Why so high?

Dunno. All I know is that when Kiri Te Kanawa hits the high note on the second refrain of "Chi Il Bel Sogno Di Doretta", and then goes up from there, I get chills. Don't get the same feeling when Sammy Hagar tries for those notes, though.

I once heard a recording of Alessandro Moreschi (the "Last Castrato")... it was one of the eeriest noises I've ever experienced. (His Complete Vatican Recordings is available on cd, for the morbidly curious.)

Hey Nime

Look at it like this it's a fiendish plan to get rid of sub-woofers and substitute supertweeters

regards
Geoff

The boring old fart

quote:

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Originally posted by Geoff P:Look at it like this it's a fiendish plan to get rid of sub-woofers and substitute supertweeters.

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Excellent Goeff!

There are plenty of examples of jayd's type. Boy soprano with: "Oh for the wings of a dove" Banarama(?) has something on the radio that just goes up in a very strange way as if it were one voice. Shania Twain exercises herself on another one where she actually stretches herself.
I'm sorry I'm a bit vague onm titles here. Radio 2 Denmark deosn't announce what's being played between tracks. It's my only source of most pop music.

Is there some deep-seated psychology at work here? Where are the parallels with ordinary life?
I really like deep bass rumbles too! Sub 30Hz organ or film effects. Both do it for me!

So are we talking primordial, genetically-programmed memories of our cousins the whales and dolphins here?

Regards
Nime

ISTM that Mariah Carey sings high because she can. To my ears she sings lots of notes but not very much actual music. People who can sing high as well as carry a tune, it's not a problem. Technique but no content is worse than content but no technique (c.f. Bob Dylan), but content and technique together are great!

But most people just sing where they do, and in most cases that's higher than me (bass last time I sang in a choir).

Pete.

I don't know about this business of singing high but what strikes me when listening to current pop music is all the awful vocal gymnastics that singers employ. These vocal stylists are just plain excruciating IMHO.

Whatever happened to just singing the song?

Mole Man

quote:

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Originally posted by Nime:
The BeeGees joined an upward trend. But why would a bawling, be-bangled and be-chained, hairy 'metal' singer feel it necessary to shriek and squeal like a woman?

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Sounds like the lead singer of Cinderella to me!!!!

Yeah - the current pop vocal gymnastics do my head in - witness crap like Britney Speares, who sounds like she's growning in pain half the time. And then there's the awful mediocrity of people like Atomic Kitten.

I can't think why I rarely listen to radio (most classical doesn't do it for me, and talk radio sucks)....

__________________________
Don't wanna be cremated or buried in a grave
Just dump me in a plastic bag and leave me on the pavement
A tribute to your modern world, your great society
I'm just another victim of your highrise fantasy!

Don't get me started on the likes of Britney Spears, Atomic kitten, Christina Aguillera, Pink and all the other bimbo's whose music and appearence are tailormade for young girls to empty their bank account in the fastest possible manner. I know 'cause I've got two daughters (6 & 11).

Rob.

Interesting insight into the castrato:

http://www.usrf.org/news/010308-jenkins_lancet.html

[QUOTE] Is there some deep-seated psychology at work here? Where are the parallels with ordinary life?
I really like deep bass rumbles too! Sub 30Hz organ or film effects. Both do it for me!

So are we talking primordial, genetically-programmed memories of our cousins the whales and dolphins here? [/QUOTE

That's pretty heavy but an interesting idea. You could question an awfull lot in music. Fundementals such as:

How did music evolve?
Taken that it was just sounds intially, where did the split off from other communication sounds begin?
Was it intimate one on one communicatiokn as compared with group communication in man's early history?
Clearly the sounds that became early music where very different in different cultures.
What we now call european folk music sounds awfully different from Japanese traditonal music.
Did ancient music composers force the Castrati into being by writing music for eunuchs to sing?

One thing is for sure I prefer to have my insides rearranged by deep base to having my brain seared by screaming female pop singers.

regards from philosophical
GEOFF

The boring old fart

There does seem to be a backlash developing here towards the female poptarts. I'm not sure how much longer Britney Spears can get away with the lisping lolita rolling on the floor and showing her knickers show. Not with those thighs anyway! I hear she's taking singing lessons. Hope springs eternal!

Aguillera is a strange one. Vocal gymnastics on a par with Carey but with a hard edge.
"The voice within" is a remarkable display. Yet oddly irritating at the same time. Are they competing with each other or just showing off? Would you rather have either girl in a pop straight-jacket? Aren't they pushing back frontiers? Or something useful like that?

I think I've decided that singing high probably comes from our more recent ancestors. The apes. It probably just means it's mealtime in the jungle canopy!

Nime

kære nime
prøv nogle mere spændende musikalske bekendskaber

quote:

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Originally posted by pe-zulu:
kære nime
prøv nogle mere spændende musikalske bekendskaber

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English: Dear Nime, try some more exciting aquaintances?

Det gør jeg på CD tak. Næsten ubegrænset!

English: I do that on CD thanks. Almost unlimited.

Med venlig hilsen
With friendly greetings

Nime

quote:

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English: Dear Nime, try some more exciting aquaintances?

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I say old chap! Is "Mr zulu" implying that we are "boring old farts" hereabouts?



The boring old fart

quote:

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Originally posted by Geoff P:
I say old chap! Is "Mr zulu" implying that we are "boring old farts" hereabouts?

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After a couple of weeks of Aphex Twin and Squarepusher my wife certainly thinks I am! Thanks Rob!

