Editing Countertenor (section)

{{short description|High classical male singing voice}}
{{Vocal range}}
A '''countertenor''' (also '''contra tenor''') is a type of [[classical music|classical]] male [[singing]] [[human voice|voice]] whose [[vocal range]] is equivalent to that of the female [[contralto]] or [[mezzo-soprano]] [[voice type]]s, generally extending from around [[scientific pitch notation|G<sub>3</sub>]] to D<sub>5</sub> or E<sub>5</sub>,<ref name=Steane /> although a [[sopranist]] (a specific kind of countertenor) may match the [[soprano]]'s range of around C<sub>4</sub> to C<sub>6</sub>.<ref name=McKinney>A sopranist is a term, widely used falsely, used to describe a countertenor whose vocal range is so high it is equivalent to that of a soprano. {{cite book
|title= The Diagnosis and Correction of Vocal Faults
|last= McKinney
|first= James
|year= 1994
|publisher= Genovex Music Group
|isbn=978-1-56593-940-0}}</ref> Countertenors often have [[tenor]] or [[baritone]] chest voices, but sing in [[falsetto]] or [[head voice]] much more often than they do in their chest voice.

The nature of the countertenor voice has radically changed throughout musical history, from a [[modal voice]], to a modal and [[falsetto]] voice, to the primarily falsetto voice that is denoted by the term today. This is partly because of changes in human physiology ([[Human height#Human height throughout history|increase in body height]]) and partly because of fluctuations in pitch.{{sfn|Ravens|2014|pages=38–44}}

The term first came into use in England during the mid-17th century and was in wide use by the late 17th century. The use of adult male falsettos in polyphony, commonly in the soprano range, was known in European all-male sacred choirs for some decades previous, as early as the mid-16th century.{{sfn|Ravens|2014|pages=50–57}} Modern-day ensembles such as [[the Tallis Scholars]] and [[the Sixteen]] have countertenors on alto parts in works of this period. There is no evidence that falsetto singing was known in Britain before the early 17th century, when it was occasionally heard on soprano parts.{{sfn|Ravens|2014|pages=71–89}}

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]] and [[Russell Oberlin]], as well as the increased popularity of [[Baroque music|Baroque]] [[opera]] and the need of male singers to replace the [[castrato|castrati]] roles in such works. Although the voice has been considered largely an [[early music]] phenomenon, there is a growing modern repertoire collection for countertenors, especially in contemporary music.<ref name="Stark2003">{{harvnb|Stark|2003}}</ref><ref name="Giles1982">{{harvnb|Giles|1982}}</ref>