Marlene Dietrich (2,280 views)

[Steve]

Voice Type: Der Blaue Contralto
Vocal Range: G2 - D5

SPOILER: Click to show

{Questionable Notes}
E♭5 ("Kinder, Heute Abend, Da Such' Ich Mir Was Aus" from the film "Der Blaue Engel, overshot)

G2 ("Lili Marlene" Live at the Cafe de Paris 1954, Anacrusis)

Significant High Notes

D5 ("The Boys In The Back Room" Live in London 1972, "Ich Bin Die Fesche Lola" from the film "Der Blaue Engel", "Kinder, Heute Abend, Da Such' Ich Mir Was Aus" from the film "Der Blaue Engel)
C♯5 ("Makin' Whoopee" Dietrich in Rio 1959)
C5 ("The Boys In The Back Room" Live in London 1972)
B♭4 ("Alright, Okay, You Win" Dietrich in Rio 1959)
A4 ("The Boys In The Back Room")
G♯4 ("Das Lied Ist Aus (Frag 'Nicht Warum Ich Gehe)", "Ich Weiss Nicht, Zu Wem Ich Gehöre", "Peter", "Wer Wird Denn Weinen")
G4 ("Alright, Okay, You Win" Dietrich in Rio 1959, "The Boys In The Back Room", "Falling In Love Again", "I Will Come Back Again" Dietrich in Rio 1959, "Ich Weiss Nicht, Zu Wem Ich Gehöre", "Lola" Live at the Cafe de Paris 1954, "Look Me Over Closely" Live at the Cafe de Paris 1954, "Makin' Whoopee" Dietrich in Rio 1959, "Mein Blondes Baby", "Sag Mir Adieu", "Taking A Chance On Love", "Wer Wird Denn Weinen", "You Do Something To Me")
F♯4 ("Das Lied Ist Aus (Frag 'Nicht Warum Ich Gehe)", "Lazy Afternoon" Live at the Cafe de Paris 1954, "Lola" Live at the Cafe de Paris 1954, "Paff Der Zauberdrachen", "Peter", "Sch, Kleines Baby", "You Go To My Head", "You've Got That Look")
F4 ("Falling In Love Again", "Go 'Way From My Window" Live @ The Queen's Theatre 1964, "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" Live @ The Queen's Theatre 1964, "I Couldn't Sleep A Wink Last Night", "Ich Bin Von Kopf Bis Fuß Auf Liebe Eingestellt", "Ich Weiss Nicht, Zu Wem Ich Gehöre", "Ich Werde Dich Lieben", "Je Tire Ma Révérence" Dietrich in Rio 1959, "La Vie en Rose" Live at the Cafe de Paris 1954, "The Laziest Gal In Town" Live at the Cafe de Paris 1954, "Lili Marlene", "Makin' Whoopee" Dietrich in Rio 1959, "Paff Der Zauberdrachen", "Sei Lieb Zu Mir", "The Surrey With The Fringe On Top", "Taking A Chance On Love", "Wenn Der Sommer Wieder Einzieht", "Wer Wird Denn Weinen", "You're The Cream In My Coffee" Dietrich in Rio 1959)

