# Sacred music for a tenor?



## AegnorWildcat (Sep 4, 2013)

I've been lurking for a bit and finally registered.

I am looking for tenor music that would be appropriate for a church service. Stuff I've sung before in service is the two Elijah arias, Handel's Messiah opening aria with recitative, and I have plans to sing Ingemisco from Verdi's Requiem. 

My voice can be very powerful, but it lacks some flexibility when it comes to music with a lot of malismas. They are very difficult for me (i.e. Bach, Handel). The Every Valley from Messiah was extremely challenging for me, took a lot of work, and I don't think it turned out near as well as the Elijah aria that I spent a week or two working on, as it didn't really suit my voice. I've been told I'm a Heldontenor.

English is a plus, but not required. My range is a low of about B2 and a high of a B4 (my C5 is coming along but not performance ready yet).

Any ideas on some appropriate solo pieces?


----------



## Bas (Jul 24, 2012)

Domine Deus of the Petite Messe Sollenelle by Rossini?


----------



## AegnorWildcat (Sep 4, 2013)

Bas said:


> Domine Deus of the Petite Messe Sollenelle by Rossini?


Thank you for the suggestion. I took a listen to it and I think that would work out great.


----------



## earlybard (Sep 4, 2013)

Sanctus from St. Cecilia Mass by Gounod?


----------



## JCarmel (Feb 3, 2013)

If you can sing the above & you're a Heldentenor...can I come round to your place?!


----------



## earlybard (Sep 4, 2013)

Who told you you're a Heldentenor?!? I just heard your recording of Then Shall the Righteous Shine Forth on the Elijah thread (which sounds great, by the way). You're still working out the kinks and finding your voice and breathing technique, but I'd be far more willing to call you a lyric tenor. Better still, consider avoiding classification altogether for now, lest you narrow your options too soon.


----------



## AegnorWildcat (Sep 4, 2013)

earlybard said:


> Sanctus from St. Cecilia Mass by Gounod?


I heard this once and thought I should sing it, but then couldn't remember the name of it. Thanks for posting it.


----------



## AegnorWildcat (Sep 4, 2013)

earlybard said:


> Who told you you're a Heldentenor?!? I just heard your recording of Then Shall the Righteous Shine Forth on the Elijah thread (which sounds great, by the way). You're still working out the kinks and finding your voice and breathing technique, but I'd be far more willing to call you a lyric tenor. Better still, consider avoiding classification altogether for now, lest you narrow your options too soon.


It may have been due to the repertoire. It was in a NATS competition, I sang the Tamino aria from Mozart's Magic Flute, and Strauss' Zueignung (and a couple other pieces). The Zueignung was fairly easy for me and seemed right in my wheelhouse. The judge was German, who also said my German was "generally good"...which I took to be a complement. His exact words were on voice type were "becoming Heldontenor?" scrawled on the judge sheet. Honestly I have no idea.

Regarding breathing, I think it was nerves. I was more nervous than I should have been because I had come down with something and a week earlier had no voice. My voice recovered but I still had phlegm that was getting on my vocal chords when I was rehearsing earlier in the morning. The kind where you clear your throat and it's fine. But as I was sitting there waiting to go up and sing I kept thinking "What if I go up to the Ab and nothing comes out and I have to clear my voice in the middle of a performance?" I'd have been mortified.


----------

