--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a young man, I was a baritone…" description: "\"When I was a young man, I was a baritone, very far from possessing the whole range of the tenor then.\" — Placido Domingo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/placido-domingo-15188_possessing_when-i-was-a-young-man-i-was-a-baritone_3203986.jpg" --- # When I was a young man, I was a baritone, very far from… ![“When I was a young man, I was a baritone, very far from possessing the whole range of the tenor then.” quote by Placido Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/placido-domingo-15188_possessing_when-i-was-a-young-man-i-was-a-baritone_3203986.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/placido-domingo-15188_possessing_when-i-was-a-young-man-i-was-a-baritone_3203986.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c8/placido-domingo-15188_possessing_when-i-was-a-young-man-i-was-a-baritone_3203986.jpg) > “When I was a young man, I was a baritone, very far from possessing the whole range of the tenor then.” [Placido Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/placido-domingo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He reflects on his vocal development, acknowledging past limitations and growth toward a broader range. **In simple terms:** He once lacked full tenor range but worked to expand it. Key Takeaway Embrace growth and continuous improvement. Themes self-improvement music career discipline growth Mood reflective inspirational determined Type personal professional educational When to use this quote - training vocal exercises - career transitions - learning new skills - overcoming self-doubt Key Concepts vocal technique career development humility Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to expand your abilities? - How does acknowledging past limits empower future growth? A Different Perspective May oversimplify the difficulty of vocal training for others. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [Well, you know, the first step I took was to drop the alto and baritone and concentrate on tenor exclusively, a decision I've never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-ware/well-you-know-the-first-step-i-took-was-to-drop-the-alto-and-baritone/) David S. Ware > [My voice gets recognized before anything else. It's always gotten attention. In choruses at church and school, I started as a tenor, moved to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-elliott/my-voice-gets-recognized-before-anything-else-it-s-always-gotten/) [Sam Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-elliott/) > [The baritone can serve functions that the alto and tenor cannot, in orchestral voicing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-mulligan/the-baritone-can-serve-functions-that-the-alto-and-tenor-cannot-in/) [Gerry Mulligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-mulligan/) > [Opera is when a tenor and soprano want to make love, but are prevented from doing so by a baritone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/opera-is-when-a-tenor-and-soprano-want-to-make-love-but-are-prevented/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [As a small girl I enjoyed singing with my mother's brother. He taught me all kinds of melodies and I sang the ones I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirella-freni/as-a-small-girl-i-enjoyed-singing-with-my-mother-s-brother-he-taught/) [Mirella Freni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirella-freni/) > [I would think, of all the saxophones, the baritone would be the most logical instrument if anybody was adding a voice to the symphony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-mulligan/i-would-think-of-all-the-saxophones-the-baritone-would-be-the-most/) [Gerry Mulligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-mulligan/) > [When I was a teenager, my mom got me a really nice baritone ukulele.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/when-i-was-a-teenager-my-mom-got-me-a-really-nice-baritone-ukulele/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [“He spoke with a rich, deep baritone, his attractive voice paired with a penchant for storytelling. She could listen to him all day, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-savage/he-spoke-with-a-rich-deep-baritone-his-attractive-voice-paired-with-a/) [Vivienne Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-savage/) > [“Dear World, I am not hot for Will Grayson. But world, there's something else you should know about Will Grayson." And then he begins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/dear-world-i-am-not-hot-for-will-grayson-but-world-there-s-something/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [So I played alto for quite a while until I saved up the money for the baritone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-mulligan/so-i-played-alto-for-quite-a-while-until-i-saved-up-the-money-for-the/) [Gerry Mulligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-mulligan/) > [I'm a baritone. Baritones don't mature until late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bastianich/i-m-a-baritone-baritones-don-t-mature-until-late/) [Joe Bastianich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bastianich/) > [The soprano has all those other instruments in it. It's got the soprano song voice, flute, violin, clarinet, and tenor elements and can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-lacy/the-soprano-has-all-those-other-instruments-in-it-it-s-got-the/) [Steve Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-lacy/) > [No baritone player should be afraid of the noise it makes. Harry Carney isn't!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pepper-adams/no-baritone-player-should-be-afraid-of-the-noise-it-makes-harry/) Pepper Adams > [I would love to have a chat with Michael Jackson. For the sole purpose of seeing if he has a deep voice or not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/i-would-love-to-have-a-chat-with-michael-jackson-for-the-sole-purpose/) [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) > [There're lots of musicians in my family, too. My mother sings incredibly well. I've got to make a record with my mother's voice on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/there-re-lots-of-musicians-in-my-family-too-my-mother-sings/) [Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/) ## More by Placido Domingo > [I feel at home in an orchestral score.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/placido-domingo/i-feel-at-home-in-an-orchestral-score/) [Placido Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/placido-domingo/) > [It is strange, but nobody is shocked when pop singers make a fortune in the space of two years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/placido-domingo/it-is-strange-but-nobody-is-shocked-when-pop-singers-make-a-fortune/) [Placido Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/placido-domingo/) > [If money was my only motivation, I would organize myself differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/placido-domingo/if-money-was-my-only-motivation-i-would-organize-myself-differently/) [Placido Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/placido-domingo/) > [But I won't deprive myself of singing opera as long as my voice follows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/placido-domingo/but-i-won-t-deprive-myself-of-singing-opera-as-long-as-my-voice/) [Placido Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/placido-domingo/) > [Should it happen tomorrow, I would fall to my knees to give thanks to God for such a career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/placido-domingo/should-it-happen-tomorrow-i-would-fall-to-my-knees-to-give-thanks-to/) [Placido Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/placido-domingo/) > [Young singers are much better educated musically, much better informed, through discs and videos, than I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/placido-domingo/young-singers-are-much-better-educated-musically-much-better-informed/) [Placido Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/placido-domingo/) > [Don't you think it astonishing that, at 58, I am still working at improving my career?