Re: engraving question - slur across notes sung to different syllabes?

[Janek Warchoł]

2011/2/20 Phil Holmes <address@hidden>:
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Werner LEMBERG" <address@hidden>
> To: <address@hidden>
> Cc: <address@hidden>; <address@hidden>;
> <address@hidden>
> Sent: Saturday, February 19, 2011 5:34 PM
> Subject: Re: engraving question - slur across notes sung to different
> syllabes?
>
>>> Lo and behold, another example from the Gondoliers....
>>
>> This slur has an exact meaning: It's a portato.  You can find this
>> kind of notation in virtually all scores from the 19th century,
>> including both German (e.g. Wagner) and Italian (e.g. Verdi)
>> composers.
>
> According to my research following up your post, I think it's actually
> portamento, which is explicitly said to be a vocal technique indicated by
> slurs, as opposed to portato which is a string technique, and includes
> staccato marks.

Thank you all for your answers!
Looks i have much to learn...
However, as a mathematician (of some kind), i find this ambiguity very
irritating. I cannot undestand why slur should mean anything else than
legato, and why not notate all portamentos and glissandos with a wavy
line...

thanks again,
Janek