What’s a squillo, and why do opera singers need it? - Ming Luke

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

Gripped with vengeful passion,

夜后帶著復仇的激情， 在舞台上狂奔。

The Queen of the Night tears across the stage.

She begins to sing her titular aria,

她開始演唱那首同名的詠嘆調，

one of the most famous sections from Mozart’s beloved opera,

這是樂迷喜愛的 莫札特作品《魔笛》中

"The Magic Flute."

最有名的橋段之一。

The orchestra fills the hall with music,

交響樂團讓音樂在整個廳中迴盪，

but the queen’s voice soars above the instruments.

但夜后的聲音還能盤旋在樂器之上。

Its melody rings out across thousands of patrons,

其弦律穿越了數以千計的觀眾，

reaching seats 40 meters away—

能夠傳到四十公尺外的座位——

all without any assistance from a microphone.

完全沒有任何麥克風的幫助。

How is it possible that this single voice can be heard so clearly,

一個人的音怎麼有可能 被聽得這麼清楚，

above the strains of dozens of instruments?

而不會被數十種樂器給淹沒？

The answer lies in the physics of the human voice,

答案在於人類聲音中的物理學，

and the carefully honed technique of an expert opera singer.

以及專家級歌劇演唱家 仔細鍛鍊出來的技巧。

All the music in this opera house originates from the vibrations

這間歌劇院中的所有音樂都源自於

created by instruments—

樂器所創造出來的振動——

whether it’s the strings of a violin or the vocal folds of a performer.

不論是小提琴的弦 或表演者的聲帶。

These vibrations send waves into the air, which our brains interpret as sound.

這些振動會在空氣中產生音波，

大腦則把音波詮釋為聲音。

The frequency of these vibrations––

這些振動的頻率——

specifically, the number of waves per second––

明確來說，就是每秒鐘的波數——

is how our brains determine the pitch of a single note.

就是大腦判定音符音高的依據。

But in fact, every note we hear

但，事實上，我們聽見的每個音符

is actually a combination of multiple vibrations.

其實都是多種振動的組合。

Imagine a guitar string vibrating at its lowest frequency.

想像吉他的弦 用它最低的頻率振動。

This is called the fundamental,

這就叫做基音，

and this low pitch is what our ears mostly use to identify a note.

我們的耳朵大部分都是 用這種低音來辨識音符。

But this lowest vibration triggers additional frequencies called overtones,

但，這種最低的振動會觸發 額外的頻率，稱為泛音，

which layer on top of the fundamental.

泛音疊在基音之上。

These overtones break down into specific frequencies

這些泛音能拆解成明確的頻率，

called harmonics, or partials—

稱為諧波或分音——

and manipulating them is how opera singers work their magic.

歌劇演唱家的魔法 就是來自於操控它們。

Every note has a set of frequencies that comprise its harmonic series.

每個音符都有一組頻率， 構成它的泛音列。

The first partial vibrates at twice the frequency of the fundamental.

第一分音的振動頻率 是基音的兩倍。

The next partial is three times the fundamental’s frequency, and so on.

下一個分音的震動頻率則是 基音頻率的三倍，以此類推。

Virtually all acoustic instruments produce harmonic series,

實際上，所有的聲學樂器 都會產生出泛音列，

but each instrument’s shape and material changes the balance of its harmonics.

但每種樂器的形狀和材質 會改變它的諧波平衡。

For example, a flute emphasizes the first few partials,

比如，笛子著重的是前幾個分音，

but in a clarinet’s lowest register,

但在單簧管的最低音域中，

the odd-numbered partials resonate most strongly.

奇數分音的共振會最強。

The strength of various partials

各種分音的強度

is part of what gives each instrument its unique sonic signature.

是讓樂器擁有其獨特 聲音特徵的其中一個原因。

It also affects an instrument’s ability to stand out in a crowd,

它也會影響樂器 能否脫穎而出的能力，

because our ears are more strongly attuned to some frequencies than others.

