Vocalises

A vocalise is a melody sung without text. Traditionally, vocalises have served as vocal exercises, but in the early 20th century, the concert vocalise also gained popularity. Perhaps the most famous concert vocalise can be found in the final movement of Rachmaninoff's Op. 34, written for violin and piano. Vocalises are also occasionally included in larger orchestral works as textures or effects, as in the "Neptune" movement of Holst's "The Planets".