Voice (Classical Music)
First single instrument of secular music , voice, instrument in itself, is incorporated as such in the works of classical music.
During the greater part of the Middle Ages , it is first presented, so almost exclusively in the repertoire of Gregorian chant. From this origin, many musical genres dedicated to vocal music will grow over the centuries: the motet , the cantata , the opera , the melody , etc..
During the Renaissance , differentiation begins between firstly the voice of the singer and also the voice of the soloist.
Summary |
Since the Baroque period , specialization and the virtuosity of voice soloists have never ceased to grow over the centuries. The vocal soloists are mainly classified according to height on their votes , compared to other types of voice.
The qualities of a voice, his agility, its volume, velocity , are less dependent on skills received at birth, as labor and training exercises performed by the singer.
Be careful to distinguish between, on one hand, the range , which means all the notes easily performed by a singer, on the other hand, the vocal range , which means the total extent of one vote, including, besides the range, a number of notes outstanding in the acute or the grave , that the singer can make the price of a particular effort.
The voices of women and children
Among women, there are four major families:
- The voice of soprano is most acute for women's voices - and therefore all the more acute families together. This is a very common type of voice.
- The voice of mezzo-soprano voice is the medium of women.
- The voice of alto voice is serious women.
In children, the ranking is almost the same, except that it adds some top voice (quite rare) sopranino, even more acute as the soprano (who is also a very common type of voice in children ), and we do not generally considered the contralto voice, which is rare in children.
The voices of men
Among men, there are four major families. He was formerly five, with that of castrates , but the castration , commonly practiced in the Baroque period - especially in Italy - has been abandoned since the early nineteenth century , so that the family is off today (and jobs barrows are now distributed to mezzo-sopranos or countertenors ).
- The voice of countertenor is a male voice using the technique of voice falsetto - or falsetto - in specific directories. As for the classification of women's voices, there is, within the category of the countertenor, the soprano (see soprano female ), the viola (see viola female ) and contralto (see female contralto ).
- The voice of tenor is the highest voice of men singing in chest voice.
In the French Baroque, called high-cons a tenor who occasionally uses the head voice or falsetto for acute or acute-on. Nowadays, the term "high-cons" and "countertenor" are frequently confused, but if the extent of these two types often come together voice, their respective vocal techniques are different.
- The voice of baritone male voice is moderately severe. This is a very common type of voice.
- The voice of low male voice is the most serious - and therefore, the worst all families combined.
Other possible classifications
Other distinctions, varying in different countries, eras, composers and repertoire, sometimes supplemented by the classification above.
According agility and timbre , can be classified into three main voice sub-categories: "small voice" - the clearest and most suitable for the velocity - the "lyric voice" - sub-category intermediate between the previous and the next - and the "dramatic voice" - the darkest and most full-bodied, but less agile. It is common for small voices have some additional notes in the treble, while the dramatic voice often benefit from an extension of their registry to the grave. These subdivisions are commonly used in the sopranos , the mezzo-sopranos and tenors.
We say, for example, that the role of Count Almaviva - in the opera The Barber of Seville by Rossini - requires a vote of " light tenor ; the role of Don Jose - in the opera Carmen in Bizet - requires a voice of " lyric tenor "that the role of Florestan - the opera Fidelio by Beethoven - requires a vote of " dramatic tenor "or" strong tenor. "
On the stamp, other features can be taken into account in the classification of voice types: the "color" - voice clear and dark voice - the "volume" - tiny voices, enormous voice - the "thickness" - thin voice, voice thick - and "biting" - or voice toneless voice vibrant.
Depending on the relative power, we can classify the following votes by intensity increasing.
- The "voice of micro: less than 80 decibels.
- The "voice of living": 80 to 90 decibels.
- The "voice of operetta": 90 to 100 decibels.
- The "voice of comic opera": 100 to 110 decibels.
- The "opera voice" from 110 to 120 decibels.
- The "grand opera voice" more than 120 decibels.
The voices in chorus
In a choir or chorus , the singers are usually divided into several panels.
Such a division is more of a trust among the various desks , a true distribution of parts of speech corresponding precisely to the range of each chorister. However, as far as possible, the votes are placed highest in the desks acute , and the voices of the lowest in the desks serious.
The name of the various desks resumed at almost exactly the type of vocal soloists , in Francophone countries, however, the word "alto" is used rather than the word "contralto", who will be associated with the voice of the soloist.
