In a message dated 7/4/2001 1:06:49 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
gwyee@r... writes:
<< I suppose that in a static unchanging world this might be true. However,
as
it stands, your comment doesn't seem to leave any room for possible
development [ie, strengthening certain muscles, improving muscular
coordination, changing technique, etc] Soubrettes can grow. And more than
a few tenors began as high baritones (although I don't recall any bassos who
started out as tenor). >>
gwendel,
yes, soubrettes can grow. most won't. certainly, the ones who don't
sing very well are less likely to grow unless, they are spintos misguidedly
imitating soubrettes which makes them spintos, not soubrettes. in the same
manner, tenors who start off as baritones weren't baritones, they were tenors
trying to sing baritone.
this is a difficult point for me to address as i think such catagories
are ridiculous anyway. what could be more static than millions of voices
being pidgeon-holed into bass, tenor, alto, soprano (and i think the fach
system is just 'advanced' ridiculous. the notched blur). i personally
feel that if a singer can sing all of the notes of a role and not sound
stupid doing it, they should sing it if they can get away with it.
there are voices, however, who are so clearly one thing and no other
that they should just stick to that. domingo started as a baritone and
though he might find the very top very difficult, i think he is best suited
to tenor. i actually think he'd be best off singing high baritone and low
tenor but, the opera world has developed such a rigid notion of what the
timbre for each fach should sound like that this makes it necessary for him
to stick with tenor (though, oddly enough, the opera world is not so
restrictive about bass-baritones). pavarotti, on the other hand, is more
obviously a tenor. it was probably never a consideration for him to sing
baritone, even when he first started. (i have no idea which of the three
ranges he sang in, ramon vinay was. i think he made the right choice most
of the time and that was singing whatever role made it easiest for him to
cause a sunami with.)
so, in the examples i gave, a baritone flirting with 'wintersturme' or a
soubrette trying 'un bel di', if these have possibilities, good for them.
but, if they sound stupid singing them, they need to know and nothing will
convince them faster than a tape (obviously, from where they sit, it doesn't
sound stupid enough).
mike
|
|  |
