Jean-Baptiste Faure was France's important singer and vocal pedagogue during the late 19th and early 20th century. His 1886 vocal treatise, La Voix e la Chant, was translated into English and presented in serial form in Werner’s Voice Magazine in 1889 by Elsie M. Wilbor. I’ve taken the liberty of offering readers two sections of Wilbor’s translation. The second is published here, while the first can be found here. Find Faure’s original text on the download page and more information on Faure here. Readers can discover Werner’s Voice Magazine in the HathiTrust database.

It was most interesting for this writer to find his voice type adroitly written about that voice being described by Faure as “the light bass, also called low baritone.” —low baritone is the exact term used by Margaret Harshaw. Faure also calls the light bass the “ancient baritone” voice. Faure is correct: the high baritone voice has supplanted the light bass voice. When I was singing professionally at the New York City Opera, more than a few coaches wanted to push my voice up (I never really had a high G), and one noted voice teacher even believed I was a baritone Martin. Nuts. But that’s where we’ve been since Faure penned his treatise. Too often, the singer has an ideal imposed upon them rather than being heard for who they are. Thank you, Miss Harshaw.

For WERNER'S VOICE MAGAZINE.

THE VOICE AND SINGING.

BY JEAN BAPTISTE FAURE,

THE EMINENT FRENCH BARITONE AND COMPOSER. Translated and adapted from the French by ELSIE M. WILBOR.

IV.

First Tenor. (Comic Opera.)

IS THERE a perceptible difference of timbre between the voices of a comic or light opera first tenor and a grand opera first tenor? In former times, yes. But if we consider the modifications that have taken place in comic opera, modifications that have called into existence a new style of tenor so resembling the grand opera first tenor that he can, without offending public prejudice, interpret many grand opera roles, then I answer, no. It is so easy to confound the two that the directors of the Paris Grand Opera House and the Opera-Comique often question the result of Conservatoire competitions, and the same person often fills engagements in both theatres alternately. The roles written for Roger, who may be considered the creator of this kind of voice, might well be sung by a grand opera first tenor also. Therefore, there can be no objection to include in the list of grand opera tenors, comic opera tenors capable of interpreting the roles Roger sang.

In the light tenor voice, of which Ponchard is the most perfect living exemplification, the distinction is much more decided. The chest voice of the real light tenor has a marked tendency to become thin in its upper notes, gradually merging into the falsetto voice, is far from having the virile character of other tenor voices, but is better adapted to express tender and delicate sentiment. Not infrequently, certain notes of these voices are more sonorous than similar notes of a grand opera first tenor. The voice has the requisite spontaneity and agility to do justice to semi-serious subjects as well as to opera bouffe. Therefore, the comic opera tenor can easily interpret the roles of " Count Ory," Leopold, the "Jewess," Raimbaud, and "Robert le Diable." I do not think it well to rank among tenor voices, properly so called, that class of which Chollet's voice was an example, holding a mean between a baritone and a light tenor, resembling the first in texture and the second in facility of executing falsetto tones.

The comic opera second tenor may be regarded merely as a light tenor on a small scale, and may, by study and experience, become the understudy or substitute for that voice in certain roles, at the same time preserving its true character.

High Baritone.

A glance at the parts in "Ernani," "Nabucco," "Macbeth," "Foscari," "Rigoletto," "Trovatore," and one at the roles created by George Ronconi, will show the difference between this kind of baritone and that for which "Wilhelm Tell," "La Muette," "Semiramide," the "Siege of Corinth," "La Favorita," "Charles VI.," "Don Sebastian," the "Queen of Sheba," and similar operas were written. Although the artist who created the last four works passed, at that time, for a high baritone, it would have been useless for him to even attempt any of the roles in Verdi's compositions just cited.

Modern baritones produce all their effects on the high notes c, d, e, f, g, most frequently in fortissimo passages and in expressing the strongest passions. The Martins, on the contrary, being unhampered by noisy orchestration, were able to use the head voice, which they had developed and cultivated by study. They should be ranked among graceful, agile singers. A tenor, by suppressing or altering the few deep notes intended to display the voice of a Martin, could sing with impunity in the chest voice what would otherwise be oftenest sung in the head voice.

Light Bass (Ancient Baritone).

The light bass voice, also called low baritone, and the limited tenor voice are the most common male voices. The light bass has been almost supplanted by the high baritone (a sort of limited tenor) in the roles of modern grand opera; but what it has lost in one way it has gained in another, for the disuse into which composers have allowed it to fall has benefited the low bass voice, or basso profundo.

The light bass voice has also grades or classes, which have all been utilized. The role of Max in "Chalet" may be cited as a type that best characterizes it in compass and texture; also the roles created by Hermann Leon and Charles Battaille. This voice has an advantage over the baritones of Verdi in serving composers as a fundamental bass in trios, quartets and concerted pieces. Besides, it possesses considerable agility which Rossini and the other Italian writers of his epoch knew how to utilize to produce the best effects, applying it alike to opera bouffe and to grand opera.

Before Baroilhet, baritones were known only as light bassos. The baritones who then interpreted "Wilhelm Tell," Pietro, "Don Juan," today would not take the role of Valentine in " Faust," but rather that of Mephistopheles.

Low Bass, or Basso Profundo.

