Baritone & Mezzo ranges?
David Lewis
mde...@engin.umich.edu "Derek Hisami Mitsumori" writes:
> Ok, this is for all those people who so knowledgeably responded to the tenor
> range question. I was wondering what the typical range is for a baritone.
> I also think Lucia was wondering what the range is for a mezzo. I'm
> reposting the question unders it's own subject header since it may've gotten
> buried under the tenor range questions.
The differences in the vocal chords and the resonating chambers exist between
children and adults, between men and women, and even between individuals of the
same age and sex. A general classification has come into existance of
sopranos, contralto, tenor and bass, with subdivision of soprano into high-
soprano and mezzo soprano (literally half-soprano) and bass into deep-bass and
baritone. These six constitute the best accepted classifications - 3 male and
3 female (plus the male alto).
These differences seem to have been only slowly recognised, standardisation
having taken place only when choral singing reached a state of advancement.
The rational classification of voices is accepted as having been reached about
1500.
No exact definition of range is possible, as individual voices differ greatly
by nature and according to their training.
Amongst women, mezzo-sopranos are the commonest; amongst men, baritones - the
middle voice in each case.
Sub varieties of voice: Sopranos can be classified as:
Dramatic: with powerful voice andmarked declamatory and histrionic
ability.
Lyric: with lighter quality and pleasant cantabile style
Coloratura: with great agility and high range, able to warble rapidly and neatly in the most acrobatic fashion.
Tenors are often classified as:
Tenore robusto with full voice and all the vigour necessary for the expression
of strong passion.
Lyric (leggiero) corresponding to the lyric soprano.
Basses are classified as
Basso profundo: low ranging and powerful and capable of the expression of
solemnity and similar emotion.
Bass cantate: with lighter quality and cantabile stule.
The ranges of the voices may be given as an octave below and above the
following middle notes (with training, a tenth below and above, but the outer
three notes at each end should not be overworked):
On the bass clef
Bass: b )
Baritone: d ) rising in thirds
Tenor: b )
On the treble clef
Contralto: e (male alto a note or two less)
Mezzo-soprano: g
Soprano: b
I'm not sure whether this will help but as I said in an earlier posting, there
are a multitude of books in the library, all of which will help, some of which
will be very useful, others less so.
--
David Lewis
Karen Mercedes
> Ok, this is for all those people who so knowledgeably responded to the tenor
> range question. I was wondering what the typical range is for a baritone.
> I also think Lucia was wondering what the range is for a mezzo.
I recall reading a book on Italian fach that said the *range* for a mezzo should
be identical to the range for a lyric soprano (vs. a coluratura or spinto).
However, the colour of a mezzo's voice will be, for want of a better word,
"darker".
Karen Mercedes
+------------------------------------+
| Music is Love in search of a word. |
| - Sidney Lanier |
+------------------------------------+
Karen Mercedes
> Amongst women, mezzo-sopranos are the commonest; amongst men, baritones - the
If this is true, why are all the opera directors I know *desperate* to find
mezzo-sopranos. I think you are wrong in this case. From my own admittedly
small but geographically wide-ranging survey, the rarest voice types appear to
be tenors, contraltos, and mezzos, followed by basses. The commonest are
sopranos and baritones, at least in the opera world.
Karen Mercedes
+-------------------------------+
| The wine of Love is music, |
| And the feast of Love is song |
| - James Thomson |
+-------------------------------+
Derek Hisami Mitsumori
range question. I was wondering what the typical range is for a baritone.
reposting the question unders it's own subject header since it may've gotten
buried under the tenor range questions.
thanks for any and all help.
o o o o "To see you here, we're deeply glad, deeply
`//'//'//'//' grateful, and deeply PLAID."
/\ /\ /\ /\
- Forever Plaid
Audrey Lavine
I believe that a voice is not defined by range so much as by quality and
where the voice "lies." A high soprano and low mezzo may be able to sing
all of the same notes, but the quality or weight of the voice will be
different, as will the area in which the voice is strongest. There is also
a difference in where the voice "breaks" or shifts into different registers.
This is all so subjective that it is hard to put into words, but I have
always felt that good singing is good singing and people should be less hung
up on what their voice is called and more concerned with learning its
strengths and weaknesses and singing with a healthy technique.
lbf6208
: From my own admittedly
: small but geographically wide-ranging survey, the rarest voice types appear to
: be tenors, contraltos, and mezzos, followed by basses. The commonest are
: sopranos and baritones, at least in the opera world.
