KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
KUTZTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA
DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC
COLLEGE OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS
MUS 192
GERMAN LYRIC DICTION FOR SINGERS
Approved by Department: February 5, 2008
I. COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is a study in the correct manner of singing German lyric diction. Students are
introduced to the International Phonetic Alphabet as a means for studying the language. The
course is designed to be taken by voice students who are concurrently enrolled in applied voice
Prerequisite: MUP 239 (Applied Voice)
1 semester hour
2 clock hours
II. COURSE RATIONALE
The student, singer, or teacher of singers must be able to pronounce and sing German texts with
linguistic accuracy. This course provides the student with a facility in German lyric diction with
an interest in a fluent, clear and articulate performance of assigned repertoire. It is essential for
any singer to be able to pronounce/sing German texts correctly, understandably, with clarity, and
with as little regional accent as possible.
III. COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Phoneticize and prepare texts from German art songs.
2. Accurately form sounds of the German language for singing.
3. Enunciate lyrics from German art song literature.
4. Identify the correct sounds of singing German.
IV. ASSESSMENT
Assessment of each student’s level of accomplishment with reference to the course objectives
will be based upon a subset of the following:
1. Demonstration of proficiency with the IPA.
2. Transcription and enunciation of German vocal literature.
3. Written exams, quizzes and assignments.
4. Performance assignments.
V. COURSE OUTLINE
1. International Phonetic Alphabet
2. Syllabification
a. Single consonant
b. Multiple Consonants
c. Prefixes and Suffixes
d. Compound Words
3. Stressing
a. Stressing Compound Words
b. Stressing in words with prefixes
4. German Vowels
a. Closed Vowels
b. Open Vowels
c. Unstressed ‘e’ (schwa)
d. Mixed Vowels (using an umlaut)
5. German Consonants
a. Dental Consonants
b. Voiced Plosive Consonants
c. Voiceless Plosive Consonants
d. Double Consonants
6. The Ach-Laut and Ich-Laut
7. Use of the Glottal Stop
8. German Diphthongs
a. Diphthongs
b. Glides
c. Triphthongs
9. The Interpretive Use of Consonants
10. Indentifying Multiple Elements
a. Open Vowel Prefixes and Prefixes with Diphthongs
b. Closed Vowel Prefixes
c. Suffixes
d. Inflectional endings
11. Closed and Open Vowel Exceptions
VI. Instructional Resources
Adler, Kurt. Phonetics and Diction in Singing. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis,
MN 1965
Cox, Richard G. The Singer’s Manual of German and French Diction. G. Schirmer, New York
1970.
Jones, Archie; Smit, M. Irving; and Walls, Robert E. Hip Pockets Pronouncing Guide to
German. Carl Fischer, New York 2002.
Messinger, Heinz; Gisela Turck; and Helmut Willman. Langenscheidt Standard German
Dictionary. Landenscheidt Publishers, Berlin 1993.
Montgomery, Cheri. German Lyric Diction Workbook. S.T.M. Publishers, Nashville, TN 2006
Moriarty, John. Diction. E.C. Schirmer Music Co., Boston, MA 1975.
Odom, William and Benno Scholloum. German for Singers. Thomas Learning, Belmont, CA
1997.
Paton, John Glenn, ed. German Diction: The Singer’s Guide to Pronunciation. Alfred
Publishing Co. Inc., Van Nuys, CA 1999.
Paton, John Glenn, ed. German Lieder, An Anthology of German Song and Interpretation.
Alfred Publishing Co. Inc., Van Nuys, CA 2000.
__________, Fifty Selected Songs by Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Wolf, and Strauss. G.
Schirmer, Inc., distributed by Hal Leonard Corporation, Milwaukee, WI 1951.
Saya, Virginia and Richard Walters, eds. The Lieder Anthology. Hal Leonard Corporation,
Milwaukee, WI 2003.
Wall, Joan; Robert Caldwell; Tracy Gavilanes; and Sheila Allen. Diction for Singers.
Pst…Inc., Dallas, Texas 1990.
Wall, Joan. International Phonetic Alphabet for Singers. Pst…Inc., Dallas, Texas 1989.