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/placido-domingo/don-t-you-think-it-astonishing-that-at-58-i-am-still-working-at/) [Placido Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/placido-domingo/) > [When it becomes clear that no one else shares your level of passion, you are where you belong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/placido-domingo/when-it-becomes-clear-that-no-one-else-shares-your-level-of-passion/) [Placido Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/placido-domingo/) > [When facing symphonic orchestras which have played some works five thousands times, you have nothing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/placido-domingo/when-facing-symphonic-orchestras-which-have-played-some-works-five/) [Placido Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/placido-domingo/) > [When you are confronted with an opera, you have to keep an eye on everything: the musicians, the chorus, the ballet, the singers, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/placido-domingo/when-you-are-confronted-with-an-opera-you-have-to-keep-an-eye-on/) [Placido Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/placido-domingo/) > [The press regularly proclaims my ambitions and my financial demands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/placido-domingo/the-press-regularly-proclaims-my-ambitions-and-my-financial-demands/) [Placido Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/placido-domingo/) > [Singing becomes a form of therapy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/placido-domingo/singing-becomes-a-form-of-therapy/) [Placido Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/placido-domingo/) > [I'm not superstitious because it brings bad luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/placido-domingo/i-m-not-superstitious-because-it-brings-bad-luck/) [Placido Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/placido-domingo/) > [When working with an orchestra, you never spend more than 20 minutes per recording session.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/placido-domingo/when-working-with-an-orchestra-you-never-spend-more-than-20-minutes/) [Placido Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/placido-domingo/) > [This circus games aspect has existed since the beginning of my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/placido-domingo/this-circus-games-aspect-has-existed-since-the-beginning-of-my-career/) [Placido Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/placido-domingo/) [Explore all 44 Placido Domingo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/placido-domingo/) ## More Possessing quotes > [Those who know New York City primarily through tourism or mass culture may think of us natives as possessing certain shared characteristics, not all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/those-who-know-new-york-city-primarily-through-tourism-or-mass/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [Destitute of the fire of God, nothing else counts; possessing fire, nothing else matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-chadwick/destitute-of-the-fire-of-god-nothing-else-counts-possessing-fire/) [Samuel Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-chadwick/) > [It is evident that the right of acquiring and possessing property, and having it protected, is one of the natural, inherent, and unalienable rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-paterson/it-is-evident-that-the-right-of-acquiring-and-possessing-property-and/) [William Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-paterson/) > [Perhaps we will one day be able at least to admit of a God possessing sufficient majesty and expansiveness to transcend the limits of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-tattersall/perhaps-we-will-one-day-be-able-at-least-to-admit-of-a-god-possessing/) [Ian Tattersall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-tattersall/) > [“no one worth knowing can be quite known, no one worth possessing can be quite possessed—but”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-landay/no-one-worth-knowing-can-be-quite-known-no-one-worth-possessing-can/) [William Landay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-landay/) > [Thirty or forty proprietors, with incomes answering to between one thousand and five thousand a year, would create a much more effectual demand for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malthus/thirty-or-forty-proprietors-with-incomes-answering-to-between-one/) [Thomas Malthus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malthus/) > [Everybody is different and I think that we live in a material world. But for me, possessing things is not that interesting. Living in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-berggruen/everybody-is-different-and-i-think-that-we-live-in-a-material-world/) [Nicolas Berggruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-berggruen/) > [Loud speech, profusion of words, and possessing skillfulness in expounding scriptures are merely for the enjoyment of the learned. They do not lead to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adi-shankara/loud-speech-profusion-of-words-and-possessing-skillfulness-in/) [Adi Shankara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adi-shankara/) > [The central problem of management is how spontaneous interaction of people within a firm, each possessing only bits of knowledge, can bring about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/the-central-problem-of-management-is-how-spontaneous-interaction-of/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [The main consideration with those who, possessing some capital, propose to emigrate as the means of improving their condition, is, the society likely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-sturt/the-main-consideration-with-those-who-possessing-some-capital-propose/) [Charles Sturt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-sturt/) > [Surrounded by all the members of my dear family, enjoying the affection of numerous friends, who have never abandoned me, and possessing a sufficient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/surrounded-by-all-the-members-of-my-dear-family-enjoying-the/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [The Present, the Present is all thou hast For thy sure possessing; Like the patriarch's angel hold it fast Till it gives its blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/the-present-the-present-is-all-thou-hast-for-thy-sure-possessing-like/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [...the incontestable truth is that America has been built up by optimists, not by pessimists, but by men possessing courage, confidence in the nation's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/the-incontestable-truth-is-that-america-has-been-built-up-by/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [God, possessing supreme and infinite wisdom, acts in the most perfect manner, not only metaphysically, but also morally speaking, and ... with respect to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gottfried-leibniz/god-possessing-supreme-and-infinite-wisdom-acts-in-the-most-perfect/) [Gottfried Leibniz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gottfried-leibniz/) > [Buying, possessing, accumulating--this is not worldliness. 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