In a message dated 2/1/2002 8:33:48 PM Pacific Standard Time,
Greypins@a... writes:
> i don't remember horne doing what i call the 'reverse yodel' but, most
> of the stuff i have heard her in has been fairly high. i think the
> heaviness you hear in her voice is a matter of resonance not her using
> chest
> voice. if she were a 'reverse yodler', she would be more likely to fit
> into
> the mold of someone who uses light mechanism like catsup, putting it
> everywhere except, on the very lowest notes.
I must heartily (of course, respectfully!) disagree. I have spent years on
this issue, and of all the famous mezzos, she is the quintessential mixer,
which is why you have never heard any yodels in her at all, going up or down.
If you read her contribution to Jerome Hines' book, she talks about it being
a perfectly fractional relationship from chest to head, where the lower notes
are 7/8 chest, 1/8 head; then 6/8 chest, 2/8 head; then 5/8 chest, 3/8 head,
etc. as you ascend. Her lowest notes, however, are pure chest, disconnected
from the open column, which is what gave her that signature sound that some
applauded and others maligned. Her skill at mixing the lower middle notes and
the power that came from being so heavy mechanism based is eventually what
made her so famous. Not mention the even column that extended from her lowest
range to her top C, and the full-voiced clarity of her coloratura.
Now, she began as a soprano, so if you are referring to her early vocal years
(eg: Carmen Jones) then I might agree with you SOMEWHAT. It was subsequent to
that, when she got together with her husband Henry, that they developed this
strong, heavy-mechanism based mix that distinquished her from all the rest.
>
> i have never heard von stade doing the 'reverse yodel' (and, i have
> heard her singing fairly low stuff ) so, that would seem to indicate that
> she
> makes a transition to the heavier mechanism higher than those who do that
> 'slam thing' on the bottom. barry manilow sings in heavy mechanism but,
> his
> voice is anything but that which we would call heavy.
>
The reason that you have not heard von Stade doing the reverse yodel is that
she maintains her heady mix all the way down; she is the quintessential
"mezzo" who mixed from top down rather than from bottom up. (And I still
question to this day if she is really a mezzo.) And, because of that, she was
never comfortable singing the real mezzo-y repertoire. A lot of her rep is
schwischen, and sits very high, so avoiding that difficult area.
TinaO
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