Bass singers

[BroadwayBama]

Posted: 4/28/04 at 9:54am

Good morning all,

This is my first post on this board (I've been a lurker for quite some time). Just wondering what shows/musicals have prominent roles for bass singers? I'm looking for some new music to work on and possible shows that I would like to explore.

Thanks,
BB

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 4/28/04 at 10:02am

Man of La Mancha has a couple good things for bass (I'm a Bass/Baritone and have played Don Quixote many times. The Governor has a great song "The Dubbing" which is good and low, also.
Judd in Oklahoma has something, I believe.
There is a good piece from On the Town - "I feel like I'm not out of Bed Yet"..great audition stuff for a bass.
If I think of more - I'll pass them along.

[twogaab2]

Posted: 4/28/04 at 10:06am

Nowadays, very few. The rare low notes for a man (below C) are used basically for color and as most shows use body mics these notes can be fudged by baritones (ie Marc Kuddisch-sp, in Assassans). In general, the tambor or the "real" bass voice is not welcome in current musical comedy. Most composers tend to write for high baritones or low tenors-who mostly have little or no connection to the lower register.

TWOGAAB

[Unknown User]

Posted: 4/28/04 at 10:12am

"Old Man River" from SHOWBOAT

One of the best ever written - for a true, legitimate bass.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 4/28/04 at 10:16am

Unfortunately, Twogaab2 is right on most counts - they just don't write for lower voices anymore - which is why I've worked so hard on improving my upper register. Mics make it possible to use your head voice much more these days, which is a good thing, but also make it possible, as twogaab says - to fake the lower stuff without having to use any power (even WITH mics, I couldn't understand a word Marc Kudish sang in the lower portion of his songs in Assassins)...its a sad state for the true Bass Baritone out there. But if you go to older sources - shows written before the 70s, you'll have a much better chance of finding stuff.
Oh, and one more bass song - Edelweiss from Sound of Music.

Updated On: 4/28/04 at 10:16 AM

[BroadwayBound06]

Posted: 4/28/04 at 1:56pm

Yea... I'm a Low Baritone, and plus I'm a teenager so there are even fewer roles for me.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 4/28/04 at 2:13pm

I hear ya! When I was a senior in HS we did Jesus Christ Superstar - lucky for me because Ciaphas is a Bass! Check out his stuff...also a great baritone song from that show is Pilate's dream - beautiful.

[Timmerbo]

Posted: 4/28/04 at 2:15pm

Jud in Oklahoma doesn't nessassarily have to be played by a bass. He only sings down to a low D, which most tenors could sing. His highest note is a C#. That said, I think Jud works best if the actor playing him has a darker voice.

Emile in South Pacific was traditionally played by operatic bassos, though I don't think the part goes lower than an A. He sings Some Enchanted Evening and This Nearly was Mine, the latter of which is really a good bass song when done in the right key.

Caiaphas in Jesus Christ Superstar is a bass... the score has a bunch of bass Fs and some optional notes all the way down to a D. It's notable that he also sings a sustained F above middle C.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 4/28/04 at 2:21pm

Timmer - thanks for the reminder - I think This Nearly Was Mine is one of the most beautiful songs ever written - for a couple seasons I was using it at auditions and getting great feedback!

[Barihunk]

Posted: 4/28/04 at 2:43pm

There is an great anthology for musical theatre singers published by Hal Leonard, broken down by voice type. You'll find many choices of songs... the first volume is classified Baritone/Bass... two and three are more Baritone/Baritenor but... take a look.

[Barihunk]

Posted: 4/28/04 at 2:44pm

sorry... forgot the link

http://www.tismusic.com/details.cfm?thedept=V&item=00361074

[Jon]

Posted: 4/28/04 at 5:00pm

The role of Cesar in FANNY is a bass - originally played by Ezio Pinza (his follow up to SOUTH PACIFIC - with the original Lt. Cable, William Tabbert, playing his son - directed again by Joshua Logan.) He has two good solos - "Welcome Home" and "Love is a Very Light Thing".

Of course, the role requires a man over 50 - and the show is rarely done, but the songs are good for auditions.

[bob8rich]

Posted: 4/28/04 at 6:47pm

There are some great songs for a bass in Frank Wildhorn and Jack Murphy's "The Civil War" (sung in the Broadway show and on the concept CD by the fantastic Michel Bell) - including a solo, "Father, How Long?" and a duet, "If Praying Were Horses".