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Post by counselor on Sept 3, 2014 12:03:15 GMT -5
Has Cassie weighed in on the WWTLF new high note? Cassie makes understanding music fun and interesting.
Another stellar rendition. I know that many consider the iHeart version the gold standard, but I prefer how he has been singing it more recently (even tho I miss the D5 glory note he has eliminated at the end). Listening to the version tonight, these are some of the nuances I love.
* He is singing the first verse with great delicacy. When he sings "what is this THING..." the word THING is on a G4, which is precisely where one of the natural breaks is in his range. (It is also the top note that most choral tenors can sing in full voice) In order to sing that G4 and insure that it doesn't crack, it is natural to use a little more push or oomph, which will make the note sound more powerful and strong as opposed to the light notes before it. But Adam does not add the power there. He lightly floats that G4 while still in chest voice. Most tenors who wanted to keep that note light and pure, would have had to switch to their head voices to do that, but Adam has such great control.
Going on, "who wants to live forever, who wants to live forevER, ooooo" he starts light, then gradually builds in intensity as he moves up the scale to another G4. In the past, he has hit that final syllable in his powerful, ringing chest voice, finishing the build up. More recently, he has opted, instead to build, build, and then, surprise, caress that final syllable G4. Difficult to do, but an interesting interpretation. Instead of being "angry" about living forEVER, it sounds pensive and a bit melancholy.
You will notice that on the second verse, he starts with the same delicate voice, but this time, he lets it build to the G4s on "ONLY" and "FOREVER", singing them with the strength and emphasis we are accustomed to. As an interpretation, this works to build the song's arc, and also the convey the singer's change from pensiveness to frustration and a little anger.
* Recently, Adam has been adding an almost operatic little ornamentation or flourish on the word "us" in "It's all decided for US."
This rendition was the most embellished. Not sure why he has decided to add that recently, but it thrills me to hear it. And, yes, that is partly because it is very difficult to sing accurately because it moves between notes so quickly and the notes are so close together. A lesser singer would slur the notes or make them sound muddy. Not Adam.
* The "new high note"? I think you are talking about the D5 right before "when love must die!" He has been sneaking that one in recently, but this time he hit it and sustained it, even breaking the rhythm of the song to hold onto it a bit longer than fits into the beat. The musicians are very in tune with him, and hold off playing the subsequent down beat until he finishes "showing off." But, as per usual, Adam "shows off" at the right time, for the right interpretive reasons that enhance the song. Many "show offs" insert glory notes and riffs with no rhyme or reason, just because they can, which irritates me. In my world, everything needs to be in service to the song's meaning and intent, not the singer's ego.
While we are talking about D5s, people gasp whenever Adam hits fifth octave notes, which he does with great frequency. Why? Because they are pretty much impossible for most male singers to hit, not to mention sustain with richness and power, and in full voice. Yes, a lot of guys sing fifth octave notes ---- in falsetto. Easy peasy. Full voice, pleasing, powerful, and matching the other parts of their range? Nope. Almost NONE. I am not just talking about untrained male singers here. I am talking about classically trained tenors. They would just about kill to be able to have any notes reliably in their repertoire that end in a "5". A C5, the first of the fifth octave notes, is considered the benchmark for excellence in an elite tenor soloist. The rest of the fifth octave, is almost never even written into the opera repertoire, it is so rare to have someone able to sing it in full voice.
And, if you are wondering, those fifth octave notes are difficult for untrained FEMALE singers to hit, too. Those are the huge belting notes that the divas hit, that also doom their voices to injury and destruction later in their careers. Trained female singers switch to head voice for the fifth octave, even sopranos. (Of course, Adam can sing well into the fifth octave in head voice, too. Not only does he have a black woman inside him somewhere, he also has an operatic mezzo soprano!)
In all fairness, to prove my objectivity (hahaha) the last D5 he hit in this rendition was a bit flat. j/s. He is only, tho' just barely, human.
* Finally, I like the little extra pause he added to "who waits forever..........anyway." Like an afterthought. You know, how you add, "whatever" or "anyway" when you maybe got a little too personal or deep and there is this slight awkwardness in the conversation? Yeah, that.
When he hits a flat D5, I bet it bothers him more than it does us. I've only heard 3 or 4 flat high notes during WWTLF and one was during the Kiev-Europe tour. The Aaron Tafili vid has the best audio of WWTLF. Thanks again for giving us such great insight into the wonderful world of music. |
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kathy
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Post by kathy on Sept 3, 2014 12:07:57 GMT -5
Thanks to all for all the lovely coverage. I totally agree, gobsmacked by the brilliance. There is apparently no ceiling, just a stratosphere. Warning: Nuance Fantasy Coming... And in my fantasy world, where I think I can interpret things from a youtube video about people I don't even know, in I Got To Break Free, I see Adam singing directly to Brain, but indirectly referencing why he can't continue on tour with them. Because in my fantasy place, Roger and Brian have definitely asked him. I think they have even asked him to extend this tour. They know, I know they know, what a singular singer/person Adam is. So anyway, to continue with the fantasy in my head, at ~2:40 Adam sings, "God knows, I got to make it on my own." Then he approaches Brian, looks at him with a tenderness that would probably make my head explode it it was directed at me. And he sings, "So baby can't you see, I got to break free," with a wonderful little smile. Hey, it's my fantasy, okay. My mythical interpretation of a few seconds of a youtube video. But it makes me sigh. And be happy. This boy is on his way. Slow and steady (and being immensely talented and a real person) wins the race. All the above, of course, In My Own Fantasy World. ~2:40 |
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mahailia
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This Is LOVE
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Post by mahailia on Sept 3, 2014 12:11:30 GMT -5
Thanks to all for all the lovely coverage. I totally agree, gobsmacked by the brilliance. There is apparently no ceiling, just a stratosphere. Warning: Nuance Fantasy Coming... And in my fantasy world, where I think I can interpret things from a youtube video about people I don't even know, in I Got To Break Free, I see Adam singing directly to Brain, but indirectly referencing why he can't continue on tour with them. Because in my fantasy place, Roger and Brian have definitely asked him. I think they have even asked him to extend this tour. They know, I know they know, what a singular singer/person Adam is. So anyway, to continue with the fantasy in my head, at ~2:40 Adam sings, "God knows, I got to make it on my own." Then he approaches Brian, looks at him with a tenderness that would probably make my head explode it it was directed at me. And he sings, "So baby can't you see, I got to break free," with a wonderful little smile. Hey, it's my fantasy, okay. My mythical interpretation of a few seconds of a youtube video. But it makes me sigh. And be happy. This boy is on his way. Slow and steady (and being immensely talented and a real person) wins the race. All the above, of course, In My Own Fantasy World. ~2:40 red panda I love your fantasy! I wonder if it is close to the truth? I know all the peeps in Europe are dying to see this show, and I would have bet big money they would do a final show in London.
