How to Sing the Italian Art Song "Sebben Crudele"

I went to college as a vocal performance major. Many years later, with the total neglect of my body, throat, and practice; my voice has dramatically dissipated. I can't help but think back to the days that I could belt out an Italian aria like any other diva who has graced the stages of hallowed halls around our world. On occassion, I catch myself humming an old tune I worked so hard to learn and perform. Most of the time, this occurs in the shower or in my car on a long drive alone. I often just belt it out. Unfortunately, it sounds nothing like the young and proud vocalist I once was.

I remember the planning, the practice, the work. People have asked me how to sing correctly before. I would love to give singing lessons; and if I could play the piano with both hands at the same time, I would give lessons. So, here are some pointers.

How to Sing the Italian Art Song Sebben Crudele

Practice your Italian. If Italian is not your first language, you would probably have trouble pronouncing the words. The text and very approximate sounds of the words are shown below:

Sebben crudele
Sehb ben cru deh eh le

Mi failan guir
Mee figh lahn wee-er

Sempre fedele
Sehm preh feh deh leh

Ti voglio amar
Tee vo lee-oh ah mar

Con la lunghezza
Cohn lah loon geh-tzah

Del mio ser vir
Dell mee-yo sehr-veer

La tua fierezza
Lah too-ah fee reh-tzah

La tua fie rez za
Lah too-ah fee reh-tzah

Sapro stancar
Sah pro stan car


Remember the dynamics. A general rule is that as the pitch increases, the dynamics increases slightly too. However, always use this rule with discretion.

This song contains many two note phrases, where the first note should be emphasized upon, while the following note should be lightly touched upon. Hold the first note before singing the second.

Persevere.

Know the translation and put the emotion into the song. It is a very sad song and your tone should reflect it. An approximate translation is:

Sebben crudele (although cruel one)
Mi fai languir (you me-make languish)
Sempre fedele (always faithful)
Ti voglio amor (you I want to love)
Con la lughezza (with the depth)
Del mio servir (of my servitude)
La tua fierezza ([the] your pride)
Sapro stancar (I will wear down)

The song is sung by a shepherd to a shepherdess who has scorned him. He is promising to be faithful to her, and to win her love.

Most books, like 24 Italian Songs, (kind of a classic for any vocalist or voice instructor) will have an English version. THIS IS LIKELY NOT THE LITERAL TRANSLATION. Use an online translator or an Italian-English dictionary to find the literal meaning. It helps you to put yourself into the song if you know what words you are saying.