Thanks Lloyd, for giving such a detailed and explicit explaination.It really
ties together all the loose ends in this thread. (no pun intended!)
Regards
Susi
----------
>From: "Lloyd W. Hanson" <lloyd.hanson@n...>
>From: "Lloyd W. Hanson" <lloyd.hanson@n...>
>To: vocalist-temporary@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [vocalist] Re: Breath control of castrati
>Date: Mon, Apr 2, 2001, 8:41 PM
>
> Tako and Vocalisters
>
> It is not illogical to assume that a castrati's larynx would have
> about the same size as that of a woman. But the larynx would not
> have the benefit of growth prompted by the male hormone
> (testosterone) which regulates the growth and development of primary
> and secondary male characteristics. Testosterone also was
> instrumental in determining when growth should stop. It was typical
> for castrati to be many inches taller than the average man of that
> time. There are records of chest sizes in the neighborhood of 54
> inches in girth. In other words, these men were likely to considered
> giants for their day.
>
> The capacity of lung space represented by the rib cage size mentioned
> above would, obviously, be an advantage for any male with a male size
> larynx. But coupled with a larynx the size of a woman's it would be
> an enormous advantage. One has only to look at the long coloratura
> phrases regularly written by composers of this time to realize that
> they were writing for an extraordinary instrument, be it through
> training or castration or both.
>
> We know from written records that the castrati had the ability to
> sing very loudly in comparison to other voices of the time. Even if
> the trumpet player with whom the noted castrati is supposed to have
> competed was playing a small bore trumpet, his ability to sing louder
> and sustain longer and do a more sustained crescendo to forte
> followed by a decrescendo to niente is pretty substantial proof of
> these voices being extraordinary.
>
> It is also a blessing that these voices are no longer with us. Think
> what new pains the "performing practices" crowd could inflict on us
> with this instrument. No, it is better to have castrati be a part of
> history and a source of never ending wonder that man could do this to
> fellow man.
>
> --
> Lloyd W. Hanson, DMA
> Professor of Voice, Pedagogy
> School of Performing Arts
> Northern Arizona University
> Flagstaff, AZ 86011
>
>
>
>
>
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>
>
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