"My Fair Lady" original audio tracks

Audrey Hepburn month is continuing around here, and I plan on posting more of my thoughts on her biography and career in the next few days. But I wanted to share some clips that I found on YouTube which combined a rehearsal track for the show (with Audrey Hepburn's real singing voice) with the final filmed scenes. (In fact, this YouTube account has a lot of great videos that restore the original singing voice of actresses with film clips that were dubbed-over.)

"Just You Wait" (with the middle section using Hepburn's real voice, although she did have her own voice used in the final film for the first and last section):


"I Could Have Danced All Night"


"Without You"


I just finished reading David Spoto's biography Enchantment: The Life of Audrey Hepburn, and he complained that the dubbing of Marni Nixon's voice for My Fair Lady really spoiled the whole image of Eliza Doolittle as a poor flower girl. I never really questioned Eliza Doolittle's singing voice (as a character) before, probably because I grew up listening to the My Fair Lady soundtrack and, as a child, just accepted what was presented to me. But Nixon's classically-trained voice does seem inappropriate, now that I think about it, not only for only the role of Eliza Doolittle but also for Audrey Hepburn's own petite frame.

That being said, Audrey Hepburn's voice is definitely not up to par for the sheer spectacle of My Fair Lady as a film. Her voice is a little delicate, raspy, and I have to admit that I especially cringed when listening to the sustained notes in "Without You" that she should have delivered with more energy and subpulse.

Thankful for Rest and Singing

I feel like Thanksgiving really has snuck up on me this year. This morning I realized that we never even got out our Thanksgiving decorations. Maybe we will get them out tonight, if we get everything else in order beforehand. Right now we are experiencing a bit of a lull in our preparations, since Lucy is napping.

I realized a few days ago that the past few months have been especially busy for me because I have an unprecedented amount of students with special needs. Over one-third of my students have some type of disability which affects their learning in a classroom setting, or have personal problems which are affecting their school performance, or they are an international student and/or an athlete. With all of these various needs (and the extra accommodations that I need to make for these students), not to mention the new challenges of teaching an art history class very early in the morning, I am worn out!

So, this Thanksgiving, I especially feel grateful for the opportunity to rest from work. I won't be resting in general, since I'll be chasing Lucy, giving Sam the attention he needs, and helping J in the kitchen. But at least I won't be worrying about work and all of my students who need help.

This Thanksgiving too, I am grateful that I sing in the university choir. Although it can be tricky to get to choir rehearsal some days (and I know that my absence creates more work for Jeremy at home), I really do love the opportunity to try to improve my vocal technique. And my choir director is such a delightful and perceptive person. I hope she never retires. I especially love that she has a background in vocal pedagogy, because I learn more things about my personal voice and technique through our rehearsals. I often feel like the vocal tips that she gives the class are intended specifically for me. (Perhaps this isn't the case, but I am paranoid all the same.) Just two days ago I learned these things:

• In order to use the "f" fricative effectively in singing, you shouldn't bite down with your "f" on the top part of your lip, because that will restrict the air flow. Instead, you should place your teeth behind your lip, so that the air can flow freely. (How logical! She gave us this advice while we were rehearsing "Fum, Fum, Fum!")
• When singing an "ah" vowel, only drop your jaw extremely far down (what I learned as the "two-finger method" in terms of creating space) when you are in your very low or very high register. When you sing an "ah" in your middle register, you don't need to drop your jaw down low, even in an attempt to blend. You can keep your mouth relatively closed (with only a "one-finger opening") and just have the open space be created by lifting your soft palate. 

Singing in choir is definitely one of the most rewarding things that I am involved with right now. Although I enjoy my volunteer work as a docent in a general sense, I am more rejuvenated when I leave my choir rehearsals. I am grateful that the act of singing allows not only for self-expression, but also self-improvement and learning.