我們的耳朵比較能聽見 某些頻率，勝過其他頻率。

This is the key to an opera singer’s power of projection.

這就是歌劇演唱家 具有投射力的關鍵。

An operatic soprano—

歌劇的女高音——

the highest of the four standard voice parts—

和聲的標準四部當中最高的——

can produce notes with fundamental frequencies

所產生出來的音符，其基本頻率

ranging from 250 to 1,500 vibrations per second.

範圍在每秒鐘兩百五十 到一千五百次振動。

Human ears are most sensitive to frequencies

人類耳朵最敏感的頻率範圍

between 2,000 and 5,000 vibrations per second.

是每秒鐘兩千到五千次振動。

So if the singer can bring out the partials in this range,

如果演唱家能發出 這個範圍內的分音，

she can target a sensory sweet spot where she’s most likely to be heard.

她就能命中感官上的紅心， 讓她的聲音能最有效地被聽見。

Higher partials are also advantageous

較高的分音也有優勢，

because there’s less competition from the orchestra,

因為比較不會有來自 交響樂團的競爭，

whose overtones are weaker at those frequencies.

交響樂團的泛音 在那些頻率上是比較弱的。

The result of emphasizing these partials

著重這些分音的結果，

is a distinctive ringing timbre called a singer’s squillo.

就是會產生出獨特的響亮音質， 稱為演唱家的共振鋒。

Opera singers work for decades to create their squillo.

歌劇演唱家要花數十年的時間 才能創造出他們的共振鋒。

They can produce higher frequencies

他們能夠調整他們聲帶 和聲道的形狀和張力，

by modifying the shape and tension in their vocal folds and vocal tract.

來產生較高的頻率。

And by shifting the position of their tongues and lips,

透過變動舌頭和嘴脣的位置，

they accentuate some overtones while dampening others.

他們便能強調出某些泛音， 抑制其他的泛音。

Singers also increase their range of partials with vibrato—

演唱家也能用顫音的方式 來讓他們的分音範圍更廣——

a musical effect in which a note slightly oscillates in pitch.

顫音是一種音樂效果， 讓音符的音高上下波動。

This creates a fuller sound that rings out

就能產生出更完整的聲音，

在樂器相對比較狹窄的 顫音中顯得更響亮。

over the instruments’ comparatively narrow vibratos.

Once they have the right partials,

有了對的分音之後，

they employ other techniques to boost their volume.

他們就會採用其他技巧來增大音量。

Singers expand their lung capacity and perfect their posture

演唱家會增進他們的肺活量

並採用完美的姿勢 來確保氣流穩定、受控制。

for consistent, controlled airflow.

The concert hall helps as well,

音樂廳也有幫助，

with rigid surfaces that reflect sound waves towards the audience.

廳內的堅硬表面能把聲波 朝觀眾反射回去。

All singers take advantage of these techniques,

所有的演唱家都會利用這些技巧，

but different vocal signatures demand different physical preparation.

但不同的聲音特徵會需要 身體做出不同的準備。

A Wagnerian singer needs to build up stamina

華格納的演唱家就需要培養耐力，

to power through the composer’s four-hour epics.

才能應付華格納足足 四小時的史詩作品。

While bel canto singers require versatile vocal folds

而傳統義大利歌劇演唱家 則需要有多樣性的聲帶，

to vault through acrobatic arias.

才能應付高難度的詠嘆調獨唱。

Biology also sets some limits—

生物也造成一些限制——

not every technique is feasible for every set of muscles,

並不是每一種肌肉組 都適合做每一種技巧，

and voices change as singers age.

且隨著演唱家老化， 聲音也會改變。

But whether in an opera hall or a shower stall,

但不論是在歌劇院或淋浴間裡，

these techniques can turn un-amplified voices

這些技巧都能把 沒有放大增強的聲音

into thundering musical masterpieces.

轉變成雷鳴般的音樂傑作。