The truth about countertenors by Hugh Waldock
Welcome to a story,
That’s rosier than you,
A story of tragedy,
Love, and something new….
Anyone can learn from a countertenor such as I,
The sly ways that women adore tenors and then cry,
But why?
As such a Romantic specimen they can find,
Away from the brass bulldogs and bulging basses,
In the higher tones of sweet melancholy,
We are less bull and more of a brother,
That’s why sweet baritone’s lie,
Us countertenors bring you closer to heaven, that’s why!
Hugh Waldock is studying the not easy subject of countertenoring. The change of register from chest to head voice seems really quite flexible already; on solidity of tone and coloraturas there is still much to work on!
Maybe I should have broken out with In the Jungle by Paul Simon in the middle to make them giggle in the solo! I sang in a college production of Pergoleisi’s Stabat Mater at one exposed point with no indication of the notes beforehand right at the beginning of a movement I hit a second with soprano Hayat Chaoui rather than a thirs I feel it was just that one obvious mistake in a duet, but Germans are perfectionists.
I liken this review of Fac ut portem and quae moreabat to which the reviewer rather insulting doesn’t refer as being the former England Manager Sir Bobby Robson finally leaving Newcastle Football Club Office with just his one wood in hand and I’m not going to mention where I wanted to shove it quite frankly, which was the point all along maybe.
I certainly should be commended for winning my school cup, going to top gun (Eton College), passing 2 top conservatoire auditions. I certainly possessed Eddie the Eagle’s Corinthian spirit and sense of fun with it all having qualified for my olympics at the 5th and 25th best music schools in the world. what is more I’m digging deep now to achieve a graduate diploma and finish like Tin Cup with a hole in one anyway however many times I tried as the Ugly Duckling Countertenor singing He Was Despised 300 times over I am still going for the swan song with my Baritone recitals to make it all worthwhile whatever. I love to sing so what I did sing and get in. I did it better than 90% of people who try and I’m proud of that. I couldn’t have countertenored any better I agree that’s because I was a baritone as David Lowe suggested all along and no longer a Domspatz who wanted to sit next to share a copy with and talk to his first love by her side rather than pull her pig tails in the tenors. That’s all it was at first. I just got lucky and won a competition, then had problems with my health due to a family bereavement but I DID TRY AND I DID LOVE IT THEY LIED PROFOUNDLY ABOUT THAT. I passed everything I needed to pass that year, but that vocal exam at Wuppertal Conservatoire and that’s lied about. I especially enjoyed passing second study piano with the excellent Jan Ehnes and Mr Stevenson’s Schubert Classes and Dörte Bald’s acting and German RP skills workshops. They came in useful later when I started to sing in chest voice. Jan for all intents and purposes actually sorted the problem out. I want to pass for Mr Stevenson with ABRSM now that this year in September 2025. I don’t have weaknesses if I get it; they will, in this sense; they only ever had one skill in life apart from Vera who was also an Architect.
All I can say is I was good enough to merit a professional review for all that effort and money put in and I’m proud of forcing them to write something about me like Eddie!
These were my actual 7 results from HFM. I was never formally thrown out either which was lied about I elected to remove myself from my ex girlfriends presence by leaving the college because the relationship and jealousy was destroying both our lives. She had more work than me so I elected to go and study composition which I had enjoyed with Dr Hesse listening to compositions he liked for his CD Collection; I wrote my first pieces and wanted to compose then rather than sing in the heat of it all. I was offered a resit which I refused and transferred my credits to a musicology course at Cologne University to study theoretical music more.
Piano Studies final second study exam C
(I never played a note until I was 16 and had just 3.5 years tuition)
Renaissance 2 Part Counterpoint B
Musicology 1 1.5 hrs talk in German on Glück’s Operas B
Form Studies C
Harmony tuition C
Aural Skills C
General Music Theory B Pass (on a Pass / Fail Basis)
Let’s not forget I was doing a student job for 20 hrs a week which I enjoyed to stay afloat. I was condemned for not taking government money when I was generous enough to pay for myself. I was answerable to 3 bosses their company reps, student reps and students themselves and I was earning 2500 a month. I just needed a little more self belief, that’s all! I was depressed with the situation I didn’t wanna be in college because bumping into her normally resulted in a 30 minute conversation and the rebooting of th relationship yet again with a date that evening and it takes two to tango. I tried to go with Jeanette and do a duet and she was jealous and stopped me seeing her by making me feel guilty I’m not guilty whatsoever only of loving my friend.
She made me feel Jeanette was plainer than her and she was girly enough for me. It was vanity that on her part because I could deny she was prettier than her I couldn’t see Jeanette. She just looked all hurt as if to say am I really less attractive than her well no. I wanted Jeanette to grow on me and to give her a chance but she wasn’t as pretty and that was the gordian knot she was just so good looking I couldn’t say yes to a potentially great relationship and life in Leipzig anyway. They were form the same city. I do love Anja and I dislike her for that but she is and always will be my woman if she want’s me. I think she wanted me to have someone as good looking and to desire her as much as her; she was so beautiful in that way because she always wanted it for me. She was so caring with that but she got it wrong. I like intellect and girly brains as well and I could have got used to her.