Alto
The musical term alto, meaning "high" in Italian (Latin: altus), refers to the second highest part of a contrapuntal musical texture and is also applied to its associated vocal range, especially in choral music. More rarely it describes the highest male solo voice type (usually designated countertenor), and it is also the root word of contralto, the lowest standard female voice type. When designating instruments, "alto" likewise can refer either to the corresponding vocal range (alto flute and alto trombone) or to musical role (alto recorder and alto clarinet).
Etymology
In choral music for mixed voices, "alto" describes the lowest part commonly sung by women. The explanation for the anomaly of this name is to be found not in the use of adult falsettists in choirs of men and boys but further back in innovations in composition during the mid-15th century. Before this time it was usual to write a melodic cantus or superius against a tenor (from Latin tenere, to hold) or 'held' part, to which might be added a contratenor, which was in counterpoint with (in other words, against = contra) the tenor. The composers of Ockeghem's generation wrote two contratenor parts and designated them as contratenor altus and contratenor bassus; they were respectively higher and lower than the tenor part. From these derive both the modern terms "alto" (and contralto) and "bass".
Alto (disambiguation)
Alto is a musical term that has several possible interpretations.
Alto may also refer to:
Places
- Alto (community), Wisconsin, an unincorporated community in Fond du Lac County
People
Music
Other uses
Alto, Piedmont
Alto is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 110 kilometres (68 mi) south of Turin and about 45 kilometres (28 mi) southeast of Cuneo. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 113 and an area of 7.6 square kilometres (2.9 sq mi).
Alto borders the following municipalities: Aquila di Arroscia, Caprauna, Nasino, and Ormea.
