# Were any composers good singers?



## Fsharpmajor (Dec 14, 2008)

Or very bad singers? Does anyone know of any historical accounts of composers singing, either in a public performance or privately in the presence of friends and family? Are there any videos or recordings of 20th century composers singing?

I don't remember there being a previous thread on this topic.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Mozart: an accomplished tenor

Berlioz: singer in choirs during his childhood and youth (20's or so)

Schubert: singer in boy's choir until voice mutation

Monteverdi, I think, was also a notable singer 

Carl Maria von Weber used to sing (for friends and other lesser audiences) with his own accompaniament on guitar even as mature artist


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Leonard Bernstein was a member of the Harvard Glee Club...but if his singing for the Young Peoples' Concerts is any indication, he lost any voice he might have had fairly quickly; it's quite horrid.


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## karenpat (Jan 16, 2009)

I think Purcell was said to be a good singer. Apparently he could hit very low notes but also notes in the "countertenor" register.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Barber was a very good singer, and I believe singing was one of his triple majors at Curtis.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Here's Ockegehem (the one wearing glasses!) singing with a bunch of guys half his age.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Manxfeeder said:


> Here's Ockegehem (the one wearing glasses!) singing with a bunch of guys half his age.


Watch out, Keenlyside and all you other young tenors; you've got competition...from the beyond!


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## beethovenian (May 2, 2011)

"In later years Beethoven used to carry around manuscript paper but in 1804 he apprently had none with him, and humming and howling had to suffice. Ries could not discern any notes...."


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Semi-on-topic: Gould was a pretty good hummer.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

According to several biographies, Verdi was a baritone but I don't know if he actually sang in public.

I know he's not a composer but having heard him myself, I would say that Antonio Pappano is a very good baritone.


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## TxllxT (Mar 2, 2011)

When I was making a living in Prague as a city-guide I use to tell about Mozart, that he liked to sing with Mrs Dušek from Bertramka in all possible ways


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## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

Orlando di Lasso : kidnapped 3 times when he was a child, because of his beautiful voice. 

(Maybe not perfessional singers but satisfying voices: Jean-Baptiste Lully, Gioachino Rossini and Don Lorenzo Perosi)


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## notesetter (Mar 31, 2011)

Both Haydn and Bruckner attended monastery schools as children and both received a all-around musical education. I would guess they were at least capable singers as adults.

In fact, the story goes that Haydn had a beautiful soprano voice as a child, and the brothers urged his family to ensure that he remained a soprano. Happily, they did not.


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## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

I think Toscanini must be nominated as the best singing conductor !  Have you ever heard his voice, singing Di sprezzo degno from La Traviata in a prcatical session with the NBC Symphony Orchestra ? Just as Horowitz told his wife : "Your father's song was terrible !"


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Il_Penseroso said:


> I think Toscanini must be nominated as the best singing conductor !  Have you ever heard his voice, singing Di sprezzo degno from La Traviata in a prcatical session with the NBC Symphony Orchestra ? Just as Horowitz told his wife : "Your father's song was terrible !"


After reading this I made youtube research and found this - 



 - I think I'm going to listen through the whole thing tomorrow, it's fascinating document, thank you thousand times for putting me on the track, even if it's by accident


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## Meaghan (Jul 31, 2010)

notesetter said:


> In fact, the story goes that Haydn had a beautiful soprano voice as a child, and the brothers urged his family to ensure that he remained a soprano. Happily, they did not.


Yes, Haydn got a lot of attention during his time as a chorister at St. Stephen's Cathedral, but was basically turned out on the street when his voice changed as a teenager.


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## Argus (Oct 16, 2009)

Fsharpmajor said:


> Are there any videos or recordings of 20th century composers singing?


Meredith Monk, Harry Partch, Robert Ashley, La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Charlemagne Palestine.

The last 3 studied with Hindustani vocalist Pandit Pran Nath.


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## jaimsilva (Jun 1, 2011)

just listen to that!


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