The first use of the term "baritone" emerged as baritonans, late in the 15th century,Franchino Gaffurio, Practica musicae, liber tertius , 1496 usually in French sacred polyphonic music. At this early stage it was frequently used as the lowest of the voices (including the bass), but in 17th-century Italy the term was all-encompassing and used to describe the average male choral voice.
