by the Italian Bernardo Mengozzi, “Full Treatise on the Art of Singing” (“Traite complet de l’Art du Chant, 1840) by Manuel Garcia (son), “School of singing by Henrietta Nissen-Saloman” (1880) allows to reveal peculiarities of theoretical and practical knowledge implemented in Russia. The 40-year distance between treatises helps to understand the dynamics of the process of adjusting the contents of the list of ornaments. The terminological polylinguism, observed in the treatises, is an important factor in understanding the process of indoctrination. The demonstrations of the Paris Doctrine in St. Petersburg show the persistence of the singing pedagogy’s trend for the absorption of the Italian methods of the old masters and the constant striving to adapt to the new artistic reality, where not all the previous rules were in demand. The performed analysis convinces us that the modern stereotypes and the ideas of vocal embellishments adopted today in the pedagogical practice of singers do not only correspond to the historical reality of the second half of the 19th century, but in some cases directly contradict the authentic principles of the past.

1. Nissen-Saloman G. Shkola peniya Genrietty Nissen-Saloman: novoe izdanie. SPb: Bessel‘, b. g. Ch. 1. 95 s.

2. Mengozzi B. Gesanglehre des Conservatoriums der Musik in Paris. Leipzig: Hoffmeister & Kühnel, 1804. 110 S.

3. Garcia M. Traite complet de l’Art du Chant. Paris: E. Troupenas, et Co, Éditeurs de Musique, 1840. 83 p.

4. Nissen-Saloman G. Shkola peniya Genrietty Nissen-Saloman. Theorique: s nekrologom / Predisl. izdatelya. SPb.: Bessel’, 1881. Ch. 1–2. 439 S.

5. Varela D. de S. J. Compendio de musica, theorica, e prática: porto Na Typ. De Antonio Alvarez Ribeiro, 1806. 129 p.

6. Petri J.-S. Anleitung zur praktischen Musik. Lauban, 1767. 65 S.

7. Champion de Chambonnières J. Les pieces de clavessin de Monsieur de Chambonnieres. Paris, 1670. 71 p.

8. Anglebert J.-H. Pieces de clavecin composées par J. Henry d’Anglebert ordinaire de la musique de la Chambre du Roy avec la maniere de les joüer. Diverses chaconnes, ouvertures, et autres airs de Monsieur de Lully mis sur cet instrum.t Quelques fugues pour l’orgue. Et les principes de l’accompagnement. Livre premier. 1689. 160 p.

9. Danhauser A.-L. Théorie de la musique / par A. Danhauser. Paris: H. Lemoine Éditeur, 1872. 144 p