Great Performers 2009-2010: Andreas Scholl talks about countertenors

Andreas Scholl talks about the countertenor voices and some of his favourite aritsts. http://www.greatperformers.org.uk

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Music

Tags:

• 'classical
• music'
• baroque
• countertenors
• counter-tenors
• singing
• vocal
• andreas scholl
• Great Performers
• classical music
• barbican classical music
• barbican
• hall
• great performers 09-10

[kubinko444]

Thank you for uploading this video, Andreas Scholl is a beautiful person and charming, smart singer with good sense of humor.

[melenmelenmelen]

Ombra Mai Fu was the first song I heard of Scholl's, and it blew me away. This was a very informative interview, and it was really interesting hearing him talk instead of sing. What a deep, mellifluous voice he has. What an interesting scarf-tucked-into-sweater. :)

[Osilla7]

Amo a este hombre!

[eyeshowyou]

the most beautiful male voices in the world. (for me)

[douskara]

What a great artist!!!!

[olialto7]

@mistatomsom Well, hang on, you haven't answered my question yet: If the solo countertenor did not exist, then who sang the arias and the duet in (for example) Purcell's 'Come ye sons of art'? The parts are designated COUNTERTENOR I and COUNTERTENOR II - if they weren't high tenors which, as you rightly say are a quite different breed from the falsettist countertenor, however HAVE historically been described as countertenors, then what were they? Boys? Women? Certainly not castrati.

[mistatomsom]

@olialto7 Dear Oloalto, would really appreciate some sources for your claims. I agree, that there were some instances of high tenors singing high part, especially in France as haute-contres, but that is not a counter tenor and the vocal production is v. different.

[olialto7]

@mistatomsom Having said that, I think that all types of male voices (including the castrati) have used falsetto through the ages, and some more than others, depending (as Scholl wisely says) on natural disposition and physiognomy. For example, if you look at the duet "Sound the trumpet" from Purcell's Come ye sons of Art, surely the falsettist countertenor sang the upper part? He may have sounded very unlike Scholl, Bowman, Deller, etc. but the basic principles must have been the same

[olialto7]

@mistatomsom Thats not strictly true: the male soloists using falsetto alone were probably not used, historically, nearly as much as they are nowadays, but they certainly did exist. In opera and oratorio you were probably more likely to encounter castrati and mezzo soprani and contralti, and in Bach perhaps you'd be more likely to come across the boy alto. There again in France, England (during a certain period) and even in Italy you'd hear the high, sometimes very light tenor as 'alto'.

[8SparrowBird8]

we love you andreassss

[matthewtng]

I had the privilege of singing for him in a masterclass in Melbourne in March.. This man is such a genius.....