Laurel Massé

Bloggie goes a walking... to visit ChoralNet

I just discovered that my blog post of June 12, Why SIng? was picked up on ChoralNet. I was quite surprised, and also rather flattered that something I wrote "went choral" (next best thing to going viral).

I checked out the site, which seems a marvelous resource for choral singers of all kinds. There, I also discovered that Hal Leonard Music has purchased Shawnee Press. This pleases me. I am forever talking to students about pronouncing the words so that the listener can understand what the lyrics are about. Now, just maybe, it will be possible to get that helpful little Shawnee Press pamphlet, Tone Syllables, that outlines the techniques I first learned at my grandfather's knee - he was for many the lead baritone with Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians - and then had reinforced at Fred Waring's Youth Choral Workshop in 1966 (when I was extremely youthful!). I have never once sung onstage without using what I learned that summer, and I am completely mystified as to why every chorus and choir doesn't use this same concept. If a song has words, there is no reason whatsoever for the words to be unintelligible. I don't mean that lyrics in German should be understandable by non-German speaking listeners, but they certainly should be making sense to Germans! I am especially shocked to hear opera sung in English that is so mangled as to have to be supertitled. For cryin' out loud, folks! I realize there are technical difficulties in producing that incredible volume of sound, and several classical singers (and teachers of same) tell me that it is impossible to clearly enunciate. I might have believed them... had I never heard Rufus Muller.

I was privileged to get a ticket to his recent performance in Jonathan Miller's production of Bach's St. Matthew Passion. Rufus sang the tenor role ot The Evangelist (the central role) with exquisite control of his voice; able to caress, grieve, whisper, thunder, and inflect with a razor's edge of irony when called for. It was thrilling and gorgeous singing - and I understood every word.

Which proves it can be done, and there, for the moment, I rest my case. Let's have a run on Shawnee Press's Tone Syllables, and change the singing world!

Face to face

All right now, gang. Today I am hoping we are going to talk about Facebook.

I am very conflicted about the site. There are things about it that I really like. Finding old friends is at the top of the list, as I have moved many times in my life, and never knew what some of my junior high and high school friends grew up to be. Or where they are. Through Facebook, I have reconnected with several folks I have not seen since 1965 in Paris. Or 1968 in Andover. I also have made the cyber acquaintance of some very lovely people, some long-time fans whose support means a great deal to me. And I certainly know what a lot of people are doing at any given moment.

But...

I am not a fan of applications, of green plants in computer art form, of digital ponies. Of being hounded by people who invite me over and over to join something I don't want to join. Of seeing how many of my friends are Facebook-obsessed. Of finding so many emails from friends (who already had my email address) coming to me now through Facebook. And most importantly, I am not comfortable with Facebook's ownership of what is posted to its site, which is why I am no longer feeding my blog directly to my Facebook page, at least for the moment.

Those of you who are performing artists: have you seen an increase in your audience, your bookings and your income because of your Facebook page? Is there enough gain to offset the world domination aspect? Am I just being too 20th century, or is Facebook really devouring everything?

New egg in the nest

Several singers have asked me to write more about singing itself, about technique, voice care, singer health maintenance, and dealing with one's life as a performer. So I have started a second blog, The Songbird Salon, in which to hold that conversation. I envision a conversation in which there will be many voices. We are all part of the songbird species, and so I invite all singers to drop by the Salon. If we flock together, we will weather the storms more easily. And oh, what a joyful noise we can make!

And in this blog, I will continue to explore art and faith and life...not that these are three separate things...

I'm back

I haven't written for a while. A long while. I didn't realize how long until someone asked if everything was OK.

Yes, everything is OK. So why did I stop writing for a time?

Well, I had a few comments about the content of the site, from people who felt I was making a big mistake in discussing matters of faith. "Nobody wants to read this", said one."They'll think you are one of those people who go around trying to convert everyone." "This is bad for your career," said another. "Stick to music."

I had to think about that for a little while. I appreciate the comments, and the concern behind them. I will continue to write about the things that mean most to me. I choose not to go backwards. The barn door is open, and the horse is already racing the wind.

Blessings to all.

Laurel Massé Fan Club!

I just got an email from Enrique in Spain - he has started a Laurel Massé fan club! Go to http://laurelmasse.blogspot.com to check it out.
He also has put up quite a few photos that I have never even seen before - you can find them at http://www.fotolog.com/laurelmasse08.

Thank you Enrique!