Grip mikrofonen?

Abstract

Listening to 210 recordings of Grieg’s opus 5 no. 3 from 1899–2005, I have selected a small section of the song (bars 10–16), and analysed the singer’s choice of expressions of intensity or intimacy. Intensity is defined as a quality where the potentiality of the expression is linked with general, congeneric elements (signs, symbols, gestures). Intimacy is defined as a quality where the actuality of the expression is linked with the performer and the moment of performance. From 1926 a new kind of singer emerged: the gramophone artist using the microphone as his/her main expression tool resulting in intimacy, mostly by performing regular text rhythms in an irregular way (parlando). The concert hall singer did not change his/her style of singing, taking advantage of the studio until the beginning of 1950s. The tendency of tidying up performances towards more literary correct performances is documented in these recordings up to 1975. Then the intimacy of parlando again becomes the main expression in this section.