[mb-style] Pre-RFC: The Advanced Vocal Tree proposal

[Leiv Hellebo]

Brian Schweitzer wrote:
> So, before the 'non-debated' part of the tree proposal goes out, would 
> anyone debate any of the tree as it would now be proposed

Just a note that I agree with SwissChris that the current classical 
vocal types are enough.

de.wp.org/wiki/Stimmfach shows it's a mess, and I don't think we should 
get into it.

Although I don't have access to my CD collection, I am pretty sure I 
have never seen lyric coloratura soprano or the others in the main 
credit section(s) of booklets/sleeves. This I have confirmed by 
downloading and checking booklets from the British specialist labels 
Chandos and Hyperion.

When it comes to lyric coloratura soprano or others in scores, I don't 
think you'll find them, because I think they have been assigned after 
the fact by opera houses (it is a convenience, according to 
en.wp.org/Fach). Which composer would risk limiting roles as credited on 
the title page to just a narrow subdivision of soprano? (OTOH, notice 
how much "Lieder for voice" is used, or the description of Das Lied von 
der Erde: "Eine Symphonie für eine Tenor- und eine Alt- (oder Bariton-) 
Stimme und Orchester")

To get a feel for how this would be to enter for Joe MBUser, I bought 
this release (which is very much a work in progress, it's from 
passionato.com so I don't have the booklet):

http://musicbrainz.org/release/9aa8de21-15c4-49e6-b4fd-4f11cc77db3c.html

Janet Baker is classified as a coloratura mezzo here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mezzo-soprano#Coloratura_mezzo-soprano

and a lyrical mezzo here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fach#Lyrischer_Mezzosopran_.2F_Spielalt

(I think the second is correct. Note that the description of this voice 
says: "many lyric mezzos with strong extensions to their upper vocal 
registers make the transition to singing as sopranos")

On my release, she is credited for being a mezzo, but she sings stuff 
mostly sung by altos - notably Brahm's Alto Rhapsody, and she sings some 
Wagner and Strauss that usually is sung by sopranos. The review at

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2008/Sept08/Janet_Baker_2080872.htm

says she was "in the beginning [...] classified as a contralto"

I have different recordings of both the Alto Rhapsody and the Strauss 
stuff, and, this is not transposed.


en.wp.org says "The Fach system is a convenience for singers and opera 
houses". de.wp.org says it is rather more in Germany, as a singer of one 
Fach may go to some civil court if s/he is made to sing roles from 
another Fach (this must be a simplified description).

To Joe Voter at MB it will remain just a mess if we were to include it.

Leiv / leivhe