Bel canto to Beyoncé

Beyoncé is known for breaking records throughout her career, now she is breaking through music genres. On her newly released album Cowboy Carter, not only has Beyoncé broken into the country music genre, she also has incorporated classical music. On the new song “DAUGHTER,” Beyoncé samples the bel canto Italian art song, “Caro mio ben.” This Italian song may be new to many Beyoncé fans. However, classical singers know this piece very well. It is one of the many beautiful arias and art songs featured in the 24 Italian Songs & Arias of the 17th & 18th Centuries songbook. This book is utilized by many singing teachers and voice professors at classical music conservatories. Many junior high and high school students who compete at Solo and Ensemble competitions are also familiar with songs from this book. This is not only a beautiful example of how all music is connected throughout time, but also how healthy vocal technique can connect singers to any genre they enjoy. I tell my singers all the time that when it comes to art and music history, what once was new will become old and what is old will become new again. Much of what we have in music today is only here because of music from the past. For example, many singers known for singing mostly R&B music, commonly sing riffs or runs which are often recognised as added notes on a single syllable of a word. This type of singing is often improvised as well. This is actually very similar to a practice that was done by vocalists during the baroque and bel canto periods in music history. In classical music, these types of passages are known as “melismas” or “coloratura.” Many of the selections featured in the 24 Italian Songs & Arias songbook feature added notes known as “grace notes” or “ornamentation.” At the time, it was common for performers to add their own ornimentations and they also often improvised. What is usually seen written in publications of these classic songs today are the most common ornamentationsc sung over time. So in many ways, this bel canto aria is a perfect pairing for Beyoncé’s voice since she is known for her talent of creating riffs. I encourage students to take a listen to the song and think on how Beyoncé adjusts her sound to incorporate the bel canto style and Italian language. This could open your minds towards studying new, and old, musical genres.

Learn more on how classical music influenced Beyoncé’s new album here: https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/beyonce-bach-classical-music-cowboy-carter/