Just to prove I'm a predictable (though still immature) old fart who only likes "easy listening": My pile of borrowed library CD's for this week include the first 3 Mahler Symphonies, Satie, Vivaldi, Satriani, Vierne, Virtuoso Trumpet and Michala Petri.

It's a difficult time of year. It's usually too cold for her to escape outside to her gardening. So musical choice becomes rather more critical than usual!

Satie took an early shower and we are now "enjoying" the Mahler 1st. But not for long I fear!

Regards
Nime

quote:

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But not for long I fear!

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You don't real mean that

The boring old fart

I'm a martyr to my music choice in the winter.
One has to be SO careful.

Nime

Dear Nime
Thanks for your ready translation. But you forgot the word "musical" (try some more exciting musical aquaintances).
I do not imply that you (or Geoff P) are boring
old farts, but all I wanted to say was: Forget about M.Carey and the like, they do not deserve your attention. And tell us a litle about music you like.
Venlig hilsen

quote:

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Originally posted by pe-zulu:
Dear Nime
Thanks for your ready translation. But you forgot the word "musical" (try some more exciting musical aquaintances).
I do not imply that you (or Geoff P) are boring
old farts, but all I wanted to say was: Forget about M.Carey and the like, they do not deserve your attention. And tell us a litle about music you like.
Venlig hilsen

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My sincere apologies for the absence of the crucial word. (I wish my Danish was remotely as good as your excellent English) But to completely miss that particular word was careless in this context.

It would be far easier to tell you what I hate. Since I like so many different kinds of music.

I detest rap, disco, modern jazz...I'm sure I can think of some more...

Regards
Nime

Dear Nime
You ought to choose the more difficult solution and tell us about music you like. I think of classical music in the broad sense. Since you apparently have got another approach to this issue than I, you might draw my attention to somthing I have overlooked.
Venlig hilsen

Mike Oldfield, Clannad/electric folk, classical organ, Satriani, Dire Straits/Knopfler, any recorder music, anything early/baroque, Kate Bush, Jethro Tull, Vaughn Williams, Elgar, some Techno, Mahler, Andrea Bocelli, Phil Collins, Clapton, Mussorgski, Bartok, Gregorian chants, Randy Crawford, early Joan Armatrading, Mozart, Tracy Chapman, Peter Gabriel, The Cars, Bach, Vierne, The Pretty Things, Metallica, Blue Man Group, Supertramp, Eagles, Apocalyptica, Pink Floyd, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, Jeff Beck, Norah Jones, Rammstein, Sort Sol....this is getting silly...I haven't even scratched the surface yet...

Okay, I've shown you mine.
Now you show me yours.

Nime

What played in that order? No wonder you''re always going off to bed!

Seriously I think the word you need for your music tastes is eclectic.

Geoff

The boring old fart

Dear Nime
OK, the list is long. I will make it short.
Anything between the year 900 and 1750
except Palestrina and opera.
Beethoven, some Mozart, some Brahms, some Carl Nielsen, some Stravinsky, some Hindemith, Bartok, some Martin.
Beatles, Gary Brooker, Gary Wright, J.J. Cale,
Colin Blunstone, Kate Bush, The Alan Parsons Project, Cockney Rebel, Roxy Music, Brian Ferry,
Wishbone Ash, John Wetton,Eric Clapton,Steffen Brandt
to name some of the most important.
Venlig hilsen

Eclectic seems to be quite fashionable.

I should have included Ferry, Roxy Music and Stravinsky in my own abbreviated list. Vivaldi of course. I've been enjoying his 2nd Oboe Concerto today. A rare piece of classical music that my wife enjoyed too. I love woodwind.

Mozart's Clarinet Concerto K622 has been a lifelong favorite that I never tire of. Jack Brymer was the first soloist I ever heard playing it on our Armstrong valve radio when I was 14 or 15. My father recorded it on his old Philips mono tape recorder for me. I listened to it like some kids listened to pop records. Over and over again. Mozart's tunes were so infectious.

It's surprisingly difficult to remember everybody we like. I make such use of the free music CD library. Including many CDs ordered online from other libraries. That I don't need a vast collection of CDs. The nation's library shelves are so easily accessible from my desk!

My record collection includes many more classical works by other composers I haven't listed. (and rock music too) But my LP12 sits unused and the records are now inaccessible.

You are another Beatles fan? Having lived through the Beatles era (live as it it were) I really cannot get excited by their work now. Clever as they may have been.

Only "Imagine" by Lennon still moves me. The lyrics are so incredibly powerful. The music simply carries the message without obtrusive clutter.

Ozzy's "Dreamer" wasn't a bad try. But his unique voice robbed it of much of the impact of the lyrics.

I suppose you had to be there to know what Lennon was talking about. It still seems to sum up our times in a nutshell.

Med venlig hilsen
Nime

Dear Nime

I dont think I am a Beatlesfan in your sense. Actually I dont listen to them any more.
My preferred listening is Bach and medieval music, but in between many other things witin the span I mentioned.

Have you tried trouveresongs or Machaut fx,
or the Ars subtilis-composers?

The text of Imagine is in my opinion still actual and will probably be actual as long as
human beings exist.

Venlig hilsen

quote:

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Originally posted by pe-zulu:
Have you tried trouveresongs or Machaut fx,
or the Ars subtilis-composers?

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I really haven't come across any of these on my musical travels. But a quick CD search on bibliotek.dk offers a considerable range of possibilities.

Would you be kind enough to recommend some of your favorite CDs to help narrow my choice a little? Or should I just take pot-luck and order anything that sounds interesting?

Regards
Nime