Significant Low Notes

F3 ("Allein In Einer Großen Stadt", "Alright, Okay, You Win" Dietrich in Rio 1959, "Der Trommelmann", "Falling In Love Again", "I Wish You Love" Live @ The Queen's Theatre 1964, "Lili Marlene", "Paff Der Zauberdrachen", "The Surrey With The Fringe On Top", "Wenn Die Soldaten")
E3 ("Das Lied Ist Aus (Frag 'Nicht Warum Ich Gehe)", "Die Antwort Weiß Ganz Allein Der Wind", "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" Live @ The Queen's Theatre 1964, "In Den Kasernen", "Je Tire Ma Révérence" Dietrich in Rio 1959, "Lola" Live at the Cafe de Paris 1954, "Mein Blondes Baby", "Shir Hatan" Live @ The Queen's Theatre 1964, "Wenn Ich Mir 'Was Wünschen Dürfte""You Do Something To Me", "You Go To My Head")
E♭3 ("Die Antwort Weiß Ganz Allein Der Wind", "Ich Bin Von Kopf Bis Fuß Auf Liebe Eingestellt", "Ich Weiss Nicht, Zu Wem Ich Gehöre", "I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face" Dietrich in Rio 1959, "Just a Gigolo", "Lazy Afternoon" Live at the Cafe de Paris 1954, "Miss Otis Regrets", "My Blue Heaven" Dietrich in Rio 1959, "Peter", "Sag Mir Adieu", "Sei Lieb Zu Mir")
D3 ("Ach Fräulein Annie Wohnt Schoen Lange Nicht Mehr Hier", "Allein In Einer Großen Stadt", "I Couldn't Sleep A Wink Last Night", "I've Been In Love Before", "Lilli Marlene", "Lola" Live at the Cafe de Paris 1954, "Luar do Sertão" Dietrich in Rio 1959, "Makin' Whoopee" Dietrich in Rio 1959, "One For My Baby (And One For The Road)" Dietrich in Rio 1959, "Sch, Kleines Baby", "Taking A Chance On Love", "Und Wenn Er Wiederkommt", "Wenn Der Sommer Wieder Einzieht", "Wer Wird Denn Weinen", "You Do Something To Me", "You Go To My Head", "You've Got That Look")
C♯3 ("Auf Der Mundharmonika", "I Will Come Back Again" Dietrich in Rio 1959, "I've Been In Love Before", "Just a Gigolo", "La Vie en Rose" Live at the Cafe de Paris 1954, "Lazy Afternoon" Live at the Cafe de Paris 1954, "Und Wenn Er Wiederkommt")
C3 ("Falling In Love Again", "Go 'Way From My Window" Live @ The Queen's Theatre 1964, "Honeysuckle Rose" Live @ The Queen's Theatre 1964, "I Couldn't Sleep A Wink Last Night", "I Wish You Love" Live @ The Queen's Theatre 1964, "Ich Hab' Noch Einen Koffer In Berlin", "Ich Werde Dich Lieben", "In Den Kasernen", "I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face" Dietrich in Rio 1959, "Johnny" Live at the Cafe de Paris 1954, "La Vie en Rose" Live at the Cafe de Paris 1954, "The Laziest Gal In Town" Live at the Cafe de Paris 1954, "Look Me Over Closely" Live at the Cafe de Paris 1954, "Sag Mir, Wo Die Blumen Sind")
B2 ("Das Lied Ist Aus (Frag 'Nicht Warum Ich Gehe)", "Die Antwort Weiß Ganz Allein Der Wind", "I Couldn't Sleep A Wink Last Night", "Ich Weiss Nicht, Zu Wem Ich Gehöre", "Je Tire Ma Révérence" Dietrich in Rio 1959, "Marie-Marie", "Wenn Ich Mir 'Was Wünschen Dürfte")
B♭2 ("My Blue Heaven" Dietrich in Rio 1959, "No Love, No Nothing" Live at the Cafe de Paris 1954, "One For My Baby (And One For The Road)" Dietrich in Rio 1959, "Sag Mir Adieu", "Sei Lieb Zu Mir", "You're The Cream In My Coffee" Dietrich in Rio 1959)
A2 ("Ach Fräulein Annie Wohnt Schoen Lange Nicht Mehr Hier", "Makin' Whoopee" Dietrich in Rio 1959)
G♯2 ("Falling In Love Again" Live at the Cafe de Paris 1954, "No Love, No Nothing" Live at the Cafe de Paris 1954)
G2 ("The Laziest Gal In Town" Live at the Cafe de Paris 1954)

...........................................................
Boldface indicates notes that are particularly notable examples of this singer's capabilities.

One of the most iconic faces of the 20th century, Marlene Dietrich was one of Germany's most loved exports. Dietrich had an extensive and illustrious career having gotten her name known appearing in several revered films (as she was first and foremost, and mostly remembered as, an actress), Dietrich also found a long-lived career as a singer, was a proud member of the LGBT community and defied gender stereotypes. Most famously, Dietrich gained immortal reverence as a war hero for her many efforts aiding troops during World War II.

As a vocalist, Marlene Dietrich did not possess very remarkable technical ability. A considerably low-placed woman, Dietrich navigated her lower register with impressive comfort and weight. Her upper register however was certainly nothing to write home about, generally very light and heady as well as basically spoken, her more demanding highs (if you can call them that) were generally relegated to her film appearances. Dietrich performed with very conversational phrasing, and her sheer presence and alluring charisma was the selling point of her music.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Discography}
(1939) Decca Presents Marlene Dietrich
(1952) Marlene Dietrich Overseas
(1954) Marlene Dietrich at the Cafe de Paris (live)
(1959) Dietrich in Rio (live)
(1960) Wiedersehen Mit Marlene
(1964) Die Neue Marlene
(1965) Live in London
(1992) Live WARSCHAU

• OP originally by IhateMana. See this thread for more information.

[fallenalien]

Is there any female vocalist on this site with a lower tessitura than Dietrich? I couldn't find one where the high notes started lower than F4.

['S]

I am certain there are a few. Marlene was a sing-talker if nothing else so I doubt "tessitura" is really applicable here, plus her beloved smokes would've exaggerated her lowness kinda obscuring her real placement anyway lol

[kaji]

^ This. You can't really necessarily judge tessitura off high/low thresholds as they're highly dependent on the style and approach.

[IhateMana]

yeah honestly the thresholds here are entirely stylistic, she just didn't ever sing very high

that being said she did have a decently low voice

[Steingrim]

Lili Marlene : Bb2 here : youtu.be/q3W7E-u6nEY?t=100, D3 and Eb3 on Mar-lene a few seconds later, the same two notes are repeated throughout.