The history and music of the Baryton-Martin

The baryton-Martin is a voice type named for the French singer Jean-Blaise Martin (1768-1837). Martin was known for his unusually wide range and high tessitura. Martin's voice was described as deep-voiced dark tenor, or as a clear-voiced high baritone. It was this blend of characteristics from the tenor and baritone voices, along with an intensity and beauty, which set his voice apart. His extraordinary voice was matched by his gifts for comic acting. The many roles created specifically for Martin's range, timbre, and characterization formed the foundation of musical literature for a voice type labeled the baryton-Martin. The voice type was developed by later generations of French composers including Georges Bizet, Maurice Ravel, and Claude Debussy, and Francis Poulenc.;This document encompasses the history of the baryton-Martin and examines its legacy through the lineage of singers and composers who helped define the voice type. Biographical and historical information on Jean-Blaise Martin, and later singers provides a musicological perspective on the topic. An analysis of several specific musical examples provides insight into the vocal demands and characteristics of the baryton-Martin.;There are several notable successors to Jean-Blaise Martin, especially Jean Perier, Pierre Bernac, Michel Dens, and Jaques Jansen, and Camille Maurane. These singers all possessed baryton-Martin voices, and are important figures in the history of classical singing. This document includes a discussion of their careers and voices.;Through an examination of musical excerpts from Debussy's Pelleas et Melisande, Ravel's L'heure Espagnole, Poulenc's Tell jour telle nuit, and Franz Lehar's The Merry Widow, this document identifies several characteristics such as range, tessitura, dynamics, and timbre that are unique to the baryton-Martin.;KEYWORDS: baryton-Martin, Jean-Blaise Martin, baritone, French baritone, high baritone.