Vocal Classification: A Comparative Study Between Italian, French and German Schools of singing

The aim of this study was to identify, through literature, similarities and/or differences between Italian, French and German schools of singing, in relation to their vocal classification criteria. A literature search was then conducted in the libraries of the Arts Institute of UNESP, ECA-USP, PUC-SP, as well as the electronic databases MEDLINE and SciELO. The analysis of the collected material revealed that Italian and German schools demonstrate greater systematization regarding vocal classification criteria, and they classify voices according to the musical written of certain composers. The French school proposes alternative classifications for voices outside the traditional standards. The classificatory parameters used more frequently by three schools are, respectively, the vocal range and timbre. It was concluded that the classification of voices involves anatomical, functional, psychological, and cultural aspects, and therefore should be seen as a slow and gradual process for construction of the opera singer's vocal identity