Thus, the height, we classify the voices of women or children into two broad categories: soprano - the most acute - and viola - the most serious. Similarly, according to the height, we classify the voices of men into two broad categories: the tenor - the most acute - and low - the worst.
Within the same panel , it may happen that the jobs are split - or divide - the first sub-panel comprising the sharpest voices of the console, the second, more serious voice. One might say - the acute to the grave -: the first sopranos, sopranos the second, etc.. With regard to the desk of violas, the former are often called mezzo-sopranos, and seconds, just altitude. Similarly, as regards the lower panel of the former are often called baritones , and seconds, just lower.
Sample distribution of votes, the acute to the grave, in a mixed choir - that is to say, a chorus composed of men and women - four members:
- Sopranos 1 (or first sopranos)
- Sopranos 2 (or second sopranos)
- Altos 1 (or mezzo-sopranos)
- Altos 2 (or altos)
- Tenors 1 (or first tenor)
- Tenors 2 (or second tenor)
- Bass 1 (or baritone)
- Bass 2 (or lower)
Extent of traditional voice
In Middle Age , the average size of the voice - as was required by the partition - not much above the octave. A range of five lines to cover a vocal range of nine notes, selecting the right key, therefore easier to read, avoiding the use of additional lines above or below the range. Thus, at that time, the choice of the key determined, not a vocal type, but a simple extended corresponding to the vocal range in such a musical part. The terminology used - superius, tenor, bass, etc.. - In fact meant a specific function in the building polyphonic , not a true "voice type, and what will happen later in the Baroque and the Classical period.
By the Renaissance , however, a change is initiated at the soloists. Many technological advances are made in the area voice , no doubt stimulated by the growing popularity of genres such as madrigals and opera. This movement causes the development of virtuosity and above all, a gradual extension of the vocal range of different vocal types. We can consider that from the classical period, the scope of a normal voice solo, is two octaves. It is not uncommon for singers project a few notes this base register in the bass or treble, and composers do not hesitate to write parts for a particular voice exceptionally gifted in this area. It tells, for example, that the vocal range of Pauline Viardot , the celebrated singer nineteenth century , covering more than three octaves.
The diagram below shows the main types of vocal range for classical music. It must obviously be relativized. Such a division has inevitably somewhat arbitrary, due to several factors. First, the frequency of the the pitch has fluctuated considerably over the ages - and consequently, the high notes, too. It should then consider in some imprecision in terminology, it varies according to country , the composers , the musical currents , etc.. Finally, the voice types can not correspond exactly to the individual voices of the singers , be they soloists renowned, and are only ideal models associated with jobs and specified directories.
Numbering
The octaves are distinguished by numbering. The agreement gives the French number 3 in the 440-Hz, rated the 3. In this system, the 220-Hz is noted the 2. The octave changes are made from top do, so if you go from 2 to C 3.
This numbering differs between countries. In the United States, is noted on the 3 A 4 (one more unit). This standard is used in editing software and most popular musical composition. Germany and England also have a numbering system of their own (see diagram below) Keys used in classical vocal music Different forms of key in use in Middle Age - mainly the bass clef for the bass, the key of C, for those of medium and treble clef to treble - were successively placed on different lines of the scope. From the Renaissance , only a small number of keys is maintained for the scoring part vocal. It is essentially the second line treble clef, key of C, first, second, third and fourth lines, and his keys, third and fourth lines. There were others - for example, the "key of the first floor," or the "key of his fifth" - but which were used in rather exceptional. During the nineteenth century in order to simplify the reading of the singers - singers as well as soloists - music publishers will gradually abandon the use of some of these "old keys. The term "cons-xx" does not designate a specific number but a relative height : the cons of the soprano high C is equivalent to a C 5 while the tenor is a C 4.
In the twentieth century , a simplification is made to the system and only two of them are preserved: the key to the second floor for women's voices and the bass clef fourth for male voices. The tenor part, when separated from low, however, are scored in treble clef octavie , the low C correspond to C 2.
See also
Related articles
External Links
References
Female voices Modern classification Soprano Mezzo-soprano Contralto Classification Baroque Top above Lower Male voices Modern classification Tenor Baritone Low Classification Baroque High-cons Size Lower size Classification countertenors Soprano Alto Unclassified Barrows
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