Friday, October 12, 2007

A return to my roots

I got a call this morning to sing a funeral tomorrow at a Methodist church in Quincy. I'm pleased, not only for the extra income, but also because I get to sing "The Lord's Prayer," by Malotte, an oldie but a goodie.

I found the music and sang through it a couple of times, and it felt good. Timmy was laughing and saying "Mommy LOUD! Mommy singing!" I don't do much singing around the house, and none that ventures into the higher part of my range, because Abby and Brian both get very upset at the volume and intensity. But Timmy thought it was great. Good boy.

Back to the music. The Malotte was a real standard in the mainline Protestant churches of my youth, but I haven't heard it much since I became a Catholic more than 15 years ago. It was nice to revisit, and see how it's changed, or rather, how the way I sing it has changed. It felt very free and easy, and the middle-voice stuff (read: most of the song) is no big deal now. For that, I am sure I have to thank being older; being a better singer; singing almost exclusively in middle voice for my cantoring jobs since 1996; and having three children in four years. (The power and effect of hormonal changes during pregnancy cannot be overstated. During one pregnancy, this soprano once sang a credible B-flat an octave below middle C while teaching a piano lesson. I don't think anyone would have hired me to sing Rigoletto, but still.)

I think I'm a better singer now due to my teaching, too. Of course, I hand down words of wisdom from my past teachers to my current students. But trying to articulate the particulars of vocal technique forces me to be very specific and clear, and that rubs off on my singing. At the very least, thinking like a voice teacher helps me be a problem-solver in both the studio and the practice room.

So tomorrow during the funeral, I'll keep my ribs expanded and my soft palate high, and sing this chestnut of a solo as beautifully as I can. And hope that it brings comfort to the mourners, and maybe even a little (more) joy to the departed.

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