Principles Of Good Singing Pt. 9: Enunciation

The principle of legato is closely connected with another important idea in
singing: enunciation—pronouncing words clearly. All good singers are able to accomplish two goals in this respect: they are able to enunciate words and phrases that are understandable and do so in unique ways. Outstanding singing requires that good enunciation should not be sacrificed for artistic purposes. For example, singing at high volumes and singing high notes often takes its toll on clear enunciation. A singer, therefore, must balance these aspects of his singing so he is able to sing words and phrases both with power and understandably.

The best singers have highly individualized ways of phrasing, and the very difficult
challenge here is for a singer to learn how to retain his phrasing, while making
sure that the words he sings is understandable. Nat King Cole, for instance, has
mastered a highly individualized way of enunciating his words while ensuring that
his words are clearly understood.

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