continued...TheVibratoQuestion

Application

Should choral and solo singers use vibrato? They should, except in instances of extremely tight harmony. Since the variation in pitch may approach 1/2 step, a straight tone is appropriate on those occasions when the ensemble is sustaining a minor second. There may be other times when the music demands a kind of tonal transparency that lends itself to no vibrato in the sound. (Early music is a prime example.) Often jazz singers employ a delayed vibrato on a sustained note as a stylistic element of that art form. These exceptions aside, anytime the desired texture is one of a full-bodied, warm, and rich sound, the singers in any choral ensemble should be encouraged to produce a well-controlled and thoughtfully sung vibrato.

Conclusion

This discussion of vibrato in no way suggests that faulty pitch is acceptable in any musical ensemble. If the pitch of any singer becomes suspect because of vibrato, then the integrity of the entire ensemble is at stake. Since, as mentioned earlier, the ear perceives the upper portion of the vibrato wave as the intended sound, that portion of the wave must be ab-