Arque

Are there any tips that composers here can share for writing for the voice (choir or soloist, both OK). I'm not as concerned about ranges (low note, high note) for each, but more like things such as: -lyric recognition towards the extremes of the range (eg: can the words be understood when that tenor's voice is a note away from cracking?) -word sounds for held notes. ( I was just watching a program yesterday on PBS about famous songs for broadway/movies and stephen sondheim mentioned something about a *closed vowel sound sounding poor when held. Anything like that.) -how long singers can be expected to sing continously for without rests in the music. Are short eighth rests adequate for regaining breath after a long passage (just to continue another similar one)? -insert your question here *im not sure that is exactly what he said but it was something similar. btw it was a discussion about "send in the clowns".

:D comments, Nickthoven. Yeah, i really wasn't sure about the range when writing it. I knew it was getting *a bit* ;) high, especially that ending E flat. I think I'm going to leave in the break at meas.37 since it was fitting with the (almost) imaginary lyrics i had in mind. Thanks for the input, im sorry i can't give a more lengthy response.

hehro: Cavatina, the song unfortunately has no lyrics. When I first started writing it i assigned the words 'how long till winter's pass?" for the first six notes. I kept writing and kept promising myself that i would find a suitable poem but i never did. Anyway, i was thinking that the lyrics were supposed to be about a woman waiting for winter to pass to see her husband who is in far away lands (army? some expedition?). The days start to approach the spring yet he has still not arrived. I hope this helps.

any comments would be much appreciated. winterspassmeedee.mid