Male and female singing voices. Contemporary "farinelli" (ending) Female singing voices

All singing voices are subdivided into women, men and children. The main female voices are soprano, mezzo-soprano and contralto, and the most common male voices are tenor, baritone and bass.

All sounds that can be sung or played on a musical instrument are high, medium and low... Musicians, when talking about the pitch of sounds, use the term "register", meaning whole groups of high, middle or low sounds.

Globally, female voices sing high or “high” register sounds, children's voices sing middle register sounds, and male voices sing low or “low” register sounds. But this is only partly true, in fact, everything is much more interesting. Within each of the groups of voices, and even within the range of each individual voice, there is also a division into high, medium and low register.

For example, the high male voice is tenor, the middle is baritone, and the low is bass. Or, another example, the singers have the highest voice - soprano, the middle voice of the female vocalists is mezzo-soprano, and the lowest is contralto. To finally master the division of male and female, well, at the same time, children's voices into high and low, this plate will help you:

If we talk about the registers of any one voice, then each of them has both low sounds and high sounds. For example, the tenor sings both low chest sounds and high falsetto sounds that are not available to bass or baritones.

Female singing voices

So, the main types of female singing voices are soprano, mezzo-soprano and contralto. They differ, first of all, in the range, as well as in timbre coloring. The timbre properties include, for example, such as transparency, lightness, or, conversely, saturation, voice strength.

Soprano- the highest female singing voice, its usual range is two octaves (the entire first and second octaves). In opera performances, the roles of the main characters are often performed by singers with such a voice. If we talk about artistic images, then the best of all a high voice characterizes a young girl or some fantastic character (for example, a fairy).

Sopranos are divided into lyrical and dramatic- you yourself can easily imagine that the parts of a very tender girl and a very passionate girl cannot be performed by the same performer. If the voice easily copes with fast passages and grace in its high register, then such a soprano is called coloratura.

Contralto- it has already been said that this is the lowest of the female voices, moreover, very beautiful, velvety, and also very rare (in some opera houses there is not a single contralto). A singer with such a voice in operas is often assigned the roles of teenage boys.

Below is a table that lists examples of operatic parts that are often performed by certain female singing voices:

Let's hear how female singing voices sound. For you - three video examples:

Soprano. Aria of the Queen of the Night from the opera The Magic Flute by Mozart performed by Bela Rudenko

Mezzo-soprano. Habanera from the opera "Carmen" by Bizet performed by the famous singer - Elena Obraztsova

Contralto. Ratmir's aria from the opera Ruslan and Lyudmila by Glinka performed by Elizaveta Antonova.

Male singing voices

There are only three main male voices - tenor, bass and baritone. Tenor of these, the highest, its pitch range is the notes of the minor and first octaves. By analogy with the soprano timbre, performers with this timbre are divided into dramatic tenors and lyric tenors... In addition, sometimes mention is made of a variety of singers such as Characteristic tenor... "Character" is given to it by some phonic effect - for example, silvery or rattling. The characteristic tenor is simply irreplaceable where it is required to create the image of a gray-haired old man or some sly rogue.

Baritone- this voice is distinguished by its softness, density and velvety sounding. The range of sounds that a baritone can sing is from A large octave to A first octave. Performers with such a timbre are often entrusted with the courageous roles of heroic or patriotic opera characters, but the softness of the voice allows them to reveal love-lyrical images as well.

Bass- the voice is the lowest, can sing sounds from large octave F to F first. Basses are different: some are rolling, "droning", "bells", others are hard and very "graphic". Accordingly, the parts of the characters for the bass differ in variety: these are heroic, and "fatherly", and ascetic, and even comic images.

You are probably wondering which of the male singing voices is the lowest? This is bass profundo, sometimes singers with such a voice are also called octavists, as they "take" low notes from the counter octave. By the way, we have not yet mentioned the highest male voice - this is tenor altino or countertenor who sings quite calmly almost female voice and easily reaches the high notes of the second octave.

As in the previous case, male singing voices with examples of their operatic parts are displayed on the plate:

Now listen to what the sound of male singing voices is like. Here are three more video examples for you.

