To: "'vocalist'" <vocalist>
Subject: Baritone Upper Register Hook
Date sent: Fri, 28 Jan 2000 13:50:38 -0600
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

Dr. Clark & list,
Sorry about the previous empty message...must've "fat-fingered"
the send key...

By "gargle" - do you mean making singing sounds with a liquid
in the throat (I've got a feelng this isn't it, but after all this banter
regarding taking people literally...well, ya never know!) or
having the sound emanate from the back of the throat so that it
creates sensations over &/or under the soft palate on it's way through
to the mask?

To Jeremy: you spelled Milnes correctly & he's a baritone to listen
to, but not emulate. Be careful!
Milnes had a magnificently unique voice that produced glorious sounds
in the upper reaches of the baritone stratosphere. Even in 1986 -
when it was evident that he was having difficulties in his middle
register - he could bring the Met house down with the climactic,
interpolated high Ab in IL PROLOGO from I PAGLIACCI. And his
interpolated high Bb from Ezio's monologue from Verdi's ATTILA
was something to experience (especially after the cavatina
& cabaletta that goes before the climax)!

Read the archives that Dr. Richard Allen has posted regarding his
experiences with Mr. Milnes...they worked together.

Thanks

----Original Message-----
>From: DIANE M. CLARK (MUSIC DEPARTMENT)
>Subject: Re: Baritone Upper Register Hook
>Date: Friday, January 28, 2000 1:17 PM
>
>Hi, Jeremy! You wrote:
>
>>> #1 Is anyone else here familiar with
>this dilemma (I need my high notes but can't figure out how to get them
>out)? #2 Does anyone have any suggestions of vocal excercises that might
>help me strengthen/find my top?
>
>My students and I have had great success using the gargle to strengthen
high
>notes. Try gargling your songs, and you will see that many of the
aspects of
>good singing tone are built in -- good breath support, relaxed tongue,
open
>throat, good phonation. Just gargle away till it all feels secure; then
move
>from the gargle to a vowel and try to retain all that you had going for
you
>in the gargle! :)
>
>