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voicescienceworks.org/acoustic- singing Bulgarian songs.” The shape throughout.
registration.html Anthropology of East Europe Review, 17 As a music publisher, I have adapted
4 Please see the Appendix on infor- Volume 22, Number 1, Spring these symbols into noteheads to
mation regarding software 2004, 167. indicate vocal timbre as part of
and technical specifications of 13 This combination of a unique, our engraving rules and encourage
spectrograph images. expressive tone color that does not other composers interested in using
5 A “pure” tone is a sine wave, a sound lose the common vocal ensemble timbral variety as part of their
without upper harmonics. While value of timbral homophony is, I composition to do the same.
harmonics are always present in believe, a key factor to Bulgarian 18 As the composer writes in the program
singing, they can be suppressed to vocal ensemble singing’s popularity notes for the piece: “This Pseudo-
varying degrees depending on the in the United States. Yoik has nothing to do with the
vocal technique being employed. 14 By contrast, Bel Canto singing genuine traditional Lappish or
6 Timbral homophony is often called emphasizes a slightly wider band Sámi yoik, and should thus be
“blend.” of harmonics than narrow band considered to have the same degree
7 Quieter singing has less sub- singing and does not attenuate the of authenticity as local colour in
glottal pressure, necessitating less fundamental pitch. Such increased bel canto opera. If a connection
adduction in the vocal folds, and harmonic richness, coupled with must be sought, I would prefer to
therefore fewer upper harmonics. the use of vibrato, are, I believe, describe this piece as an impression
8 Scott McCoy, Your Voice (Delaware, two of the largest contributing of a stereotype—the stereotype that
OH: Inside View Press, 2012), 155. factors to why opera singers most Finns associate with Lapland
9 Lisa Popeil, “The Multiplicity of maintain timbral heterophony and its people.”
Belting.” Journal of Singing, Sept./ when singing in an ensemble. 19 This is, in fact, how ensembles interpret
Oct. 2007. 15 The techniques I describe for achieving the performance instruction for
10 For a detailed discussion of the various this timbre are based in the Western this and the following example, as
perspectives on Musical Theater version of the Overtone Dominant is evident in such performances
Belting, as well as an outline of the sound, which is achieved primarily and recordings by the Pretoria
physiology involved, please read through narrowing the vocal tract. Camerata. https://www.youtube.
Lisa Popeil, “The Multiplicity of Perhaps the most remarkable com/watch?v=sivQRiBKo5M
Belting.” Journal of Singing, Sept./ version of the Overtone Dominant 20 The noteheads used in figure 5 are

Oct. 2007. sound, and the primary infl uencer the default shape notes found in
11 Nathalie Bernardoni, Iohn Robert of the Western version, is the the Sibelius notation software.
Smith, and Joe Wolf. “Resonance Tuvan style of singing called Sygyt At certain font sizes, the diff erent
strategies used in Bulgarian which suppresses the fundamental between certain noteheads, like
women’s singing style: A pilot even more fully through a great the diamond and wedge, may be

study.” Research gate, February deal of sub-glottal pressure. For difficult to distinguish. Composers
2007, pg 7. examples of this style of singing, I using this timbral notation are
12 It’s worth noting that nasality is not recommend the recordings of the advised to maintain a comfortable
an authentic part of the Bulgarian Alash Ensemble. font size for notes, and might
singing tradition and is considered 16 I recommend singing the word consider manually adjusting the
undesirable. An easy test for nasality “courier” on a comfortable pitch shape of the noteheads to create
can be performed by pinching the in the middle to low portion of more clarity.
nose while sustaining a vowel and your individual range, moving as
seeing if the sound changes or slowly as possible through each
stops. Jamie LynnWebster, “The change in the word and making
mysterious voice! American women particularly effort to hold the ‘R’

64 CHORAL JOURNAL April 2021 Volume 61 Number 9