Comments on: wedding ceremony music for a soprano

Question: wedding ceremony music for a soprano

ztdavis — Sat, 26 May 2007 11:10:35 -0800

What wedding songs (ceremony, not reception) would music lovers here suggest to be sung by a skilled, classically trained soprano accompanied by a not as skilled, works-for-a-small-church pianist?

I am getting married this August we are lucky enough to be good friends of a recent graduate of Indiana University's music school. She has an excellent voice and can sing just about anything.

The pianist, on the other hand, is used to your regular Sunday church hymns. She can probably play anything simple if we give her plenty of time to practice, but simpler is better.

I wile away my hours listening to Brian Eno, Radiohead, Godspeed! You Black Emperor and various other things that don't lend themselves at all to a wedding. My lovely fiancee listens to a lot of the same stuff, plus country music. And I hate just about anything that sounds twangy orr like popular country music.

So we are at a loss. From what I have gathered from occasional listenign to A Prairie Home Companion, something more classically ballad sounding from the last half of the 19th century would be peachy keen in my book. That's just one vague idea, though, to us anything is fair game and worth a listen. Hymns are fair game, but I'm not particularly fond of them.

Julie is interested in something that "has sincere lyrics about love."

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

By: DenOfSizer

DenOfSizer — Sat, 26 May 2007 11:42:39 -0800

"when will we be married" - the old celtic classic (country overtones) Or what about something by Bjork?

By: HotPatatta

HotPatatta — Sat, 26 May 2007 11:51:02 -0800

Keep away from the tired, stale Andrea Bocelli/Charlotte Church/Josh Groban stuff.

By: Sailormom

Sailormom — Sat, 26 May 2007 13:39:35 -0800

I went to a wedding once that basically had the same set up you describe, an excellent vocalist with an adequate pianist. She sang Thank You by Led Zepplin and it was extremely well received

By: squirrel

squirrel — Sat, 26 May 2007 13:50:45 -0800

Must be Love -- Rickie Lee Jones

By: essexjan

essexjan — Sun, 27 May 2007 06:02:11 -0800

I'm a sucker for Schubert's Ave Maria at a wedding. It's a great piece for a good voice and the piano part isn't too difficult, being nothing but slow arpeggios. If there's a part of the ceremony where you have to go off to sign the register (as there is in UK weddings), it's a good piece to have performed at that point in the ceremony.

There's a .pdf here.

By: non sum qualis eram

non sum qualis eram — Sun, 27 May 2007 14:35:29 -0800

Seconding the Schubert "Ave Maria" but if you'd like something a little less popular, Schumann's "Du Ring an meinem Finger" is simple and gorgeous. (Okay audio here.)

As someone who has sung many a wedding, I'd love to be asked for my input on the music. I'm sure your friend has an extensive repertoire and would be more than happy to make suggestions.

By: MiffyCLB

MiffyCLB — Sun, 27 May 2007 18:11:36 -0800

Yes, "Ave Maria" always brings tears to my eyes, especially at weddings.