We have now reached the point at which we came in – 1943 and Tippett's discovery of Alfred Deller. By common consent this marks the birth of the modern era for the counter-tenor. Deller may not have been the first falsetto counter-tenor to achieve a level of fame, but as a revealer of great new musical vistas – early and modern – his influence and importance were profound. More than fifty years on, we still associate the counter-tenor with discoveries in non-mainstream music. In this sense it might appear that little has changed since Deller, and that he marks the real end of this history. In fact, the development of the counter-tenor voice has continued unabated. Most obviously, we can chart the exponential rise in numbers, geographical diffusion, and public recognition of the countertenor. Not so apparent, though, are the subtle ways in which the voice itself has developed, so that in terms of repertory, range and technique, today's best-known counter-tenors have less in common with Deller than we might at first think.

The Falsettist Counter-Tenor Enters the Limelight

Deller's own story, well told in Michael and Mollie Hardwick's biography of the singer, needs only a brief summary here. Championed by Tippett, Deller came to public notice in 1946 when he featured as a soloist in the BBC Third Programme's initial broadcast. Within five years Deller had moved to London, begun his recording career, and founded the Deller Consort.