Vocalist.org archive


From:  "Tako Oda" <toda@m...>
"Tako Oda" <toda@m...>
Date:  Thu May 24, 2001  4:20 pm
Subject:  Re: Who are hautes-contres?


Hi,

A haute contre is not *necessarily* an altino. Assuming one can 1)
float a G4 in the "natural" voice (which is most tenors and a few
lyric baritones) and 2) produce a focussed light head voice and 3)
switch between the two registers without any break, one can sing haute
contre.

It *does* help to be an altino, though. The chest tones will be, as
you point out, rather feminine sounding because of the smaller larynx
and thinner vocal folds, allowing for a smoother switch to the light
head register, assuming there is one.

Perhaps the most celebrated haute contre of our times, Russell
Oberlin, does not have an unusually high speaking voice. Padmore is a
natural tenor, to be sure, but not exactly what I'd consider altino. A
true altino is exceptionally rare, trailing only behind the true basso
profundo (I've participated in many a cappella competitions, and have
only known 3 true profundi personally..., whereas I've met maybe 10
true altinos)

A great number of pop tenors are using the haute contre
registrational trategy, albeit not the style. :-) Robert Plant,
Sting, Stevie Wonder, Jon Anderson are some notable examples.

Tako

chenweijie81@y... wrote:
chenweijie81@y... wrote:
> From the way I hear from the two
> sound clips,it is indeed hard to imagine that the tenor altino could
> go sing very high since his voice is already so high.To a certain
> point,I would think he won't be able to go any more higher since the
> voice would sound feminine without the support/link from his lower
> chest voice.I mean it seems as though he is using head voice most of
> the time.Any comments are welcome but please try to explain with
> reasons.Although I can reach G4 with much ease,I would still think
> that it won't be as light as what the haute-contre sing G4.Maybe
it's
> the characteristics and fach of my voice.




  Replies Name/Email Yahoo! ID Date Size
12152 Re: Who are hautes-contres? chosdad@c...   Thu  5/24/2001   2 KB
12160 Re: Who are hautes-contres? Tako Oda   Fri  5/25/2001   2 KB
12162 Re: Who are hautes-contres? chosdad@c...   Fri  5/25/2001   2 KB
12425 Re: Who are hautes-contres? chenweijie81@y...   Mon  6/4/2001   4 KB
12442 Re: Who are hautes-contres? Tako Oda   Mon  6/4/2001   3 KB

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