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A Comprehensive Guide to Czech Lyric Diction and Vocal Repertoire

Harvey Hughes

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Published in Singing In Czech: A Guide To Czech Lyric Diction And Vocal Repertoire (Guides To Lyric Diction)

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Czech is a West Slavic language spoken by over 10 million people in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It is also a major language of opera and art song, with a rich repertoire of works by composers such as Antonín Dvořák, Bedřich Smetana, and Leoš Janáček.

Singing in Czech can be a challenging but rewarding experience. The language has a unique set of sounds and rhythms that can be difficult for native English speakers to master. However, with careful study and practice, it is possible to achieve a high level of proficiency in Czech lyric diction.

Singing in Czech: A Guide to Czech Lyric Diction and Vocal Repertoire (Guides to Lyric Diction)

by Timothy Cheek

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1298 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	570 pages

Czech Consonants

Czech has 24 consonants, which are divided into three main groups: voiceless stops, voiced stops, and fricatives.

Voiceless Stops	Voiced Stops	Fricatives
p	b	f
t	d	v
k	g	s
		z
		š
		ž
		h

The voiceless stops are pronounced with a puff of air, while the voiced stops are pronounced with vibration of the vocal cords. The fricatives are produced by forcing air through a narrow opening in the mouth.

One of the most distinctive features of Czech pronunciation is the use of palatalized consonants. These consonants are pronounced with the middle of the tongue raised towards the roof of the mouth.

Palatalized Consonants	Non-Palatalized Consonants
p'	p
t'	t
k'	k
d'	d
n'	n
l'	l

Palatalized consonants are typically pronounced with a higher pitch than non-palatalized consonants.

Czech Vowels

Czech has 10 vowels, which are divided into two main groups: short vowels and long vowels.

Short Vowels	Long Vowels
a	á
e	é
i	í
o	ó
u	ú

The short vowels are pronounced with a shorter duration than the long vowels. The long vowels are also pronounced with a higher pitch than the short vowels.

Czech also has two diphthongs, which are pronounced as a single syllable.

Diphthongs
au
ou

The diphthongs are pronounced with a gliding motion from one vowel to another.

Czech Stress

Stress in Czech is typically placed on the first syllable of a word. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, such as words that end in a consonant.

When a word ends in a consonant, the stress is usually placed on the second syllable from the end.

Czech Rhythm

Czech has a trochaic rhythm, which means that the stressed syllables are followed by unstressed syllables.

The trochaic rhythm of Czech can be challenging for native English speakers to master. However, with practice, it is possible to achieve a natural-sounding Czech pronunciation.

Czech Lyric Diction

Czech lyric diction is the art of singing Czech in a way that is both accurate and expressive. It is important to pay attention to the following elements of Czech lyric diction:

Pronunciation
Stress
Rhythm
Intonation
Dynamics

Pronunciation is the most important element of Czech lyric diction. It is essential to be able to pronounce all of the Czech consonants and vowels correctly.

Stress and rhythm are also important elements of Czech lyric diction. The stress and rhythm of a word can affect its meaning.

Intonation is the variation in pitch that is used to express different emotions. In Czech, intonation is used to convey a wide range of emotions, from joy to sadness.

Dynamics are the changes in volume that are used to create contrast and emphasis. In Czech, dynamics are used to highlight important words and phrases.