Tenor. Song of an Indian guest from the opera "Sadko" by Rimsky-Korsakov performed by David Poslukhin.

Baritone. Glier's romance "The nightingale soul sang sweetly", sung by Leonid Smetannikov

Bass. Prince Igor's aria from Borodin's opera "Prince Igor" was originally written for baritone, but in this case it is sung by one of the best basses of the 20th century - Alexander Pirogov.

The working range of the voice of a professionally trained vocalist is usually two octaves on average, sometimes, however, singers and singers have much more opportunities. In order for you to be well-versed in the tessitures when choosing notes for practice, I suggest that you familiarize yourself with a picture that clearly demonstrates the allowable ranges for each of the voices:

Before concluding, I would like to please you with one more sign, with the help of which you can get acquainted with vocalists who have this or that timbre of voice. This is necessary so that you can independently find and listen to even more audio examples of the sound of male and female singing voices:

That's all! We talked about the voices of singers and singers, figured out the basics of their classification, the size of the ranges, the expressive possibilities of timbres, and also listened to examples of the sound of the voices of famous vocalists. If you liked the material, share it on your contact page or in your Twitter feed. For this, there are special buttons under the article. Good luck!

It's no secret that in the current realities of show business, the talent and vocal abilities of artists often fade into the background, giving way to a shocking image. Today we look with bitterness at the stars of a bygone era, realizing that such, unfortunately, no longer do. Or could history still repeat itself?

The voice is a kind of audible kiss of the soul, making its way into the material world. It doesn't matter what timbre the voice has, the main thing is its sincerity. It is thanks to the singer's vocals and charisma that fans fall in love with them again and again.

We have compiled our own list of the most prominent and strong male voices of modern times, having heard which, you will never confuse this performer with anyone.

Theo Hutchcraft

Our first vocal hero is Theo Hutchcraft, who, by the way, is celebrating his 33rd birthday today. The young man is known to most of us as the vocalist of the British band Hurts. Having announced themselves for the first time in 2009 with a low-budget video for the song Wonderful Life, the guys immediately took over the charts on both sides of the Atlantic. To this day, they remain one of the most recognizable British bands in the world, not least thanks to Theo's vocals.

Freddie Mercury

Freddie and Montserrat Caballe / Photo: @officialqueenmusic

We could just write that name without explanation and that would be enough. Musician, composer, outstanding vocalist - it's all about the main driving force behind Queen. As the legendary Paul McCartney once said:

“All the band members are talented musicians, but the first thing you hear in their music is their voice. Queen is Mercury. "

Let's not argue with the legendary Beatle, just listen to this music again.

Dave Gahan

Dave Gahan's incredibly sensual voice also deserves a mention on our list. Having got to the Olympus of fame in the early 80s, this guy still has not lost his youthful enthusiasm and destructive charisma. We are sure that everyone who has ever been to Depeche Mode concerts will agree with us.

Listening to the musician's first solo work from his debut album Paper Monsters - Dirty Sticky Floors.

George Michael

A favorite of fortune, he preferred to give more than take. It would hardly be possible to find in the musical world a performer whose voice so strongly excited the hearts. Alas, 2016 was a fatal year for George, and following such stars as David Bowie and Prince, he left this world. But the music remained. At the moment, this is the only consolation for millions of fans.

Dimash Kudaibergen

The youngest hero on our list has already managed to become a star not only in his native Kazakhstan, but also far beyond its borders. The vocal range of the artist is striking in its strength and melody, and, of course, we could not fail to note the striking modesty and hard work of the Kazakh nightingale. Indeed, when we talk about Dimash, we understand that this is the rare case when the outside is 100% consistent with the inside.

Phil Collins

Renowned as a member of Genesis, Collins is also widely recognized as a terrific solo artist with a distinctive, recognizable voice. Among his awards - 8 Grammy, 2 Golden Globes, 6 Brit Awards, Oscar, Disney Legend Award, 6 awards from the British Academy of Composers and Authors, including the International Award for Achievement. He also earned his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Genesis in 2010. In one word - a legend!

