Rulada is What is rulada in music?

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Rulada is improvisation? Or the melisma prescribed by the composer? The roulade appeared in the vocal art several centuries ago. She was an ornament to the melody and served as a confirmation of the singer's virtuosity.

What is a roulade?

Rulada is an Italian word. It has been a well-known musical term for several centuries. But in French there is a similar word with the same translation. The exact meaning of the word "rulada" is a roll, overflow.

This is a fast, virtuoso passage. It is used in singing, most commonly as a coloratura soprano. This decoration gives expressiveness to the melody and indicates the professionalism of the performer.

Most often, vocalists use chromatic moves in roulades. Tertsovye can be heard much less often. Rulada usually starts with a sustained, accented sound.

Coloratura parts

Italy has always been famous for its virtuoso performers and composers. They sought not only to create a unique musical image, but also to show their skills. This is how the concept of coloratura appeared. This term refers to a party that can be decorated with all sorts of melismas.

The development of coloratura began inVII century. And its very rise came in the VIII century. Many composers wrote coloratura parts. But performers sometimes included their own passages in improvisation. So, the Italian prima donnas organized whole competitions in the art of vocals. With the help of roulades, they were able to show the richness of the range and the duration of the breath.

Rulada is the same melisma as gruppetto, trill, mordent, grace note. After mastering the decorations by vocalists, passages appeared in instrumental music.

The Wagnerian current was the reason why roulades are practically not used in later works. Therefore, coloratura singers have to stick to the old repertoire.

Composers and arias

It was typical for Italian music of past centuries to make coloratura an end in itself. Therefore, many composers wrote passages in parties. The influence of the Italians spread to other countries. G. Rossini, V. A. Mozart, G. Verdi, R. Strauss.

Here is a list of some famous coloratura opera parts in which roulades can be found:

• J. Puccini La bohème (Musette);
• J. Verdi "La Traviata" (Violetta);
• N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov "The Golden Cockerel" (Queen of Shemakhan);
• J. Rossini "The Barber of Seville" (Rosina);
• V. A. Mozart "The Magic Flute" (Queen of the Night).

In fiction, one can also find references to passages and musical embellishments. Rulada… Thisthe word appears frequently in George Sand's novel Consuelo. It is noteworthy that in this work the author tells about Italian opera and composers.

Recently, musicians rarely use the roulade in serious compositions (symphonies, concertos). Nevertheless, she is still popular in modern vocal, instrumental miniatures.