Monday, November 10, 2008

Beethoven was deaf when he wrote this . . . . !

Yep, this is what I'll be screeching tonight at my choral society practice. 
Beethoven's Ninth - otherwise laughingly known as "Ode to Joy." 
A misnomer if ever there was . . . 

Please note - and please count  - the number of bars where us poor sopranos have to sing top A -and there's more on the next page - where - yes, we end the phrase on top C!!

"How do you manage it?" I hear you cry.  

A considerable number of young sopranos have opted out of this musical delight. 
It is, therefore, left to a few  'old boilers' on the back row to compensate for the loss of youth (including their own - but that's another story)!

We have devised a secret weapon which enables mature sopranos to reach Top C  which I will reveal tonight - post practice.
It worked last week - but there is always the possibly it will not work twice and I would not wish to deceive you with a tale of false remedies!

Till this eve . . . . .


1 comment:

jan said...

Oh Babs, I bet you have a trick up your sleeve to help reach top C.
Would love to hear this, I did once at the Derngate theatre in Northampton, it brought the hairs on the back of my neck to attention. Wonderful piece. Bet you love it really.