| Voice Type (ranges) |
Female voices
Male voices Related concepts edit this - view history |
- This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type. A voice type is a particular kind of human Singing voice perceived as having certain identifying qualities or characteristics Human voices may be classified according to their vocal range &mdash the highest and lowest pitches that they can produce This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type. This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type. This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type. The tenor is the highest male voice within the Modal register, just above the Baritone voice This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type. Coloratura has several meanings The word derives from the Italian colorare (to Colour; to heighten to enliven or colorazione (colouring coloration Chest voice is a term used within vocal music The use of this term varies widely within vocal pedagogical circles and there is currently no one consistent opinion among vocal music professionals Head voice is a term used within vocal music The use of this term varies widely within vocal pedagogical circles and there is currently no one consistent opinion among vocal music professionals Sprechgesang and Sprechstimme ( German for spoken-song and spoken-voice) are musical terms used to refer to an expressionist vocal A vocal register in the human voice is a particular series of tones produced in the same vibratory pattern of the Vocal folds and possessing the same quality Vocal resonation is the process by which the basic product of Phonation is enhanced in timbre and/or intensity by the air-filled cavities through which it passes on its way to A voice type is a particular kind of human Singing voice perceived as having certain identifying qualities or characteristics
In music, a contralto is a classical singer with a vocal range somewhere between a tenor and a mezzo-soprano. Human voices may be classified according to their vocal range &mdash the highest and lowest pitches that they can produce The tenor is the highest male voice within the Modal register, just above the Baritone voice This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type. The term is used to refer to the deepest female singing voice. The typical contralto range lies between the G below middle C (G3) to two Gs above middle C (G5). In the lower and upper extremes, some contralto voices can sing from the E below middle C (E3) to two B♭s above middle C (B♭5). [1] The contralto voice has the lowest tessitura of the female voices and is noted for its rich and deep vocal timbre. In Music, the term tessitura ( Italian for texture) generally describes the most musically acceptable and comfortable Timbre for a given In Music, timbre (ˈtæm-bər' like timber, or, from Fr timbre tɛ̃bʁ is the quality of a Musical note or sound that distinguishes different It should be noted that in current operatic practice, female singers with very low tessituras are often included among mezzo-sopranos, because singers in both ranges are able to cover the other, and true operatic contraltos are very rare. [2]
The term contralto is not synonymous with the term alto which designates a specific part within choral music and is not a voice type. Alto is a musical term derived from the Latin word altus, meaning "high" that has several possible interpretations A voice type is a particular kind of human Singing voice perceived as having certain identifying qualities or characteristics Technically, "alto" is only a separate category in choral music where it refers simply to the vocal range and does not consider factors like vocal tessitura, vocal timbre, vocal facility, and vocal weight. For the musical composition see Chorale. A choir, chorale, or chorus is a Musical ensemble of Singers Human voices may be classified according to their vocal range &mdash the highest and lowest pitches that they can produce In Music, the term tessitura ( Italian for texture) generally describes the most musically acceptable and comfortable Timbre for a given [3] For information regarding non-classical singers see Voice classification in non-classical music. There is currently no authoritative voice classification system within non-classical music
Although both men and women may have voices in the contralto vocal range, the word is always used in the context of a female singer. Men singing in the contralto, mezzo-soprano, or soprano range are called countertenors. This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type. This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type. [2]
Contraltos are fairly rare in opera, since there is very little work that was written specifically for them. Opera is an art form in which Singers and Musicians perform a Dramatic work (called an opera which combines a text (called a Libretto Most of the time, contralto roles are limited to maids, mothers and grandmothers, but they do occasionally get notable roles, often playing female villians such as witches or playing male figures that were originally intended to be performed by castrato singers. Witchcraft, in various historical anthropological religious and mythological contexts is the use of certain kinds of Supernatural or magical powers A castrato is a man with a singing voice equivalent to that of a Soprano, Mezzo-soprano, or Contralto voice produced either by Castration "A common saying among contraltos is that they're only allowed to play 'witches', 'bitches', or 'britches'. "[4]
To hear an example of a contralto (Ewa Podleś in the role of La Cieca from La Gioconda) click on this link. Ewa Podleś (last name pronounced PODE-lesh) was born April 26 1952 in Warsaw, Poland. La Gioconda is an Opera in four acts by Amilcare Ponchielli to an Italian Libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Angelo by
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Contralto roles in operas[4]
The following is a list of examples of contralto roles in the standard operatic repertoire.
