Tenor


The tenor is a type of male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the contralto and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest-voice type. Composers typically write music for the tenor in the range from the second B-flat below middle C, to the A above middle C, or a whole tone higher to B4 in choral music – and from the second B-flat below middle C, to the C above middle C in operatic music – but the range can extend at either end. Subtypes of the tenor include the sopranist, altino, leggero tenor, lyric tenor, spinto tenor, dramatic tenor, heldentenor and tenor buffo.

History

The term tenor derives from the Latin word tenere, which means 'to hold'. Tenor came into use, at first, to denote the role of the critical male voice in the structure of a polyphonic vocal work. All other voices were normally calculated in relation to the tenor, which often proceeded in longer note values and carried a borrowed cantus firmus melody. Until the late 16th-century introduction of the contratenor singers, the tenor was usually the lowest voice, assuming the role of providing a foundation. It was also in the 18th century that tenor came to signify the male voice that sang such parts. Thus, for earlier repertoire, a line marked 'tenor' indicated the part's role, and not the required voice type; indeed, even as late as the eighteenth century, part-books labelled 'tenor' sometimes contained parts for a range of voice types.

Vocal range

The vocal range of the tenor is the highest of the male voice types. Within opera, the lowest note in the standard tenor repertoire is widely defined to be B2. However, the role of Rodrigo di Dhu in Rossini's rarely performed La donna del lago is defined as a tenor but requires an A2. Within more frequently performed repertoire, Mime and Herod both call for an A2.
A few tenor roles in the standard repertoire call for a "tenor C". Some, if not all, of the few top Cs in the standard operatic repertoire are either optional – such as in "Che gelida manina" in Puccini's La bohème – or interpolated ; however, the highest demanded note in the standard tenor operatic repertoire is D5, found in "Mes amis, écoutez l'histoire" from Adolphe Adam's Le postillon de Lonjumeau and "Loin de son amie" from Fromental Halévy's La Juive). In the leggero repertoire, the highest note is F5, therefore, very few tenors, a notable case being Nicolai Gedda, have this role in their repertoire without transposition, or employing passaggio, such as Luciano Pavarotti.

In choral music

In SATB four-part mixed chorus, the tenor is the second lowest vocal range, above the bass and below the alto and soprano. Men's chorus usually denotes an ensemble of TTBB in which the first tenor is the highest voice. Whilst certain choral music does require the first tenors to ascend the full tenor range, the majority of choral music places the tenors in the range from approximately B2 up to A4. The requirements of the tenor voice in choral music are also tied to the style of music most often performed by a given choir. Orchestral choruses typically call for tenors with fully resonant voices, but chamber or a cappella choral music can rely on baritones singing in falsetto.
Even so, one nearly ubiquitous facet of choral singing is the shortage of tenor voices. Most men's tessituras lie within the baritone range, and because of this, many men in choirs tend to prefer singing in the bass section. Many baritones sing tenor even if they are not able to cover the full range in only their chest voice, and sometimes contraltos sing the tenor part. In men's choruses that consist of four male vocal parts, tenors will often sing both in chest voice and falsetto, extending the vocal range of the choir.

Subtypes and roles in opera

Within the tenor voice type category are nine generally recognized subcategories: sopranist, altino tenor, leggero tenor, lyric tenor, spinto tenor, dramatic tenor, heldentenor, Mozart tenor, and tenor buffo, also known as the spieltenor. There is considerable overlap between the various categories of role and of voice-type; some tenor singers have begun with lyric voices but have transformed with time into spinto or even dramatic tenors.

Sopranist

A sopranist is a extremely rare form of male singer that sings around the rough equivalent of a female soprano range in chest voice, spanning from approximately C4 to C6, getting higher/lower depending on genetics. They sing this range completely in their modal register, with lower notes like B3 or C4 being very low in their vocal range. A notable classical singer of this voice type being Michael Maniaci.

Altino

The altino tenor is the male equivalent of a female contralto or mezzo-soprano completely in chest voice, and is not to be confused with the countertenor, which uses reinforced falsetto. This voice soars through the higher modal register of the voice, ranging from approximately D3 to G5, with some reaching up to A5. This voice is light and high. Sopranist and altino repertoire consists mainly of alto/mezzo/soprano castrati roles, tessitura for combined roles ranging from approximately E3 to E6. Some altinos can sing a few tones down to C3, and even B2, although weaker and less resonant in their typical range compared to a standard tenor.

