Topic Reading-Vol.4046-5/23/2023

Dear MEL Topic Readers,

Modern singing is radically different to the kind familiar to our ancestors.

Singing styles in the Western world have been changing as new technologies, ambiance, and cultures emerge. During the Middle Ages, singers tried to match the tone of the woodwind and strings of that time. Later, high-tone boyish songs sung by castrated men, castrati, dominated concerts and churches. Then in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, new singing skills and techniques were developed for operas. One thing common among these singing styles is that they were sung to be listened to directly by the audience, thus loud. But when microphones, amplifiers, and speakers appeared in concert halls in the 20^th century, singers no longer had to shout at the audience. They could then sing more softly, naturally, and intimately as if they are talking or whispering to someone. Those songs were then recorded, mastered, and distributed to the audience. Are new singing styles going to emerge when people listen to music mostly through earphones while doing other things?

Enjoy reading the article and learning about the changes in singing styles.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230511-how-singing-has-changed-over-the-centuries