Since the recordings of Alfred Deller the musical public has been able to enjoy the male falsetto voice, often termed counter-tenor. Since then, many artists have had professional success with this type of singing, which has acquired a small but not insignificant repertoire of its own. It found a place within the early music movement of the 1960s, 70s and 80s, when the delicacy of the falsetto tone suited intimate lute and harpsichord accompaniment. Deller’s first recordings in 1949 were, after all, of Dowland songs, with the lute part played on guitar.
The musical public was introduced to much of the earlier repertoire via the British early music groups, with their singers sourced from traditional Oxbridge college chapels, which tend to use falsettists. This does not mean that the voice has any particular historical authenticity. It is definitely not equivalent to the famed castrato; a modern falsettist shares only sex and musical pitch with the castrato. JS Bach wrote solos for boy altos, Handel for castrati and women. Yes, Purcell wrote novelty falsetto music to sing himself, but his employment was as a baritone.
René Jacobs has written very persuasively to explain his favouring women singers over falsettists in his performances and recordings. The phenomenon of the male falsetto soloist is a modern one, and one which continues to present a challenge to women singers. There are now more falsetto soloists than ever before. However, I like to feel there is room for us all, with all our varied strengths and differences. Alfred Deller’s recordings of O thou that tellest and He was despised were released in 1953, the same year as those by Kathleen Ferrier. There’s a comparison!