From: John Alexander Blyth
Subject: Re: Brahms "Four Serious Songs"
To: VOCALIST <vocalist>
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

Definitely composed for Bass. Brahms even writes in a letter (8 May 1896)
that it would be "ridiculous to let a girl or tenor sing them". The original
keys are, respectively: d minor; g minor; e-E minor-Major; and Eb Major, so
if your contralto edition keeps those then it will probably be quite close.
john


At 07:19 07/01/00 -0500, you wrote:
>I am a Baritone and would like to start working on the "Four Serious Songs"
>Were they originally composed for Bass? Is there an edition for Baritone?
>I have the edition for Contralto. Is that okay?
>
>I would appreciate any information on these beautiful songs.
>
>Thanks,
>Bill Alley
>Baritone
>email: balley-at-mcp.edu
>
>
>
>
John Blyth
Bass/Baritone (as opposed to Bass-Baritone) etc.
Brandon, Manitoba, Canada