Coincidentally, at about the same time the obituary was published, I was thanked (thanked!) by a singer for paying attention to words and writing music that allows the singer to best express art in a natural way. I was puzzled by this, and the singer explained that not every composer seems to be working with the voice.

So this quote of Hoiby really struck me:

“Singers, you can’t fool them,” he said. “When they hear a song, they can tell right away if it’s going to make them sound good. And mine do.”

One can appreciate the confidence with which such a statement is made! But it is also worth considering the merit behind this idea. Instrumentalists, especially in an ensemble, can simply play the notes in front of them and trust that there is some internal logic in whatever the composer has written. (That’s not always true, by the way.)

But there is so much more at stake for a singer. Singers are much more sensitive to the natural rise and fall of language and the inherent drama in the music. They have to “get it” if they are to stand in front of an audience and successfully offer a musical experience. When any of this fails, the singer is not likely to sound good, however polished the performance.

I would suggest that Hoiby should have taken the quote a step further: Audiences can easily be fooled, but are less likely to be fooled by a song.

The post Another Lee Hoiby quote appeared first on Richard D. Russell.

Richard D. Russell will have three pieces performed on October 24, 2010 at the Bell and Barter Theater in Rockaway, NJ. Details are on the poster, please click for a larger view. All of the day’s pieces will have a theme tied in with Edgar Allan Poe.

Russell’s compositions include “A Poe Fantasia” plus two new premieres: “Eldorado” and “Annabel Lee” both for voice and piano trio.

There will be a premiere of a new mini-opera by Robert Butts, a re-imagining of Poe’s classic short story, “The Tell-Tale Heart.”

The concert starts at 3pm, and tickets are available for $15 by emailing your total tickets desired to: seasonal.sunday.salons@gmail.com

Tickets at the door are $25, so save $10 by registering early!

A wine and cheese reception is included in the ticket’s cost.

The post Three Compositions based on Poe poems: Oct 24 appeared first on Richard D. Russell.

But the voice I hear is always a classically trained voice.  The voice, of course, is capable of so much more than just singing in an operatic way. It can coo, hum, shout, talk, growl, soothe, howl, and whisper.

In classical music, of course, there is Sprechstimme. And there are some wild avant-garde pieces for voice as well. Still, I think rock music (or punk or soul, etc.) tends to explore much more of what the voice can do than does classical music. It’s good to stretch your boundaries from time to time.

Just something to think about when you start writing your next vocal piece.

The post What the voice can do appeared first on Richard D. Russell.

The post How to Become a Better Composer (in Just Two Hours!) appeared first on Richard D. Russell.

The Aurora Borealis Duo, a resident ensemble from New York City, will perform at St. Anselm Parish in Dearborn, MI, on Tuesday July 3. This critically acclaimed duo features soprano, Tiffany DuMouchelle and marimbist, Stephen Solook. Ms. DuMouchelle and Mr. Solook have been featured performers at such esteemed venues as: Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Verizon Hall, The Consulate of the Republic of Poland, and Symphony Space. Ms. DuMouchelle, recipient of the presigious Richard F. Gold Carreer Grant and winner of the 2006 Mannes Concerto Competition, is equally at home in concert and chamber repertoire as on the operatic stage, where she has performed such roles as: Pamina, Susanna, and Anne Truelove. Mr. Solook, is an active soloist and chamber collaborator in classical and world music. He has recently joined the Jose Limon Dance Company in their major revival of “Lament“for Ignacio Sanchez Mejias. He has also performed in concert with such renowned artists as Judy Collins, Glen Velez, Lauren Flanigen, and Bob Becker, and under such conductors as John Rutter, Edin Outwater, and Paul Nadler. Aurora Borealis will present an eclectic program featuring arrangements of classical standards from opera and art song, along with Broadway favorites and new works by American composers. For more information about the duo, please go to: auroraborealisduo.com.
When: 7pm, Tuesday July 3, 2007.
Where: St. Anselm Parish, 17650 W. Outer Drive, Dearborn Heights.
Admission: $15/Adults; $10/Students and Senior (Suggested Donation).

The post Aurora Borealis, “Three Songs of Carl Sandburg” appeared first on Richard D. Russell.