The purpose of this work is to bridge the gap between musicological theory and methodological practice in the study of singing. This singing method explores the ‘Italian tradition’, an idea to which we will make constant reference in the chapters that follow.

We begin with a discussion of terms and their meanings, and go on to develop a teaching course in which vocal practice is based on exercises and ‘solfeggi’ from historical sources, correlated with live testimony from those who were pres...