Apparently opera singer Luciano Pavarotti was a real fan of Frank Sinatra. When he met Sinatra for the first time, he actually bowed to him. He called Sinatra the best singer in the world because he sang with beautiful bel canto stylizations. (Frank Sinatra was a big fan of Pavarotti, too, and they became great friends even though they didn't share the same language.)
According to the Encyclopedia Brittanica, the definition of bel canto singing (Italian: “beautiful singing”) is a style of operatic singing that originated in Italian singing of polyphonic (multipart) music and Italian courtly solo singing during the late 16th century and that was developed in Italian opera in the 17th, 18th, and early 19th centuries.
But it is so much more than that. When I was studying Vocal Performance in college, my teacher said that bel canto singing techniques can be applied to almost any style of singing. He said that bel canto should be built around beautiful interpretations of the lyrics and the vocal line by using good breathing, proper intonation, classic vowel formations, and expressive phrasing. Although Frank Sinatra sang mainly popular songs, NOT ITALIAN OPERA, he certainly followed these techniques.
But it is so much more than that. When I was studying Vocal Performance in college, my teacher said that bel canto singing techniques can be applied to almost any style of singing. He said that bel canto should be built around beautiful interpretations of the lyrics and the vocal line by using good breathing, proper intonation, classic vowel formations, and expressive phrasing. Although Frank Sinatra sang mainly popular songs, NOT ITALIAN OPERA, he certainly followed these techniques.
Breath Control is so important for solo singers especially. Posture, support, and breathing are the foundational techniques needed for beautiful singing. Where choral singers may be able to sneak breaths when they need them within the context of a large group, the soloist needs to plan breaths to support the tone as well as to make the phrasing understandable.
Proper Intonation helps with singing the musical line as well as singing in tune. Often I hear singers who just don't pay attention or get lazy, and allow their voices to go flat, or don't stay with the rhythm, or don't listen close enough to match pitches with other singers or instruments well.
Vowel Formations need to be consistent. Singers usually begin their practice with warm-ups using particular vowels (the Italian vowels a, e, i, o, u). English has 11-22 vowels plus dipthongs and tripthongs, depending on the regional dialects. Professional singers (soloists or choral) really should learn to sing so they can transcend all of the dialects and blend well with others. So to start with and continue staying up with vowel sounds, the 5 Italian vowels are used. If a singer can master those, the other vowel formations come quite naturally.
Probably the most recognizable part of bel canto singing is the Expressive Phrasing. This is where attention to dynamics, emotional feeling, and all of the other techniques come together. That's where Sinatra and Pavarotti were both experts.
(If you don't believe me, just look up Luciano Pavarotti or Frank Sinatra on YouTube or Spotify and listen with these techniques in mind.)
Proper Intonation helps with singing the musical line as well as singing in tune. Often I hear singers who just don't pay attention or get lazy, and allow their voices to go flat, or don't stay with the rhythm, or don't listen close enough to match pitches with other singers or instruments well.
Vowel Formations need to be consistent. Singers usually begin their practice with warm-ups using particular vowels (the Italian vowels a, e, i, o, u). English has 11-22 vowels plus dipthongs and tripthongs, depending on the regional dialects. Professional singers (soloists or choral) really should learn to sing so they can transcend all of the dialects and blend well with others. So to start with and continue staying up with vowel sounds, the 5 Italian vowels are used. If a singer can master those, the other vowel formations come quite naturally.
Probably the most recognizable part of bel canto singing is the Expressive Phrasing. This is where attention to dynamics, emotional feeling, and all of the other techniques come together. That's where Sinatra and Pavarotti were both experts.
(If you don't believe me, just look up Luciano Pavarotti or Frank Sinatra on YouTube or Spotify and listen with these techniques in mind.)
I studied Opera, but also got to sing choral, musical theater, and pop, as well as jazz over the years. I never forgot how my teacher encouraged me to always remember to sing with bel canto techniques. Here are a couple of excerpts from my performances, one as a soloist singing John Rutter's "Magnificat" with a local Master Chorale in Maryland (where I wished I had been adequately mic'd. It was so exhausting to sing against the choir and orchestra.) The other is a recording of a jazz tune, "Misty" with a jazz trio.
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