CASTRATTI
de...@webtv.net
A correction is in order: the plural of Castrato is
Castrati, NOT Castratti.
Secondly, it should be possible to maintain the boy's
voice into adulthood without surgery; using hormones,
etc. This would certainly be with the boy's
permission and insistence.
In the days of the Castrati, the testes were not
removed, but the tubes were cut. This precluded
reproduction, but did not prevent sexual activity.
Now, it should be possible, using test-tube
fertilization, for the castrato to pass his genes
along, if he so wished.
I suppose the advent of amplified music has helped to
lead so many singers to try to produce such loud
sounds with their voices, further eroding the art of
beautiful singing. As long as singing and music are
looked upon as 'extra-curricular' activities in the
schools, and not as essentials, the decadance of
vocal art will most likely continue. The President of
Mexico, with his family, leads the country in singing
their national anthem. Could America's President do
the same, and how many of the people?
So, the theme of "Bringing back the Castrati" is
really one of revitalizing the soul of music, which
is ultimately dependent upon the Primary Art of
Music, namely Singing!
James Jorden
Thomas M. Fynan, M.D. wrote:
> Speaking as a physician now, not an opera lover, the
> only way to produce castration without removing the testicles would be
> to sever all blood supply to them. Testosterone, the hormone that
> induces the masculine secondary sexual characteristics (beards, deep
> voices, etc) is released via the testicular vein, not the spermatic
> cord. If you severed all blood supply to the testicles they would soon
> become necrotic and dead. No sperm would be made to do in vitro > fertilzation.
>
> By the way, castration does not cause impotence. Testosterone is not
> need to acheive erection; it is only needed to want to have one.
> Castrated males can still have sexual intercourse, they just loose
> their libido, that is, any desire to have sex. Of course, if a
> pre-adolescent boy were castrated his penis would remain at it's
> pre-adolescent size, making normal sexual activity very difficult.
Frantic note to Janice: whatever you do, avoid reading the above
posting!
--
james jorden
jjo...@ix.netcom.com
http://www.anaserve.com/~parterre
"Without Jews, Gypsies and homosexuals, there is no theater."
-- Mel Brooks in "To Be or Not to Be"
Thomas M. Fynan, M.D.
de...@webtv.net wrote:
> In the days of the Castrati, the testes were not
> removed, but the tubes were cut. This precluded
> reproduction, but did not prevent sexual activity.
> Now, it should be possible, using test-tube
> fertilization, for the castrato to pass his genes
> along, if he so wished.
I don't think so. Speaking as a physician now, not an opera lover, the
only way to produce castration without removing the testicles would be to
sever all blood supply to them. Testosterone, the hormone that induces
the masculine secondary sexual characteristics (beards, deep voices, etc)
is released via the testicular vein, not the spermatic cord. If you
severed all blood supply to the testicles they would soon become necrotic
and dead. No sperm would be made to do in vitro fertilzation.
By the way, castration does not cause impotence. Testosterone is not need
to acheive erection; it is only needed to want to have one. Castrated
males can still have sexual intercourse, they just loose their libido,
that is, any desire to have sex. Of course, if a pre-adolescent boy were
castrated his penis would remain at it's pre-adolescent size, making
normal sexual activity very difficult.
Regards,
Tom Fynan
thomas...@yale.edu
Glen Denyer
de...@webtv.net,Internet writes:
As long as singing and music are
looked upon as 'extra-curricular' activities in the
schools, and not as essentials, the decadance of
vocal art will most likely continue.
Oho! Rots of ruck! 21 years of teaching English and trying to support the
arts as well as to encourage young people to take an active part in them,
these 21 years I say have left me feeling a deep sadness. We are told to
return to the basics and emphasize skills as though an ability to solve
quadratic equations, caulculate bonds and annuities and write a cohesive
three part essay is going to lead to a rich and satisfying life. Look around
you at what is happening to your children's schools. They are becoming prep
schools for business interests who feel that it is up to educators to supply
them with skilled and obedient workers. The bogeyman who frightens us into
this attitude is the rapacious profit-oriented businessman of the Pacific Rim
who is, we are told, going to eat us up because the schools in his part of
the world produce students who routinely beat ours in all the areas that
count (i.e. maths and sciences).
Anyway, this is a music conference, and so I will stop the rant.
Cheers
Glen
Kathy Conn
I can certainly agree... speaking as one who knows. I was a senior in
high school, preparing to go on to be a music major, and was forced to
take "Business Computer Programming" instead of music theory. PS... I
was the person the computer teacher went to when he couldn't figure
something out.... so I wasn't exactly in need of the class.
--Kathy
On 04 Feb 1997 21:33:56 GMT, Glen_...@tvo.org (Glen Denyer) wrote:
>de...@webtv.net,Internet writes:
>As long as singing and music are
>looked upon as 'extra-curricular' activities in the
>schools, and not as essentials, the decadance of
>vocal art will most likely continue.
>
Kimball Kinnison
Dr. Fynan,
You have explained what has been to me a historical mystery. I have
read in many sources that castrati were great celebrities their time,
and had the very active sex lives that we associate with rock stars
today.
While it was no doubt that the former was true, I always associated
the latter to romantic apocrypha.
Since I owe what little medical knowledge I have to the writers of
'ER' I am very grateful for your explanation.
BTW, if you have a couple of minutes I have this shooting pain in my
elbow... :-)
Chris P. Mezzolesta
Hello,
Please remove rec.music.dementia from the Newsgroups line, this really
does not involve comedy/novelty music. Thanks.
J. Miller
James Jorden <jjo...@ix.netcom.com> wrote in article
<32F7C0...@ix.netcom.com>...
> Frantic note to Janice: whatever you do, avoid reading the above
> posting!
>
I *knew* I shouldn't have brought it up! (and don't think I don't
appreciate your little note at the *bottom* of the latest :) You guys go
ahead and play with your little toys......
Janice (wow, look at those cross-posts!)
Bruce A. Rosenberg
I missed the post where you "brought it up!"
To speak with Janice personally, call
1-900-555-1212. You must be over 18
to call (which is, in my opinion, virtually
impossible).
rgand...@aol.com
>In the days of the Castrati, the testes were not
>removed, but the tubes were cut. This precluded
>reproduction, but did not prevent sexual activity.
If the testes were not removed, as you claim, then testosterone would
continue to be produced and the voice would lower. The testes had to have
been, and were, removed.
ron
Paul Opel
> In the days of the Castrati, the testes were not
> removed, but the tubes were cut. This precluded
> reproduction, but did not prevent sexual activity.
Sorry, this calls for a correction. The testes were perforce removed, or
else puberty would progress normally, despite the vasectomy. There was
some confusion, even, as to how much was necessary to be removed; some of
the castrati required a hollow quill to urinate. Do your research!
Paul Opel
Chris P. Mezzolesta
po...@sover.net (Paul Opel) wrote:
Please remove rec.music.dementia from the Newsgroups line, thank you.