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Special E
Special E asked in Entertainment & MusicMusicClassical · 7 years ago

Late Romantic and early Modern repertoire for a bass-baritone or bass, not German?

Hi,

I'm trying to build a 30 minute recital around Wolf's 'Michelangelo Lieder' (10 minutes long), but it's proving surprisingly difficult to find appropraite pieces.

Here are the criteria:

1) My range is about F#2 to F#4, with my most comfortable and resonant area around B2 to F3. The tessitura should not be above C4.

2) The songs will preferably be longer pieces, or serious repertoire. Songs above 3 minutes are especially good, and more 'beefy' repertoire or sets/ cycles of songs are best.

3) I am especially looking for songs in Italian and English.

4) No serialism or absolute atonality please. Thank you so much if you can help. I realise it's a very specific question, but that's precisely why it's so difficult to look it up myself.

Thank you so much for any answers. It's a very specific question but that's precisely why I'm asking here.

Update:

I should add that the accompaniment is preferably solo piano.

2 Answers

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  • Raymond
    Lv 7
    7 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    Some suggestions:

    - Vaughan Williams: Songs of Travel (probably a 'must' here)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDoqP6gRaO0

    - Ravel: Don Quichotte à Dulcinée

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXDw6hBgVIA

    - Tosti: L'ultima canzone + Ideale + Tristezza + Non t´amo più

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoJxMRX4-mo

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myp76PFQJrk

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRHh4xpaxXE

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcwJQKm6c6U

    - Duparc: La vague et la cloche (+ Extase/Soupir/Phidylé)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1k-Hi6uRNw

    Best,

    Raymond

    Source(s): Accompanist for leading Canadian singers for 25 years / Played in over 2,500 concerts, recitals and shows
  • Mamianka
    Lv 7
    7 years ago

    There is a good collection called "Song for Bass in a Comfortable Range" - which means most of them are in YOUR range. One particularly evocative favorite was always ( and YA might block out the word, although it is perfectly polite) - "The N*e*g*r*o Speaks of Rivers". I believe that the text is by Langston Hughes, and many find it moving. There are ample arias from American and British operas that would fit the bill - Altho Benjamin Britten wrote great roles for his partner Peter Pears, there are fine bass and baritone arias an soliloquies in several of his staged works - and look over the contemporary operatic works that have been staged recently - i do *not* know Dr. Atomic as well as others, but I seem to recall possibilities there. Consider oratorio solos also - even though I am no always giving you specific works, I hope I have given you some regions to explore

    Source(s): Choral director for years - Mom of a very low basso - wrong lit for you.
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