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From:  Tako Oda <toda@m...>
Date:  Thu May 25, 2000  5:35 pm
Subject:  Re: Question about Fach


Ingo Duckerschein <ingo_d@y...> wrote:
>
> Tako and John -- both of you mentioned optional or traditional high Cs.
> I must admit I'm a bit confused and would appreciate an explanation.
> (My ear is not that well trained at this point but I when I compare the
> scores with my recollection of recordings I must admit that the
> recordings 'sounded' higher.)

Since you are a baritone (am I remembering correctly?), I can give you
an example in your own repertoire... There is a traditional Bbb to Ab
appogiatura before the final Db at the very end of Rigoletto. It is
written Fb Eb Db, if I'm not misktaken. Still, I doubt it has ever been
performed this way in a major house, since a Bbb is practically
a required note for a Verdi baritone. Sherill Milnes even interpolated a
Cb into this little run.

There are also optional notes as well, where the composer gives the
singer a choice of notes. Most singers like to show off and pick the
higher high notes and the lower low notes.

Another thing that happens is that arias are transposed down so the
singer appears to have a high note he does not (to those without perfect
pitch anyway!)

Tako


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