ABSTRACT
This article discusses Francesco Florimo, one of the most important representatives of the nineteenth century Neapolitan music school, and it explores his impact on singing vocal pedagogy history. Florimo notably contributed to the development of the library of the “San Pietro a Majella” Conservatory of Naples, and he is also known for his commitment to teaching generations of singers. Nevertheless, he is less recognized for his contributions to vocal pedagogy history. Completed in 1825 and published several times during the nineteenth century, Breve metodo di canto is his treatise on vocal pedagogy, and it summarizes his teaching method. This text was an innovative contribution to voice education; the book not only explored the art of singing, but it also advanced specific elements of voice training that are important to modern singing techniques such as breathing, sound emission, and articulation. The text also provides additional information on the history of human voice and underlines the importance of a progressive approach to the practice of singing, making Florimo an unrecognized forerunner of modern voice education.
