The counter tenor / Peter Giles ; with additional material by David Mallinder.
| Author/creator | Giles, Peter |
| Other author | Mallinder, David. |
| Other author | Bowman, James, writer of foreword. |
| Format | Book |
| Publication Info | London : Frederick Muller Limited, 1982. |
| Description | xiii, 221 pages ; 8 pages of plates : illustrations ; 25 cm |
| Subjects |
| Contents | Foreword / by James Bowman -- Introduction: Counter tenor: the mythical voice? -- Prejudice and status quo -- The counter tenor in history -- Castrati -- The vocal mechanism -- Registers, range and repertoire -- Stylistic considerations -- What's in a name? -- The post-war renaissance -- Hazards to be aware of -- All's well that ends well? -- Appendix A. The counter tenor and the Parish choir ; Appendix B. Defining the counter tenor ; Appendix C. The counter tenor as an artistic phenomenon. |
| Abstract | "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'. This is a comprehensive and considered assessment of the voice, and as such it fills an extraordinary gap in the library of musicology. The author 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. The book is fully illustrated with music examples, diagrams and photographs. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliography (pages 209-212), discography (pages 205-208), and index. |
| Biographical note | "Peter Giles began singing as a boy chorister and later studied piano and organ with Leslie Pearson. He attended Ealing School of Art and Hornsey College of Art, then studied voice production with John Whitworth. After graduating from Hornsey, Giles became an alto lay clerk at Ely Cathedral, a post he later held at Lichfield. He is now senior lay clerk at Canterbury Cathedral and he also teaches singing and art part time. He has often appeared on radio and television and his singing engagements include solo work and performances with choirs and ensembles, notably with the Canterbury Clerkes trio. He has travelled extensively, particularly in the United States and Canada, singing, lecturing and broadcasting. Peter Giles has had exhibitions of his painting and sculpture and his novel A Monster Unto Many was published by Frederick Muller in 1980. Peter Giles is married with two children."--Dust jacket. |
| LCCN | 81181188 |
| ISBN | 058410474X : |
| ISBN | 9780584104745 |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Music | Closed Stacks - Ask at Circulation Desk | ML1460 .G54 1982 | ✔ Available | Place Hold |