Tenor is a type of voice.
Tenor is a concept that can come from two different etymological sources: the Latin tenor , which derives from tenēre , or the Italian tenore . The term , in this way, has different meanings.
When the word is considered from its Latin origin, it refers to the state , content , nature , or disposition of something.
For example: "I was surprised by the governor when he gave a speech of this tenor" , "We should not minimize the tenor of these issues since they have a very important effect on children and adolescents" , "The president was concerned about the tenor of the protests that took place last night .
Tenor as a type of voice
If tenor comes from the Italian language, however, the notion is used to mention the type of voice that, according to its tessitura , is located between the baritone and contralto voices.
The individual who has this voice and the instrument with this tessitura are also known as tenors: «The Italian Luciano Pavarotti was one of the most important tenors in history» , «Tomorrow I am going to attend a concert by the Spanish tenor Plácido Domingo » , «You have a tenor voice, have you never thought about becoming a singer?» .
Tenors are very recognized in opera.
Classification according to type
According to the different types of voices that are recognized in this range, it is possible to classify tenors in different ways. The most powerful and firm voice is called a lyrical tenor .
The spinto lyric tenor , light lyric tenor , light tenor , heroic tenor , dramatic tenor , Mozartian tenor , and Rossinian tenor are other types of tenors.
About the tenors
The tenor is, without a doubt, the string most acclaimed by opera audiences, but also by those who approach lyrical voices to listen to "more intense" versions of popular songs, both old and current. Although the most outstanding sopranos are able to perform arrangements and ornaments unthinkable in a male voice (essentially because of the differences in their vocal training), women do not usually achieve as massive success as men , but the market keeps them mostly within the limits of academic music, with clear exceptions such as Sumi Jo .
Female and male voices are not as different as traditional schools try to show the public: basically, we should think of more or less high strings, with particularities regarding timbre , tessitura and elasticity, but not so much whether they belong to a man or a woman. There are not many examples of singers who have transcended this cultural barrier, but the Italian tenor William Matteuzzi is one of them: with his incredible agility and his extraordinary extension he has been able to execute coloratura passages like almost no other, with comparable embellishments. to those of a soprano.
For reasons that are probably due to machismo, tenors often receive training that "hardens their voices" , which leads them to sing in an apparently rigid way, something very rare in women with equivalent chords, since this would prevent them from facing the impossible passages that many composers created for them throughout the history of opera and chamber music. This does not mean that tenors treat their vocal folds aggressively, but rather that the sound they produce, even in moments of tenderness or softness, often seems more intense and robust than necessary.
This is linked to the fact that the most famous tenors tend to be those with the most dramatic voices, that is, those capable of interpreting the most intense and tragic works, while those who dedicate their careers to coloratura and comic opera compositions are known within the most specialized areas.