Randy Buescher writes:
> The problem I have is the modification of the bottom that serves to create a
>color but doesn't serve a real purpose in creating the singers formant.
>There are singers who sing without this distortion on the bottom and have
>huge careers in opera (Pavarotti, Upshaw, etc.), so it is possible. This
>modification does serve a purpose though by adding a certain code to the
>voice. A code which points out to the listener, "Hey, I'm an opera singer...
>I share a certain set of socioeconomic, aesthetic values with the listener
>that serves to separate us from others."
Interesting point. I think that many 20th century composers do not
like "opera singers" because they are attaching symbolic meaning to a
particular tone colour. Very large rich voices are anathema to many 20th
century composers, and it many be purely the sound or perhaps it is the
symbolic meaning you describe which gets attached to the sound.
Karen Jensen
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