I can carry a tune, but I'm one of those unfortunate singers whose comfortable range doesn't much exceed an octave. To manage the national anthem, I have to be careful to experiment with that first downward triad, "Oh-h say," and make sure the bottom is the lowest note I can manage. Then I have a shot of hitting the high note on "the rockets' red GLARE," which is the same as the final "land of the FREE" if you don't do anything hokey like drive it up a fifth to show off. If I'm singing in a group and can't control the key, I just do the well-established harmony. People should sing more harmony in groups anyway. The art is being lost as they quit going to church and churches quit letting the amateur congregation sing on their own much. I guess kids don't sing harmony in school anymore, either, or at summer camp around the campfire.
The Panhandle is unusual, apparently, because our choral tradition - church, school, and others - survived 2020. I agree that harmonizing is getting lost, although several churches encourage it. (Not just Churches of Christ, either).
I can do the National Anthem well, and can hit the Trumpet C if I’m warmed up and in good shape. The phrasing is where I have trouble, balancing meaning of words against “I need to breathe!” It really is a choral piece, and I’ve done some good (and one “challenging”) arrangements of it.
I can carry a tune, but I'm one of those unfortunate singers whose comfortable range doesn't much exceed an octave. To manage the national anthem, I have to be careful to experiment with that first downward triad, "Oh-h say," and make sure the bottom is the lowest note I can manage. Then I have a shot of hitting the high note on "the rockets' red GLARE," which is the same as the final "land of the FREE" if you don't do anything hokey like drive it up a fifth to show off. If I'm singing in a group and can't control the key, I just do the well-established harmony. People should sing more harmony in groups anyway. The art is being lost as they quit going to church and churches quit letting the amateur congregation sing on their own much. I guess kids don't sing harmony in school anymore, either, or at summer camp around the campfire.
ReplyDeleteThe Panhandle is unusual, apparently, because our choral tradition - church, school, and others - survived 2020. I agree that harmonizing is getting lost, although several churches encourage it. (Not just Churches of Christ, either).
ReplyDeleteI can do the National Anthem well, and can hit the Trumpet C if I’m warmed up and in good shape. The phrasing is where I have trouble, balancing meaning of words against “I need to breathe!” It really is a choral piece, and I’ve done some good (and one “challenging”) arrangements of it.
LittleRed1
People should sing more, and play instruments more as well (though I suppose not in a Church of Christ).
ReplyDeleteI can't do much of either, alas. I envy those who can.