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Tenor

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A tenor is a singer, usually male, with a voice range from approximately C3 (one octave below middle C) to A4 (above middle C) in choral music, or up to "tenor C" (C5, one octave above middle C) or higher in operatic music (see voice type).

Origin of the term

The name "tenor" derives from the Latin word tenere, which means "to hold". In medieval and Renaissance polyphony between about 1250 and 1500, the tenor was the structurally fundamental (or ‘holding’) voice, vocal or instrumental. All other voices were normally calculated in relation to the tenor, which often proceeded in longer note values and carried a borrowed Cantus firmus melody. Until the late 15th century introduction of the contratenor bassus, the tenor was usually the lowest voice, assuming the role of providing a harmonic foundation. It was also in the 15th century that "tenor" came to signify the male voice that sang such parts. Thus, for earlier repertoire, a line marked 'tenor' indicated the part's role, and not the required voice type. Indeed, even as late as the seventeenth century, partbooks labelled 'tenor' might contain parts for a range of voice types.

Tenor classification

Although vocal range is the primary characteristic which defines a tenor, it is not the only one. A tenor is ultimately classified by several vocal traits, including range (the lowest and highest notes that the singer can reach), tone quality, and lift or transition points ("passaggio") within the singer's range. It is generally recognized that the average transitional area (or "passaggio") of the tenor begins with a lift around middle C or C# and ends with a lift at F or F# above that (Alderson 1979). In non-professional choirs, individuals will generally be classified based on their most resonant and comfortable tessitura.

Tenor in choral music

In four-part choral music, the tenor is the second lowest voice, above the bass and below the soprano and alto. While certain choral music does require the first tenors to ascend the full tenor range, the majority of choral music places the tenors in the range from approximately B2 up to A4. The requirements of the tenor voice in choral music are also tied to the style of music most often performed by a given choir. Orchestra choruses require tenors with fully resonant voices, but chamber or a cappella choral music (sung with no instrumental accompaniment) can quite successfully rely on light baritones singing in falsetto.

Even so, one nearly ubiquitous facet of choral singing is the shortage of tenor voices. Because the higher tenor range is unusual in adult males, the majority of men tend to prefer singing bass or baritone. Some men are asked to sing tenor even if they lack the full range, and sometimes low altos are asked to sing the tenor part.

Other uses

In the Barbershop harmony musical style, the name "tenor" is used for the highest part. The four parts are known (lowest to highest) as bass, baritone, lead, and tenor. The tenor generally sings in falsetto voice (thus the term tenor used in barbershop terminology most closely corresponds to the term countertenor as used in classical music), and harmonizes above the lead, who sings the melody. The barbershop tenor range is, as notated, B-below-middle C to D-above-high-C (and sung an octave lower).

It is often applied to instruments to indicate their range in relation to other instruments of the same group. For instance the tenor saxophone.

In bluegrass music, the melody line is called the lead. Tenor is sung an interval of a third above the lead. Baritone is the fifth of the scale that has the lead as a tonic, and may be sung below the lead, or even above the lead (and the tenor), in which case it is called "high baritone."

Types of tenor and tenor roles in operas

In opera, the tessitura, vocal weight, and timbre of tenor voices, and the roles they sing, are commonly categorized into voice types, often called fächer (sg. fach, from German Fach or Stimmfach, "vocal category").

A note on vocal range vs. tessitura: Choral and pop singers are classified into voice parts based on range; solo classical singers are classified into voice types based in part on tessitura – where the voice has the best timbre and easiest volume.

The lowest note in the standard tenor repertoire is A3 (Mime, Herod), but few roles fall below C3 (one octave below middle C).

The high extreme: many tenor roles in the standard repertoire call for a "tenor C" (C5, one octave above middle C). While some operatic roles for tenor require a darker timbre and fewer high notes, it is generally accepted that any tenor should be able to sing with a full timbre up to an A4. In the leggiero repertoire the highest note is an F5 (Arturo in I Puritani), therefore, very few tenors can have this role in their repertoire.

Following are the operatic tenor fächer, with their standard repertory roles:

Leggero tenor

The male equivalent of a lyric coloratura, this voice is light and very agile, capable of coloratura and able to sing notes above the tenor C. It is the highest tenor voice and is sometimes referred to as "tenore di grazia" or "light-lyric tenor". This voice is utilized frequently in the operas of Mozart, Rossini, Donizetti and Bellini, French comic operas and the highest Baroque repertoire for tenors.
Singers include Ferruccio Tagliavini, Juan Diego Flórez, Fritz Wunderlich, John Aler, Rockwell Blake, William Matteuzzi

Lyric tenor

A graceful and brilliant tenor voice that is strong but not heavy.
Singers include Luciano Pavarotti, José Carreras, Roberto Alagna, and Marcelo Álvarez.

Spinto tenor

A spinto tenor has a heavier and more dramatic quality to the voice than a lyric tenor, but is not as heavy and dramatic as a dramatic tenor. The voice has a more lyrical quality to it than a dramatic tenor.

Singers include Enrico Caruso, Carlo Bergonzi

Dramatic tenor

Also "tenore di forza" or "robusto" - a ringing and very powerful, rich, heroic tenor
Singers include Franco Bonisolli, Mario del Monaco, Franco Corelli, Plácido Domingo, Jose Cura.

Heldentenor

A rich, powerful, and dramatic voice. As its name implies, the Heldentenor vocal fach features in the German romantic operatic repertoire. The Heldentenor is the German equivalent of the tenore drammatico, however with a more baritonal quality; the typical Wagnerian protagonist. The keystone of any heldentenor's repertoire is arguably Wagner's Siegfried, an extremely demanding role requiring a wide vocal range, great stamina, and extended dramatic suspension.

Singers include Bernd Aldenhoff, James King, Lauritz Melchior, Wolfgang Windgassen, Jon Vickers Ben Heppner and Matthew Bernardez.

Tenor buffo or Spieltenor

Tenor roles in operettas

All of the Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas have at least one lead lyric tenor character, other notable roles are:

Tenor solo repertoire with orchestra

With strings:

Britten: Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings Britten: Les Illuminations for Tenor and Strings Britten: Nocturnes for Seven solo instruments, Tenor and Strings Finzi: Dies natalis for Tenor and Strings

With full orchestra:

Tippett: Songs for Dov for Tenor and Large Orchestra

Sources

David Fallows, Owen Jander. "Tenor", Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy, grovemusic.com (subscription access).

See also

External links



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Last updated on Friday March 07, 2008 at 20:04:59 PST (GMT -0800)
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