>Subject: Re: Stupid Question... Tenors or Baritones?
>
>In a message dated 11/30/2001 10:59:59 PM Eastern Standard Time,
>tidwellc@e... writes:
>
><< I've always been told that voice categorization has less to do with
>range than with the timbre and/or weight of the voice. >>
This seems to be largely true, anyway many professional baritones can crank
out high B's and C's (a lot of tenors can crank out high D's, E's and higher
even though the repertoire doesn't really demand those notes).
If a baritone was to change to the tenor fach, after a while I believe the
effects would show. The passagio would be in the wrong place, and I imagine
that vocal fatigue would set in soon if not immediately. Dmitri
Hvorostovsky used to sing as a tenor, but says he just became too tired, and
too pressured to perform in that tessitura.
Passagio-wise, if your first passagio point is around middle B3, and come
out at the second passagio point at around E4, that is a baritonal passagio.
If you change around D4, and come out at G4, that's tenor. But of course,
there are exceptions to this rule, like every other rule. Have a look at
Miller's Structure of singing, there is a list of the various male passagio
points. Of course, you have to be singing correctly in order for these
points to reveal themselves. I didn't really know where my passagio was
until I started singing 'on' the voice. Funny thing is, I didn't know I was
'off' it.
Regarding the timbre concept, yes, there are many tenors who sound
baritonal. But they usually still have some sort of tenorial 'brightness'
once they get into their higher register. If you stand next to a real
baritone, and next to a tenor who sounds baritonal, you'll probably still be
able to pick the baritone. There is a larger 'grain' in their voice, and
basses even more so. And anyway, just because two voices sound the same
doesn't mean they are going to be able to perform the same repertoire.
Which ever repertoire you choose will usually predict what you will be
called- we're all just singers in the end.
Mirko (Tenor with Passagio D4-G4 Legit. range -G2 to C5 with Baritonal
timbre) :p
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