The History and Technique of the Counter-Tenor: A Study of the Male High Voice Family

by Peter Giles

This volume offers a uniquely comprehensive survey of the counter-tenor, his role in the history of western art music, its present state, and begins to ponder on its possible future condition.
In two parts, the first covers the history of the voice from the early application of the 'falsetto' effect, through its heyday in the 17th and 18th centuries, its decline in the 19th century and early 20th century and eventual post-war revival.
The second part describes the mechanism and techniques of the counter-tenor, including contemporary comment on the 'feigned voice' of the Renaissance, the relationship between different high male voices and the ranges and styles of the counter-tenor voice family.
The author adopts something of an alternative approach to a controversial subject. Though championing and celebrating the counter-tenor voice range, he is by no means uncritical of some aspects of it as heard today. In this work, in some respects, standard musicology is complemented rather than complimented.
The breadth of perception of this book make it invaluable reading for all those who are involved or interested in the counter-tenor voice, in historical singing techniques and in pre-baroque and baroque music generally.

459 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Peter Giles is a distinguished British countertenor, voice teacher, and author renowned for his contributions to both performance and scholarship in the field of countertenor singing. He began his musical journey as a boy chorister in London and later studied under the esteemed countertenor John Whitworth. Giles held prominent positions as an alto lay clerk at Ely, Lichfield, and Canterbury Cathedrals, serving as senior lay clerk at Canterbury from 1978 to 1994.

In addition to singing, he is active as an organist, conductor, and choral coach. Giles is also widely respected for his writings on countertenor technique and history.