Classical Music/Fifth voice?

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Expert: Pat G - 4/10/2010


Question
Dear Pat,

I am trying to find the name of a particular style of (early-ish) vocal harmony which creates the effect of an extra voice being present when there is no extra person there.  Sounds weird, I know, but I believe it was possibly a Spanish vocal tradition from the early days of polyphony/homophony.

I understand that it is done by harmonising notes which share harmonics, thus creating the auditory effect of a futher fundamental being present. Neat trick, huh?

I have a vague feeling that it is know as the fifth voice but I can't find anything on the internet for that so I guess I must be wrong!

Any help you can give me to point me in the right diretion would be greatly appreciated, as I would love to learn more about tbis.

Many thanks in advance,

Regards,

Stewart

Answer
Hello, Stewart,

That's a new one on me. It's clearly something, from your description, that predates classical music (since about the earliest I would regard as "classical" might be Renaissance, but I really study mainly from the Baroque to the present day.) I can do some research. However, I'll tell you that there is a tradition in the area of Nepal and Tibet in which a man can produce several tones with a single voice, simultaneously. I don't know how they do it, but I have heard it, and it's real. Your explanation of how the Spanish singing works makes sense. It turns out that if you play two notes which are close together in pitch, the beat between the two WILL produce another note, much lower in pitch. This is one of those facts that piano tuners use when they tune pianos, to make sure that the three (or two) strings of a single note are completely in tune with each other. I use this fact myself when tuning my piano. Often the pitch of this third note is low enough that it's not perceived as a pitch but rather a beat. But that doesn't mean it never is.

It's possible that this technique made its way from that part of the world over to Spain, somehow. There was quite a bit more trade over some of these routes than we realize.

Let me know if you want me to do further research. Obviously, you want to know the answer, but I'll have to give some thought to what search terms to use.

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Pat G

Expertise

I am no longer answering questions asking me to identify music. Most music is either on YouTube, which crashes my browser, or on another site that crashes my browser. I am available for other questions.

Experience

I have been playing piano since I was 3, and I am now 66 years old. I took formal lessons for about 11 years, and took some piano and organ performance courses in college. I also sang in the Masterworks Chorale for a number of years, and can sing anything from baritone to first soprano. We performed twice a year, usually a major choral work, ranging from requiem masses to Carmina Burana. I also attended recorder society meetings once a month. We would read compositions and perform them together. I took several children to their music lessons and rehearsals and usually stayed and watched intensely. Our children studied violin, viola, flute, guitar, clarinet, French horn, trumpet, and trombone.

Education/Credentials
I studied piano and organ in college, and took courses in music theory. I have also taken seminars in pre-Columbian folk music with Xochimoki, as well as played a short while in a gamelan, and a balalaika orchestra, where I played autoharp.

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