You're right. I think the confusion arises from the fact that most
untrained female singers have limited ranges and *think* they're altos (or
maybe mezzo-sopranos), only because they don't know how to produce the
high notes that they really do have. Case in point: I have a low speaking
voice. When I was young, I sang alto, and even tenor, in choirs and
choruses. When I went to college and took voice lessons (just for the
heck of it -- no major aspirations), I found out that my voice is
naturally that of a coloratura soprano. Needless to say, I quit right
away :-)
--
Linda B. Fairtile
New York University
lbf...@is.nyu.edu
Karen Mercedes
> For those of us who are not operatically trained or versed could you
> please explain the differences between a lyric, coluratura and spinto
> soprano, and identify the ranges. I know a colurtura has a light, airy
> voice that moves freely and easily in the upper registers. Thanks.
You're in luck...or will be when I get home. I have a few files explaining the
different fachs, and providing examples of roles (all opera...sorry) and singers
that typify them. I will post these to r.a.t.m. as soon as I have a chance.
Karen Mercedes
> voice. When I was young, I sang alto, and even tenor, in choirs and
> choruses. When I went to college and took voice lessons (just for the
> heck of it -- no major aspirations), I found out that my voice is
> naturally that of a coloratura soprano. Needless to say, I quit right
> away :-)
Indeed, the competition *is* fierce for you poor dime-a-dozen sopranos.
Karen Mercedes
(still unsure if she's a mezzo or a contralto)
Karen Mercedes
>
> I believe that a voice is not defined by range so much as by quality and
> where the voice "lies." A high soprano and low mezzo may be able to sing
> all of the same notes, but the quality or weight of the voice will be
> different, as will the area in which the voice is strongest. There is also
> a difference in where the voice "breaks" or shifts into different registers.
These are called the "passagios", and are a better indication of fach than
range. Another good indication is the "tessitura", which is the part of the
range in which a voice feels the most comfortable singing. Fach itself is a
term that denotes the vocal type (defined by that mystical combination of range,
weight, colour, and flexibility) in which the singer feels/sounds best.
In point of fact, the only people who really need to worry about strict
categorisation into fachs is opera singers in competition. I'm not even
convinced that opera singers going out to audition should really classify
themselves. Instead, they should sing literature that (a) is most
comfortable/effective for their voice; (b) relates most closely to the part they
may be auditioning for (if a particular part).
As for those auditioning for musical theatre, I'd recommend avoiding classifying
yourself. If you are given an audition form that asks for your vocal type/fach,
give your range instead. For one thing, you have no idea if the music director
is classically trained/motivated, so your self-designation as a mezzo could well
be seen as an error. For another, the music director may already have an idea
of which fach he wants singing the part; you'd do better to just sing for him
and let him make up his own mind if you have the right vocal quality for the
role, than to prejudice him in advance by calling yourself a bass when what he
really wants is a baritone.
Your resume will already give him some idea of your fach, based on what other
roles (if any) you've sung before. Of course, if you've been fortunate enough
to do both Arthur and Lancelot in your career, you'll present a real challenge,
and force him to listen without preconception.
Karen Mercedes
Les Taylor
You asked:
>Ok, this is for all those people who so knowledgeably responded to the tenor
>range question. I was wondering what the typical range is for a baritone.
>I also think Lucia was wondering what the range is for a mezzo. I'm
>reposting the question unders it's own subject header since it may've gotten
>buried under the tenor range questions.
Before getting too far into the answer, which I will give, it is not all a
matter of range that categorizes voices. Just as important as where a voice
comfortably "lives" is its flexibility and timbre. No one seems to like to
develop the head voice any more. Males think it's sissified and Females think
it's weak sounding. Oy, no wonder it's weak and sissified sounding, they never
exercise that part of the voice!!!!!!! Anyone can extend their useable range
with a few exercises applied several times daily. So, below you will find the
ranges of the various voices and a description of the more common terms
applied to their timbres as well.
Soprano: B to c' two & 1/2 octaves
Mezzo Soprano: G to a' two octaves
Contralto: F to a' two & 1/2 octaves
Tenor: B to c two octaves
Baritone: G to a two octaves
Bass - Baritone: F to g two octaves
Basso: C to f two & 1/2 octaves
associated with any of the voices listed are the following qualities:
COLORATURA - (Literaly - colorful) A light flexible voice that moves rapidly
and effortlessly over melismas (sequences of notes). Usually not very heavy in
power but since it belongs to the higher range of voices can easily be heard.
LYRIC - Not as flexible as a coloratura but pretty. Especially good at holding
a legato (smooth) passage and singing long phrases. A little more powerful
than a coloratura.
SPINTO - A highly focused voice that handles declamatory passages the best.
DRAMATIC - Obviously the most powerful of all the categories but displays the
least flexibility and range.
Paradoxically, I have heard voices in every range, that are a combination of
some of the most unlikely characteristics.
>thanks for any and all help.
You are most welcome.
Regards,
Les