Vocalist.org archive


From:  "Colin Reed" <colin-reed@l...>
Date:  Mon Feb 3, 2003  3:47 pm
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] Question

>-- Original Message --
>To: vocalist-temporary@yahoogroups.com
>From: Earl Presley <egpburk@s...>
>Date: Sun, 2 Feb 2003 17:00:46 -0800 (PST)
>Subject: Re: [vocalist] Question
>Reply-To: vocalist-temporary@yahoogroups.com
>
>
>
When you right your own material and it sells with you performing
>it, then you can critique her!

This is absolute nonsense. To be frank, I can critique who I want. I can
recognise that Andre Agassi is a good tennis player, even though I am not
one myself. I can certainly say that Mariah Carey's amazing (and almost
certainly ficticious) range does nothing for me. I am not particularly
impressed with her singing no matter what range she sings in. That is a
matter of personal taste. To put the record straight, I have performed
in many genres over the past 15 years. I have written music for rock bands,
jazz groups, chamber ensembles and choirs. Some has been recorded, and
much has been performed - which to me is far more important. I am not
criticising
her for performing in a non-classical genre - I am saying that I am not
impressed purely because it is reported that she has an enormous range.


>Classical musicians tend to get caught up in creating a "note >for note",
technique
>by technique, mentality that is not musical, artistic, or >creative. We
would
>do well to understand that the great composers were >improvisationists
first, creative to a fault. We should
>commend those who extend that craft.

Again, this is a ridiculous statement. Are you really suggesting that no
classical singers are musical or creative? Have you never listened to different
interpretations, especially in Lieder?
I have never given the statement that I dislike all pop singers, because
I don't! However, Mariah Carey is not one that I have ever been taken by.
Her inability to sing a straight note annoys me - I'm not that keen on
baroque coloratura either, so it's personal taste not just genre. I just
feel that people suggest she should be given greater credit purely because
of this myth that she has a greater range than a piano - which she doesn't.

Colin Reed, tenor
Newark, UK




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