Highest Note Required in a Musical?

[theawakefallen]

Posted: 9/10/16 at 9:26am

These are what I can remember from off the top of my head.

F#6 in “Let’s Hear it for the Boy” from Footloose sung by Rusty

F6 in “Aiutami” from The Light in the Piazza sung by Franca Naccarelli

E6 in “The Phantom of the Opera” from The Phantom of the Opera sung by Christine Daaé

E6 in “Notes #1” from The Phantom of the Opera sung by Carlotta Giudicelli

Eb6 in “Glitter and Be Gay” from Candide sung by Cunégonde

Eb6 in “Inside Out” from A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder sung by Phoebe D’Ysquith

Eb6 in “Poor Wandering One” from The Pirates of Penzance sung by Mabel

D6 in “One More Kiss” from Follies sung by Heidi Schiller

D6 in “Conversation Piece” from Wonderful Town sung by Eileen Sherwood

Db6 in “Veronique” from On the Twentieth Century sung by Lily Garland

C6 in “The Golden Ram” from Two by Two sung by Goldie

C6 in “Every Day” from Les Misérables sung by Cosette

C6 in “The Role of the Queen” from The Pirate Queen sung by Queen Elizabeth I

C6 in “Falling in Love (Quartet)” from Thoroughly Modern Millie sung by Dorothy Brown

C6 in “It’s a Privilege to Pee” from Urinetown sung by Penelope Pennywise

C6 in “Tonight (Quintet)” from West Side Story sung by Maria

C6 in “Thank Goodness” from Wicked sung by Glinda Upland

B5 in “I Heard Someone Crying” from The Secret Garden sung by Lily Craven

B5 in “No Way to Stop It” from The Sound of Music sung by Maria Rainer

Bb5 in “The Finer Things” from Jane Eyre sung by Blanche Ingram

Bb5 in “Vanilla Ice Cream” from She Loves Me sung by Amalia Balash

Bb5 in “Kiss Me, Kate” from Kiss Me, Kate sung by Lilli Vanessi

Bb5 in “Case Close (Trio)” from Zombie Prom sung by Delilah Strict

[vfd88]

Posted: 9/10/16 at 10:27am

Something from Evita? There are some wacky notes in A New Argentina.

[Peter2]

Posted: 9/10/16 at 10:45am

In her recent memoir, Barbara Cook says she counted the high notes in "Glitter and Be Gay": "Four E-flats above high C, six D-flats above high C, sixteen B-flats, and twenty-one high Cs."

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 9/10/16 at 12:36pm

Vanilla Ice Cream's high note is actually a High B not B flat. 

[gypsy101]

Posted: 9/10/16 at 1:02pm

lol @ op asking and then promptly giving approximately 20 examples.

also, when has Maria ever sang in No Way to Stop It in SOM ? 

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 9/10/16 at 3:58pm

vfd88 said: "Something from Evita? There are some wacky notes in A New Argentina."

Evita's notes are high in terms of belting (though there are higher) but most soprano roles have notes that go several notes above the top of what Eva sings, which I believe is a G during A New Argentina. 

[beilis32]

Posted: 9/11/16 at 1:36pm

In my humble opinion, Glitter and Be Gay is the most insane soprano song of all time, at least in a musical, with Poor Wandering One as a close second.

[newintown]

Posted: 9/12/16 at 8:30am

I applaud the thoroughness, but that list is less than... accurate. As has been pointed out, Maria does not sing "no Way To Stop It;" I don't have the score in front of me, but I'm very sure that Pennywise's top note in "Privilege" is significantly lower than C6. I imagine there must be other errors, but I don't see the payoff in perusing each score to verify. And what's the point, anywho? I find it more interesting that the final note in the score for "Some People" in Gypsy is a C5, but the only person I've ever heard sing that is Patti Lupone. Everyone else goes down to the tonic (F4 in the published score). Or that the written note for "dies" (as in "everybody dies" in "The Ladies Who Lunch" from Company is an Eb4, but since Stritch went up to G4 on the recording, everyone now chooses to hit that wrong note, too.

Updated On: 9/12/16 at 08:30 AM

[darquegk]

Posted: 9/12/16 at 9:22am

The Circus Contraption cast recordings feature recurring character Pinky D'Ambrosia, who has some very high notes, particularly in the insane "Mendel the Magnificent" and "Pinky and Moonbeam."

[IslandBoy27]

Posted: 9/12/16 at 1:54pm

Can we shift this to the men? What is the highest note written for a man? Not embellishments. I think there is an E flat written for the brother in MARIE CHRISTINE. I could be wrong. 

[darquegk]

Posted: 9/12/16 at 2:36pm

Annas sits at a high D frequently in "Jesus Christ Superstar," particularly in post-revision productions which emphasize his role and give him some of the Chief Priests' solos.

Posted: 9/12/16 at 2:43pm

This is fun!!!!   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMpLTldVVAA

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 9/12/16 at 2:45pm

For men, Clopin hits a crazy high note at the end of The Bells of Notre Dame in Hunchback. I think it's a D above high C, but I'm not positive. 

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 9/12/16 at 2:45pm

For men, Clopin hits a crazy high note at the end of The Bells of Notre Dame in Hunchback. I think it's a D above high C, but I'm not positive. 

[gypsy101]

Posted: 9/12/16 at 2:53pm

newintown, Pennywise does sing a high C at the end of Privelege to Pee. She first sings two an octave below that and then goes up the octave (all on an "ah" vowel).

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 9/12/16 at 3:08pm

And remember it's not always about the note itself, but the dramatic and musical context behind it.

Glitter and Be Gay (and Queen of the Night) are both insane because they require repeated, staccato high notes. Privilege to Pee would be easy for a good soprano, but it's written to be belted (and it's thrilling when it's done well). Cosette's "Not a dream after aaaaalllll" wouldn't be so bad, either, if it could be sung at full-volume head voice -- but instead it needs to be floated delicately.

(I like this post topic though, and a lot of the research that the original poster has done!)

[Hank]

Posted: 9/12/16 at 5:55pm

When I first saw Jennifer Hope Wells in Wonderful Town I thought OMG, she would be a wonderful Christine, and sure enough she rewarded us with a four year run.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 9/12/16 at 6:51pm

gypsy101 said: "lol @ op asking and then promptly giving approximately 20 examples.

also, when has Maria ever sang in No Way to Stop It in SOM ? 

 

"

Oh, she sings it. But only dogs can hear her.

[ThatMezzoGirl]

Posted: 9/13/16 at 12:31pm

If the question were - "highest note on a cast album" I would say the E6 Lindsay Mendez sings in Bless the Lord in the Godspell revival.  But actually in the revival score the highest note written is a high A so it's not required per the score, technically.

Yes The last note in Privilege to Pee is a C6.  And the "high" notes in A new Argentina are G5s, only considered high because it's a belted note, and G5s are a BITCH to belt, lol.