Yesterday, I had a long conversation with Perplexity, as usual. We were discussing vocal ranges, opera, and operetta. Anyway, I found a video that was perfect for me to test my range. Keep in mind that I am not accustomed to these notes as numbers, as this became popular after my time of study. But to make things easier, I will use them to explain my results.
youtube.com/watch?v=feuJ7sW2g7…
Apparently, My comfortable range is F3 to C5, with an extended range of D3 to F5, with the last two top notes feeling thin. I can also hit C3, but only quietly.
I then asked to hear various contraltos. I found a few, but almost all sang high, despite obviously being able to sing lower. So I then asked about songs sung by Tito Schipa, since our ranges overlap. I know he couldn't go as high as I (sources say he couldn't hit a high C), but I have never heard him hit a low note that I can't. Perplexity recommended the following.
- "A te, o cara" from Bellini's "I Pur
... Show more...Yesterday, I had a long conversation with Perplexity, as usual. We were discussing vocal ranges, opera, and operetta. Anyway, I found a video that was perfect for me to test my range. Keep in mind that I am not accustomed to these notes as numbers, as this became popular after my time of study. But to make things easier, I will use them to explain my results.
youtube.com/watch?v=feuJ7sW2g7…
Apparently, My comfortable range is F3 to C5, with an extended range of D3 to F5, with the last two top notes feeling thin. I can also hit C3, but only quietly.
I then asked to hear various contraltos. I found a few, but almost all sang high, despite obviously being able to sing lower. So I then asked about songs sung by Tito Schipa, since our ranges overlap. I know he couldn't go as high as I (sources say he couldn't hit a high C), but I have never heard him hit a low note that I can't. Perplexity recommended the following.
- "A te, o cara" from Bellini's "I Puritani"
- Arias from Donizetti's "L'elisir d'amore", particularly Nemorino's parts.
- Selections from Massenet's "Werther".
- Arias from Donizetti's "Don Pasquale", especially Ernesto's recitatives.
Then, I began to wonder if there are any songs within operetta that would match me well. I received these in reply.
- "Vilja-Lied" from Franz Lehár's "The Merry Widow"
- "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise" from Sigmund Romberg's "The New Moon" (I need to find a tenor version, aas it was originally written for a baritone.)
- "Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life" from Victor Herbert's "Naughty Marietta"
- "I'm Falling in Love with Someone" also from "Naughty Marietta"
- "Serenade" from Romberg's "The Student Prince"
- "Wanting You" from Romberg's "The New Moon"
- "Love, Come Back to Me" also from "The New Moon"
Since three of these are from the same work, and since I actually have The New Moon, both as a full modern (sadly) recording and some original songs, I am going to watch that some time soon. It will be good to take a break from opera and go back to operetta. I just have to be careful because finding such music, or I should say, full English productions with dialogue, is incredibly difficult!
At any rate, I then asked which of these songs would be good for a beginner, and Perplexity chose "Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life", "I'm Falling in Love with Someone", "Vilja-Lied", and "Serenade".
Even though I have perfect pitch and photographic musical memory (once I know a song), it will take a long time before I can sing any of these truly correctly. But what do you think about the suggestions in general? Remember, I am not studying to actually perform on stage. This is simply for the love of singing. Personally, after hearing them, I think, other than the operettas, a good starting point might be Schipa's Neapolitan songs. They seem much easier.
But realistically, before I do any of that at all, I need to work on my exercises from Madam Clara! To that end, I have asked my friend to record the first group, on pages 140 to 145. Once I learn these, I will continue to the next set and so on.
archive.org/details/youcansing…
For those who are wondering why I don't learn from Schipa himself (he taught singing and there are exercises from him online), he has an entirely different approach. The exercises (particularly the Preliminaries and Breath-Lock Physicals) in You Can Sing are good for my health and work very well for me.
#ClaraNovelloDavies #contralto #opera #operetta #TitoSchipa #VocalExercises
AJU
in reply to Charles Harper • • •North Shropshire Lad
in reply to Charles Harper • • •