MT songs for a more "classical" voice? - 2008/03/16 20:28So, I'm finding that classical/legit singing feels a lot more natural and healthy for my particular voice than a lot of musical theater rep. I'm heading off to college and have just gotten into some really good voice programs (yay!!), but I don't want to completely abandon musical theater. I love getting into character when I sing, and you don't get to sing the fun opera rep until you're absolutely ancient (aka late twenties) **
So basically, I'm trying to build a list of musical theater pieces that are appropriate to my current style. Right now, the list of songs like this that I can sing on the spot is pretty short:
Climb Ev'ry Mountain (Sound of Music) All I Ask of You (Phantom) The Phantom of the Opera Somewhere
(The other stuff is now officially retired. No more belting for me!)
I know that finding rep like this is pretty simple if I just troll through older musicals but...well, that's a bit of a daunting task. So, if anyone can point me in the right direction, I'd be eternally grateful. If it helps, I have a big/mature-sounding soprano voice with an extension up to E6, although at this point I prefer not to go higher than B6 in performance. I'm not terribly comfortable with coloraturas (a la "Glitter and Be Gay"...although the thought of singing it makes me drool a little).
Any help would be very much appreciated!
** No, I don't actually think late twenties is absolutely ancient.
Post edited by: alouette, at: 2008/03/16 20:29
Post edited by: alouette, at: 2008/03/16 20:30
Post edited by: alouette, at: 2008/03/17 17:15
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I've already looked through them and considered some of the music. I'd love to hear more about specific songs that people have enjoyed either listening to or singing, especially from musicals that aren't "operetta"-style in and of themselves (and thus that are harder to find in databases). For example, I know there's a really fun song from Jane Eyre, but I know I'm not ready to try it yet.
Post edited by: alouette, at: 2008/03/16 21:24
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katoru
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Re:MT songs for a more "classical" voice - 2008/03/17 12:24There's also a link on the bottom of that page to a list of songs for classically trained voices, it's a pretty good start.
I guess I can give a recommendation. There's a great piece from The Desert Song called "Romance". You can find it on iTunes, on an album called "The Good Ol' Days". You can also get the sheet music on musicnotes.comKathleen Sera Current Shows: Aloha Pinafore - Volga Upcoming Auditions: Crazy For You - Irene Roth
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"Camelot", "West Side Story", "Carousel", "Carnival", "Music Man", "Brigadoon", "Show Boat", "The Secret Garden" "King & I" --- "Lord & Master" - if you can do that, wow!!!!, "A Little Night Music", "A Most Happy Fella", Anything that Gilbert & Sullivan wrote, for instance, "The Pirates of Penzance", "On the 20th Century", "Sweeney Todd", "Guys & Dolls".
These are good places to start. All have Soprano solo music in them. There is all kinds of stuff out there, but you have to listen to the recordings and decide which songs fit you and your personality the best. I only gave you one song name - "Lord & Master" from "King & I". If you can do that at an audition, you will blow them away. When you hear it, you'll see what I mean. Even if you are not able to do it yet, if you work on it, you will be able to someday. All these shows are in Libraries (public or school). They are probably on the web to download. It is best to try to find the actual scores to some of these shows as sometimes sheet music puts the songs in different keys. I am a soprano and have had that problem. I can sing the song in the key on the recording, but the key they publish in is totally different. I get so mad!! This tends to be a problem with older musicals, not the newer shows they publish today.
I know you say you don't want to do the research to find music, but really you have to. Besides, listening to these shows is fun! All are classics! Break A Leg!!!
Post edited by: Jbug, at: 2008/03/17 13:15
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alouette
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Re:MT songs for a more "classical" voice - 2008/03/17 17:14Research is a lot of fun (one of my favorite methods of procrastination, in fact.). I'm sooooooooo looking forward to the day when I can spend hours looking through scores and call it "work." It's just that it's also nice to hear what other people like to give me a starting point.
Camelot and WSS are two of my favorite shows! I've been playing around with "Before I Gaze on You Again" and "Follow Me" - so pretty! I think I actually could pull off "My Lord and Master" - I hadn't even thought of it, so thanks
I found a recording of Anna Moffo singing "Romance!" She's my favorite Anyhoo, great suggestion. Thank you!!
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Anyway, I've been a legit soprano for a while (currently training as a mezzo due to hearing problems), so I've found a couple gems:
Anything from Maury Yeston's Phantom. Much more fun than the other one.
Some Kurt Weill. Street Scene is great. Threepenny has Polly's stuff. And play with some of his jazzier stuff. Applying a legit voice to it can be deangerously sexy for when you need to be dangerously sexy.
Kismet
The Merry Widow
And there's "Moonfall" from The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Rosa's other stuff is scary/angsty character soprano.Briana
Currently: Roustabout, "Side Show"
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JIJane
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Re:MT songs for a more "classical" voice - 2008/03/18 08:27Check out a less known British musical called Robert & Elizabeth. Also, "I have to tell you" from Fanny. Charlie Girl, another British musical has a lot of top sop stuff, uptempo as well and fun. "Out of my dreams" from Oklahoma has a top B flat and also "Many a new day" from the same show. "One life to live" from Lady in the dark (Weill). "Raunchy" from 110 in the shade, the original score goes up to an A. "Goodbye Emil" from Romance Romance is a great song. "Gooch's song" from Mame goes up to a B. "Unexpected song" from Song and Dance. "What is love" from Bitter Sweet, fabulous waltz, Noel Coward, goes to top C.
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Jbug
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Re:MT songs for a more "classical" voice - 2008/03/18 12:40OH YES! Robert & Elizabeth!!!! Wow, that is a tough show for a soprano. You do have to be an opera singer for it! However, the songs are great! There are wonderful duets too! I'm not sure how hard it is to find the music though. I knew one girl who had the pipes for it and the songs served her really well. Hardly anybody knows this show! If you can do these songs well, you would never have to worry, you'll impress at every audition!!!!
Post edited by: Jbug, at: 2008/03/18 12:40
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alouette
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Re:MT songs for a more "classical" voice - 2008/03/18 16:34Fabulous stuff. Although I did get the weirdest thing when I looked up Robert and Elizabeth on iTunes. I'm going to see if I can track down the CD.
Thank you so much!
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Jbug
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Re:MT songs for a more "classical" voice - 2008/03/20 13:09"R & E" is an older show. I first heard of it in the very early 1980's. It might even be from the 1970's!
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