QueenZone discussion #918878

Sebastian wrote: Dr May isn't an expert on that department.

SomebodyWhoLoves wrote: I really want to know what Mr Brian May thinks. If he says Freddie is a baritone, I'll change my opinion and accept Freddie as a baritone. I think Brian May is extremely qualified to answer this question definitively. Those who are more brave than I am, and are curious about this, please write to Brian May at his website, and report back! Thanks!

<font color=black>Emo Mayniac Queen wrote: I'm pretty sure that Freddie's a tenor, but hell - what do I know? 'Cause isn't baritone like REALLY low?

<b><font color=666600>Music Man wrote: He's a baritenor.

<b><font color=666600>Music Man wrote: He's a baritenor.

Sir GH<br><h6>ah yeah</h6> wrote:

<b><font color=666600>Music Man wrote: He's a baritenor.

Aha! I KNEW you'd agree with me! But isn't baritenor kind of a slang term for being half way? I've never heard it used "officially".

<b><font color=666600>Music Man wrote: Me neither. I don't even know exactly what it means, but I do believe that his vocal range encompasses both the baritone and tenor range, so I thought it would be an apt title for him.

im a fool wrote: i just emailed brian may on the topic. you can also email him at: brians.soapbox@clara.co.uk good luck!

<b><font color=B22222>daria k. wrote:

im a fool wrote: i just emailed brian may on the topic. you can also email him at: brians.soapbox@clara.co.uk good luck!

I emailed him already, but that was quite a while ago when this topic reocurred again... but he did not reply. I am sad that some of you do not believe the opinions of fully classically trained singers like Monserrat Caballé, since 'right' singing and any kind of art is based on classic.

Drowse1 wrote: My late father was a very good tenor singer and I wouldn't say Freddie was anything like that type of voice. Also, baritone is a deeper voice than tenor and Freddie didn't have that type of voice either so I would say he wasn't either. By the way, my dad, a big fan of operatic music, hated rock n roll but even he thought Freddie had a great singing voice. Unfortunately he thought Freddie wasted it singing "That type of rubbish"!!!

SomebodyWhoLoves wrote: Rosedewitt: Do you realize that you are disagreeing with "daria k" by stating your opinion that Freddie had a tenor voice? "daria k" has stated in the past that only a classically trained singer like Monserrat Caballe is qualified to classify Freddie Mercury's voice. Monserrat has classified Freddie Mercury's voice as a baritone. On the contrary, I believe that Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon are more qualified than Monserrat to know Freddie's voice best, since they have spent 20+ years recording, writing, performing with him. Not only that, but they are also brilliant musicians, songwriters, and vocalists. They are the ones who know Freddie's voice the best. And I believe that they will all unanimously state that Freddie was a TENOR without question. A baritone voice could not have sung Bohemian Rhapsody, White Queen, March of the Black Queen, Save Me, or other countless Queen songs that were written for a Tenor voice. I hope that Brian May can clear this up, and will respond to the questions raised.

<b><font color=B22222>daria k. wrote:

SomebodyWhoLoves wrote: Rosedewitt: Do you realize that you are disagreeing with "daria k" by stating your opinion that Freddie had a tenor voice? "daria k" has stated in the past that only a classically trained singer like Monserrat Caballe is qualified to classify Freddie Mercury's voice. Monserrat has classified Freddie Mercury's voice as a baritone. On the contrary, I believe that Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon are more qualified than Monserrat to know Freddie's voice best, since they have spent 20+ years recording, writing, performing with him. Not only that, but they are also brilliant musicians, songwriters, and vocalists. They are the ones who know Freddie's voice the best. And I believe that they will all unanimously state that Freddie was a TENOR without question. A baritone voice could not have sung Bohemian Rhapsody, White Queen, March of the Black Queen, Save Me, or other countless Queen songs that were written for a Tenor voice. I hope that Brian May can clear this up, and will respond to the questions raised.

Every baritone can try sing Bohemian Rhapsody, White Queen etc. with falcetto/'head voice' - but than the question would occur: 'Will it be the SAME Bohemian Rhapsody'... It is true: like rosedewitt said, it is seems absurd to classify Freddie's voice because he wasn't an opera singer. But if he would have been an opera singer and trained for it, he would be a baritone, because his speaking voice had the colour of a baritone's one; I'd like to mention that I have vocal lessons, my parents are both opera singers and my father vocal teacher; my mother sang with Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, José Carreras, she met Montserrat Caballé once, she is very famous in Japan, Russia and Ukraine and famous in Europe; here is her website: link. If my parents say Freddie was a baritone - are they wrong? I don't like to argue - I am a person who likes 'peace' -, but I hope very much this problem will be resolved. It is a great pity that Brian did not answer me; it is likely that he will not answer at all - or maybe only, if everybody of us writes to him... But if he will not write back, then there will be the question: how this problem can be resolved?

SomebodyWhoLoves wrote: No no no. It does matter. Even in pop/rock, there are tenor, baritone, and bass voices. A voice is a voice, whether it is rock, pop, or opera. And therefore, you can classify rock/pop voices as either Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Sprano, or Alto. For example, Madonna is an Alto. Britney Spears is an Alto. Mariah Carey is a Soprano. A good example of a baritone in pop/rock is Harry Connick Jr. Freddie Mercury is in my opinion, a tenor.

SomebodyWhoLoves wrote: Nonsense? IT is NOT nonsense. Some baritones may be able to hit the A below High C, but Freddie in the 70s can hit C easily. No Baritone can sing Bohemian Rhapsody like Freddie can. Only a lyrical tenor can, which Freddie was. No Baritone can sing White Queen, Black Queen or any of the 70's Queen Songs like Freddie did. Because Freddie is not a Baritone. Unless you can find the average Baritone who can hit an A, then you are also wrong about the average Baritone Range. Baritones generally sing up to an F. An exception here or there, doesn't count. Why do you people insist on calling Freddie a Baritone?

M a t i a s M a y<h6><i>QZ's Rainmaker wrote: RANGE = TENOR VOICE = TENOR THAT'S ALL FUCK OFF

Zebonka12 wrote: Would it be a bad time to ask what kind of voice Paul Rodgers has?

AmeriQueen wrote: I don't care about which answer is correct because it doesn't really say anything. I think I heard before that he's a tenor. That being said, and if it's true, do you then find him properly categorized? Are there other tenors that you would suddenly see sharing a common voice with Freddie? Whatever he is, his voice goes beyond all others of the same classification. After all... He's Freddie Mercury. Even his speaking voice gives me chills. It's totally unique, fully developed, and no technical classification is going to stick with me in identifying Mercury's perfect voice.