Men singing with female voices at all times aroused unhealthy public interest. In the XVII and XVIII centuries many unfortunate Italian boys tried to keep their high voices. Then there was a ban on female singing in temples, and I so wanted to hear beautiful voices ...

According to some reports, at that time about 4,000 children and adolescents underwent surgery to cut the spermatic cord annually, and thanks to this simple action, the ligaments did not thicken, the voice stopped “breaking”. Castrates, by the way, were required not only for temples - Italian singers were not allowed to appear on stage until the end of the 18th century. Almost all opera composers of the barocco era wrote the part for castrato in their works.

Castration is fashionable

The competition in the professional environment was enormous, but the result met expectations: success accompanied men with an angelic voice, not only in the professional, but also in the personal field. Women loved to have a relationship with castrates, it was considered fashionable, and among other things, the ladies received a kind of bonus - it was impossible to get pregnant from castrates. By the way, some people still mistakenly believe that castration automatically turned a man into impotent, but this is not so: they were just not capable of reproductive activity. The most famous castrato of all times and peoples was Farinelli. He made his debut in Rome in 1722. His gentle and soft voice delighted the audience.

In 1870, the joys of Catholic parishioners, on the one hand, and loving women, on the other, ended: the practice of castration was considered barbaric and the operation was banned. The popularity of castrates also faded away: in the 19th century it was already difficult to find them on the opera stage. The last sopranist to be castrated, Alessandro Moreschi, who was a chorister in the Sistine Chapel, died in 1922.

Confused with a woman

It was necessary not to deprive such a number of Italian youth of the Enlightenment era of their offspring, because already at that time there were male sopranists, says Oleg Ryabets. "And these singers, they are also called countertenors, from the point of view of physiology were and are people absolutely normal."

Until now, neither scientists nor the vocalists themselves can agree on the nature of the countertenor. Some people think that this is just a strong falsetto 1, others - that this is a full-fledged voice with a good range.

When asked what happened to his voice, Oleg Ryabets answers as follows: “As you hear, I am not speaking to you in a female voice, that is, it is obvious that the mutation has nevertheless occurred. It's about sound quality. I understand very well what I have. Indeed, the voice is unlike anyone else's. Do not think that I cultivate my dissimilarity, I just preserve nature. And I studied at the conservatory as a female soprano, and fortunately, they met me halfway. "

In the Kiev Conservatory, Oleg was really welcomed, but to be a countertenor in our country, especially in Soviet times, it was not easy: “And questions, and bewilderment, and laughter, and confused with a woman. It was psychologically difficult, but we devoted ourselves to the music with all our being. " By saying “we”, Oleg Ryabets means himself and Erik Kurmangaliev 2. Both are the brightest countertenors of their generation.

Mad Ilyich

It is a mistake to believe that countertenors play female roles and run around the stage in a dress. It happens, of course, and this, but not often. Several years ago, Oleg Ryabets impressed musical America by performing the part of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin in Soldier's opera Naked Revolution. “Indeed, I played the part of Lenin,” says Oleg. - This opera was written especially for me. There is a so-called Kitchen Theater in New York. They celebrated their 25th birthday and staged this crazy story with Ilyich. Soldier's amazing, talented music captivated me, and I worked with enthusiasm on this project. It was only strange to put on Lenin's make-up and put on all these strange clothes. But I had to get used to a role that is not typical for me. "

The repertoire for male sopranos is actually not so small. German, Italian music, early operas by Mozart - anything can be sung. But in Russia there is little interest in this phenomenon. “Probably, this is due to some kind of uncertainty, partly even with cultural aspects,” says the singer. “You see, in Russia a man singing in a woman’s voice seems strange ...”

