Can any man be a countertenor?

Yes, LOTS of mature males do it very naturally; falsetto voice – the register used by countertenors – is easily accessible and pretty easy to control. Professional countertenors reinforce and develop the falsetto register and make it really useful for solo and ensemble singing.

What vocal range are most male pop singers?

The average male is a baritone with a range of between 1.4 and 2.0 octaves. I learned this in a workshop on writing melodies for songs. This range starts with the chest voice and shifts to head voice at the top of the range.

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.

Who has a countertenor voice?

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.

When did countertenor begin?

The term first came into use in England during the mid-17th century and was in wide use by the late 17th century. However, the use of adult male falsettos in polyphony, commonly in the soprano range, was known in European all-male sacred choirs for some decades previous, as early as the mid-16th century.

Are countertenors baritones?

Countertenors often are baritones or tenors at core, but only on rare occasions they use their lower vocal range, instead preferring their falsetto or high head voice.

What is a countertenor range?

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 …

Where did countertenor originate?

England
The term first came into use in England during the mid-17th century and was in wide use by the late 17th century. However, the use of adult male falsettos in polyphony, commonly in the soprano range, was known in European all-male sacred choirs for some decades previous, as early as the mid-16th century.

Is countertenor higher than soprano?

When a man sings like a woman — what is a countertenor?

When A Man Sings Like A Woman: A Countertenor Convergence : Deceptive Cadence In classical music, when you’re a guy who sings high, you’re called a countertenor. Three excellent practitioners of the art form — Andreas Scholl, Bejun Mehta and Philippe Jaroussky — each have brand new CDs.

Is Philippe Jaroussky the new ‘it’ countertenor?

The young Frenchman Philippe Jaroussky seems to be the “it” countertenor of the moment. In Fernanda Eberstadt’s recent profile in The New York Times, she describes the Jaroussky die-hards who follow the singer around the world, offering him gifts at his concerts and posting videos on YouTube.

What happens when men sing in the stratosphere?

Something truly wonderful, and a bit strange, happens when men sing into the stratosphere. The steady stream of countertenors — men who sing in registers normally reserved for sopranos and altos — never seems to end, thank goodness. Three practitioners of the art form — two veterans and a relative newcomer — each have a new CD.

Is Andreas Scholl The Cadillac of countertenors?

Andreas Scholl might just be the Cadillac of countertenors. Well into the second decade of his career, his creamy, rounded tone, combined with a broad range of colors, shades and emotions, is still something to luxuriate in. His new disc finds him deep in Henry Purcell ‘s music, a composer who took extra care in matching words to music.