Word of the Day: Appoggiatura

Appoggiatura. It's not a type of apology. It's not a twist on an apple pie. No - it's a long word to describe adding a musical embellishment or ornament to lean on another. Luckily you don't have to say the word in order to do it. You can read about it here.

The music I'm learning has a * every so often above the staff. On the bottom of the page we see that the * means, Appoggiatura possible. So we wrote in the ornamental note - just one tone above the note with the star, just before it. A professional opera singer friend described it to me today like this: appoggiare means to lean... which is appropriate, since it means, leaning tone. And that's what it does - it's a tiny-ish note that leans on the main note.

It does make me wonder why sometimes these embellishments are printed there in a smaller note-font, and other times they're there like that. That very song has optional ornamentation written into the music. And I always do it, of course. Possible means probable.

I really like the song. I'm very comfortable with the range. And I don't have to struggle with the pronunciation. I think my teacher was getting a wee bit frustrated with me and the French. Or, frustrated that she had to keep correcting my pronunciation, which took away from the meat of the lesson.

Once I feel super-duper comfy with the music I'll try to make a video, cuz y'all know I live to embarrass myself. I manage to do it quite well without actually singing, but at least with singing I'm in control of said embarrassment. Right. I have earned my ribbon, or medal, or whatever, in embarrassment. Now I'm working on an upgrade to the next level - mortification. Geez I hope not. Well, if it does happen, it'll most likely be on a Thursday, since that seems to be the Weekly Embarrassment Day. Uh oh... Nozze is on a Thursday and I'm going backstage. Luckily Rape of Lucretia is on a Friday. And I'm not going backstage for that one. Unless I'm invited. As if. If I'm on a list, it's not that one. Hahahaha sorry I just burst a gasket laughing. Hey that's better than crying with embarrassment.