Stopping the "Sauce" Called Vibrato for a Moment

If a chef were to keep putting the same sauce on every dish, how much of the original flavor of the ingredients would remain?

In contemporary classical music, it has become rare to encounter a violin sound produced without the left hand trembling, or a singer holding a note straight. We have, before we knew it, accepted continuous vibrato as a prerequisite for performance, a kind of standard equipment.

However, looking back at the history of music, this common sense is merely a relatively new habit that was established in the early 20th century.

1. Historical Transition of Vibrato

In the past, vibrato was not something that was always added, but an ornament applied only at key points.

Baroque to Classical Period (17th–18th Centuries)

The foundation of the aesthetics of that time was a clear, linear resonance. Vibrato was treated as a type of ornament, used like a spice on long-held notes or at points that were the focus of emotion.

In the 18th century, Leopold Mozart clearly rejected the use of vibrato on every note in his "A Treatise on the Fundamental Principles of Violin Playing" (Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule), calling it an "undesirable habit."

In vocal music as well, the singing method at the source of the Bel Canto of this era considered a straight, clear tone color to be the ideal. Vibrato was called tremolo or trillo, and was one of the ornamental techniques added when emphasizing specific emotions or at the end of long notes. Instruction books of the time also taught that singers should avoid unnecessary trembling, and the constant shaking seen today was sometimes viewed as technical immaturity or something pathological.

Romantic Period (19th Century)

Entering the 19th century, music began to seek richer emotional expression, but vibrato was still a means to be used only at crucial moments. Virtuosos like Joseph Joachim also based their sound on non-vibrato.

▼ Joseph Joachim (1831–1907)
J.S. Bach: Gavotte from Partita for Violin No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006

During this era, as orchestra sizes grew and theaters became larger, vocal music required stronger penetration and volume. To accommodate dramatic expressions by composers like Verdi and Wagner, vocal techniques evolved to open the throat more and increase breath pressure. In this process, the naturally occurring rich vibrato began to be recognized as an effective means to project the voice over long distances. Furthermore, when singing the passionate melodies of the Romantic era, the technique of expressing psychological conflict and excitement by giving the sound constant fluctuation became established.

Modern Era (20th Century)

Fritz Kreisler is often cited as the figure who determined the constant vibrato of today. He established a performance style that involved vibrato at all times, even in fast passages and transitional phrases.

▼ Fritz Kreisler (1875–1962)
Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 5 in F Major, Op. 24 "Spring," 1st Movement: Allegro

His warm and sweet tone captivated audiences, and many violinists followed suit in the 1920s and 30s. Thus, the acoustic image that we recognize today as the "classical sound" was formed.

Furthermore, the spread of the phonograph and the development of recording technology also supported this trend. Since vibrato not only makes the sound resonate richly but also has the effect of masking subtle fluctuations in pitch, it is thought that it worked particularly to one's advantage in the era of SP records.

In vocal music as well, the emergence of great early 20th-century tenors like Enrico Caruso, combined with the spread of the aforementioned phonograph, became the deciding factor, and singing with vibrato became the standard style. A singing voice like Caruso's, which was rich and always accompanied by vibration, was broadcast around the world as the ideal classical vocal production, and that vocal style became fixed as the standard.

2. Rediscovering Non-Vibrato

A sound that is constantly oscillating is certainly rich and sweet. However, as vibrato performance has become the norm, sounds without vibrato have come to be perceived as poor and amateurish.

Because vibrato has extended to every note, have we not been missing out on the expression of the sound itself, the flavor of the material? Since the latter half of the 20th century, with the spread of early music performance (period performance practice), this question has emerged.

The Practice of Period Performance

Performers who examine historical documents and treatises treat vibrato as a strictly managed ornament. In modern early music ensembles and choirs, a straight tone with minimal vibrato has become the standard sound.

Influence on Modern Instruments

These insights are also flowing back into the performance of modern instruments. Not limited to Baroque works, even in Romantic music by composers such as Brahms and Mahler, attempts to highlight the structure and spirituality of the music by intentionally incorporating sections with suppressed vibrato are becoming common.

Tone Color Specification by Composers

Modern and contemporary composers have also begun to precisely design the tone color itself by writing instructions such as senza vibrato (without vibrato) or poco vibrato (sparingly) in the score. Vibrato is no longer an unconscious habit, but a clearly chosen parameter.

3. Listening Comparison

I have posted an example of a continuous vibrato performance (①) of the first movement of Vivaldi's 'Spring' from 'The Four Seasons,' and an example of a performance based on non-vibrato period practice (②), so please listen and compare them.

① Jean-François Paillard (conductor), Gérard Jarry (vn), Paillard Chamber Orchestra

② Christopher Hogwood (conductor), Christopher Hirons (vn), Academy of Ancient Music

Conclusion

When you pull vibrato back from an 'always on' state to something you 'apply when necessary,' the taste of the music changes surprisingly.

For example, if you maintain the onset of a note with non-vibrato and gradually add oscillation as the resonance spreads, an organic flow emerges where the sound changes like a living thing.

Also, when the entire ensemble stops vibrato, the overtones overlap precisely, and a harmony with crystalline transparency resonates. This is a realm that cannot be reached with sounds that are constantly oscillating.

Removing the premise of continuous vibrato and gaining the option of 'not applying it' is not merely a return to early music, but an extremely modern attempt to expand the palette of tone colors. When you can freely move between rich resonance and clear resonance, music begins to have a more diverse range of expressions.

In a dish without the 'sauce' of vibrato, there should be hidden contours of sound you hadn't noticed before, and the deep breath of the naked tone color itself.