Expressive properties of embellishment in vocal music the first half of the 18th-century

In the modern performance of ancient music, one of the central tasks of singers is the desire to decorate the melody independently. Taking into account the lack of knowledge and skills of Baroque improvisation among domestic performers, the decorations used often represent, in fact, only a technical element that needs to be dealt with. In this case, the ornaments have no artistic value, they sound faded, not corresponding to the main purpose – to emphasize the affect and enhance its expressiveness. The proposed article is aimed at solving topical problems in the field of Baroque performance related to vocal ornamentation and the transmission of the affect of the composition. The author of the article provides historical data on the characteristics of melisms and their focus on the expression of certain affects, which determines the scientific novelty of the study. The research methodology is based on a historical approach. Methods of analysis and synthesis are also of particular importance, thanks to which, when studying disparate data, it was possible to recreate the history of ornamental art in connection with the opera traditions of the first half of the XVIII century. The author's position is that any kind of ornamentation in ancient arias should be used in the melodic line in order to emphasize and enhance the affect of the composition being performed. When performing compositions of the time in question, it is important for a singer to understand the importance of decorating a melody as one of the main means of expression and, accordingly, be guided by the choice of jewelry. The author draws conclusions about the relationship and mutual influence of ornamentation and affect in the Baroque music. The material of the article and the conclusions will be useful to singers performing ancient music for its stylistically correct interpretation.

XVIII century, Italian opera tradition, vocal ornamentation, passages, melisms, ornamentation and affect, style, affects in music, decorations in singing, expressiveness in singing