Choral Public Domain Library

Hello all!

I've been looking around for more choral music, and stumbled across this place. I'm sure I'll be able to find lots of useful "stuff" here, although maybe not what I started out looking for.

As my user name indicates, I'm a bass. More unusually I'm a basso profondo who mostly sings baritone, since that's what one of the choirs I sing in needed most. Which brought me here, looking for something with a bass voice that demands if not my full range, then at least a substantial part of it (Mahler's 2nd excepted - that needs far more than 20 singers).

Any suggestions?

Regards,
Ole

Hi,

One of the specialists in deep basses: Rachmaninov? He goes down to a low B flat, and even a A. Is that deep enough? See p.e. 'Blagoslovi duche moya', a number of his All Night Vigil (Vespers). Check perhaps some other Russian composers too.

Good luck!

Hello. If you have a vast range, try the solos in some of Purcell's anthems. If it is low bass notes in choral music you're after, then Ockeghem is your man, although neither composer will take you down to the murky depths you say you can plumb!

Best wishes

Thanks!

Rachmaninov I've thought about - and Chesnokov. I would need to warm up for several days to get down to the low G in Chesnokov's "Do not Reject Me", but I've been even lower - in practice.

Purcell and Ockeghem never crossed my mind - I'll look at them ASAP!

Hi again,

Do you mean G2 (the lowest line of the F-key bar) or G1 (one octave under, so just under the three helplines under the F-key bar)?
A 'normal' low bass goes to a F (F2, just under the F-key bar) according to the default settings of the Sibelius music programm; in practice they normally go to a D flat or C (as I do, but I don't consider myself a 'profondo').

Anoher hint: there is a CD "Basso Profondo" (Saison Russe RUS 288 156), which figures Gontcharov, Lvov, Chesnokov, Gretchaninov, Tchaikovsky, Bortniansky, and others.

Hi again,

I got interrupted by work, which tends to turn up at only the wrong moments. That's part of the reason I had a ten year hiatus in singing, and only started up again two years ago.

I mean G1, and after a lot of singing (like concerts with two choirs in the same week, with extra rehearsals in both) I will have a good shot at the F1.

Upwards I'm confident in a G4, and believe in an A4. Again with lots of singing I'll extend that up another note, but the C#5 I once had is gone forever, I fear... But nevermind; I'm not aiming to be a tenor!

I'll get home tomorrow evening (I'm a wellsite geologist in the oil industry, which is what led to my long break from singing), and I'll look up some of the good suggestions I've gotten here.

Thanks, all!

Profondo wrote:Hi again,

I mean G1, and after a lot of singing (like concerts with two choirs in the same week, with extra rehearsals in both) I will have a good shot at the F1.

Upwards I'm confident in a G4, and believe in an A4.

well, as in this G1 ? the 11th key / G below Deep C ? wow

ebykm wrote:well, as in this G1 ? the 11th key / G below Deep C ? wow

That's the one.

I've looked up a lot of the suggestions I have had here, and just as I left home yesterday I received a big box of CD's. It will be a couple of weeks before I get to listen to them, as I'm back at work...

But I've also discovered that all three basses in my little local choir go down to at least C2, so there will definitely be some Russian church music in the future!

Profondo wrote:

ebykm wrote:well, as in this G1 ? the 11th key / G below Deep C ? wow

That's the one.

so there will definitely be some Russian church music in the future!

yay, post your recordings.

Recording - that's an idea!

We'll just get these first couple of concerts out of the way first, then the annual christmas thingies, and then we'll see if we can start with some deep grumblings.