contralto, n. and a. Mus.
(kənˈtrɑːltəʊ, -æ-)
Pl. ti-, -tos. Also 8 contrealt (cf. alt2).
[It.; ‘a counter treble in musicke’ (Florio 1598).]
1. a. The part next above the alto, sung by the highest male or lowest female voice; b. a voice of this pitch or compass; c. a singer with a contralto voice. (Now commonly restricted to the female voice.)
| 1730 Owen Swiny in Colman Posth. Lett. (1820) 23 Mr. Handel desires to have..a woman contrealt. Ibid. 25 We must provide a Soprano Man and a Contrealt Woman. |
| 1776 Sir J. Hawkins Hist. Mus. V. 120 In 1639, Stefano Landi, a Roman contralto..published the first book of Masses for four and five voices. 1787 Ann. Reg. 206 His voice, which may be deemed the finest contralto in this country, entirely filled the abbey. 1817 Byron Beppo xxxii, Soprano, basso, even the contra-alto, Wish'd him five fathom under the Rialto. 1871 M. Collins Mrq. & Merch. II. vii. 211 Her voice was a mellow contralto. 1880 Hullah in Grove Dict. Mus. I. 396/1 Even..in flexibility, recent contralti have certainly equalled, perhaps surpassed, vocalists of every other class. |
2. attrib. or adj.| 1769 Barrington in Phil. Trans. LX. 56 The parts for the first and second voice were written in what the Italians stile the Contralto cleff. 1834 Earl of Mount-Edgcumbe Mus. Remin. (ed. 4) 54 That excellent singer..possessed a contralto voice of fine quality. 1862 T. A. Trollope Marietta II. xiii. 237 Its full contralto tones. 1880 Hullah in Grove Dict. Mus. I. 58/1 The contralto part is properly written on the stave which has C on its second line. |