What is "countertenor"

n. 1 adult male singer who uses head tone or falsetto to sing far higher than the typical male vocal range 2 male singing voice far higher than the typical male vocal range 3 ''(Older)'' a part or section performing a countermelody against the tenor or main part

1. adj. of or being the highest male voice; having a range above that of tenor [syn: alto]

2. n. a male singer with a voice above that of a tenor

3. the highest adult male singing voice [syn: alto]

A countertenor is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range is equivalent to that of the female contralto or mezzo-soprano voice types. The countertenor range is generally equivalent to a contralto range, extending from around G to D or E, although a sopranist (a specific kind of countertenor) may match the soprano's range of around C to C. Countertenors often are natural baritones or tenors, but rarely use this vocal range in performance.

The term first came into use in England during the mid-17th century, and was in wide use by the late 17th century. However, the use of adult male falsettos in polyphony, commonly in the alto range, was common in all-male sacred choirs for some decades previous, as early as the mid-16th century. Modern-day ensembles such as The Tallis Scholars and The Sixteen maintain the use of male altos in period works. During the Romantic period, the popularity of the countertenor voice waned and few compositions were written with that voice type in mind.

In the second half of the 20th century, there was great interest in and renewed popularity of the countertenor voice, partly due to pioneers such as Alfred Deller, as well as the increased popularity of Baroque opera and the need of male singers to replace the castrati roles in such works. Although the voice has been considered largely an early music phenomenon, there is a growing modern repertoire.