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Post by counselor on Sept 3, 2014 12:11:36 GMT -5
Thanks to all for all the lovely coverage. I totally agree, gobsmacked by the brilliance. There is apparently no ceiling, just a stratosphere. Warning: Nuance Fantasy Coming... And in my fantasy world, where I think I can interpret things from a youtube video about people I don't even know, in I Got To Break Free, I see Adam singing directly to Brain, but indirectly referencing why he can't continue on tour with them. Because in my fantasy place, Roger and Brian have definitely asked him. I think they have even asked him to extend this tour. They know, I know they know, what a singular singer/person Adam is. So anyway, to continue with the fantasy in my head, at ~2:40 Adam sings, "God knows, I got to make it on my own." Then he approaches Brian, looks at him with a tenderness that would probably make my head explode it it was directed at me. And he sings, "So baby can't you see, I got to break free," with a wonderful little smile. Hey, it's my fantasy, okay. My mythical interpretation of a few seconds of a youtube video. But it makes me sigh. And be happy. This boy is on his way. Slow and steady (and being immensely talented and a real person) wins the race. All the above, of course, In My Own Fantasy World. ~2:40 LOVE YOUR INTERPRETION !!!! I AM SO CONFLICTED ABOUT ADAM AND QUEEN. I'VE COME TO LOVE THIS COLLABORATION SO MUCH BECAUSE THE LOVE THEY SHOW ON STAGE IS SUCH A RARITY. I THINK BRIAN ACTUALLY CHOKED UP WHEN HE TRIED TO DELIVER THE LINE ABOUT ADAM MAKING THIS ALL POSSIBLE. I'M SAD BECAUSE I THINK YOUR FANTASY INTERPRETATION IS PRETTY CLOSE TO REALITY. I WANT ADAM TO BE FRONT AND CENTER AGAIN BUT THIS TOUR WILL BE HARD TO BEAT. |
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Post by counselor on Sept 3, 2014 12:23:47 GMT -5
 And I'm alone at almost 4 a.m. Sigh. Feeling the same way.... sort of sad, a bit panicky cause it's almost all over, and exhilarated, too. sigh. Awwww, some of us are still here with you [hugs]. And I feel the same. Bittersweet. This has been the tour that was impossible, but it happened. Adam will surprise us again, surprise himself again. Surprise the world again. It's wonderful now and will all be wonderful again. Will just take a little time. No biggie. |
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Post by wal on Sept 3, 2014 12:58:30 GMT -5
bamafan, 
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ljsmack
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Post by ljsmack on Sept 3, 2014 13:03:44 GMT -5
Cassie, love this ,too. * Finally, I like the little extra pause he added to "who waits forever..........anyway." Like an afterthought. You know, how you add, "whatever" or "anyway" when you maybe got a little too personal or deep and there is this slight awkwardness in the conversation? Yeah, that. He is constantly thinking through different interpretations. I wonder if he does this so he doesn't get bored, or if he is just singing his feelings differently because he is in a different emotional space. Read more: adamtopia.com/thread/2518/03-auckland-new-zealand-concert?page=29#ixzz3CHE0u68l |
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Post by LindaG23 on Sept 3, 2014 13:09:48 GMT -5
Cassie, love this ,too. Yeah, that. He is constantly thinking through different interpretations. I wonder if he does this so he doesn't get bored, or if he is just singing his feelings differently because he is in a different emotional space. That is a brilliant question to ask him at his next twitter party or to send to interviewers when they solicit questions to ask him in an interview. You should add it here, www.adamtopia.com/thread/527/ask-adam-post?page=3 or I will if you would rather. |
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dotsgirl02
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Post by dotsgirl02 on Sept 3, 2014 13:53:13 GMT -5
Aww. Our summer of countless access to pic and the voice of Adam is about to send us into deep withdrawal. The shows were beyond imagining and even after being at two of them I felt like I missed so much. Thank god for all those who did the videos and allowed all of us attendees or not to be a part of most of the shows. This has been an feast of musical riches and while I want Adam's new music, there's going to be a void, left by the absence of almost daily Queen and Adam Lambert shows. What a great summer, this has been. WOW  |
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Post by adamrocks on Sept 3, 2014 13:56:49 GMT -5
bamafan, Ditto. |
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