# Can you stand melismatic runs?



## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Check this video out, especially from 1:45 onwards. We all heard enthralled audiences cheering when they do it. Are they really worth hearing?


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Yeah, those crazy melismas ruined Gregorian chant.


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

They add passion and intensity to the music, take it a step higher, and it’s not easy to do vocally. I think it’s tremendous when not overdone. Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey are great masters of the technique and personal favorites. Amazing voices. It’s just not possible to do it unless one is technically correct, and that’s why I hold them in high regard for their abilities. It’s an elaboration and an embellishment of the melody, and it’s not the only genre of music that has been known for its elaborate vocal embellishments.


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

.................


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Larkenfield said:


> Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey were also masters of the technique.


Don't forget Kenny G!


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

Sounds like a warmup for airsickness. Aaaaarrrggghhhh! One of the stupidest, most annoying affectations in pop music — IMO, of course.


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## LezLee (Feb 21, 2014)

I’ve been fine since the operation...


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

It's a technique like any other. I don't see any problem with it.


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## Room2201974 (Jan 23, 2018)

You can't love Machaut and not dig melisma.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

It's rather predictable and annoying. Kinda like a fake sensitivity/show off technique which is no substitute for singing with some real soulfulness.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Usual answer. I like it when it is well done and dislike it when it's not. Another way of saying: It Depends......


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

Larkenfield said:


> They add passion and intensity to the music, take it a step higher, and it's not easy to do vocally. I think it's tremendous when not overdone. Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey are great masters of the technique and personal favorites.


but Mariah Carey is the queen of oversinging!
To me it really depends: if it's the school of Carey/Aguilera and those kind of singers who just want to show their virtuosity waving their hands in the air and I feel it's no more than "look how good I am" I can't stand it. I think it's truly awful. If it's done with taste it could be amazing.


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## Luchesi (Mar 15, 2013)

Harry Connick Jr is coaching and correcting this young singer at 4:30 minutes in.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Hate them. Pointless warbling. Just sing the bloody song.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Luchesi said:


> Harry Connick Jr is coaching and correcting this young singer at 4:30 minutes in.


I love his expression at 7:48. Harry knows what real music is.


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## Vronsky (Jan 5, 2015)

The Mariah Carey's song reminded me of this glorious performance. Sorry for trolling, I laughed hard at this...


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## Room2201974 (Jan 23, 2018)

Strange Magic said:


> Usual answer. I like it when it is well done and dislike it when it's not. Another way of saying: It Depends......


The problem with modern day runs of melisma is that those who are making up the notes are singers. They're not composers or songwriters.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

What about this example? I feel this one is way overdone compared to other versions


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## Luchesi (Mar 15, 2013)

'singers' rated


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

I especially don't like Celine Dion. But generally I don't like any of these singers mentioned. It is the melisma that ruins it for me? I don't know enough, I haven't listened enough to make an informed opinion. Once this music starts to invade my ears I switch it off.


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## Luchesi (Mar 15, 2013)

senza sordino said:


> I especially don't like Celine Dion. But generally I don't like any of these singers mentioned. It is the melisma that ruins it for me? I don't know enough, I haven't listened enough to make an informed opinion. Once this music starts to invade my ears I switch it off.


The old standards and many very good recent songs were composed by clever songwriters who knew what they were doing. These young singers apparently are puffed up enough to think that they can come up with something of comparable interest spontaneously, merely from their emotional response to the original composition. This is extremely unlikely. lol It's a train wreck waiting to happen.

Maybe they can't help themselves or maybe they actually work on these ugly 'elaborations' -- but either way it's difficult to take (if you really care about songs of high quality, and most young people don't have the background).


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Larkenfield said:


> They add passion and intensity to the music, take it a step higher, and it's not easy to do vocally. I think it's tremendous when not overdone. Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey are great masters of the technique....


Slipstreaming behind Whitney was Charice, with this hair-raising performance of The Bodyguard medley. Charice did not established herself as a peer or successor to Whitney or Céline or Mariah, but if she never sang anything else, she will live in my affections forever for this brief but spectacular effort.....


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