Word: coarsen
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...Hypochondria. Because of the delicacy of his vocal organ, the tenor is forced to baby his voice. Many carry this to extremes, even denying themselves sex for 48 hours before a performance because it may coarsen their tone. (One contemporary tenor has refined this after learning by a process of trial and error that his voice is at its peak exactly three days after sexual intercourse.) Despite all his precautions, the tenor tends to feel himself hoarse as a wolf at curtain time, and often decides he has a cold. If he can be forced onto the stage, his natural...