Larynges, pickled and otherwise: revoicing the early modern English singer

Abstract During the 20th-century revival of early music, singers encountered a unique problem not shared by instrumentalists: the inability to preserve the individual voice as an ‘artefact’ before the advent of recording technology. The singing voice, as a highly adaptable instrument, is influenced by the prevailing tastes and preferences of the singer’s social environment. Historicizing the voice thus enacts ‘microhistories’, in which individual voices are explored beyond, but also in tandem with, broader historical and cultural change. This article questions the appropriateness of present-day Western classical vocal style and training as a vehicle for the historically informed performance of early modern English vocal music. Drawing on insights from voice science, the discussion turns to historical English sources that describe the configuration of the vocal tract, with particular attention given to the height of the larynx. The discussion also situates the 20th-century revival of Tudor church music within the prestigious institutions that shaped its modern-day sound and examines the critical reception of approaches that have subsequently departed from this established sound-world. To conclude, the article locates these early modern anatomical statements within the wider context of voice pedagogy, both historic and modern. It advocates for the use of historical pronunciation and flexible vocal technique in the performance of the English repertory, encouraging a re-evaluation of current practices to align better with historical source material.