Altus
Altus is Latin for “high”. The word names the second-highest voice in four-part settings with the names Cantus, Altus, Tenor and Bassus, from which the alto part developed. It also names a high male voice in the alto range that sings in falsetto, related to the countertenor.
- Meaning 1
- name of the second-highest voice in four-part writing: Cantus, Altus, Tenor, Bassus
- Meaning 2
- high male voice in the alto range, singing in falsetto; also countertenor
- Abbreviation
- A (in SATB)
- Range
- roughly E3 to E5; the figures vary
- Word origin
- Latin altus, “high”
Two meanings
In older polyphony a counter-voice, in Latin “contratenor”, was added to cantus and tenor. When four voices became the rule, it divided into a high and a low one: “contratenor altus” and “contratenor bassus”. From these the names Altus and Bassus developed; the modern words alto and bass go back to them too. That is the first meaning: the voice in the texture.
The second meaning is a singer. The altus is a male voice in falsetto in the alto range, especially in the music of the 16th to 18th centuries. It is closely related to the countertenor. The distinction is weak: “altus” refers more to the range of the notated part, “countertenor” to the singer’s voice category.
How high?
Here too there is no fixed figure. The sources lie close together, but are not identical:
| Account | Range | What is meant |
|---|---|---|
| Account A | roughly E3 to E5 | contratenor altus in four-part writing for men’s voices |
| Account B | E3 to D5 or E5 | countertenor, roughly like an alto |
| Account C | F3 to D5 | “alto” in general |
Approximate range: E3 to E5
E3 and E5 are two octaves apart. For the countertenor, depending on the account, E3 to D5 or E5 is given.
Altus: sung as written
In the treble clef without an 8 the notes sound as they sit on the lines: G4, A4, G4, F4, then E4.
Tenor: the same lines, an octave lower
The same note positions as above, but with the small 8 under the clef: they sound an octave lower (G3, A3, G3, F3, E3). This is how the tenor of Caligaverunt and Popule Meus is written in the sheet music archive, the altus without the 8.
Listen to both lines: they are the same positions on the staff, only the second sounds an octave lower. That is the reason for the 8 at the tenor. It is often left out, because tenor parts in the treble clef are in any case sung an octave lower than written; countertenor and altus parts are expressly excepted.
Altus in the sheet music archive
Both pieces are Latin choral settings by Juozas Naujalis. They use the old names:
Altus in choral writing
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Caligaverunt Juozas Naujalis (1869–1934), op. 7 No. 1 · choir arrangement SATB · 2 pages
Four staves with the labels Cantus, Altus, Tenor and Bassus. The Altus is the second staff: treble clef without an 8, one ♯, time signature C, tempo marking “Largo”, p in the first bar. The tenor beneath it has the small 8 on its treble clef.
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Popule Meus Juozas Naujalis (1869–1934), op. 7 No. 2 · four-part setting · 4 pages
Again Cantus, Altus, Tenor and Bassus. One ♭, time signature C, tempo marking “Andante”, an upbeat of a half note, p at the start and mf in bar 6, a fermata in bar 5. The Altus is in the treble clef without an 8, the tenor with one.
In both settings you can see who is where: Cantus and Altus in the treble clef, the tenor in the treble clef with an 8, the Bassus in the bass clef. Who sings the line is not stated on the sheet; the header of Caligaverunt says only “Chorsatz SATB”.
Common mistakes
- Equating altus and alto: In a texture altus often means the voice that is now called alto; as a singer, an altus is a man in falsetto, whereas an alto is usually a woman’s or a boy’s voice.
- Reading ranges as fixed limits: The figures differ by a semitone or a whole tone depending on the account.
- Overlooking the 8 at the tenor: Without it the line sounds an octave too high.
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Related terms
AltoChoirVoice / partSopranoBassTreble clefAlto clefTenor clefVocal rangeAmbitusPolyphonic
Editor: Maik Krohm · reviewed on 3 October 2026
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