The Pierrot Files continue with the question that haunts all people who tackle Pierrot Lunaire.  What on earth is Sprechstimme?  

Basically it means “Speaking Voice” but it is so much more than that.  Schoenberg really made his mark by using this composition technique in his vocal works.  (See those little x’s in the vocal line?)  What is particularly puzzling to singers is that Schoenberg doesn’t simply want spoken rhythm, but he clearly states actual pitches upon which one must speak.  Now this would be simple if the range of these spoken pitches were in the soprano’s speaking range  — slightly lower than middle C.  Instead, Schoenberg pitches these spoken words as low as F below middle C to as high as Ab above the staff.  The biggest mystery to me is how to make these pitches sound spoken rather than sung.  I’ve come to understand that it will all come down to vibrato.  Keeping the sound straight, especially on high pitches is going to be my biggest challenge.  I’ve spent the last X number of years learning to keep vibrato even and to use it to keep the sound open and full.  But take it out and I start to feel like I’m putting all the strain on my cords!  Yikes.  So my challenge for this week is to do some monkeying around with my technique to see if I can find a comfortable way to make the Sprechstimme believable.