Countertenor facts for kids

A countertenor is a male singer who uses a special voice technique called falsetto. This allows him to sing very high notes, similar to a female contralto or mezzo-soprano. It's like a male singer reaching notes usually sung by women.

What is a Countertenor Voice?

A countertenor uses the upper part of his vocal range, often called the falsetto. This is different from a typical male tenor or baritone voice. It allows for a lighter, higher sound. Imagine a male voice that can sing as high as many female voices.

History of Countertenors

Countertenors were very important in music during the Renaissance and Baroque periods. This was a time when women were often not allowed to sing in church choirs. So, male singers with high voices filled these roles. They helped create beautiful harmonies in church music.

However, countertenors were not usually chosen for opera. This was because their voices were not as big or dramatic as those of castrati. Castrati were male singers who had a special surgery to keep their high voices.

A Comeback in Modern Times

After the Baroque period, people mostly forgot about the countertenor voice. But male altos continued to sing in English church choirs. In the 20th century, an English countertenor named Alfred Deller became very famous. He helped bring this unique voice back into the spotlight.

Alfred Deller sang many old songs from the Baroque period. These songs were originally written for the countertenor voice. For example, he sang music by Henry Purcell, who was also a countertenor. Today, there is a lot of new interest in this voice type. Many musicians now use countertenors to perform early music, like Renaissance and Baroque pieces.

See also

• Falsetto
• Voice type
• Baroque music]