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As a practical matter of organization, when the let their breath go completely at one stroke and for each
wording or sense of the rule requires explanation, I note, indeed, often must take one, two, three, or four
provide it so far as possible in a footnote. A commen- new breaths.

tary on specific rules appears at the end of the rule, in

which I draw attention to influences, explanations, and Commentary Rule 1: Straining the voice and proper
connections that are relevant but external to the rules breathing are issues that concern almost all the authors.
themselves. Conrad initiates the concern in print, while Finck seems
Some individual rules raise interesting issues, ei- to have been the exemplar for Friderici himself with
ther practical or historical, that deserve at least brief his comment that the fault of forced voice may be ob-
attention. In many cases these issues suggest connec- served by “a changed color and darkened face” in the
tions among the primary sources, both earlier and later, singer. He also alludes to failing breath, gaping mouth
that constitute some degree of a tradition of practice and shouting. Praetorius remarks on the need for steady

in the field of choral training and conducting. I make breath, and Bernhard covers the issue of a mouth too
no pretension of an exhaustive survey of the literature far open. Sperling addresses both the issues and adds
of German choral pedagogy and conducting in the that proper breathing is especially critical at cadence
sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; rather, some of points. The issue of the strained voice is still very much
Friderici’s rules have simply “jogged” my memory into alive with Quirsfeld.
associations that seemed worth communicating.
The primary sources I refer to are Conrad von Zab-
ern, De Modo Bene Cantandi (1474); Herman Finck, Prac- Rule 2: Immediately from the beginning the boys
tica Musica (1556); Cyriaco Schneegass, Isagoges Musicae should be accustomed to form the voice fi ne, natural,
(1596); Michael Praetorius, Syntagma Musicum (1619); and when possible trembling, wavering or pulsing in the
Christoph Bernhard, Von der Singe-Kunst (ca. 1650); Jo- larynx, the throat, or neck. Accordingly, one should
15
hann Beyer, Primae Lineae Musicae Vocalis (1703); Johann diligently prevent them from singing through the nose,
Sperling, Principia Musicae (1705); Johannes Quirsfeld, much less biting the teeth together, by means of which
Breviarium Musicum (1717). In order to avoid a need- the song is shamefully deformed and burdened.
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less, tedius, and space-wasting series of footnotes, I
simply refer to authors by name. All translations are Commentary Rule 2: Friderici’s description of the
my own. 13 desirable voice quality as “trembling, wavering, or puls-
ing,” which was not present in the 1619 edition, seems to
have come straight from Praetorius’s “lovely, trembling,
On Some Rules for and throbbing voice.” Clenching the teeth and singing
Singing Elegantly (1638) through the nose are perennially condemned vices in
Conrad, Bernhard, Beyer, Sperling, and Quirsfeld.
Rule 1: Any boy who wants to learn and practice mu-
sic above all things must have a desire and love for it,
busying himself to control and support his voice well Rule 3: A cantor ought to give diligent attention to the
and skillfully, and to give and use his breath regularly, boys that they do not become accustomed to improper
especially if the song goes high, and be able to sing habits, since some play with their hands, some want to
without frustration and labor. For this reason, those keep the tactus with their hands, some with their feet.
boys make no service to music, whom one must drive Some hold their hand before their mouths, some put
to it with blows and strikes; also, the ones who shout them behind their ears, some nod their head on every
and cry till they are dark red in the face like a Kalekun- note they sing, and whatever of the same nonsense, all
scher rooster and who open their mouths so wide, that of which is shameful, and above all things the boys must
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one could drive a cartload of hay into it, so that they be restrained.

CHORAL JOURNAL June/July 2021 Volume 61 Number 11 23