Bel Canto Playing - Tempo: Golden Age & Today

1. Bel Canto Piano Playing - Reviving the Golden Age

2. Tempo: Golden Age & Today

by David Cools & Anthony Hughes (eng)

I. Bel Canto Piano Playing. Reviving the Golden Age.

"Bel Canto on a "Percussion Instrument?" is an article published by Peter in 1982. We are going to clarify several features of the Bel Canto style using historical examples of singers and piano players. 

II. Tempo: Golden Age & Today

Using an explorative method, we research the whole beat theory according to which certain tempo markings of composers have to be read at half speed.

I.  Bel Canto Piano Playing

Reviving the Golden Age

Bel canto style piano playing in the Golden Age is characterized by an emphasis on singing tone and lyrical expressiveness, drawing inspiration from vocal techniques.

Here are some key characteristics:

1. Singing Tone and Legato Phrasing
2. Expressive Phrasing, Colour and Dynamics
3. Ornamentation
4. Cadenza, improvisation
5. Transparency and Clarity
6. Use of Rubato
7. Conclusion

1. Singing Tone and Legato Phrasing

The piano is used to emulate the smooth, connected lines of a singer. Players focus on creating a warm, rounded tone that “sings” through the music with seamless legato passages.

The melody is treated as the primary “voice,” with the accompaniment supporting and enhancing the lyrical quality rather than competing with it. This balance creates clarity and highlights the song-like quality of the performance.

• Kathleen Ferrier (1947-53)  (contralto)
  https://youtu.be/y1qM_YPJ4_E?si=qz93l0YnR6JP6lIz&t=50

• Shura Cherkassky
  https://youtu.be/KPISCkrXK-0

2. Expressive Phrasing, Colour and Dynamics

Much like a vocalist interprets a song, pianists in this style use subtle changes in dynamics and nuanced rubato to shape phrases and convey emotion. The phrasing is often long and breath-like, giving the impression of vocal lines.

• Montserrat Caballé (1990)
  https://youtu.be/RxZSP1Dc78Q?feature=shared&t=142

• Ignaz Friedman
  https://youtu.be/JdU3ydwIZdc

• Alfred Cortot
  https://youtu.be/CNmf7_ixqQI

3. Ornamentation, embellishments

Bel canto piano playing often incorporates delicate ornamentation—trills, mordents, and appoggiaturas—to embellish melodic lines in a way that enhances the expressive quality of the music.

• Luisa Tetrazzini (1907)
  https://youtu.be/mBWRvbEeX7o?feature=shared&t=137

• Lily Pons (1936)
  https://youtu.be/cOmM2U502HQ?si=VP1AanTGr7bAXQdB&t=186

• Moritz Rosenthal (1937)
  https://youtu.be/0guCq2J_JCE?feature=shared&t=46
  https://youtu.be/aUUC3aqHfH0?feature=shared&t=236

4. Cadenza, improvisation

• Ferrucio Busoni (1922)
  https://youtu.be/e3O1yygAEc0

• Isaac Albeniz (1903)
  https://youtu.be/q6otO85ATRY?si=Lc36-hvmA2U5SbGe

5. Transparency and Clarity

The technique emphasizes clarity of articulation and transparency in texture. The goal is for each note to be heard cleanly, so that the melodic line remains prominent and expressive.

• Ingeborg Hallstein (1965)
  https://youtu.be/3lKC3z6PGcI?feature=shared&t=136   (+ 3’15)

• Benno Moiseiwitch (1939)
  https://youtu.be/RWj7QR1XgCU?si=2-q4Had1cwBHT1Ko&t=183

6. The art of rubato

The art of singing rubato is that the voice must remain within the sinuses of the head, not projected forward, otherwise you just get an extended note. Holding the voice 'back' like this, is a characteristic of bel canto singing. Callas was incredibly good at this.

• Maria Callas
  https://youtu.be/VRhBY0X4sv8?si=VoLgaHOu10jz0afs&t=142

• Bellini/Thalberg
  https://youtu.be/PWuK_aupet0

• Yunchan Lim
  https://youtu.be/WI9a5d7JB-M?si=lnFkbOYnW2gvRmEW

7. Conclusion

These characteristics not only define the Bel Canto approach on the piano but also reflect the broader ideals of the Romantic era, where emotion, expressivity, individuality and a deep connection to the vocal tradition were highly valued in musical performance.

8. Quiz !

No Bel Canto…

• Vladimir Ashkenazy
  https://youtu.be/EsyGQYnvkMc?feature=shared&t=25

• Maurizio Pollini
  https://youtu.be/nMM6h9Yf348 

Ahhh!  Bel Canto!

• Vladimir de Pachmann
  https://youtu.be/Ta6EL4T2v_M

II. Tempo: Golden Age & Today 

Pendulum theory - Lorenz Gadient & Wim Winters

Modern reading of metronome: 1 click = 1 beat
Historical performance 19th century: 2 clicks = 1 (whole) beat —> half tempo

Explorative research (1b)

Hans von Bülow (1830-1894) 

His tempi in his edition of the Beethoven sonatas is much faster than Czerny’s if you read them in single beat (modern way) = the number is lower. 

• Beethoven Hammerklavier: I. Allegro - metronome marking: 112  (Beethoven marking: 138)

—> Conclusion: Bülow was familiar with Czerny's tempi and teachings. Did von Bülow start reading the metronome in the modern way?

Explorative research (2)

• Fr. Chopin: Op.10 No.1 - metronome marking: 176 (Pollini = +/- 168)
  Vl. de Pachmann: Enormous tempo flexibility, average, around - metronome marking: 128 

• R. Schumann: Carnaval Op.9 - metronome marking by Clara Schumann:
  "Preambule" 138
  "Pierrot" 168 etc. 

—> Conclusion: Clara’s tempi just don’t fit for the Carnaval but, pendulum neither (!). Fast tempi are almost unplayable, also physically. Cortot’s tempi are perfect. 

⬇️

Schumann most likely did not have a double escape mechanism in 1835. 

Erard invented it in 1822 —> "Reconnaissance" - metronome marking: 100

Explorative research (3b)

Which tempo suits the music best according to you, as a pianist and musicians?

• Maurizio Pollini - 142
  https://youtu.be/-AqkCEXdwE4?si=gf9EVJZJXPE5ZuG1

• Grigory Sokolov - 106
  https://youtu.be/IXnh2wotF4E?si=5VIdFYUn7zKfG6_9

Explorative research (3c)

Fugue: 

- musical form based on counterpoint
- intellectual and structural composition technique
- famous in the works of J.S. Bach
- often serious, abstract, and intricate, rather than rhythmically driven like a dance.

❌ Not a dance:

- It does not have fixed steps or rhythms like a minuet, sarabande, gigue, or courante.
- Although some fugues may be written with lively or rhythmic energy, that doesn't make them dance forms.

Explorative research (4)

Franz Liszt: “Good music doesn’t require tempo marking. It’s clear from the music itself.” —> Bach, Mozart, von Weber, etc.

Later in life, he realised the necessity of being clearer how his music should be played for next generations. —> editors da Motta, Stavenhagen, Siloti etc. 

• Science: Tempo feeling is based on heart rate. —> stage freight etc.

• “Thought is the enemy of FLOW.” - Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

• Pendulum theory is not applicable for opera. ( Thank God 🙏 )

—> Conclusion: do your own research and enjoy the process!