Leggero

Also known as the tenore di grazia, the leggero tenor is essentially the male equivalent of a lyric coloratura. This voice is light, agile, and capable of executing difficult passages of fioritura. The typical leggero tenor possesses a range spanning from approximately C3 to E5, with a few being able to sing up to F5 or higher in full voice. In some cases, the chest register of the leggero tenor may extend below C3. Voices of this type are utilized frequently in the operas of Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini and in music dating from the Baroque period.
Leggero tenor roles in operas:
  • Arturo, I puritani
  • Count Almaviva, The Barber of Seville
  • Count Ory, Le comte Ory
  • Ernesto, Don Pasquale
  • Elvino, La sonnambula
  • Henry Morosus, Die schweigsame Frau
  • Lindoro, L'italiana in Algeri
  • Don Ramiro, La Cenerentola
  • Tonio, ''La fille du régiment''

    Lyric

The lyric tenor is a warm graceful voice with a bright, full timbre that is strong but not heavy and can be heard over an orchestra. Lyric tenors have a range from approximately the C one octave below middle C to the D one octave above middle C. Similarly, their lower range may extend a few notes below the C3. There are many vocal shades to the lyric tenor group, repertoire should be selected according to the weight, colors, and abilities of the voice.
Gilbert Duprez was a historically significant dramatic tenor. He was the first tenor to sing on stage the operatic high C from the chest as opposed to using falsettone. He is also known for originating the role of Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor.
Lyric tenor roles in operas:
  • Alessandro, Il re pastore
  • Alfredo, La traviata
  • Bastien, Bastien und Bastienne
  • Belmonte, Die Entführung aus dem Serail
  • Chevalier, Dialogues of the Carmelites
  • David, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
  • Don Ottavio, Don Giovanni
  • Il Duca di Mantova, Rigoletto
  • Edgardo, Lucia di Lammermoor
  • Faust, Faust
  • Ferrando, Così fan tutte
  • Hoffmann, The Tales of Hoffmann
  • Idomeneo, Idamante, Idomeneo
  • Lensky, Eugene Onegin
  • Martin, The Tender Land
  • Mitridate, Mitridate, re di Ponto
  • Oronte, I Lombardi alla prima crociata
  • Paris, La belle Hélène
  • Pinkerton, Madama Butterfly
  • Rinuccio, Gianni Schicchi
  • Rodolfo, La bohème
  • Roméo, Roméo et Juliette
  • Tamino, The Magic Flute
  • Thaddeus, The Bohemian Girl
  • Tito, La clemenza di Tito
  • Werther, Werther
  • Wilhelm Meister, ''Mignon''

    Spinto

The spinto tenor has the brightness and height of a lyric tenor, but with a heavier vocal weight enabling the voice to be "pushed" to dramatic climaxes with less strain than the lighter-voice counterparts. Spinto tenors have a darker timbre than a lyric tenor, without having a vocal color as dark as many dramatic tenors. The German equivalent of the Spinto Fach is the Jugendlicher Heldentenor and encompasses many of the Dramatic tenor roles as well as some Wagner roles such as Lohengrin and Stolzing. The difference is often the depth and metal in the voice where some lyric tenors age or push their way into singing as a Spinto giving them a lighter tone and a Jugendlicher Heldentenor tends to be either a young heldentenor or true lyric spinto. Spinto tenors have a range from approximately the C one octave below middle C to the C one octave above middle C.
Spinto tenor roles in operas:
  • Andrea Chénier, Andrea Chénier
  • Calaf, Turandot
  • Des Grieux, Manon Lescaut
  • Don Carlo, Don Carlos
  • Don José, Carmen
  • Erik, Der fliegende Holländer
  • Ernani, Ernani
  • Gustavo, Un ballo in maschera
  • Hermann, Queen of Spades
  • Macduff, Macbeth
  • Manrico, Il trovatore
  • Mario Cavaradossi, Tosca
  • Max, Der Freischütz
  • Pollione, Norma
  • Radames, Aida
  • Stiffelio, Stiffelio
  • Turiddu, ''Cavalleria rusticana''