The term alto voice could be a amazingly ambiguous. Probably
you're relating alto to a feminine voice, but the term “alto” comes from the
Latin “altus” which means high, therefore originally the term might have meant
a high male voice. So, the word alto originally mentioned the highest male
voice, singing falsetto. Female alto voices are regularly called contralto. As an example, hear the performance of Karen Clark, contralto with interesting tone color.
In classical music usually is not known female voices below contralto, but female vocals with a range below alto and near to tenor or baritone still exist, and that’s another fascinating subject regarding choral music as well as in singing at all. For example, the Swedish female quartet SALT, they are now not active in performing, had a great bass, Susanna Berndts, check out her spectacular low voice during this video (she’s the tall blonde), probably she sings even down to C#3 (that is nearly a tenor low C).
Alto and Contralto
Alto and Contralto are almost synonymous, although contralto
is often used to indicate a specially deep alto voice. There's no distinction
between these two terms in the music literature. Both are commonly used as low
tones of the female voice. The quality of alto voice is usually rich, resonant,
dark and 'throaty'.
Range of alto voice
Regarding a range of alto voice - in one standard choir -
from an “alto” singer would usually be expected to be able to obtain a range
from F3 or G3 low middle C (C4) up to about the F5 what is two octaves up from
F3. Some choral arrangements have a distinction between “Alto one” (higher) and
“Alto two” (lower) and possibly many amateur choral Alto 2 wouldn't be able to
sing much higher than C5 or D5 (what is actually tenor high C or the D above
it).
Alto instruments?
The word alto is additionally used for some musical
instruments which have comparable range, for example, alto saxophone, alto
clarinet, alto flute. In this regard the meaning of alto in French is “tenor
violin” or “tenor saxhorn”. And an interesting terminological comparison is
that the contralte in French means the English “alto”.
Is alto lowest female voice?
In classical music usually is not known female voices below contralto, but female vocals with a range below alto and near to tenor or baritone still exist, and that’s another fascinating subject regarding choral music as well as in singing at all. For example, the Swedish female quartet SALT, they are now not active in performing, had a great bass, Susanna Berndts, check out her spectacular low voice during this video (she’s the tall blonde), probably she sings even down to C#3 (that is nearly a tenor low C).
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