soprano
Sign in to saveA soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to A5 in choral music, or to soprano C (C6) or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which often encompasses the melody. The soprano voice type is generally divided into the coloratura, soubrette, lyric, spinto, and dramatic soprano.
AI overview
A soprano is the highest singing voice type in classical music, typically ranging from middle C to A5 or higher depending on whether it's used in choral or operatic settings. In ensemble singing, sopranos usually perform the top melodic line, and the voice type is further divided into several categories—coloratura, soubrette, lyric, spinto, and dramatic—based on the singer's capabilities and vocal qualities.
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Article
14 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Vocal range
- In choral music
- Subtypes and roles in opera
- Coloratura
- Soubrette
- Lyric
- Spinto
- Dramatic
- Other types
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to A5 in choral music, or to soprano C (C6) or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which often encompasses the melody. The soprano voice type is generally divided into the coloratura, soubrette, lyric, spinto, and dramatic soprano.
== Etymology == The word "soprano" comes from the Italian word sopra (above, over, on top of), as the soprano is the highest pitch human voice, often given to the leading female roles in operas. "Soprano" refers mainly to women, but it can also be applied to men; "sopranist" is the term for a male countertenor able to sing in the soprano vocal range, while a castrato is the term for a castrated male singer, typical of the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, and a treble is a boy soprano, whether they finished puberty or are still a child, as long as they are still able to sing in that range.