tenor

Tenor is a category of male singing voice that sits higher than baritone and lower than the higher registers used by countertenors. In classical singing, the tenor’s practical range is typically from around C3 to C5, with many performers extending into higher notes in the passaggio up to D5 or beyond in specialized repertoire. The tenor category includes several subtypes, such as lyric tenor, known for a bright, flexible timbre ideal for melodic lines; spinto or dramatic tenor, which combines lyric quality with the ability to project over a large orchestra; and heldentenor, a heroic, powerful voice common in Wagnerian opera. Singers often specialize in particular repertoires and may extend their ranges through technique.

In choral music, tenor is the highest male voice part in standard SATB arrangements, and parts are frequently divided into first tenor and second (or lower) tenor sections in many ensembles.

In musical notation, the term tenor appears in the tenor clef, a C clef placed on the fourth line that was historically used for some vocal and instrumental parts and is still encountered in the study of early music. The word tenor also occurs in instrument naming, such as the tenor saxophone or tenor guitar, indicating a pitch range that sits between higher-pitched and lower-pitched instruments.

Beyond music, tenor has a broader English meaning referring to the general meaning, purpose, or character of something, as in the tenor of a discussion.

Famous tenors include Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo, Jonas Kaufmann, and Andrea Bocelli.