re: Songs For A New World ?'s
Jul 2
2007, 01:37:50 PM
I was just in a production of Songs, and was a music ed major. So hopefully I can answer some of your questions.
1) I'm a high tenor and was placed on the bass line during harmonies. The bass line (Man #2, Brooks Ashmanskas) hit's a sustained Bb and a C a couple of times during steam train.
2) The highest note belted by Man 1 (Ty) is a D5. Yes...a D5. During Sailing Ship bridge "i am unworthy...i am Unworthy!" It's not the loud falsetto note...that's just a falsetto of I think an F...right before that he hits a D. "We believe..." is a Bb. King of the world is a C. and "Earthquake hits!" is a C.
3) For myself I know it was all belted except for the obvious falsetto moments. Our production had an ensemble of about 20 kids (yeah, i didn't like that either.) and some mixed simply cause they couldn't handle it. I don't really know how it's supposed to be done. But I belted it.
"I would love to be able to easily sing some of the notes Taylor does but it doesn't seem to sound as easy as he makes it on the recording, I can hit some of them on good days, but I don't know about sustaining performances of it over a long period of time. I'm sure there are people that could, but more than likely is it pretty hard to find a tenor that can sing these notes for a show? "
It's rough. Flying Home may be one of the most difficult songs to sing in musical theater even. There are people that can do it. I've seen two guys at least at community theater who did it and were amazing as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBUstVV0NiI
That's my personal favorite amatuer performance.
4) I'm pretty sure it was written for a black performer. *shrug* i've seen a hispanic man...tha guy above.
5) Those two songs are pretty easy to play (I play piano). So they should be fine. Use the opening though over I'd Give It All For You as it shows off a little more.
6) In the three productions i've witnessed...nothing was lowered. In the one I was in the guy singing steam train could not handle it and the guy singing flying home was sick through the run :-
I saw a video on youtube where some guy sang Flying Home down the ocatave. It was awfully dissapointing.
I didn't read the rest of the thread. So if the answers were repeated, I apologize...if not...hope this was helpful!
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