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Rise and Fall of Castrati in the 17th and 18th Centuries
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Castrati, male singers who have been castrated before adolescence to retain their high treble voice range, figured notably in the music of the 17th and 18th centuries, or the Baroque style period. ... Castrati played a central role in the development of opera, and on a larger scale, in the history of Western music. ... Also I will follow the evolution of the procedure and how castrati were viewed by both the church and society during the pinnacle of their popularity. I plan to explore the reason for the increased number of castrati in the Baroque time period, and the factors that led to the need for this type of operation in order to keep a male voice in the treble range as opposed to having female singers. Finally I hope to explain the cause of the decline of popularity of the castrati at the end of the Baroque era. ... Coordination was not a regular trait of the castrati, evident in the following account of the famous castrato, Farinelli as an actor: “What a pipe! ...
Before the castrati came into use in the West, in the 16th century, the treble parts of music were either sung by young boys or falsettos (men who use their head voice or falsetto). ... As religious music became more complex and demanding, the advantage of the castrati was that they could sing naturally in the range of a boy soprano with the power and stamina of a man. In 1599, two Italian castrati, Pietro Paolo Folignato and Girolamo Rossini were admitted to the Sistine Chapel. These were not the first castrati to sing in church, or even the Sistine Chapel, but the acceptance of Folignato and Rossini along with the invention of opera at about that time, ushered in the age of the castrati (Pleasants, 38). ... In spite of the fact that castrati were being welcomed to sing in religious settings, people known to castrate children were ostracized. ...
The new wealth that flowed into Europe in the 17th century caused a need for Europeans to drive their expensive carriages and wear expensive clothes and be waited on by servants. ... The castrati figured in the history of opera from its inception. Some of the first operas included castrati in their cast: Peri’s Euridice (1600), Monteverdi’s Orfeo (1607), and Vitali’s Aretusa (1620). ... Later Monteverdi composed L’incoronazione di Poppea (1642) with castrati in mind for the two male leads. The popular opera seria, or opera dealing with the classical tragedies and other grand and dramatic themes, was created in Italy in large by and for castrati themselves to showcase their talent, much to the delight of audiences. Castrati as young as twelve could be introduced in minor parts in these operas, and older newcomers were frequently used in female roles until their reputation had been established. ...
However another source, The Singing Voice, by Robert Rushmore contradicts this evidence, saying that the castrati voice extended over about two octaves:
“Yet when one examines excerpts of music that he is supposed to have sung… it appears that he lacked comfort and ease above the G below high C, nor does the music go lower than the D just above middle C – a range in fact of eleven notes.
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Paper Information
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Title: Rise and Fall of Castrati in the 17th and 18th Centuries
Words: 2490
Rating: None
Pages: 10
submitted by: Valhalla66
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