Dear List:
--- In vocalist-temporary@yahoogroups.com, "Lloyd W. Hanson"
<lloyd.hanson@n...> wrote:
> The topic of countertenors has been discussed at great length on
this
> list . . .very great length. I would encourage everyone interested
> the countertenor phenomenon to to consult the archives for this
> information.
Lloyd is certainly correct - but I have the feeling many list members
have not yet tried to search, so here's how:
1. Log into yahoo groups.
2. Go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vocalist-temporary/
There is a button called "search archive" and a text entry box to the
left. Enter say "countertenor" and press the button.
3. Initially only part of the archives is searched. Near the top
you will see something like " Searched Messages 23041-21827 of
23041 "
so about 1200 messages were searched.
To search further, click on the link that says "Next"
Lloyd mentioned that Tako Oda is a countertenor and Tako has written
many interesting posts on this list, including:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
which discusses the countertenor versus tenor head voice issue.
Some other resources:
1. http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Stage/4715/hautescontre.html for
information about "hautes contre" voices, a kind of countertenor and
links to countertenor pages
2. the yahoo "counter" groups "TheCountertenors"
The countertenor is a confusing subject because there are 3 issues:
a) the "root" voice - most countertenors have baritone to
tenor "root" voices. Some, like Yoshikazu Mera, have unusually high
natural or "root" voices.
b) how the voice is used - specifically, where the singer switches to
different registers
c) the sound - some males use the same basic approach but somehow
manage to sound different - for example David Daniels somehow strikes
many as sounding different even though it is clear from his speaking
voice and interviews with him about his graduate studies as a tenor
that he is not a Yoshikazu Mera type voice
A famous paper some years ago based on radiographic studies (Ardran
and Wulstan) argued that irrespective of sound the high range of all
countertenors is "falsetto". While I dislike the term "falsetto" it
would seem that in general a countertenor is a male voice that uses
what many would term "falsetto" for the highest part of the range,
but there are different strategies for what part of the vocal range
is sung in this manner.
Cheers,
Michael Gordon
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