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@-Indicates a role that may also be sung by a mezzo-soprano. Peter Grimes is an Opera by Benjamin Britten, with a Libretto adapted by Montagu Slater from the Peter Grimes section of Edward Benjamin Britten Baron Britten, OM CH (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976 was an English Composer, conductor, Vanessa is an Opera in three (originally four acts by Samuel Barber with an original English Libretto by Gian-Carlo Menotti. Samuel Osborne Barber II ( March 9, 1910 – January 23, 1981) was an American Composer of Orchestral, Opera, La Gioconda is an Opera in four acts by Amilcare Ponchielli to an Italian Libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Angelo by Amilcare Ponchielli ( August 31, 1834 &ndash January 16, 1886) was an Italian Composer, largely of Operas Das Rheingold ("The Rhine Gold" is the first of the four operas that comprise Der Ring des Nibelungen ( The Ring of the Nibelung) by Richard Wagner Siegfried is the third of the four Operas that comprise Der Ring des Nibelungen ( The Ring of the Nibelung) by Richard Wagner The Mikado, or The Town of Titipu, is a Comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and Libretto by W Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian era partnership of Librettist W See Mourning Becomes Electra for a reference to the 1967 opera based on the 1931 Eugene O'Neill play Richard Georg Strauss (11 June 1864 &ndash 8 September 1949 was a German Composer of the late Romantic era and early modern era particularly noted Rigoletto is an Opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian Libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based La donna del lago ( The Lady of the Lake) is an Opera by Gioachino Rossini with a Libretto by Andrea Leone Tottola Der fliegende Holländer ( The Flying Dutchman) is an Opera, with Music and Libretto by Richard Wagner. Eugene Onegin ( Евгений Онегин, Yevgény Onégin is an Opera ("lyrical scenes" Opus 24 in 3 acts 7 scenes Orfeo ed Euridice (French version Orphée et Eurydice; English translation Orpheus and Eurydice) is an Opera composed by Christoph Willibald A breeches role (also pants role or trouser role) is a role in which an actress appears in male clothing ( Breeches being tight-fitting knee-length pants Snegurochka (Снегурочка or the Snow Maiden, is a character in Russian fairy tales. Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov ( Николай Андреевич Римский-Корсаков, Nikolaj Andreevič Rimskij-Korsakov) also Nikolay Egisto ( Aegisthus) is an Opera in a prologue and three acts by Francesco Cavalli. Francesco Cavalli ( February 14 1602 &ndash January 14 1676) was an Italian composer of the early Baroque Suor Angelica ( Sister Angelica) is an opera in one act by Giacomo Puccini to an original Italian Libretto by Giovacchino Forzano WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini ( December 22, 1858 The Pirates of Penzance, or The Slave of Duty is a Comic opera in two acts with music by Arthur Sullivan and Libretto by W Un ballo in maschera (A Masked Ball, is an Opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi with text by Antonio Somma. Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny is a political-satirical Opera composed by Kurt Weill to a WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> Kurt Julian Weill ( March 2, 1900 &ndash April 3, This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type.
Famous contraltos
Classical and operatic contraltos are singers who have regularly performed unamplified classical or operatic music in concert halls and/or opera houses. Some of the most famous of all historic and contemporary contraltos include:
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See also
References
- ^ McKinney, James (1994). Marietta Alboni ( March 6 1826 – June 23 1894) was a renowned Italian Contralto Opera singer WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes --> Marian Anderson (February 27 1897 – April 8 1993 was an American Irina Konstantinovna Arkhipova (Ирина Константиновна Архипова ( b Marianne Brandt, family name Marie Bischof ( 12 September 1842 &ndash 9 July 1921) was a German operatic singer Muriel Brunskill, (born in Kendal 18 December 1899 died February 1980 was a British Contralto of the mid-twentieth century Dame Clara Ellen Butt DBE ( 1 February 1872 &ndash 23 January 1936) sometimes called Clara Butt-Rumford after her marriage Lili Chookasian is an American Contralto of the mid-20th century Belle Cole (1845-1905 was a well-known American Contralto. She first achieved success while on a transcontinental tour of the United States with Kathleen Mary Ferrier CBE ( 22 April 1912 &ndash 8 October 1953) was an English Contralto Maureen Forrester CC (born July 25, 1930) is a Canadian Operatic Contralto. Ewa Podleś (last name pronounced PODE-lesh) was born April 26 1952 in Warsaw, Poland. Ernestine Schumann-Heink ( 15 June, 1861 - 17 November, 1936) was a celebrated Operatic Contralto, noted for the beauty Annice Sidwells (1902 in Settle, North Yorkshire, England – 2001 was a star of early wireless Radio in the UK as a Contralto Nathalie Stutzmann is a contemporary Opera singer, renowned for her Contralto voice Vittoria Tesi ("La Fiorentina" (b Florence, 13 Feb 1700 d Vienna, 9 May 1775 was an Italian Opera singer and music teacher of the 18th century Alto is a musical term derived from the Latin word altus, meaning "high" that has several possible interpretations The German Fach (pl Fächer, literally "compartment" (ˈfax) system is a method of classifying Singers primarily Opera singers Opera is an art form in which Singers and Musicians perform a Dramatic work (called an opera which combines a text (called a Libretto There is currently no authoritative voice classification system within non-classical music A voice type is a particular kind of human Singing voice perceived as having certain identifying qualities or characteristics Vocal weight refers to the perceived "lightness" or "heaviness" of a singing voice The Diagnosis and Correction of Vocal Faults. Genovex Music Group. ISBN 978-1565939400.
- ^ a b Appelman, D. Ralph (1986). The Science of Vocal Pedagogy: Theory and Application. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0253203786.
- ^ Stark (2003),Bel Canto: A History of Vocal Pedagogy, cited below
- ^ a b Boldrey, Richard (1994). Guide to Operatic Roles and Arias. Caldwell Publishing Company. ISBN 9781877761645.
Further reading
- Appelman, D. Ralph (1986). The Science of Vocal Pedagogy: Theory and Application. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0253203786.
- Boldrey, Richard (1994). Guide to Operatic Roles and Arias. Caldwell Publishing Company. ISBN 9781877761645.
- Coffin, Berton (1960). Coloratura, Lyric and Dramatic Soprano, Vol. 1. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. . ISBN 9780810801882.
- Peckham, Anne (2005). Vocal Workouts for the Contemporary Singer. Berklee Press Publications. ISBN 978-0876390474.
- Smith, Brenda (2005). Choral Pedagogy. Plural Publishing, Inc. ISBN 978-1597560436.
- Stark, James (2003). Bel Canto: A History of Vocal Pedagogy. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 978-0802086143.
Dictionary
contralto
-noun
- (music) the lowest female voice or voice part, higher than tenor and lower than soprano. The terms contralto and alto refer to a similar musical pitch, but among singers, the term contralto is reserved for female singers; the equivalent male form is counter-tenor. Originally the contratenor altus was a high countermelody sung against the tenor or main melody.
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