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From:  chosdad@c...
Date:  Tue Sep 12, 2000  7:42 pm
Subject:  Re: Source of frequencies was:Falsetto Recognition


Dear List:

Following up on Tako Oda's message (about Daniels and Asawa
descriptions of the distinctness of their "countertenor" from the
reest of their voices), here is an excerpt from a interview with
Brian Asawa (see:
http://www.culturekiosque.com/opera/intervie/rheasawa.html)

"Brian Asawa: I sang in choruses as a tenor, and then discovered this
falsetto voice by imitating sopranos or the soprano line in the
choral music I was singing at the time, and realized it was a strong
sound. I took this idea of singing falsetto to my teacher, not
knowing anything about early music, about baroque opera, about
ornamentation, repertoire, or anything about what the countertenor
was. My teacher at the time informed me about the period, the genre,
and we started working on this countertenor voice."

We can certainly debate what Asawa means by "falsetto" but I believe
it is a different mode of production then tenor head voice, although
I am unable to explain what physiologically is going on. I suspect
Prof. Hanson may not have heard Brian Asawa, since his comments
appear to be general in nature. While he is not my favorite
countertenor for style and other reasons, for pure vocal sound, Asawa
is the richest sounding male voice I have heard in his range -
remarkably like a mezzo-soprano at times. I have also heard his
speaking voice on the radio, and he is certainly a relatively high
natural voice - I doubt he could be a baritone.

Cheers,

Michael Gordon



  Replies Name/Email Yahoo! ID Date Size
4264 Re: Source of frequencies was:Falsetto Recognitio Tak Oda   Tue  9/12/2000   2 KB
4265 my vocal pedagogy class - really of personal inte John Alexander Blyth   Tue  9/12/2000   2 KB

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