The Castrato Sacrifice: Was it Justified? Page: 15
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go through puberty. For a normal male, this is the natural process that causes the lower pitch and
stronger power of the voice. Testosterone production is increased, changing the length of their
vocal chords. During the process of puberty, the male vocal chords increase by 63%, while the
female vocal chords increase only by about half that rate at 34%. Prepubescent male vocal
chords grow from an average of 17.35 mm to 28.92 mm by the time they reach adulthood.
During this change, serous fluid accumulates in the tissue. This excessive swelling is called
oedema, which is responsible for the permanent thickening that lowers the pitch of the voice
even further. The prevention of this natural physical process leaves the castrato's speaking voice
pitched like a female's. Tandler and Gross of Italy had the unique opportunity in 1909 to
examine for themselves a 28-year-old castrato through autopsy. Their discoveries revealed that,
besides the fact that the larynx was extremely small and the thyroid notch hardly even visible,
the man had vocal chords approximately the size of a coloratura soprano! They were a mere
14 mm in length (Brodnitz 1974). This was a definite indication of the extreme physical changes,
brought about by castration that created the unusual power and uniqueness of the castrato voice.
The actual sound of the castrato voice is something that, rather tragically, modern day ears shall
never truly experience. Alessandro Moreschi (November 11, 1858- April 22, 1922), the
proclaimed "last castrato," produced in 1902 the only solo castrato recording in existence.
However, these were phonograph recordings on gramophone records for the Gramophone and
Typewriter Company (Heriot 1975). Therefore, the resultant quality is rather poor. Critics argue
whether Moreschi was a castrato singer of rather average talent, or that he was just as exquisite
as some of his predecessors, but simply "past his prime" when he made these extremely rare
recordings.15
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Sowle, Jennifer. The Castrato Sacrifice: Was it Justified?, thesis, August 2006; Denton, Texas. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc5343/m1/18/: accessed May 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; .