Is because they have a mellow tone that’s nice to listen to as they tell the story or is it some other reason?
I think it’s just one of those musical typecastings…you know, like in opera fathers are always baritones, priests are always basses, villains are frequently baritones, young girls are sopranos, mothers and nannies/nurses are mezzos. It’s just one of those things that is just always done that way.
I would guess it’s because that voice is lyrically the easiest to understand.
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I think it’s just one of those musical typecastings…you know, like in opera fathers are always baritones, priests are always basses, villains are frequently baritones, young girls are sopranos, mothers and nannies/nurses are mezzos. It’s just one of those things that is just always done that way.
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I’m afraid I can’t allow you that information, Mr. Bond…
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It’s a question of the developing perception at the time of the operatic division of labour, the highest tessitura of voice for each gender taking the lead by general default: soprano for female and tenor for male. Oratorio, in the wake of opera, followed that perceived convention unless there was a compelling dramatic reason to do otherwise. In the specific context of the Passions, contrary to what you might expect to be the case, it is the narrator — i.e. the Evangelist — who is the lead role in the liturgical drama, regardless of the narrative focus, which is of course Christ himself.
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