Musical Exercises for [eː], [ɛː], [ɛ], and [ə] 4.2

Practice these musical excerpts from the German vocal literature:1. Listen to the audio examples recorded by professional singers on the companion website to this

book.2. Speak the song text in the rhythm of the music.3. Intone the song text in your singing voice on one sustained note in the rhythm of the music.4. Sing the musical excerpts and compare yourself with the audio examples on the companion

website. (All examples are printed in their original key. Transposition might be necessary so that you can sing in a comfortable vocal range.)

The section on Lyric Diction in Musical Context will further explain more advanced concepts and techniques specific to singing, such as glottal separation, diphthongs, consonant clusters, legato, and more.

Music Ex. 4.2.1 - 4.2.7 [eː], [ɛ]Compare long and closed [eː] with the short and open [ɛ] in the following musical examples.[INSERT OWM SPEAKER ICON HERE]

Music Ex. 4.2.1: Franz Schubert, Lied der Mignon

Music Ex. 4.2.2: Robert Schumann, Die beiden Grenadiere

Music Ex. 4.2.3: Hugo Wolf, Beherzigung

Music Ex. 4.2.4: Robert Schumann, Frauenliebe und Leben

© Valentin Lanzrein & Richard Cross All rights reserved1

Music Ex. 4.2.5: Franz Schubert, Auf der Donau

Music Ex. 4.2.6: Franz Schubert, Rastlose Liebe

Music Ex. 4.2.7: Richard Wagner, Tannhäuser

Music Ex. 4.2.8 [eː], [ɛː], [ɛ]In the following example compare the long and closed [eː] in the word sehnend with the long and open [ɛː] in the word wähnend. Also note how short open [ɛ] in the words es and lächelnd is identical in quality with the long and open [ɛː] in the word wähnend, and how in singing the length of the vowel follows the length of the musical notation.[INSERT OWM SPEAKER ICON HERE]

Music Ex. 4.2.8: Robert Schumann, Der Nussbaum

© Valentin Lanzrein & Richard Cross All rights reserved2