The counter tenor
"James Bowman says in his foreword that this book could very well be subtitled 'Everything you ever wanted to know about counter tenors, but were afraid to ask'. The Counter Tenor is a comprehensive and considered assessment of the voice, and as such it fills an extraordinary gap in the library of musicology. Peter Giles is himself a very experienced counter tenor. He has examined the prejudices which have beset singers over the last century and compares their status to that of other voices both historically and in current times. He considers the vexed question of the difference between alto and counter tenor and discusses the demands of fashion, repertoire, and range. The role of the castrati, the development of the counter tenor voice and the musical, sociological and medical background to a unique sound are investigated. There is an analysis of modern trends and voices with a related discography. Some of Peter Giles' conclusions may be thought controversial, but the book is both eminently readable for those with an amateur interest and full of information for the music student. It is fully illustrated with music examples, diagrams and photographs. This is a fascinating study of a voice which is not so much rare as somewhat rarely cultivated."--Dust jacket
Print Book, English, 1982
Muller, London, 1982