| | From: Tako Oda <toda@m...>
Date: Fri May 26, 2000 5:08 pm
Subject: American School of Countertenors WAS: David Daniels, Question about , fach, tenor arias
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John Alexander Blyth <BLYTHE@B...> wrote:
> I agree with you about an American School of countertenors -
> when I first heard a Chanticleer recording I was bowled over by the
> beauty of the high voices. In contrast with my first hearing of the
> (admittedly remarkable) Hilliard Ensemble, which made my throat hurt
> just to hear.
I agree, Chanticleer CTs definitely have a more full bodied flavor than
David James of the Hilliard Ensemble. What's funny is that Chanticleer
was founded as an unofficial offshoot of San Francisco's Episcopal Grace
Cathedral choir of Men & Boys. Even thought their roots are in Anglican
performance practice, I suppose "Americana" has crept into their
aesthetic!
> It is also perhaps apropos that a reviewer in 'Gramophone' thought
> that DD could better be described as a male mezzo-soprano.
I have some issues with what these reviewers say about Daniels. This is
often said of CTs that have a fuller sound. The implication is that by
their very nature CTs have small voices and all sing with straight tone,
and if they don't they can't be called countertenors.
IMO, any countertenor with a true CT instrument who trains for the
operatic repertoire will start to sound more like a female opera singer,
since he is using a phonational technique similar to that of a woman
(fully adducted cords for a true head voice instead of falsetto). The
upper array of partials are similar in all singers using this mode of
singing.
-Tako
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