Nineteenth-century singing was distinguished by rich, expressive practices that have largely disappeared from modern performance. Early gramophone recordings preserve evidence of these forgotten techniques, revealing a more nuanced approach to musical expression than written sources alone suggest. This thesis examines such recordings from the perspective of a professional classical singer, focusing particularly on portamento and tempo modification. Once fundamental to nineteenth-century performance, these devices gradually fell from favour during the twentieth century. Their frequency, function, and musical contexts are systematically reconsidered.