# I've never heard a boy soprano sound like a contralto



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)




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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

*Billy Neely(Ireland treble-Born 1935 Died 13 April 2012).wmv*
1,674 views Apr 25, 2012 Billy Neely was born in Belfast in 1935. After taking singing lessons with Miss Nan Shaw, who discovered his fine treble voice, he became a member of the choir of St. Anne's Cathedral, Belfast in 1946. Two years later when Billy was 13, he became one of the Cathedral choir's leading soloists and around this time also became a pupil of the renowned vocal trainer Arthur Martin. With his help, and that of Havelock Nelson (1917-1996) of the BBC, he was commissioned in 1948 to take part in Children's Hour broadcasts in the Northern Ireland Home Service, the first of more than twenty broadcasts on the BBC. In March 1949, Billy took first place at the Blackpool Festival, and in May he won the boys' solo class at Glasgow. In second place came Master Robert Waddell, a member of the Kirkintilloch Junior Choir. Billy was sponsored by the great Northern Ireland tenor James Johnston (1903-1991) who, in 1950, took him all over the Province and to London fulfilling singing engagements. Johnston was contracted to HMV and arranged test recordings for Billy at Abbey Road Studios. His story is told in more detail in Stephen Beet's book "The Better Land" (2005) and in the notes accompanying the CD issues listed below.


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

Shall we discuss castrati?


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

NoCoPilot said:


> Shall we discuss castrati?


I think that is a horse of a completely different color. It is like comparing a pony with a giant work horse.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

The boy has a nice voice, not so like the new one, Samuel Marino .


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

Perhaps I'm missing the point, but why would anyone expect a "boy soprano" to sound like a contralto?

I'd expect that it would be more likely for a "boy contralto" to sound like a contralto.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

pianozach said:


> Perhaps I'm missing the point, but why would anyone expect a "boy soprano" to sound like a contralto?
> 
> I'd expect that it would be more likely for a "boy contralto" to sound like a contralto.


He sounds more like a soprano up high but sounds to me like a mature woman's voice. I think I shouldn't have bothered to post this for all the interest it got. Jessye Norman was a soprano who could sing contralto like a contralto.


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

Seattleoperafan said:


> I think I shouldn't have bothered to post this for all the interest it got.


Yeah, about that: Never assume that a lack of response on a social media site to be an indication of _any_thing.

You might be right; it might just be a dead subject. 

I accompany choirs (and musical direct shows). The High School choir has had a *boy alto* for the last two years, and we actually changed the class name from Advanced Girls Choir to Treble Choir. He usually sings first alto, and is an extraordinarily gifted musical talent (we have the kids participate in an online "Sight Reading Factory", and participation (not skill) is either 5 or 10% of their choir grade. This young man has maxxed-out the available difficulty levels, nailing difficult keys, time signatures, and complexity. His voice is pure, sweet, and supported.

Sooner or later I expect his voice to drop like a rusty anchor, just like one of our other guys that graduated this year did (Sophomore year he was singing barbershop tenor, Junior year we had to drop him to lead, then baritone, and his Senior year he returned as a bass, able to effectively vocalize all the way down to C2).


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## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

Nice voice but sounds nothing like a contralto.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

He reminded me of Maureen Forrester. I'm not used to hearing boy's singing that doesn't have that pure English straight sound.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

pianozach said:


> why would anyone expect a "boy soprano" to sound like a contralto?






"Oh yea I'm singing with my gay voice, teenage girls love a sensitive boy"


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

Op.123 said:


> Nice voice but sounds nothing like a contralto.


This. He sounds like a lyric soprano in the second clip. Maybe something a little deeper in the first, but not contralto. 


For example, compare his voice to a real contralto. Lightyears apart in terms of timbre and depth.


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

hammeredklavier said:


> "Oh yea I'm singing with my gay voice, teenage girls love a sensitive boy"


One of the greatest parody songs ever.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

I asked to delete this thread as everyone thinks I am way off base but it can't be done. He reminded me of Maureen Forrester for some reason but apparently my medication is affecting my brain. Sorry. He does not sound like any other boy singer I have heard but I am no expert. I thought it a beautiful voice.


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

Seattleoperafan said:


> I asked to delete this thread as everyone thinks I am way off base but it can't be done. He reminded me of Maureen Forrester for some reason but apparently my medication is affecting my brain. Sorry. He does not sound like any other boy singer I have heard but I am no expert. I thought it a beautiful voice.


I'll admit it was a strange take, but I don't think anyone took issue with you posting (least of all me. I find you quite agreeable tbh).


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Seattleoperafan said:


> I asked to delete this thread as everyone thinks I am way off base but it can't be done.


Not at all. Actually, I thank you for sharing the youtube channel (BoySopranolover2), cause I found on it this incredibly rare stuff, which I've been looking for; Herrenchiemseer Festkantate


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

hammeredklavier said:


> Not at all. Actually, I thank you for sharing the youtube channel (BoySopranolover2), cause I found on it this incredibly rare stuff, which I've been looking for; Herrenchiemseer Festkantate


So beautiful!


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Seattleoperafan said:


> So beautiful!


It is.  What do you think of Matthias Ritter, btw?
Btw, I finally got this recording, from Germany.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Samuel Marino


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

hammeredklavier said:


> It is.  What do you think of Matthias Ritter, btw?
> Btw, I finally got this recording, from Germany.


I said I thought his singing was beautiful.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

The boy does have a lower voice that most boy sopranos or boy altos or trebles do not. And he does sound more mature than most of its kind.


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