#45 "what is a youth?" starring the local baritone!

Below is a clip of me singing the theme from Zeffirelli's Romeo & Juliet. This version uses the original film lyrics, which I find very haunting in a Shakespearean way - think Ophelia's mad scene or Desdemona's willow song. This was recorded about five or six months ago, and it reflects the size of my voice at the time. The original version was sung by a Glen Weston, who possessed a very beautiful natural tenor but sadly seem to have disappeared since. I sing it a full step down lower - hey, I'm a baritone, I'm allowed to transpose if I want to! :-)

I really need to work on my top register. I blame the English! Who puts 'U' and 'I' vowels up so high? When I sing in Italian this problem is nonexistent! I can blow Fs and F#s for days. Ah well. And the two "capers" sounded like two different "capers" *giggle*.



The lyrics:
What is a youth? Impetuous fire
What is a maid? Ice and desire
The world wags on.


A rose will bloom; it then will fade:
so does the youth, so does the fairest maid.


Comes a time when one sweet smile
hasn't seasoned for a while! -
then love's in love with me.


Some they think only to marry;
others will tease and tarry -
mine is the very best parry.
Cupid, he rules us all!


Caper, the Caper, sing me the song:
Death will come soon to hush us along!
Sweeter than honey and bitter as gall,
Love is the pastime that never will pall.
Sweeter than honey and bitter as gall:
Cupid, he rules us all!

Forgive me if I do the song no justice. It really is a beautiful, haunting piece.