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To: "'VOCALIST'" <vocalist>
Subject: RE: MOUTH VOICE
Date sent: Wed, 26 Jan 2000 13:55:15 +0100
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

I'm fascinated. I don't know the book 'The four voices of man'. Could I
trouble you to post a summary of the four placements, and who used them.

I found the comment about Robert Merrill very interesting as he is one of my
favourite baritones. From the technical standpoint, one listens to Merrill
to marvel of the complete relaxation of the apparatus, and the ease of
attack (to say nothing of his extraordinary musicality). With such enormous
technical advantages I'd always wondered why the quality of his voice became
quite dry and 'shouty' during the last ten years of his career, and why he
preferred not to sustain his high notes, although he never seemed to miss
them. Now I wonder whether the answer lies in his placement, as I've noted
similar phenomena in other singers who use this kind of placement. I don't
know Hines's singing at all well, but I know he had several crises in his
career, does anyone know whether he suffered from similar deficiencies.

Regards / vriendelijke groeten

Laurie Kubiak
Commercial Analyst - Europe & Africa SMMS
Sales and Contract Support, Shell Services International
Shell Centre, London SE1 7NA
Telephone: +44 171 934 3853; Fax: +44 171 934 6674
Mobile: 07771 971 921: E.mail: Laurence.l.Kubiak-at-is.shell.com
Office: LON-SC 631