Types of voice
Soprano
The highest range of female voice. Listen to this example of an aria from an oratorio, Handel's Messiah. Notice the timbre of the voice.
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Here is the same type of voice singing a modern arrangement of a British folk song. Listen to the strophic nature of the melody and the sympathetic piano accompaniment which reflects the mood of the words.
Soprano (Coloratura)
Term for high, florid, vocal singing involving scales, runs and ornaments. Sometimes these passages were written down, but often they were extemporised by the performer. In this example from Mozart's opera 'The Magic Flute', listen to the florid melismatic phrases which in places are almost an octave above the range of a normal female voice.
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Mezzo Soprano
A female singer whose voice range lies between that of a soprano and an alto. Listen to this aria by Handel from the Baroque period, one of the most famous by that composer.
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(Felicity Palmer a well known Mezzo Soprano. Photograph: Steiner Colour)
Alto
The lowest female voice. Listen to this example of an English folk song sung a capella the Italian term for unaccompanied singing.
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Counter tenor
A male adult voice whose range is higher than a tenorÍs. The strong and pure tone is produced by resonances mainly in the head. This type of voice was very popular until the end of the eighteenth century. Listen to this example of a duet by Purcell from the early part of the Baroque period sung by two countertenors. Notice the ground bass in the accompaniment, the consistent use of imitation and melisma in the voice parts and the regular use of the voices singing using the interval of a third between the voices.
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Tenor
A high adult male voice. Listen to this excerpt from an Italian opera, sung in English, which was composed by Puccini at the end of the Romantic period. This is an excellent example of the style of musical line so typical of the Italian composers of this time.
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(John Mark Ainsley a well known Tenor)
Baritone
A male voice whose range lies between that of bass and tenor. Listen to this English art song from the twentieth century which is through composed and sung by a baritone voice.
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(Simon Keenlyside a well known Baritone. Photograph: Uwe Arens).
Bass
The lowest male voice. Listen to this aria from Mozart's opera 'The Magic Flute' from the Classical period and notice the low timbre of the voice.
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(Peter Rose a well known Bass.)