| Latin is one of the most frequently encountered languages in Western music and the most important second language for the English-speaking choral conductor. People in each geographic region in Western Europe spoke and sang the language differently. These differences include not only the pronunciation of vowels and consonants, but also, in some cases, syllabic stress. While the Vatican attempted to unify the pronunciation of Latin in liturgical settings with the Moto Proprio, the regional dialects used in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries continue to enhance the nationalistic characteristics of each countries Latin musical output and offer potential acoustic benefits. As modern performers, awareness of the sounds composers heard and had in mind for their compositions is an important aspect of accurate interpretation of vocal music.;The Introduction is a brief overview of the role of Latin in the Christian Church, and its transformation up to 1800. In Chapter 1, sources of pronunciation of Ecclesiastical Latin are examined and compared using IPA transcriptions of sacred texts. Chapter 2 includes current American conductor's thoughts on the benefits, drawbacks, and challenges of using German, French, or English Latin in performance. The texts examined in chapter 1 are transcribed in French, German, or English Latin, along with music examples of nineteenth and twentieth century composers' settings of those texts. By examining the history of Latin in the Church, the rules of the sources that codify pronunciation in the past two centuries, and the aesthetic and acoustic benefits of different sounds, I hope to bring a clear understanding of Latin diction to all choral conductors, informing them of the possibilities to enhance their musical performances. |
