Review

Author(s): Donald Callen Freed

Review by: Donald Callen Freed
Source: The Choral Journal, Vol. 48, No. 4 (OCTOBER 2007), pp. 65-66
Published by: American Choral Directors Association
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/23557629
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 Book Reviews

John
JohnClare
ClareCantata
Cantatafor for
SATB chorus
SATB and and
chorus Singing
Singing with with YourSelf:
Your Whole Whole Self: nat a scholarly tome" (p. vii).
piano
pianoduet,
duet,Op. 52;52;
Op. thethe
SongSong
of Praise for for
of Praise The j^e gehjenkrais
Feldenkrais MethodMethod
and Voiceand Voice Nelson, a Feldenkrais practitioner and
unisonvoices
unison voices
and and
piano,piano,
Op. 55; Op. 55; theSamuel
the Song SongH.Samuel H Nelson and Blades-Zeller a voice pedagogue, do not
Nelson and
ofFreedom
of Freedom for for SA chorus
SA chorus and brassand brassElizabeth
band, band, Blades-Zeller
Elizabeth Blades-Zeller delineate between the solo and choral
Op.109;
Op. 109;andand
TheThe Return
Return of Odysseus,
of Odysseus, a a Lanham,
Lanham, MA MA voice. A sensitive teacher can observe vo
Cantata
Cantata forfor SATB
SATB chorus
chorus and orchestra,
and orchestra, Scarecrow
Scarecrow Press, 2002.
Press, 2002. cal problems manifest
Op.I 19.
Op. I 19. 184pp. $36.95. themselves184pp. in lock
$36.95.
MalcolmArnold:
Malcolm Arnold: Rogue
Rogue Genius
Genius closesISBN:
closes ISBN: 0-8108-4049-9
0-8108-4049-9 (softcover). ing muscles or excess
(softcover).
with aa chapter
with chaptertitled
titled "Continuation:
"Continuation: TenTen <www.scarecrowpress.com/Catalog/Mul-
<www.scarecrowpress.com/Catalog/Mul tension somewhere
Scenesininthe
Scenes the Life
Life of Octogenarian."
of an an Octogenarian." tiBook.shtml> in the body.The tradi
tlBook.shtml>
/
/utauia mu, I
In each
In eachofof these—"I:
these—"I: A Birthday
A Birthday Concert Concert tional way of solving
(Malcolm continues
(Malcolm continuestotobebefeted),"
fêted),""ll: Dis
"II: Dis n the world of movement stud- such problems is with tyru/ Hfw/f M/ I
putes Continue (Alongside the music)," ies and voice, there exist several a "manual" solution,
"III: A Holiday Broadcast (Malcolm con schools of thought, among them However, the body's
tinues to meet the media),""IV: Malcolm's the Alexander Technique, body nerve responses may not be receptive
New Biography
Biography (Anthony
(Anthony continues
continuesto
to mapping (Barbara Conable et al„ <www. to overt commands. "The Feldenkrais
give guidance),"
guidance)," "V:
"V:Malcolm
MalcolmininHospital
Hospital bodymap.org>), and the Feldenkrais method uses the body's neurological lan
(Puzzling Katherine),""VI: Malcolm's Music method. The Feldenkrais method, invented guage to break down those subtle barriers,
Interests AA New
Interests NewGeneration
Generation(His
(His biograby Moshe Feldenkrais in the first half of the resulting in an almost magical adjustment
biogra-
phers meet a young admirer)," "VII: The twentieth century after devastating injury that truly frees the singer and the voice"
Family Continue
Family ContinueTheir
Their Independent
Independent Lives to his knees, is a system of movement (p. I).
Lives
(Robertand
(Robert and Edward
Edward in middle
in middle age), "VIII: where the person develops kinesthetic Nelson and Blades-Zeller use the
age), "VIII:
Birthday (In
Malcolm's 82nd Birthday (In aaWymond
Wymond- and sensory awareness of movement. The traditional Feldenkrais approach and ter
ham
ham nursing
nursing home),""IX:Anthony
home),""IX:AnthonyContin
Contin- method has been around for a long time, minology: AwarenessThrough Movement
ues As
ues As Malcolm's
Malcolm'sAttorney
Attorney(A (A battle
battle in the and I have used it with my voice students (ATM). Control of the vocal function
in the
"X: Finale
Courts)," "X: Finale (On
(On the
the telephone)"
telephone)"in some instances, but this is the first use of through the body is presented as tradi
—we witness the progressive disintegraFeldenkrais specifically codified for singing, tional active control, or as the method's
—we witness the progressive disintegra-
tion of a person's mind and the reaction The work describes itself as "a handbook, more allowing or passive control. Exercises
of those who see it. I found these vignettes
disturbing and sad, though other readers
may respond to them differently, and il
lustrative of the authorial gifts of Meredith
and Harris to create an evocative portrait £ £ In my three years