In the West, the situation is different, there is both interest and professional training... “In Italy, however, they don't like countertenors very much. Probably for the harsh sound ... Modern Western countertenors in the bulk are well-made "computer" voices. They are all too perfect and do not delight me. Kurmangaliev admired me: spontaneity in voice, in performance, unique timbre. There is no such thing and no one has had it. Voice is timbre, it is sound. If this is not the case, then why are all these technical capabilities. Better let the woman sing. And he will do it much better. "

At parting, Oleg Ryabets says embarrassedly: “Maybe they still exist, these castrates. Someone told me that there is still in Italy ... They still do ... "

Oleg Ryabets was born in 1967 in Kiev. He sang in the choir "Zvonochek", then in the boys' choir at the Kiev Male Chapel named after L. Revutsky. Studied at the Kiev State Conservatory under Professor K. Radchenko, at the State Classical Academy named after V.I. Maimonides with Professor V. Chachava, trained with Professor Z. Dolukhanova. The Diena edition called the vocalist "one of five voices of this kind in the world, whose mutation period has safely passed ..." Ryabets performed in the opera halls of Lyon and Hamburg, Riga and Paris, in the royal houses of England, in the prestigious halls of Japan. He starred in documentary Farinelli. Show must go on! " Oleg Ryabets possesses a countertenor, rare in timbre and pitch. A recording of his voice is kept in the British National Sound Archives next to a unique recording of the last castrato of the 20th century A. Moreschi. In celebration of the 75th birthday of the Prince of Edinburgh, His Royal Highness Prince Philip awarded the singer the title of "Mr. Soprano".

_____________
1 Falsetto is a very high-pitched sound, usually of a male voice, with a peculiar timbre.
2 Eric (Salim-Meruert) Kurmangaliev (1959-2007) - an outstanding countertenor. Participant of the most prestigious international festivals. Among the admirers of his talent were Svyatoslav Richter and Pierre Cardin.

Modern "farinelli" are now cooked not on the operating table, but in conservatories, and are called quite differently - countertenors. A countertenor is a male voice equal in pitch to a female contralto, mezzo-soprano or soprano, but different in sound from female voices due to the differences in the structure of the male and female vocal apparatus.
Unlike castrates, the voice of the countertenor has an absolutely natural origin: after age-related mutation of the vocal apparatus, such singers retain the ability to sing soprano or alto, and, in most cases, this is in no way connected with hormonal problems or with sexual orientation.

Popular about countertenors

At first glance, this is the easiest way to explain what a countertenor is to a person who has never heard such a voice. However, it should be borne in mind that, firstly, in essence, this statement is incorrect: the voice of a man, no matter how high it may be, will always be in fact a male voice and will always sound different from a female because of the differences in the structure of the female and male. voice apparatus; secondly, such a formulation incorrectly orientates the listeners - traditionally considering the high singing voice the prerogative of women, they often draw conclusions about effeminacy or some physical inferiority of countertenor vocalists. Based on these considerations, the use of the phrase "a man singing with a woman's voice" should be abandoned.

Countertenor = castrate?

Many, having heard the singing of the countertenor for the first time, take the singer for a castrato, believing that only a castrato can sing so high. It's a delusion. The falsetto register of the voice, due to the use of which an adult and physiologically healthy man can make high sounds, is present in all men, without exception, and the ability to sing in this register in the overwhelming majority of cases is the result of the development of innate vocal abilities of singers.

Many fans of countertenors are convinced that such voices are unique and are extremely rare, to which skeptics often object something like this: “Yes, it's just a falsetto - every man has it, every man can sing like that, and there is nothing special and unique about it ". Undoubtedly, every man has a falsetto register. However, the following should be considered:
Not every man, in principle, has the ability to sing;
Not every vocalist has falsetto register qualities that allow him to adapt it for the performance of a certain repertoire in a certain manner (recall that in modern meaning countertenor is a professional academic vocalist);
Not every vocalist has a desire to sing mainly in the falsetto register, develop it, learn to sing professionally in falsetto.
Alfred Deller, in one of his interviews, voiced the following observation: singers who would like to learn how to sing as a countertenor often do not have the ability to do this, and those who have these abilities do not want to develop them, because they consider this manner of singing to be effeminate. In addition, today countertenors are professionally in demand to a much lesser extent than the owners of more "traditional" male voices. In particular, in the domestic musical culture there were no phenomena similar to the Italian tradition of castrate singing or the traditions of falsetto singing in England and Germany (Handel wrote 21 operas for the countertenor, Mozart - several works for the castrate Senesino, for the same voices both Schnittke and Bernstein wrote , and Monteverdi. Previously, the score was not played with a “countertenor,” but with a “soprano.” But the parts were male!), as a result of which there are no parts for male altos and sopranos in the works of Russian composers, and there are no training methods for such singers, equally as well as an interest in such voices and in the music that was written for them in a professional musical environment. This is the main reason for the notorious rarity and uniqueness of modern countertenors.

