Have a Glass of Water. It's Vocal Music Week!

Guybrush · 08-16-2010, 01:05 AM

Ehr, yeah! Trusty ol' Wikipedia has this to say about it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

Vocal music is a genre of music performed by one or more singers, with or without instrumental accompaniment, in which singing (i.e. vocal performance) provides the main focus of the piece. Music which employs singing but does not feature it prominently is generally considered instrumental music (e.g. the wordless women's choir in the final movement of Holst's The Planets) as is music without singing. Music without any non-vocal instrumental accompaniment is referred to as a cappella.

Vocal music typically features sung words called lyrics, although there are notable examples of vocal music that are performed using non-linguistic syllables or noises, sometimes as musical onomatopoeia. A short piece of vocal music with lyrics is broadly termed a song.

Vocal music is probably the oldest form of music, since it does not require any instrument besides the human voice. All musical cultures have some form of vocal music.

So .. Music where singing is the main focus. Does this mean I can post Kate Bush videos all over this thing? I'm going to assume the answer is .. why yes, yes indeed.

Here's her most famous song, Wuthering Heights

OctaneHugo · 08-16-2010, 08:32 AM

How do you know the lead singer is at your door?
He can't find his key and doesn't know when to come in.

Guybrush · 08-16-2010, 08:46 AM

Thanks for the dry joke, Hugo.

Now, I assume that yodeling fits smoothly in under the definition of vocal music, so then I get to pester you all with my fascination for Franzl Lang yet again

Zaqarbal · 08-17-2010, 12:31 AM

Lisa Gerrard (Dead Can Dance) singing The Wind That Shakes the Barley:

Zaqarbal · 08-17-2010, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

(...) there are notable examples of vocal music that are performed using non-linguistic syllables or noises, sometimes as musical onomatopoeia. (...)

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

(...) All musical cultures have some form of vocal music.

I suppose we could put a lot of examples, from the Gregorian chants to the thousands of kinds of traditional vocal music around the World. I do my bit:

Flamenco is divided into several subgenres, which in turn have their own subclassifications. Martinetes (wiki) are part of the a cappella group. This one is sung by Niña Pastori:

dankrsta · 08-17-2010, 06:17 AM

I know I mentioned Diamanda Galas here quite a bit, but what a hell. Vocal music week would be missing a great voice, if I don't. She's best known for her operatic, three and a half octave range voice, after all, it's a prime tool of her expression. She said it best: "My voice was given to me as an instrument of inspiration for my friends, and a tool of torture and destruction to my enemies. An instrument of truth."

She can easily go from very intense, avant-garde type of music where her unique vocal style is inspired by Schrei opera of German expressionism onto the jazz, soul, blues singing accompanied by her piano, and everything in between.

Yeah, I'm a fan girl.

Jedey · 08-17-2010, 06:32 AM

Piss Me Off · 08-17-2010, 06:53 AM

About as raw as it can get. I can't tell you why i find this addictive, impressive considering it's just a voice and a pair of hands.

dankrsta · 08-17-2010, 07:26 AM

@tore - That yodeling is great, I love it.

Another favorite of mine - Nico. She's sort of polarizing when it comes to her voice, but I love her, that wall, especially when it cracks a little. And I have such a soft spot for her German folk sensibility.

Elizabeth Fraser of Cocteau Twins has a beautiful voice especially here in This Mortal Coil's Song to the Siren

Burning Down · 08-17-2010, 07:56 AM

These guys are pretty good. They just do covers of popular songs acapella style.

08-16-2010, 08:32 AM	#2 (permalink)
OctaneHugo Goes back & does it again Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: philadelphia Posts: 807	How do you know the lead singer is at your door? He can't find his key and doesn't know when to come in. __________________ If Any Major Dude Has Yet To Tell You, Click Here

08-16-2010, 08:46 AM	#3 (permalink)
Guybrush Juicious Maximus III Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scabb Island Posts: 6,525	Thanks for the dry joke, Hugo. Now, I assume that yodeling fits smoothly in under the definition of vocal music, so then I get to pester you all with my fascination for Franzl Lang yet again __________________ Something Completely Different

08-17-2010, 12:31 AM	#4 (permalink)
Zaqarbal Music Addict Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Spain Posts: 824	Lisa Gerrard (Dead Can Dance) singing The Wind That Shakes the Barley: __________________ "Lullabies for adults / crossed by the years / carry the flower of disappointment / tattooed in their gloomy melodies." Last edited by Zaqarbal; 08-17-2010 at 08:50 AM. Reason: a typo

08-17-2010, 06:17 AM	#6 (permalink)
dankrsta ... Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,776	I know I mentioned Diamanda Galas here quite a bit, but what a hell. Vocal music week would be missing a great voice, if I don't. She's best known for her operatic, three and a half octave range voice, after all, it's a prime tool of her expression. She said it best: "My voice was given to me as an instrument of inspiration for my friends, and a tool of torture and destruction to my enemies. An instrument of truth." She can easily go from very intense, avant-garde type of music where her unique vocal style is inspired by Schrei opera of German expressionism onto the jazz, soul, blues singing accompanied by her piano, and everything in between. Yeah, I'm a fan girl. __________________ Last.fm

08-17-2010, 06:32 AM	#7 (permalink)
Jedey Veritas vos liberabit Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Musicapolis Posts: 477	__________________ My Tunes

08-17-2010, 06:53 AM	#8 (permalink)
Piss Me Off Moodswings n' Roundabouts Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: At the corner of Dude and Catastrophe Posts: 4,512	About as raw as it can get. I can't tell you why i find this addictive, impressive considering it's just a voice and a pair of hands. __________________ Last FM Rate Yr Music Muxtape

08-17-2010, 07:26 AM	#9 (permalink)
dankrsta ... Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,776	@tore - That yodeling is great, I love it. Another favorite of mine - Nico. She's sort of polarizing when it comes to her voice, but I love her, that wall, especially when it cracks a little. And I have such a soft spot for her German folk sensibility. Elizabeth Fraser of Cocteau Twins has a beautiful voice especially here in This Mortal Coil's Song to the Siren __________________ Last.fm Last edited by dankrsta; 08-17-2010 at 07:34 AM.

08-17-2010, 07:56 AM	#10 (permalink)
Burning Down The Music Guru. Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Beyond the Wall Posts: 4,858	These guys are pretty good. They just do covers of popular songs acapella style.