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A 'bass' (or 'basso' in Italian) is a male singer who sings in the deepest vocal range of the human voice. According to Grove Music Online, a bass has a range extending from around the F below low C to the E above middle C (i.e., F2–E4).^[1] The Harvard Dictionary of Music defines the range as being from the E below low C to middle C (i.e. E2–C4).^[2] According to ''Singing for Dummies'', bass range is normally F2 to E4 but can be as wide as Eb2 to F4. According to its author, Pamelia S. Phillips, the bass changes from chest voice into middle voice around A3 or Ab3 below middle C and changes into head voice around D4 or C#4 above Middle C. Phillips states that the bass's low voice is his strength, and the bass's high voice is his weakness. Phillips also states that the bass's voice is the deepest, darkest, and heaviest of the male voices.^[3]
It is also common for men who are classified as "basses" (and have a full bass choral range) to have a speaking voice which may sound much higher than would be expected. Most seasoned basses also can train a very versatile falsetto, making their usefulness in a choral arrangement even greater.

Contents

Bass roles in opera

Basso Profondo

Basso Buffo / Bel Canto Bass

Basso Cantante

Dramatic Bass

Bass roles in operettas

Bass roles in musicals

Prominent bass singers

See also

References

External links

Bass roles in opera

In classical music, and particularly in opera, the following distinctions are often made among different kinds of bass voices:

Basso Profondo

★ ''Basso profondo'' in English, is a particularly deep male voice (profondo means deep). It may reach the D, C or even B flat below the bass clef, but is most distinguished by its dark and cavernous timbre. The Male Choir of St. Petersburg has seven bassi profondi out of its 22 total basses who are capable of easily reaching G1 (two octaves and a fourth below Middle C).EMI Classics — The Male Choir of St Petersberg CD Booklet — Vadim Afanasiev

★ 'Roles:'

★
★ Sarastro, ''The Magic Flute / Die Zauberflöte'' by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

★
★ Grand Inquisitor, ''Don Carlos'' by Giuseppe Verdi^[4]

★
★ Osmin, ''Die Entführung aus dem Serail'' by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

★
★ Hagen, ''Götterdämmerung'' by Wagner

Basso Buffo / Bel Canto Bass

★ ''Buffo'', literally "funny," basses are lyrical roles but demand a solid coloratura technique. They are usually the antagonist or the comic relief in Bel Canto operas.

★ 'Roles:'

★
★ Don Bartolo, ''The Barber of Seville'' by Gioachino Rossini

★
★ Don Basilio, ''The Barber of Seville'' by Gioachino Rossini

★
★ Don Magnifico, ''La Cenerentola'' by Gioachino Rossini

★
★ Dottor Dulcamara, ''L'elisir d'amore'' by Gaetano Donizetti

★
★ Leporello, ''Don Giovanni'' by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Basso Cantante

★ ''Basso Cantante'' means 'singing bass'. ''Basso cantante'' is a more lyrical voice.

★ 'Roles:'

★
★ Boris, ''Boris Godunov'' by Musorgsky

★
★ Prince Gremin, ''Eugene Onegin'' by Pyotr Tchaikovsky

★
★ Count Rodolfo, ''La Sonnambula'' by Bellini

★
★ Philip II, ''Don Carlos'' by Verdi

★
★ Mephistopheles, ''Faust'' by Charles Gounod

Dramatic Bass

★ Khan Konchak, ''Prince Igor'' by Alexander Borodin

★ Vladimir Yaroslavich, ''Prince Igor'' by Alexander Borodin

★ König Marke, ''Tristan und Isolde'' by Richard Wagner

★ Banquo, ''Macbeth'' by Giuseppe Verdi

★ The ''Commendatore'', ''Don Giovanni'' by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Bass roles in operettas

★ The Mikado of Japan (''The Mikado'')

★ Sergeant of Police (''The Pirates of Penzance'')

★ Old Adam Goodheart (''Ruddigore'')

★ Private Willis (''Iolanthe'')

★ Carpenter's mate (''HMS Pinafore'')

Bass roles in musicals

★ Audrey II (The Plant) (must belt to high G, and can be played by baritone with dark tone as well) (''Little Shop of Horrors'')

★ Caiaphas (''Jesus Christ Superstar'')

★ High Priests (''Jesus Christ Superstar'')

★ Emile de Becque (''South Pacific'')

★ Joe (''Show Boat'')

★ Judge Turpin (''Sweeney Todd'')

★ Major Holmes (''The Secret Garden'')

★ Leon Czolgosz & The Proprietor (''Assassins'')

★ Mack Sennett (''Mack and Mabel'')

★ Old Deuteronomy (''Cats'')

Prominent bass singers

★ Feodor Chaliapin

★ Boris Christoff

★ Nicolai Ghiaurov

★ Robert Lloyd

★ Mark Reizen

★ Matti Salminen

★ Sir John Tomlinson

See also

★

References

1. Bass Owen Jander, Lionel Sawkins, JB Steane, Elizabeth Forbes (ed L Macy)
2. Ranges Guide, Yale University Music Library, taken from the Harvard Dictionary of Music
3. Identifying the Fab Four of Singing Voices Pamelia S. Phillips
4. Bass Guide, BBC Wales

External links

★ Guide to the singing voice, BBC Wales

★ Basses in Bach’s vocal works

★ Typical ranges, Yale University Library Archive