8. A song performed by my favorite male singer in a musical.
Female singers fall into the categories of soprano (high voice) or alto (lower voice), and male singers into tenor (high), baritone (middle) and bass (lower). There are also the various permutations in between, like mezzo soprano, contralto, bass-baritone, bari-tenor and counter-tenor. It is thrilling to hear a soprano or tenor sing impossibly high notes with ease, and equally impressive to luxuriate in the rich lower tones of a bass or a contralto. However, when a singer could straddle both low and high ranges, you knew you were hearing someone special. John Raitt was one of those singers who confounded easy classification. He called himself a baritone, but he had high notes to rival those of a tenor, and few other male singers could come close to matching the warmth and resonance of his singing.
Raised in California, Raitt received classical voice training and did his first roles in operetta, eventually graduating to principal roles in the operas The Barber of Seville and Carmen. His strapping 6’2” frame and handsome face brought him a contract at MGM, but he was wasted as an uncredited singer or movie extra. The year 1944 proved to be his breakout year, getting cast as Curly in the Chicago company of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s landmark musical Oklahoma! The songwriting team was so impressed with Raitt’s singing that they wrote the leading role of their next musical, Carousel (1945), specifically for Raitt. That show established Raitt’s reputation as one of Broadway’s top baritones of the post World War II era.
And yet, Raitt only did seven Broadway shows and only had one significant film performance, recreating his leading Broadway role from The Pajama Game (1954) in the 1957 movie version. His “Hey There” from that show, in which he duets with himself on a dictophone, is a true classic, but it is his “Soliloquy” from Carousel that defines this man’s glorious voice. If he had never done another thing in his career, he would always be remembered and revered for this song. The clip is from a 1952 TV variety special, and he sang the entire 8-minute number LIVE!!! No artistic compromise for Raitt – he sings full throttle and nails that high B-flat. John Raitt was a god – and my singing idol. Seeing him do this is to have a master class in singing.
- by Jonathan Lewis
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Day 8 Musical Song Challenge: “Soliloquy”
8. A song performed by my favorite male singer in a musical.
Female singers fall into the categories of soprano (high voice) or alto (lower voice), and male singers into tenor (high), baritone (middle) and bass (lower). There are also the various permutations in between, like mezzo soprano, contralto, bass-baritone, bari-tenor and counter-tenor. It is thrilling to hear a soprano or tenor sing impossibly high notes with ease, and equally impressive to luxuriate in the rich lower tones of a bass or a contralto. However, when a singer could straddle both low and high ranges, you knew you were hearing someone special. John Raitt was one of those singers who confounded easy classification. He called himself a baritone, but he had high notes to rival those of a tenor, and few other male singers could come close to matching the warmth and resonance of his singing.
Raised in California, Raitt received classical voice training and did his first roles in operetta, eventually graduating to principal roles in the operas The Barber of Seville and Carmen. His strapping 6’2” frame and handsome face brought him a contract at MGM, but he was wasted as an uncredited singer or movie extra. The year 1944 proved to be his breakout year, getting cast as Curly in the Chicago company of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s landmark musical Oklahoma! The songwriting team was so impressed with Raitt’s singing that they wrote the leading role of their next musical, Carousel (1945), specifically for Raitt. That show established Raitt’s reputation as one of Broadway’s top baritones of the post World War II era.
And yet, Raitt only did seven Broadway shows and only had one significant film performance, recreating his leading Broadway role from The Pajama Game (1954) in the 1957 movie version. His “Hey There” from that show, in which he duets with himself on a dictophone, is a true classic, but it is his “Soliloquy” from Carousel that defines this man’s glorious voice. If he had never done another thing in his career, he would always be remembered and revered for this song. The clip is from a 1952 TV variety special, and he sang the entire 8-minute number LIVE!!! No artistic compromise for Raitt – he sings full throttle and nails that high B-flat. John Raitt was a god – and my singing idol. Seeing him do this is to have a master class in singing.
- by Jonathan Lewis
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment
Feel free to comment. However, please understand that this is my personal blog site so I am entitled to my own opinion. I do not wish to argue every little point with which you may disagree. Just as I have my opinion, you have yours and I respect that two people may never agree on the same point. So please keep it clean and cordial. Thank you.