Altos and Sopranos
In order for you to understand this rant, there are several musical terms I should clear up first for those who aren't sure.
A Soprano is a woman who has a high-pitched vocal range, and can sing songs like "Think of Me" from Phantom of the Opera in their proper octaves.
An Alto is someone who sounds better singing low notes, and can sing songs like "All that Jazz" from Chicago in their proper octaves. I am a crap singer, but I'm definitely an Alto. Barbara is a Metso Soprano, which means she can sing Alto parts and Soprano parts. Other Metso Sopranos include Beyonce and Christina Aguilera.
For guys, a Tenor is someone who can sing medium to high notes, and can sing songs like "Maria" from West Side Story (although apparently that's the hardest song ever for a Tenor, and it's kinda like singing Whitney Houston for girls).
A Baritone is someone who has a low singing voice and can sing songs like.. basically anything by Frank Sinatra or Bing Crosby.
A Counter-Tenor is someone who can sing insanely high, like Michael Jackson. A Bass is someone who can sing insanely low, like Barry White.
I was talking to Barbie the other day and we realised something that everyone probably already knows already. In musicals they always cast Sopranos for the lead female role. And often for the goody goody girl role. Altos are always cast as the bad girls, or the quirky girls, or the girls with attitude. Seriously think about it. Practically every lead Disney girl is a Soprano. Ariel, Jasmine, Belle, even Giselle from Enchanted. The only Alto lead Disney girl I can think of is Meg from Hercules, who coincidentally sings one of my all-time favourite Disney Girl songs ever, "I won't say I'm in Love". Oh, and Ursula from the Little Mermaid was an Alto too.
Think about it, how many LEAD Alto parts can you recall in the movies? There was Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. She's like the only Alto I can think of who would usually be cast as a Soprano due to her goody-goodyness. Roxie and Velma in Chicago were both Altos, because they were both feisty killers. Mama Morton from Chicago was also an Alto, and she sings a full on seduce-song. How many Soprano seduce-songs can you think of? I seriously can't think of any. If anyone can think of any, reply and let me know.
Practically ALL SEDUCE SONGS ARE ALTO PARTS, because goody-goody girls don't seduce. They win the lead man with their charm and smiles. Altos seduce. Even Satine in Moulin Rouge (who is a Soprano) sings 'Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend' when she's on stage, which is an Alto song. There's 'When You've Got it, Flaunt it' from The Producers, 'Special' from Avenue Q, 'Hey Big Spender' from Sweet Charity, Geez, even 'Big Blonde and Beautiful' from Hairspray! Oh yeah, and probably the one of the best Seduce-Song sequences ever put to film, Jessica Rabbit singing 'why don't you do right'. I think if I could be to be cartoon character in the world, I'd be Jessica Rabbit.
As for guys, Tenors are always put in the 'wholesome good guy' roles. Practically every Prince from every Disney movie (even the BEAST from Beauty and the Beast!) was a Tenor. Think Corny Collins and Link Larkin from Hairspray, Hercules from the disney Hercules, Christian from Moulin Rouge, Anthony from Sweeney Todd, and Tony from West Side Story. Baritones, like Altos, are often cast as bad guys. Both Sweeney and Judge Turpin from Sweeney Todd were Baritones, Jafar from Aladdin, Frollo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, even Frankenfurter from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
I don't remember where I was going with all of this. I think I just thought it was interesting that certain voices are cast with certain personalities in mind. Imagine what an Alto Ariel would have been like, and a Soprano Ursula. It wouldn't have had the same effect.
A Soprano is a woman who has a high-pitched vocal range, and can sing songs like "Think of Me" from Phantom of the Opera in their proper octaves.
An Alto is someone who sounds better singing low notes, and can sing songs like "All that Jazz" from Chicago in their proper octaves. I am a crap singer, but I'm definitely an Alto. Barbara is a Metso Soprano, which means she can sing Alto parts and Soprano parts. Other Metso Sopranos include Beyonce and Christina Aguilera.
For guys, a Tenor is someone who can sing medium to high notes, and can sing songs like "Maria" from West Side Story (although apparently that's the hardest song ever for a Tenor, and it's kinda like singing Whitney Houston for girls).
A Baritone is someone who has a low singing voice and can sing songs like.. basically anything by Frank Sinatra or Bing Crosby.
A Counter-Tenor is someone who can sing insanely high, like Michael Jackson. A Bass is someone who can sing insanely low, like Barry White.
I was talking to Barbie the other day and we realised something that everyone probably already knows already. In musicals they always cast Sopranos for the lead female role. And often for the goody goody girl role. Altos are always cast as the bad girls, or the quirky girls, or the girls with attitude. Seriously think about it. Practically every lead Disney girl is a Soprano. Ariel, Jasmine, Belle, even Giselle from Enchanted. The only Alto lead Disney girl I can think of is Meg from Hercules, who coincidentally sings one of my all-time favourite Disney Girl songs ever, "I won't say I'm in Love". Oh, and Ursula from the Little Mermaid was an Alto too.
Think about it, how many LEAD Alto parts can you recall in the movies? There was Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. She's like the only Alto I can think of who would usually be cast as a Soprano due to her goody-goodyness. Roxie and Velma in Chicago were both Altos, because they were both feisty killers. Mama Morton from Chicago was also an Alto, and she sings a full on seduce-song. How many Soprano seduce-songs can you think of? I seriously can't think of any. If anyone can think of any, reply and let me know.
Practically ALL SEDUCE SONGS ARE ALTO PARTS, because goody-goody girls don't seduce. They win the lead man with their charm and smiles. Altos seduce. Even Satine in Moulin Rouge (who is a Soprano) sings 'Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend' when she's on stage, which is an Alto song. There's 'When You've Got it, Flaunt it' from The Producers, 'Special' from Avenue Q, 'Hey Big Spender' from Sweet Charity, Geez, even 'Big Blonde and Beautiful' from Hairspray! Oh yeah, and probably the one of the best Seduce-Song sequences ever put to film, Jessica Rabbit singing 'why don't you do right'. I think if I could be to be cartoon character in the world, I'd be Jessica Rabbit.
As for guys, Tenors are always put in the 'wholesome good guy' roles. Practically every Prince from every Disney movie (even the BEAST from Beauty and the Beast!) was a Tenor. Think Corny Collins and Link Larkin from Hairspray, Hercules from the disney Hercules, Christian from Moulin Rouge, Anthony from Sweeney Todd, and Tony from West Side Story. Baritones, like Altos, are often cast as bad guys. Both Sweeney and Judge Turpin from Sweeney Todd were Baritones, Jafar from Aladdin, Frollo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, even Frankenfurter from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
I don't remember where I was going with all of this. I think I just thought it was interesting that certain voices are cast with certain personalities in mind. Imagine what an Alto Ariel would have been like, and a Soprano Ursula. It wouldn't have had the same effect.