Although tones are de-emphasized in singing, composers must nonetheless strive to make the melodic line reflect — or at least not countermand — the tone of each word, or audiences may laugh.
On "Grateful," an impressive range of singers take the trip with him -- from musical theater's Kristin Chenowith and Patti Lupone to cabaret's David Campbell and Michael Feinstein to elder popsters like Judy Collins and Art Garfunkel and even a couple of singing composers, Jimmy Webb and Adam Guettel.
It might have been poetic to use the rival site Kickstarter, given how Nat King Cole, Chuck Berry, the Rolling Stones, Depeche Mode and countless bar bands have sung composer Bobby Troup's deathless refrain, "get your kicks on Route 66".
But when they come out to sing composer Joe Greene's dazzling harmonies and perform John Todd's kicky choreography, they're four lovely, pony-like women with sparkly evening gowns and flowing topknots (Brielle Batino, Stephanie Hayslip, Shelley Regner and Charlotte Mary Wen, in costumes by Michael Mullen).
Sorabji once said, "If a composer can't sing, a composer can't compose".
Fresh from a performance of Handel's Giulio Cesare in Los Angeles, in which he took the lead role, Daniels will again be singing the composer's work when he makes his next London appearance in January.
She skipped from era to era, from composer to composer, singing each aria and song with the same breezy lyricism, indulging herself whenever she wanted in order to prolong a melodic phrase or ease up to a high note.
Singers with bigger, more naturally Straussian voices tend to sing the Composer.
Corey Dargel sang the composer's setting of the Pinsky poem.
The splendid mezzo-soprano Susan Graham sings the Composer, and the vibrant tenor Jon Villars makes his company debut as Bacchus.
