Your favourite counter-tenor?

[Antoine Marchand]

Both are now added to the Poll on your nomination   A reminder that you are able to change your vote if you wish (for example, from "other" to named singer who has been added subsequently).

Excellent, Dmitry. But, apparently, you can't vote again when you voted one time. 

[Marc]

I WANT MY VOTE BACK!

Good night.

[Verena]

I'm surprised no one mentioned Daniel Taylor - he  has one of the most beautiful countertenor voices. His Handel is great, for instance. I also like Lesne and Chance (in his prime). Scholl also had a beautiful voice (I think today, the voice has lost much of its lustre), but I never found his singing particularly interesting for some reason.
In general, I don't enjoy most countertenor voices, however.

[Antoine Marchand]

I WANT MY VOTE BACK!

Good night.

WE WANT JUSTICE! WE WANT JUSTICE!

[False_Dmitry]

Unfortunately I don't run the backroom messageboard software

[Scarpia]

Both are now added to the Poll on your nomination   A reminder that you are able to change your vote if you wish (for example, from "other" to named singer who has been added subsequently).

What about Michael Jackson?

[Tsaraslondon]

What about Michael Jackson?

Or Jimmy Somerville

[False_Dmitry]

Or Jimmy Somerville

Or the bloke from The Flying Pickets, now you mention it

[knight66]

I have been on holls, so missed the start of the topic. My vote goes to David Daniels with his ultra sweet and distinctive tone allied to expressiveness. His performance in Theodora converted me on the spot to the counter tenor voice and I have almost all of his discs. I have reviewed several of them in the vocal recital thread.

There is another long sunk thread on countertenors here and we discussed Yoshikazu Mera. Sweet, but palely waiting. I just can't take him seriously despite the advocacy of some here, principally Harry.

We are missing mention of Michael Chance who was excellent, especially in Bach. Jochan Kowalsky was too variable for me and sometimes sang under the note. We also need, I suppose, to mention the doyen of UK countertenors James Bowman. He has an acidic tone and sets my teeth on edge. He ruined quite a few good recordings for me.

Dellar was terrific, though it was a very delicate voice, the training has evolved, but Dellar was so musical, he made the weaknesses work for him.

I also like Daniel Taylor, very much enjoy Jaroussky and have quite a few of his discs. I admire more than enjoy Scholl, who I find increasingly inexpressive, though I value some of his earliest discs.

There are some I know I am missing...I can see a face, but can't put a name to it.

Mike

[Verena]

We also need, I suppose, to mention the doyen of UK countertenors James Bowman. He has an acidic tone and sets my teeth on edge. He ruined quite a few good recordings for me.

Same experience here.

[kishnevi]

Same experience here.

And that's about my reaction to Michael Chance.  His frequent appearance in that big Gardiner Bach box is the biggest complaint I have about the set.

[knight66]

Odd how differently voices will strike the ear. I thought Chance had a round and quite sweet sounding voice. I sang in chorus sometimes when he was a soloist, he was excellent. But then, lots like Bowman and I would cheerfully have garroted him.

Mike

[Xenophanes]

He sang with ease and flexibility, with a beautiful tone and perfect diction.  He seemed to do everything he did very well.

Here's a link to some songs he did for Radio-Canada.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Oqdrrvh1ho&feature=related

[mjwal]

I only like this kind of voice in Dowland (e tutti quanti) & Purcell. So none of the above with the exception of Deller and Oberlin need apply. Scholl sings beautifully, agreed, but so anonymous compared with Deller. Male falsetto voices in the opera house sound either underpowered or ugly and strained, in my experience. I could hardly hear Oberlin (I think...) in Midsummer Night's Dream, all those years ago (it may have been partly Solti's fault).

[Verena]

Odd how differently voices will strike the ear. I thought Chance had a round and quite sweet sounding voice. I sang in chorus sometimes when he was a soloist, he was excellent. But then, lots like Bowman and I would cheerfully have garroted him.