This voice, the deepest of all voices, is rarely perfect. When the sonority of its medium notes is in rapport with that of its lowest notes it passes only with difficulty C or D, its very heaviness or depth making it inflexible. This calm tranquility and sonorousness of the real basso profundo is well adapted to the prolonged notes of liturgic singing. Such voices are more at home in the church than upon the stage.

When, however, these deep notes are exceptional with the basso the rest of the voice approaches the light bass, and occasionally has as large a compass as the light bass. Because Battaille ended the romance in the " Etoile du Nord " with a contre E it should not, therefore, be concluded that the role of Pierre is precisely a low bass; its timbre is rather that of a second bass. It is the same in the roles written for Levasseur, who was a light bass with exceptionally low notes. The deepest bass voices are chiefly found in the northern countries, Germany and Russia, and have been most utilized by German composers. They are more rare in Italy, where deep tones find little appreciation.

Falsetto Voice.

When the singer reaches the natural upper limit of the chest voice but wishes to produce still higher tones, he meets a less sonorous register of almost childish quality, known as falsetto or head voice. This register, when habitually employed, may be of great service to tenors and also to comic opera baritones; therefore I cannot too strongly urge its cultivation and use. Although a basso profundo may often produce head tones as easily as a tenor or a baritone, it is useless for him to cultivate them, as they cannot be applied in his kind of work.

The variations to which many tenors subject the head voice explain the disfavor in which it is held. Most tenors preferring to unite it with the chest voice, greatly exaggerate its volume by means of the syllable ou. By extending this syllable, or spreading its tint, as it were, over their words, they not only rob their pronunciation of clearness, but they confine the head voice to a single timbre and deprive it of its power of varied expression.

It is impossible to indicate the precise notes to be employed in passing from one register to the other. They depend upon the nature and compass of the voice, and upon the sense of the words sung quite as much as upon the position of the note in the musical phrase. If left to nature, change of registers in both men and women, occurs upon exactly the same notes, one octave apart; that is to say, from E to F, from F to F# or from F# to G. Tenors and baritones might make use of those soprano exercises whose object it is to unite chest tones with head tones.

Medium Compass of the Female Voice.

The compass of the high soprano voice is almost the same as that of the dramatic soprano. The only difference lies in the facility with which the high soprano can articulate words at the extreme notes of her voice and in the ability to attack them without effort. Quality and character, regardless of volume, determine the place assigned by nature to these two varieties of the same type.

Mezzo-Soprano.

The mezzo-soprano, a voice between contralto and dramatic soprano as arising in the passage from one to the other, is, with the baritone, most frequently met. While not possessing the texture of the dramatic soprano it, however, has often its compass. Its falsetto notes have more strength and brilliancy and its high notes more spontaneity than the corresponding notes of the contralto; but its chest register has neither the power more the masculine character found in the contralto.

Contralto.

The contralto, which most nearly approaches the male voice, sometimes having equal force and energy, is admirably adapted to dramatic work. It has been utilized more in Italy than in France, where it is often confounded with the deep mezzo-soprano. The real contralto voice could not sing with safety the operas of the modern French repertoire such as “La Favorite,” the “Queen of Sheba,” the “Prophet,” in which the timbre changes in different acts and often even in an aria.

This voice, aside from its volume, is especially suited for vocalization. In female voices this change of timbre occurs from D to E, or from E to F. Many teachers make this change the foundation of the theory of two distinct registers—a miced register from G to D (on the staff), and a head register, from this D to D above the staff, the very highest notes of the vocal scale. This change of timbre, very perceptible to an experienced ear, is often produced unconsciously by women, but it cannot compare with the change that exists between the chest register and the falsetto or head voice. This will be further discussed under the "Mixed Voice."

It is well not to draw the pupil's attention to the changes of timbre and register in his voice if he has not already noticed them.

Chest-Voice.

By the female chest voice I mean a voice that resembles or recalls the contralto choir boy's voice. The most effective way to develop this register in a soprano that seems to lack it, is by imitation. Physiological facts avail nothing. It is by imitating the voices of young boys, or of contralti, that soprani will acquire the chest voice most quickly and satisfactorily.

In most singing methods the chest voice is supposed to extend from C to F and even to G. Some teachers extend this register as high as B and C. I should never advise its extension beyond F, for the uniting of the chest and head voices will be much easier if the transition takes place in the lowest part of the voice. The further the chest voice is extended the more difficult will it be to bridge the chasm that separates the two registers. Soprani should be almost forbidden the use of this register in exercising, during the first months of study. Some voices are naturally so even that there is no perceptible break between the registers. My restrictions do not apply to these. To enable pupils to pass from the head voice to the chest voice with facility and confidence, they should accustom themselves in exercising to take the head voice upon the last chest note and even a little lower if possible.

To sum up, the chest voice should be employed only with the greatest care; it is a double-edged weapon, dangerous and difficult to manage. By employing the upper notes of the chest voice the perfect joining or melting together, as it were, of the chest and head registers and the homogeneity and equilibrium of the voice are disturbed, gradually destroying its charm and purity; and, if unchecked, may lead to total loss of the vocal organ. One of the most sympathetic and brilliant singers of the day, one who has held the foremost rank on the lyric stage, carried away by the success won by employing the chest voice, has greatly shortened her career by continually going beyond the natural limit of her voice. [To be continued.]

Jean Baptiste Faure, “The Voice and Singing,” Werner’s Voice Magazine, April 1889, p. 70-71.