Altos have more fun :)

Lady Chuckles

I'm a soprano and I can't help but to notice (in every single choir I've been in, apart from maybe in high school) the altos seem to have more fun. They're relaxed, happy and outgoing. Whenever there's a break I mingle with them

Last Monday at choir rehearsal I got stuck talking to the alto ladies. I'm new to the group and they were telling me how fun they have in their corner - to which I reply "altos have more fun" I have seen it, so why not say it, I thought

Upon thinking about it, they actually agreed with me and suggested it might be the prestige somewhat killing the fun in the soprano corner.

I think they might be right. I've always felt that there's a slight rivality/pressure among sopranos to be "best", to get to sing a solo piece, to sing the melody and to reach the highest notes. For instance, no soprano I've met wants to be taken for a mezzo soprano. I remember when I got to sing first soprano as a teenager I felt like I was promoted - and it seems to me, even among older sopranos today it's a bit of a promotion.

Nowadays I'm a happy mezzo soprano. I adore the altos for their energy and for their ability to sing parts that are not the melody. For their non-flippant attitude

I really want to know if there are any more (choir) singers who feel the same? Or if I just happen to end up in the wrong choirs and all of this is in my head

wet-paint

Strangely enough, in every choir I've been in, the women always seem to consider the practice to be work and drudgery, as opposed to the lads' point of view, considering practice to be craic, and fun. We get to mess around more and chat, as (and don't take this as an insult, it's a genuine observation from only the eight or nine choirs that I've been in, it's not a generalisation on choirs all over the place) we seem to pick up material quicker, and then have more fun as a result, not having to spend as much time note bashing.
I know it's not exactly what you're asking, but that'd be the first thing that comes to mind from things I've noticed about people in choir.

Lady Chuckles

Thank you so much for sharing. That's very interesting
The singing men always seem to be relaxed and full of fun at choir practice indeed. I wish my soprano crowd could learn to relax a little too, it would make singing in choir a nicer experience

It's nice to know I'm not the only one who's noticed this

Beesand

wet-paint wrote: »

We get to mess around more and chat, as (and don't take this as an insult, it's a genuine observation from only the eight or nine choirs that I've been in, it's not a generalisation on choirs all over the place) we seem to pick up material quicker, and then have more fun as a result, not having to spend as much time note bashing.

I would say the exact same thing but about being an alto. I've been in 4 choirs over the years and the sopranos always seem to be trying to outdo one another, and brownnose the director; The men always struggle to get the line, then the rhythm, then the line again; And the altos have the craic, don't take it seriously but get the line quickly and go back to telling jokes and laughing at the sopranos!

wet-paint

Weird. I wonder if we just all feel the same about our own sections.

Lady Chuckles

Beesand wrote: »

I've been in 4 choirs over the years and the sopranos always seem to be trying to outdo one another, and brownnose the director /.../ And the altos have the craic, don't take it seriously but get the line quickly and go back to telling jokes and laughing at the sopranos!

That is EXACTLY how I feel!
I don't like my section at all. I seriously wish I could be an alto!

_Lady_

Hahaha that's gas! It's the same the world over - I've been in choirs in US, Oz and here from school upwards and it's always the same.

Men struggle but have a great laugh doing it, Sopranos compete and the Altos laugh!

I'm a mezzo sop but always sing with the altos if I get a choice

Serious satisfaction in the sandwich line!

metaoblivia

Agreed about the altos! I'm an alto and it seems the sopranos are always trying to get to the top/make themselves noticed for a solo, the men struggle but just have fun, and the altos are relaxed, just enjoying the practice and time with themselves. I love being an alto!