Why is it called a countertenor?
Why is it called a countertenor?
Derived from the Renaissance contratenor altus, abbreviated to contratenor (countertenor) or altus (alto), the term countertenor was originally applied to an alto part as well as to the voice or the instrument taking this part (see also tenor).
What is a countertenor voice?
What is a countertenor? A countertenor is a male singer who can sing as high as a soprano or mezzo-soprano. The countertenor is the rarest of all voice types.
What is the difference between falsetto and countertenor?
The difference between a trained countertenor and a falsettist singing in this range is that the countertenor can close and open their vocal folds with each vibration cycle – effectively singing “naturally”, rather than the idiosyncratic straining of falsetto.
Was Freddie Mercury a countertenor?
First and foremost, it’s likely that, although he was known primarily as a tenor, Mercury was actually a baritone. Based on speech taken from six interviews conducted in the ’80s, the team discovered the median fundamental frequency at which Mercury spoke was 117.3 Hz. This frequency suggests a baritone singing voice.
How do you know if you’re a countertenor?
A countertenor (also contra tenor) is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range is equivalent to that of the female contralto or mezzo-soprano voice types, generally extending from around G3 to D5 or E5, although a sopranist (a specific kind of countertenor) may match the soprano’s range of around C4 to …
Who is the most famous countertenor?
Philippe Jaroussky is arguably the most prominent French countertenor to have emerged from the turn of the twenty first century era.
How do I know if I’m a countertenor?
What voice type is Michael Jackson?
Michael Jackson: Vocal Profile/ Range [High Tenor/ 4 Octaves]
How common is a countertenor?
Countertenors are still quite rare, though. How did you realise this was your voice type? There are very very few countertenors around, it’s not a voice that, in inverted commas, is natural. When boys’ voices break the voice they tend to sing with is their speaking voice.