Fun with countertenors

[Baroque Mongoose]

I'm very fond of the countertenor voice. I also enjoy the way a lot of people don't expect it. So I thought I would start a thread for countertenor stories, and, needless to say, I've got one.

My best friend, the very lovely megamole, is a semi-professional countertenor, and let's just say he's worth hearing. He is also a Big Chap (tm). We're talking 6'2" and substantially built, and he's half Russian and looks it, black beard and all. I, on the other hand, am 5'7" and rather willowy, with long dark-blonde hair. When I go and visit him, we usually have to do some grocery shopping at some point, and just occasionally he will burst into song in the middle of the supermarket.

The reaction of the unsuspecting shoppers is always hilarious. You can see it in their faces. First they think it's me singing, and then a few seconds later you can watch them do a bewildered double take as they realise that it is, in fact, Mole. Then it gradually dawns on them that this is not just a large man singing unfeasibly high. This is a large man singing unfeasibly high really well.

Shopping with countertenors. I recommend it.

[Despina41]

heh, great thread. When I was much younger, I called into my local classical radio station as lucky caller no. 7! and won tickets to a countertenor concert. I went with my dad, who likes classical music, but neither of us knew about countertenors back then.

It was a small concert venue, and just the countertenor and a pianist and about 30 audience members. Dad wanted to sit up close. Oh LORD, how we were shocked when the man started to sing!! Then he proceeded to walk up and down the aisles!

Of course, since I was a kid, and my dad is too, we then spent the next 30 minutes trying not to laugh. It was painfully hilarious.

Today I love countertenors, once I got over my initial shock, of course. One has to enjoy the patently ridiculous nature of it all

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKtWDBog5oY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKtWDBog5oY[/ame]

[chrisopera]

I thought a little anecdote might add to the fun of this thread.

I was appearing with English National Opera on tour in the Soviet Union in May 1990, and we premiered the tour with Handel's "XERXES" in Kiev. After the show there was a party attended by Mr Gorbachev and Mrs Thatcher (the tour coincided with the opening of a British Trade Fare in Kiev), who had been watching the performance. Mrs Thatcher collared me at one point, and after a bit of small talk the conversation ended as follows:

Mrs T: "Tell me, does it hurt when you have to sing such a big role in such a high voice all evening?"
Me: "Well, Prime Minister, not really; though it probably hurts the audience more than it does me." (said with a bit of a chuckle)
Mrs T, after a small pause, with a wry smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye: "Yeeehhs, I think I know exactly what you mean!"

Who said Margaret Thatcher had no sense of humour?! At least I think she was joking

[Stlukesguild]

I quite enjoy the work of a number of countertenors... including certainly Alfred Deller, Russell Oberlin, René Jacobs, David Daniels, Michael Chance, Andreas Scholl, and Philippe Jaroussky. Honestly though, my taste runs more toward the female soprano and mezzo regardless of HIP practice. One of my favorite countertenor performances, however, was this disc by Philippe Jaroussky:



In spite of the fact that this music was quite certainly NOT written with the countertenor in mind (and I absolutely love performances of these and other French melodies by Dawn Upshaw, Elly Ameling, Frederica Von Stade, Janet Baker, Véronique Gens, Rene Fleming, Barbara Hendricks, etc... Jaroussky brought an unearthly artifice to these songs that almost seemed to heighten their decadence in an absolutely fascinating way. But then I am not an HIP purist. As much as I love René Jacobs new recording of Mozart's Magic Flute, it does not do away with Bohm's with Lucia Popp. What matters to me is the result. Magdalena Kozena and Lorraine Hunt Lieberson bring something to Handel and Bach that I would not be without... regardless of the fact that the roles were written for male choirboys or castratos. Jaroussky and the baritone Gérard Souzay bring something magical to the French melodies in spite of the fact that they may have been originally written for female sopranos or mezzos.

[Zeitblom]

Having been a boy chorister, I was showing signs as a teenager of developing into a decent male alto ... and then I had a gap year when I didn't sing at all, and by the time I got to University it had all gone! I sang a lot as a student, but as a second tenor/first bass, which was a lot less fun.

However, my counter-tenor story. One Easter, at home in North London during the University vacation, I was inveigled into singing in the chorus in a performance of Handel's Saul at a very famous (and notoriously philistine) public school. I've never forgotten the scene as several hundred of the future masters of the Universe, esconsed in their glorious Victorian Speech Room, saw and heard a counter-tenor for the first time. The popping of eyes and dropping of jaws was wondrous to behold.

[waynemcevilly]

Originally Posted by Baroque Mongoose

I'm very fond of the countertenor voice. I also enjoy the way a lot of people don't expect it. So I thought I would start a thread for countertenor stories, and, needless to say, I've got one.

My best friend, the very lovely megamole, is a semi-professional countertenor, and let's just say he's worth hearing. He is also a Big Chap (tm). We're talking 6'2" and substantially built, and he's half Russian and looks it, black beard and all. I, on the other hand, am 5'7" and rather willowy, with long dark-blonde hair. When I go and visit him, we usually have to do some grocery shopping at some point, and just occasionally he will burst into song in the middle of the supermarket.

The reaction of the unsuspecting shoppers is always hilarious. You can see it in their faces. First they think it's me singing, and then a few seconds later you can watch them do a bewildered double take as they realise that it is, in fact, Mole. Then it gradually dawns on them that this is not just a large man singing unfeasibly high. This is a large man singing unfeasibly high really well.

Shopping with countertenors. I recommend it.

Wayne here

Well I just dropped in to add this little fellow to a comment and found this "Countertenor In the SuperMarket" short story.
I never know, once I get into BrightCecilia Forums, whether I'm "doing things right" or where the heck I am. I take it that this will appear attached to the story.
I want one of these -> to post with my blogs.

[Philidor]

Originally Posted by waynemcevilly

I want one of these -> to post with my blogs.

He's yours my friend. Hotlink:

http://www.brightcecilia.com/forum/images/NewSmilies/worthy.gif

[Baroque Mongoose]

Wayne... can I just say you are adorable and I want you for an uncle?