I have always loved modern musicals, but we cannot deny that some of the music have became extremely pop-like. It does become a little difficult to find the appropriate songs for a portion of us non-tenors to sing. Through out the past year of vocal lessons, I have been suggested to try many good musical songs that would good for a baritone voice. I will share it with all of you here in this list.
This marks the start of a series where we would explore songs of Broadway music and beyond together. We will warm-up with this list and then slowly dive into the deeper complexities of the evolution of modern musicals by looking at familiar titles like Dear Evan Hansen, Be More Chill, Waitress, Avenue Q and more.
Let’s jump right in now by looking at some good musical songs for the baritone voice!
Falling Slowly – Once
Starting with a recent classic, “Falling Slowly” didn’t originate from a Broadway musical, but rather a 2007 Irish romance film. It is performed as a duet, but it would be completely fine to sing solo. The melody and rhythm aren’t too difficult at all. The high note is a G5 and only occurs a couple times, perfect for falsetto practice. The mix of high and low notes in the song is nice for practice.
Close Every Door – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, and if you are thinking Phantom of the Opera and its darker timbre, you can expect some of the same in this one. Close Every Door is about misery and desperation, so naturally it is a song with a lot of emotion. Again, the rhythm is nothing too difficult, and the highest note is a F#5 and the lowest note is a C4.
On the Street Where You Live – My Fair Lady
On the Street Where You Live is an ideal baritone song. The highest note is only an Eb5 so it may be more accessible than other songs. There are a few tricky lines to figure out the proper breathing, like “But the pavement always stayed beneath my feet before”, but it’s a good song for that if that’s something you want to work on as well.
Les Miserables – Empty Chairs and Empty Tables
Probably the highest song in the list with the highest note sitting at a G5, but still quite accessible for the skilled baritones. The song is quite emotional and not the easiest to sing, but it would make for a good audition song for showcasing range and acting skills. I also quite like Josh Groban and a large selection of his songs can be fitting for baritones, so I picked his version of this song.
If I loved You – Carousel
This is the oldest song on the list, as Carousel came out in 1945, so this is good for those who like more classic songs. The main chorus for the male part comes at 6:38 in the video. The beautiful song climaxes into a G#4 towards the end. It is one that is meant to be sung with a lot of passion and power.
Conclusion – Good Musical Songs for the Baritone Voice
Here are a short list of five good musical songs for the baritone voice. I have personally worked on all of them and found each quite instructive in their unique ways. They have helped me practice both low and high notes, breath control, as well as putting emotion into songs.