A Deep Dive Into Melodies For Alto Voice With Some Alto Songs

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Did you know? There is this common misconception that alto voices are not important and Alto singers are not versatile! Not true at all! In Reality alto voices have rich and warm timbre that adds depth to any choral arrangement. Alto songs are scattered in the genres of classical, pop, jazz and others. Here are a few best songs for alto voices.

Many years ago, male countertenors performed Alto parts as women were not allowed to perform in public in some cultures around the world.

Best Songs for Alto Voices

Top of The World by Carpenters

This is one of the fun alto songs to sing! It was a 70s pop song sung by Karen Carpenter. “Top of the World” has gentle dynamics throughout the song with subtle crescendos and decrescendos to add expressions such as joy as it is in the lyrics.

There are so many Songs for alto singers, but Karen’s tranquil contralto voice makes this song 10x beautiful and easy to perform. This is also a feel-good song and one of the suitable pop songs for alto voice with a memorable melody.

Memory from Cats

Andrew Loyd Webber wrote a musical called “Cats” and has a gem of an alto audition song called “Memory.” So here’s the story behind ‘Memory’. An older cat called Grizabella who is shunned by other cats, sings this one of a kind alto musical theater songs, expressing sadness about her faded glory.

Interesting thing about ‘Memory’ is that the emotional depth and despair needs to be conveyed by the rich alto voice. And this why ‘Memory’ is a one of the most suitable songs for alto voices to perform and shine in the spotlight.

Did You Know?

The song ‘Memory’ has been recorded by more than 160 artists for it’s the most popular song in the production of Cats.

Someone Like You by Adele

It is one of the brilliant alto songs for alto voices. The minimalist piano accompaniment lets the voice have all the attention. In Fact this song is one of the perfect alto audition songs. If you think about it, the melody is quite haunting and melancholic.

Since this is a perfect song for alto singers, they need to give utter importance to the vocal dynamics and articulation to sing expressively and with emotional intensity. It has a slow tempo, so hey, lots of room for improvisation!

Caro Mio Ben by Giordani

Need any alto songs from Classical vocal repertoire? Here is a beautiful aria composed by Giuseppe Giordani in the late 18th century and remains one of the best songs for alto voice. This Italian romantic aria is performed with a piano accompaniment or a small chamber orchestra.

The melody is pretty straightforward which paves way for inserting ornamentations to showcase the singer’s talent. Caro Mio Ben is one of the widely searched classical songs for alto voice.

Did You Know?

This aria is performed at a moderate tempo allowing expressive phrasing with subtle rubato.

Summertime by George Gershwin

‘Summertime’ was written in 1934 for the Opera called Porgy and Bess and remains to be one of the famous alto songs in the jazz genre. There are a pinch of blues and chromatic scales used in this piece to add emotional depth.

The rocking rhythms establish that Summer time, one of the famous alto broadway songs, is a lullaby. Singer who performs this song uses subtle rubato to show the heartfelt content of the lyrics. One must also concentrate on the use of dynamics and strong vibratos to enhance the performance. Summertime can be an excellent alto audition songs.

Happier Than Ever by Billie Eilish

Musical structure of ‘Happier Than Ever’ is pretty interesting. Two parts denoting two different emotions and musical style. The starting part is soft and reflective while the second half is intense, introducing a sense of frustration. Eilish’s vocal delivery has an apparent shift in dynamics in verses, bridge and climax of the song.

She is renowned for using vocal fry technique and airy falsettos. Though her vocal style may be difficult to replicate, it is viable. Happier Than Ever is one of the widely searched latest alto songs.

Diamonds by Rihanna

Next up are Rihanna’s most iconic songs! Also happens to be one among excellent alto songs. Released in 2012, it is composed in Pop, Dance-Pop. This song makes Rihanna’s alto range shine bright like a diamond. The dynamic range of her voice is another notable feature. Softer in the versus and bold and louder in the choruses.

Diamonds is considered to be one of best songs for alto voices. To add emotional intensity and expressiveness, look into bold delivery using belting technique. That would help you express the beauty of empowerment and endurance in the lyrics.

Did You Know?

Rihanna won a grammy award for her album ‘Unapologetic’ in which ‘Diamonds’ was released.

Summertime Sadness by Lana Del Rey

I could just listen to her all day! Believe it, I did. ‘Summertime Sadness’ is a melancholic ballad and one of the best suited songs for alto singers. It sounds kind of dreamy and evokes nostalgia and longing. It has grand strings arrangement accompanying and flowing rhythms.

Lana often uses the ornamentation called melisma which means singing multiple notes in one syllable. This is definitely one of the easy songs for alto singers, but a wider vocal range will enhance your performance.

Erbarme Dich by Bach

St. John Passion is a popular ontario written by Johanne Sebastian Bach. This is one of the best alto audition songs from classical repertoire. This is written for a low voice and is one of the best songs for alto voice. The range spans between E4 and A5.

A few techniques to master to effectively express the aria’s intended emotions includes Legato phrasing, good control over dynamics. The lyrics are delicate as it speaks of deepest sorrow and forgiveness. Yet another interesting element of this aria is the Violin continue that supports the voice with rich harmony lines.