Is melisma the same as vocal improvisation?

Question

Is melisma in classical music the same as vocal improvisation in pop/R&B/gospel/soul/jazz music like Mariah or Whitney?

Are opera singers allowed to do vocal improvisation like pop singers on stage when they perform? Coz I heard various performances of Lakme's The Bell Song from various coloratura sopranos like Dessay, Sumi Jo, Sutherland, Elizabeth Parcells etc and sometimes each singer gives a significant "something" that makes the performance different than the others, e.g I saw a video of youtube a few times where Dessay hit a high G while doing the trills in the middle of the aria, where as we all know that the original sheet of Bell Song has no high G in it. (And as usual, some viewers like it while others scorn it. To each his own, then...)

And is melisma the same as cadenza? I'm still kinda confused between the two. Can someone explain to me the difference between both in simpler way? I couldn't get the explanation in Wikipedia.

Thanx in advance! =)

Answer 1

Depending on the style of opera, the singer may be expected to add some improvisatory embellishments to the vocal line. Baroque opera was known for this more than Classical, and the tradition eventually waned by the time Wagner's "Ring" cycle came around.



Melisma is not necessarily improvisation. The strict definition is singing multiple notes on the same syllable. Take "rainbow" for example - you could sing two pitches for the two syllables, or you could sing "rain-" and stretch it out over a few beats or measures with scales/arpeggios, etc. before singing "-bow." Singers will use melisma in improvisation, but melisma is not the act of improvisation.



Cadenza is a section for a soloist to play (usually) alone, as in a sonata or concerto with ensemble accompaniment. In the pre-Romantic eras cadenzas were largely improvisatory, based around the main theme(s) of the work. Editions of that music today usually have written cadenzas from the composer or other performers.

Answer 2

I think tone and pitch are most important. It's hard to tell which is most important. If either is off, the listener will stop listening. Melismas are only one small technical aspect of singing among many others. It's only important when appropriate to a musical style while tone and pitch are everywhere. I think I would put breath control right in there into the mix with tone and pitch since it contributes so much to both. As for judging singers, I first go by the quality of the sound. If it doesn't sound good then all bets are off. I then consider the musicianship. Finally, I take into account the emotions I feel as a result of hearing someone sing a song. All of these are somewhat subjective; hence, why some people like one singer more than another.

Answer 3

A melisma is a passage with many notes for one (or a few) syllables. The adjective is "melismatic". Many melismas are written by the composers. Cadenzas are often melismatic, but some are more "syllabic" (i.e. one note per syllable)



Ornamentation and improvisation in classical singing is a time-honored tradition. The "heydays" of ornamentation were the late baroque (about 1700-1750) and the "bel canto" era (about 1780-1830). By 1850 or so, the vocal cadenza and improvised ornamentation were out of fashion, and most classical music was sung more or less as written.

Answer 4

Melisma is not the same as a cadenza. A cadenza is a solo improvised (or sometimes written-out) solo instrumental 'show-off' section in a movement (usually the first movement) of a concerto. 'Melisma' as you have suggested, is a form of improvisation. Especially in Baroque and, to a slightly lesser extent, the Classical periods, soloists were expected to 'embellish' the vocal parts they sang. 'Melisma' is simply a term to describe this decoration of vocal lines. This practice became much rarer after the time of Rossini and Donizetti but there are still especially-transposed and decorated versions of arias from 'bel canto' opera (eg Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, etc) which were designed to show-off the vocal prowess (often at the sake of purely musical taste!) of the soloist (most often sopranos and tenors).



I hope this answers your question.

Answer 5

No. Melismatic music is expanding on one syllable. Like chants, you know? If you listen to Gregorian chants, you would know what I mean.