CAPITAL
.lof summer
of Malcolm Arnold. In my opinion, the classes at the Kodaly
book is essential reading for the student Institute at Capital
University, not only
of twentieth-century English music and is
recommended.
did I gain musical and
historical knowledge,
NIVERSIT
but I also made peer
connections with Conservatory of Music
Stephen Town other like-minded
Book Reviews Editor choir directors. The
Developing excellent teacher-musicians
international faculty
offer rich literature that Master of Music in Music Education with Kodaly Emphasis
they are eager to share, • Choral Track
and that I probably • Options for study at the Kodaly Institute in Hungary
would not have access

to otherwise. By the Taught by internationally and nationally renowned American-Hungarian

time the short three master teachers Jeanne Wohlgamuth, Lilla Gabor and Lenke Igo, these
week term is finished summers-only programs have been especially designed for secondary
each summer, I feel choral music teachers. Applications are being accepted for the 2008
_ summer sessions:
j— ' ■ " " - " - my own love of music
renewed for the coming
i wmmnnm • Session I, June 24-July 11 • Session n, July 14-Aug. 1
COmP°Ser „ school year in a way I've
never
i Il ~ r/ Fm For more experienced ^contact
information, a Sandra Mathias
& (614) 236-6267 or e-mail smathias@capital.edu. CAPITAL
Concert Choral Music, Anthems, MotetSf^^k More information about Capital's graduate T TNIVERSITV
Spirituals & Black Gospel, Arrangements HBk imusic programs, as well as a downloadable The Education You Warn
www W6ftSCh com J application, is available at music.capital.edu. The Attention You Deserve.

Choral Journal • October 2007 65

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 Book Reviews

are given throughout; again, this is a hand- devoted to student use of the book, class 1°°^ UP anc' down. Notice how far
book. Some of the Awareness Through voice and ensemble rehearsal use, and y°u can go.Then look up. Stay In this
Movement modules include taming tongue teacher (private studio) use (pp. I57ff). position and open your mouth. You
tension, balance in standing, the connection Blades-Zeller reports of successful use Wl" fee' y°ur head go back a little
of feet through to head, strengthening the by a university choral ensemble of these further. Close your mouth while
adductor muscles, the role of the pelvis, modules while on tour keeping your head in this new posi
shoulder release, releasing the neck, eyes I was asked to review this book after my tion, if you can do so without strain,
relating to jaw, and softening the mouth, university choir had ended its semester but Repeat this sequence slowly 3 more
There are many more areas.The authors before giving a session on "Working with times. If your head does not shift
have left no vocal stone unturned.it seems, the Aging Voice" at the Region VI American position on the repetitions, that is all
in their discussion of vocal problems. Par- Guild of Organists convention (Lincoln, r'ght. Do not force any movement!
ticularly enlightening for this author were NE, June 2007). I read the book while on Bring your had back to neutral and
the chapters on Intentionality and Effort, the plane and decided to incorporate the pause fora minute.
Breathing, Head and Neck, and The Eyes ATM module Releasing the Neck, p. 130,
(including the use of glasses!). into my session, abbreviated per the book * Look down. Stay in this position, and
The exercises have been used in both for class and ensemble use. We sang a open and close your mouth. You
studio and ensemble situations. Frequently, verse of a familiar hymn in unison and then w'" likely feel your head drop slightly
a suggestion is made for adapting a longer I had them do the module: when your mouth closes. Stay in
solo module into a shorter choral warm- this new position as you open your
up, and separate sections of the book are • Sit on a flat chair Move your head to mouth again. Repeat this sequence
slowly 2 more times. Then return
your head to neutral and pause a
minute.

The group of 45-50 singers, a majority

over the age of 50, sang the verse again,
and was more than pleasantly surprised
Be Part of the Tradition when they realized an improvement in
quality and ease of singing in such a short
time. I know that I will try more of these
(iliisi modules in warm-up and rehearsal when
jggjjj , , |
HIIH
IÜ01 ililsi
I reconvene my choirs in the fall.

Vkh (Visiting)
... .

Donald Callen Freed

Magen Solomon Alpine,Texas
Teaching assistantships and
Nick Strimple generous scholarships are available
Tà ISl'V
Application deadline is December 1
For more information, contact:
IFCM is organizing
Choral
ChoralFacult'
Faculty Nick Strimple, Interim Chair the celebration
celebration of
of the
the
2008-09 Department
Department of
of Choral
Choral Music
Music International Day of Choral Singing
Thornton School of Music
Jo-Michael Sc
Scheib University of Southern California An event created with the strong belief
West 34th
840 West 34th Street,
Street, MUS
MUS 308
308 that choral singing makes us better per
Magen Solomon
Magen Solomon Los Angeles, CA 90089-0851
sons, thus it helps for making this a better
world.
Nick Strimple
Nick Strimple strimple@usc.edu
strimple@usc.edu
Organize a festival or concert and read
Dale Warland
Dale Warland(Special
(special
resiresi (213) 740-7416
740-7416
the proclamation that was written for
this purpose. For more information visit
<www.ifcm.net>.
<www.ifcm.net>.
www.usc.edu/music
use THORNTON
THORNTON Please let them know if you celebrated
the day with pictures or videos so they
SCHOOL OF
OF MUSIC
MUSIC can have a record of what happened.

66 Choral Journal • October 2007

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