Sänger

Sänger is a German noun meaning male singer. It denotes a person who sings, whether as a professional performer, an amateur, or a member of a choir or ensemble. The feminine form is Sängerin, and the plural for female singers is Sängerinnen. In mixed groups, the phrase Sängerinnen und Sänger is commonly used to include all genders; in informal usage, Sänger may sometimes be used as a generic form.

Etymology: The word is derived from the verb singen (to sing) with the agent suffix -er. The singular form uses an umlaut in the stem (Sänger).

Usage and scope: The term covers singers across genres and contexts, including classical opera, oratorio and church music, as well as pop, rock, folk, and contemporary genres. A singer’s craft typically includes vocal technique, breath control, articulation, and repertoire selection. In German-speaking music education and criticism, voice types are described with terms such as Tenor, Bariton, Bass for male voices, and Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano (or Mezzo-Soprano), and Alt for female voices, though common usage in popular music often relies on English-derived categories.

Cultural note: The word Sänger appears in biographies, concert programs, and critical writing about vocal performance. It also occurs as a surname for some individuals, bearing no inherent meaning beyond the name itself.

Overall, Sänger denotes the performer’s role as a person who uses the voice as an instrument, across a wide range of musical traditions and settings.