The repertoire of countertenors is most often based on the music of the Baroque era, the time of the meteoric rise of European vocal performing arts.

Some names are: Javier Medina, Michael Maniaci, Jorge Cano, Aris Christofellis, Radu Marian, Jörg Waschinski, Ghio Nannini.
Paul Esswood is considered one of the best.
British countertenor Michael Chance has an incredibly neat voice with a very special timbre.
The name of the German Jochen Kowalski stands apart. For many years he has held the title of the most stellar countertenor, whose CDs are sold in unprecedented editions for classical music.

According to the well-known historical facts, in Russia, the existence of countertenors was not suspected until the end of the 80s of the twentieth century, and all over the world the singing of men, by nature possessing such high voices, was initially perceived as a pseudo-imitation of castrates. By the way, countertenor is a rarity among opera singers. In Russia, there are just over 20 vocalists with such superpowers. Common to all modern countertenors is their growing popularity. More and more often they become a decoration of concerts, including concerts of pop stars.

Russian famous countertenors: Evgeny Argyshev, Oleg Bezinskikh, Yuri Borisov, Nikolai Gladskikh, Alexander Gorbatenko, Evgeny Zhuravkin, Konstantin Zbanychuk, Yaroslav Zdorov, Igor Ishak, Vyacheslav Kagan-Paley, Grigory Konson, Artem Krutko, Erik Kurmangaliev, Yuri Minko , Igor Retnev, Oleg Ryabets, Oleg Usov, Bagdasar Khachikyan, Vasily Khoroshev, Nikolai Shilintsev, Rustam Yavaev.

A little about some of them

Eric Salimovich Kurmangaliev(Kaz. Erik Sulimuly Urmangaliev, December 31, 1959, the city of Kulsary, Guryev region, Kazakhstan - November 13, 2007, Moscow, Russia) - opera singer (countertenor) and actor, owner of a unique timbre. According to some reports, the first countertenor in the USSR. In 2005, in Riga, he took part in a gala concert of five countertenors, on the basis of which the documentary “Farinelli. Show must go on ”featuring Eric Kurmangaliev.

Oleg Kasper possesses unique vocal qualities (4 octaves) - from male baritone notes to countertenor (female soprano).

Oleg Ryabets. The Diena edition called the vocalist "one of five voices of this kind in the world, whose mutation period has safely passed ..." Ryabets performed in the opera halls of Lyon and Hamburg, Riga and Paris, in the royal houses of England, in the prestigious halls of Japan. He starred in the documentary Farinelli. Show must go on! " Oleg Ryabets possesses a countertenor, rare in timbre and pitch. A recording of his voice is kept in the British National Sound Archives next to a unique recording of the last castrato of the 20th century A. Moreschi. In celebration of the 75th birthday of the Prince of Edinburgh, His Royal Highness Prince Philip awarded the singer the title of "Mr. Soprano".

Oleg Bezinskikh. Has a truly unique voice: its range is more than three octaves (from baritone to soprano). For several years in the West it has been referred to as a "Russian miracle". He graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatory (class of Professor Viktor Yushmanov), for the first time in its 148-year history (opened in 1862), becoming a graduate with a "countertenor-sopranist" diploma. When he sang in the St. Petersburg Opera the Holy Fool's aria from Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov, a huge scandal erupted. A whole controversy arose in the press on the topic - "Can such voices be used in the opera?"

Nikolay Gladskikh has such a unique timbre of voice that it is compared to the great Farinelli. Experts predict a great future for Nikolai Gladskikh.