Bel canto sangonderrigbeginsels met spesiale verwysing na die begrip appoggio – ʼn tweedelige ondersoek in die pedagogiek van Werner Nel (Artikel 1)

Abstract

Opsomming Gedurende sy vaste ampstermyn (1974–2010) as sangdosent by die Skool vir Musiek van die Potchefstroomse Universiteit vir Christelike Hoër Onderwys – sedert 2004 bekend as die Noordwes-Universiteit (Potchefstroomkampus) – is Werner Nel verantwoordelik vir die tegniese ontwikkeling wat sangstudente sou benodig om vokale kunsmusiek in die Europese tradisie uit te voer. Hierdie artikel ondersoek die stemtegniese beginsels wat Nel gebruik het om sy studente op te lei, met spesiale verwysing na die sentrale en kennelik moeilike begrip appoggio. Laasgenoemde is ʼn kernbelangrike stemtegniese en -estetiese ideaal van die bel canto sangtegniek en dit word gevolglik in hierdie artikel as vertrekpunt gebruik om Nel se onderrigmetodes, onderrigbeginsels of opvoedkundige benadering rakende effektiewe asemhaling vir esteties bevredigende klankproduksie in oënskou te neem. Die metodes van data-insameling vir hierdie enkele, beskrywende gevallestudie sluit beide ʼn tradisionele en sistematiese literatuuroorsig van die bel canto sangtegniek in, sommige van Nel se handgeskrewe en getikte dokumente, asook semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met Nel en geselekteerde deelnemers wat by hom gestudeer het en wat huidig professioneel werk as sangers en pedagoë. Abstract During his fixed tenure (1974–2010) as singing lecturer at the School for Music of the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education – known as the North-West University (Potchefstroom campus) since 2004 – Werner Nel was responsible for the technical development that singing students would need to perform vocal art music in the European tradition. This article investigates the voice-technical principles that Nel used to teach his students, with special reference to the fundamental and admittedly difficult concept appoggio. The latter is a voice-technical and aesthetic ideal of core importance for the bel canto singing technique and accordingly it is used in this article as a point of departure to examine Nel’s teaching methods, teaching principles or educational approach concerning effective breathing for aesthetically pleasing sound production. The methods of data collection for this single, descriptive case study includes both a traditional and systematic literature overview of the bel canto singing technique, some of Nel’s handwritten and typed documents, as well as semi-structured interviews with Nel and selected participants who studied with him and who currently work professionally as singers and pedagogues.