Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #44341 in Books
• Published on: 2006-10-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 381 pages

Customer Reviews

Highly Recommended
As a theatre director, I have read a lot of books about other directors and stagecraft, and far fewer about the intimate work of the actor. I never got around to making a close study of voice until now, and FTNV has been a wonderful revelation for me.

Not only is Linklater's work imagistically strong and physically clear, but the thoughtful and careful way she approaches "release" seems a metaphor that extends well beyond the borders of the voice. It has inspired me in all facets of my artistic work. Wonderful, insightful, highly recommended.

Just goes to show you CAN improve on a classic.
The original edition rightly cast Linklater as a leading figure in the world of voice training for actors and professional speakers. This edition is clearer, more specific, more exciting and more accessible. Greatly expanded, with useful (and diverse) illustrations, the text moves easily from theory to practice, with detailed exercises, musings, and references to a broad range of disciplines.
While nothing can substitute for learning this discipline from a qualified teacher, this book serves as an excellent road guide and reminder/refresher for the serious student or teacher.
As a professional linguist I can also vouch for the sound scientific grounding and accuracy of the discussion of the vocal process, which is all too often either lacking from dramatic voice work or else is so detailed that the student gets mired in anatomical minutiae and loses sight of the practical goal. Linklater ingeniously balances the science and art of voice in this improved classic.

Practical, inspiring new edition
The second edition of Freeing the Natural Voice is a vastly expanded, inspiring and practical book for anyone interested in the human voice. Especially useful for actors at any level of experience, it de-mystifies the process of working on the voice. Linklater generously shares the depth and breadth of her life's work in language that stimulates the imagination as well as the intellect. Based on her understanding of human psychology and anatomy and the nature of the actor's process, it offers a window into the ways an artist develops craft and creativity simultaneously. The book is essential for teachers and students of voice, and is inspiring to anyone practicing related arts. For singers, the book might offer a new dimension to their level of personal connection with their voices and their material.