Low male voice repertoire in contemporary musical theatre: a studio and performance guide of selected songs 1996-2020 by

Measures Tonal 
Center 
Compositional Notes 
Lyric 
Subtext 
Form 
mm. 1–6
B
♭ major 
Static harmony. 
To pray 
Intro - A 
mm. 7–10 D major 
Use of secondary dominant A7 to 
have half-cadences in m. 14 and m. 
18. “Bells of Notre Dame” motif 
underneath chorus in mm. 19-26. 
Self-
adoration, 
proclamation 
A (continued) 
mm. 11-23 G minor 
Use of secondary dominant A7 to 
have half-cadences in m. 14 and m. 
18. “Bells of Notre Dame” motif 
underneath chorus in mm. 19-26. 
To long, to 
pine after 
A through m. 18 
B is m. 19 and 
on 
mm. 23-36 D minor 
Bridge begins at m. 27. 
Utilizes secondary dominant of 
♭VII 
at m. 35, beat 4 which then functions 
as a Vsus chord going into F major. 
Lust, 
cognitive 
dissonance 
B through m. 26 
C m. 27-36 
mm. 37-44 F major 
Poco maestoso marked in score, 
substantial amount of four note closed 
voicings in piano left hand throughout 
section. 
Plea A’ 
mm. 45-70 D minor 
Return of the “Bells of Notre Dame” 
motif in B’ chorus. Use of continuous 
bass quarter notes function like a 
pedal point from m. 53-59 during the 
repeated Latin and phrases of prayer. 
Resolve, 
Moral 
Descent 
B’ m. 45-53 
D m. 54-70 
7
Alan Menken, “Hellfire,” in The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Vocal Selections (Milwaukee, WI: Hal 
Leonard, 2018): 53-60. 
8
Alan Menken, “Hellfire,” in Singer's Musical Theatre Anthology: Baritone/Bass 7, (Milwaukee, WI: Hal 
Leonard, 2019): 119. 

---

63 
 
Source: Data adapted from Alan Menken, “Hellfire,” in The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Vocal Selections 
(Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard, 2018): 53-60.