Dear Tako and Ingo and Vocalisters:
One of the inconsistencies that is confusing about the music now
being sung by countertenors is the fact that much of this music was
never intended for this voice type. The evangelist roles in the Bach
Passions are clearly tenor roles as are the arias. I have never read
anything that supports the idea that Bach ever used countertenors in
his performances for any of his music. Nor is there much to support
the idea that countertenors were used during what musicians now call
the Baroque period in Germany. Italy used castrati but not
countertenors. Quoting Miller, the only consistent use of
countertenors that is documented is in the English cathedral choirs
and that was as a support for the boy's alto parts.
Miller also points out that the first well known appearance of the
countertenor voice in the modern age was Alfred Deller and his
consort. But his countertenor work was mostly as part of a choral
group in keeping with the English tradition. There developed a
strong interest in the sound of the countertenor since that time and
many newer and better countertenors have appeared on the scene.
Presently, the countertenor is singing everything from Castrati opera
roles to American pops. The countertenor, however, is not an
imitation of the Castrati because the countertenor vocal mechanism is
a post puberty mechanism. I see no problem with countertenors
singing anything that will work for their voices and if they have
success doing so, the more power to them. But I think it is
important to keep an understanding of what the music of a period was
written for even if we decide to do it with other instruments or
voices.
In this sense, the Kings Singers and Chanticlear and even the
Anonymous Four are anomalies and not a representation of authentic
performance practices entertaining as they may be.
The movement toward authentic performance practices such as are
promoted by many instrumental groups and their well known conductors
has grown out of an interest in authenticity but also out of a
romantic demand for new tonal colors in music. It is not surprising
that in this climate of seeking new sounds a new tonal ideal might be
applied to music for which it was never intended. Such is often the
case for the use of the countertenor voice. Such is also often the
case for the use of recorders rather than transverse flutes in music
which was clearly written when the transverse flute was commonly in
use. When this happens authenticity is no longer the driving force
behind the performing practice being presented but a love of a
different tonal color is.
--
Lloyd W. Hanson, DMA
Professor of Voice, Pedagogy
School of Performing Arts
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
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