Mike

Yeah, that is surprising. I'm also surprised that many listeners like Oberlin's voice. I found it unpleasant to listen to. I once played a song performed by Oberlin to some 20 students (not musicians, but some of them interested in classical music), because I wanted to analyse the text of that song. All of them found the voice very unpleasant to listen to. I remember one student holding her hands in front of her mouth in "disbelief". Perhaps Oberlin was better in other repertoire, or I (along with my students) lack the ability to listen through the rather dated sound (though I don't have this kind of reaction to early Deller, for example)
Perhaps I should add that I conducted this little "experiment" with at least 5 different "generations" of students, and every time I got the same response. Though this might also, of course, be taken as evidence that countertenors in general are not most people's favorite type of voice. For all I know they might have hated other countertenor voices equally strongly.

[Xenophanes]

Yeah, that is surprising. I'm also surprised that many listeners like Oberlin's voice. I found it unpleasant to listen to. I once played a song performed by Oberlin to some 20 students (not musicians, but some of them interested in classical music), because I wanted to analyse the text of that song. All of them found the voice very unpleasant to listen to. I remember one student holding her hands in front of her mouth in "disbelief". Perhaps Oberlin was better in other repertoire, or I (along with my students) lack the ability to listen through the rather dated sound (though I don't have this kind of reaction to early Deller, for example)
Perhaps I should add that I conducted this little "experiment" with at least 5 different "generations" of students, and every time I got the same response. Though this might also, of course, be taken as evidence that countertenors in general are not most people's favorite type of voice. For all I know they might have hated other countertenor voices equally strongly.

I am hardly going to change my opinion of Oberlin's voice because a bunch of students don't like him.  He sang very well. The Penguin Guide refers to him as "the legendary Russell Oberlin." I do like him best on older music, although he could be effective with Purcell and Handel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjrhTpnZ1Ug

This gives some idea of his vocal capabilities.  But check him out on medieval music, too.

I never much liked Deller, who always sounded like he was singing falsetto.

[71 dB]

Lesne.

[Verena]

I am hardly going to change my opinion of Oberlin's voice because a bunch of students don't like him.

That is hardly what I suggested in my thread. In fact, I myself would never change my opininion on any voice even if  armies of students should have a different preference than I do. I just found it interesting that their gut response was so unanimous - with all the provisos added in my previous post: that my students were no musicians and not all of them interested in classical music, that they might have detested any countertenor voice whatsoever, and that it might possibly be due to the age of the recording. I do find it a little irritating if a cautiously phrased comment is interpreted in this way.

He sang very well. The Penguin Guide refers to him as "the legendary Russell Oberlin." I do like him best on older music, although he could be effective with Purcell and Handel.

I'd never change my opinion of a voice because of the Penguin Guide. Anyway, that Oberlin was an excellent, perhaps great, singer I do not doubt. It is just that I don't like his voice, for some reason. Callas was clearly legendary, but I find her voice most ugly, no matter how good her technique may have been (I don't know) or how intelligent her interpretation.

[Xenophanes]

That is hardly what I suggested in my thread. In fact, I myself would never change my opininion on any voice even if  armies of students should have a different preference than I do. I just found it interesting that their gut response was so unanimous - with all the provisos added in my previous post: that my students were no musicians and not all of them interested in classical music, that they might have detested any countertenor voice whatsoever, and that it might possibly be due to the age of the recording. I do find it a little irritating if a cautiously phrased comment is interpreted in this way.

I'd never change my opinion of a voice because of the Penguin Guide. Anyway, that Oberlin was an excellent, perhaps great, singer I do not doubt. It is just that I don't like his voice, for some reason. Callas was clearly legendary, but I find her voice most ugly, no matter how good her technique may have been (I don't know) or how intelligent her interpretation.

I didn't react to you but to the students in the story you related.  I am only too well aware that many people don't like classical music (at least, what the recognize as classical music), or real singers.  Some actually don't even like my voice, quite inexplicably, such as my wife's daughter--I wasn't allowed to sing at her wedding--but she has many good qualities. It takes all kinds, I suppose . . .

I doubt if many of the students took care to distinguish between a performer's competence (hence the PG quote) and whether they like their performances.  Indeed, I think that's common for many critics, though not all. I think some musicians are quite narrow in their judgments, though many are not.

[Verena]

I doubt if many of the students took care to distinguish between a performer's competence (hence the PG quote) and whether they like their performances.  Indeed, I think that's common for many critics, though not all. I think some musicians are quite narrow in their judgments, though many are not.

Yes, this is a very good point.