Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

panfluteman

(2,065 posts)
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 12:18 AM Mar 2014

Klaus Nomi, Countertenor - Hisotrical and Musicological Background

I was dismayed to see that the discussion thread on the Klaus Nomi video was locked, because I wanted to give some important background historical and musicological information on Klaus Nomi and what he was doing that none of the respondents seemed to be aware of. This material that I am providing here will put Klaus Nomi in the proper context, to facilitate a greater appreciation for what he is doing.

Klaus Nomi as a singer is actually doing nothing new. He is singing in the tradition of the Countertenor, which is actually a male singer, who is NOT castrated or physiologically / anatomically altered in any way, who has developed a high, quai-falsetto voice to the point where it has the power and beauty of a female singer. Before women were allowed to sing in choirs, boys, whose voices had not yet changed, sang the top or soprano part, and grown men sang the other parts - not just tenor and bass, as is now done, but the alto part as well. In fact the word "alto", which is literally Latin for "high" is an abbreviation of "contratenor altus", or the "high holding together part". Actually, the composer Handel, when he wrote the Messiah, did not originally write the alto part for women singers, but for male countertenors, of which Klaus Nomi is an outstanding example. Even some of the beautiful Arias or Airs for a lower female voice, which are from Handel's Messiah were originally sung by countertenors. A variation on and abbreviation of the old Latin term of Contratenor Altus is the word "Contralto", which is basically another term for the Alto vocal part.

The video of Klaus Nomi that was originally posted was of him singing an Aria by the early English composer Henry Purcell. What is not generally known about Henry Purcell was that he himself sang Countertenor - and so, naturally, he wrote a lot of music for that voice. One of my favorite recordings of old English baroque music is that of the English Countertenor Alfred Deller singing a suite by Henry Purcell entitled, "Come, Come Ye Sons of Art", complete with the backup of a full baroque chamber orchestra.

In the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods, the professional theater, music and entertainment worlds were not considered a proper and fitting lifestyle for a woman, and so, you had boys or men filling in for women whenever it came to singing in a high voice. In high opera, Castratti, or castrated men singers, often sang the female roles, impersonating women not only in their voices, but also in their acting and mannerisms.

8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Klaus Nomi, Countertenor - Hisotrical and Musicological Background (Original Post) panfluteman Mar 2014 OP
A countertenor is a man (usually a baritone) The Velveteen Ocelot Mar 2014 #1
It depends, some tenors can be countertenors jberryhill Mar 2014 #2
... winter is coming Mar 2014 #3
Why, yes, I studied under Prof. Peter Schikele jberryhill Mar 2014 #5
I have seen him. winter is coming Mar 2014 #6
Plus his song "Total Eclipse" was an anti-NUKE song and his amazing voice and styling helped bring…. Tikki Mar 2014 #4
A film that might be of interest to some folks, and a song that must be heard... Tx4obama Mar 2014 #7
Would Antony of Antony and the Johnsons be considered one? zappaman Mar 2014 #8

The Velveteen Ocelot

(115,681 posts)
1. A countertenor is a man (usually a baritone)
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 12:21 AM
Mar 2014

who has developed and trained his "head-voice" or falsetto. The Beach Boys, among other pop groups, often sang in falsetto. Nothing strange about it.

 

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)
2. It depends, some tenors can be countertenors
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 01:42 AM
Mar 2014

A tenor who is a countertenor is usually called and over-the-countertenor, while a baritone is an under-the-countertenor.

These distinctions were largely lost when, driven by stylistic popularity, such groups as the Beach Boys and the Bee Gees cheapened the vocal artistry, and became known as bargain-countertenors.

 

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)
5. Why, yes, I studied under Prof. Peter Schikele
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 01:54 AM
Mar 2014

And, if you ever had seen him, you'd know that's a very uncomfortable place to study.

I did some of the early fieldwork in Baden-Baden, and found some of the early drawings used to reconstruct the hardart.

winter is coming

(11,785 posts)
6. I have seen him.
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 01:56 AM
Mar 2014

And I've heard early music consorts, too. How the rebec survived long enough to transition into the violin, I'll never know.

Tikki

(14,557 posts)
4. Plus his song "Total Eclipse" was an anti-NUKE song and his amazing voice and styling helped bring….
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 01:52 AM
Mar 2014

the message home.

RIP You amazing original man…

Tikki

Tx4obama

(36,974 posts)
7. A film that might be of interest to some folks, and a song that must be heard...
Sun Mar 2, 2014, 02:03 AM
Mar 2014




And check out the singing in the video below...

Greg Pritchard - Countertenor/Male Soprano (Britain's Got Talent, starting at the one minute mark)





Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Klaus Nomi, Countertenor ...