ABSTRACT
There are thousands of compositions that call for instruments that have fallen into relative obscurity, such as the basset horn or the hurdy-gurdy. Many recent musicians have developed an interest in performance practice— the study of how earlier music was performed— and it is not uncommon now to hear concerts and recordings that feature "forgotten" instruments. Castrati were produced by castrating boys before they reached puberty, to prevent them from developing secondary sexual characteristics. A castrato retained the high voice of his childhood, but it was coupled with adult strength. As an adult, a castrato could sing in the same range as an adult woman, either a soprano range (a high-pitched woman's voice) or an alto range (a low-pitched woman's voice). Singers also make occasional use of ornamentation. Ornamentation is the technique of "decorating" or embellishing the music.
