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Soprano

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	Topics Soprano Topic Home This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice typeVoice type A voice type is a particular kind of human singing voice perceived as having certain identifying qualities or characteristic... . A soprano is a singerSinger A singer is a type of musician who uses his or her voice to produce music.... with a voice range (using scientific pitch notationScientific pitch notation Scientific pitch notation in Western music is a method of naming the notes of the standard Western chromatic scale by combin... , where middle CMiddle C In Western music, the expression "middle C" refers to the note "C" or "Do" located between the staves of the grand staff, qu... = C₄) from approximately (C4) to "high A" (A5) in choral music, or to "soprano C" (C6, two octaves above middle C) or higher in operaOpera Opera is a dramatic art form, originating in Italy, in which the emotional content or primary entertainment is conveyed to ... tic music. In four part choraleFacts About Chorale A chorale was originally a hymn of the Lutheran church sung by the entire congregation.... style harmony the soprano takes the highest part which usually encompasses the melodyMelody In music, a melody is a series of linear events or a succession, not a simultaneity as in a chord .... . For other styles of singing see Voice classification in non-classical musicVoice classification in non-classical music OverviewThere is currently no authoritative voice classification system within non-classical music.... . Typically, the term "soprano" refers to female singers but at times the term male soprano has been used by men who sing in the soprano vocal range using falsettoFalsetto Overview Falsetto is a singing technique that produces sounds that are pitched higher than the singer's normal range.... vocal production instead of the modal voiceModal voice The modal voice register is the vocal register used most frequently in speech and singing.... . This practice is most commonly found in the context of choral music in England. However, these men are more commonly referred to as countertenors or sopranists. It should be noted that the practice of referring to countertenors as "male sopranos" is somewhat controversial within vocal pedagogical circles as these men do not produce sound in the same physiological way that female sopranos do. The singer Michael ManiaciMichael Maniaci Michael Maniaci is an American male soprano noted for his unusual ability to sing into the upper soprano register without u... is the only known man who can refer to himself as a true male soprano because he is able to sing in the soprano vocal range using the modal voiceModal voice The modal voice register is the vocal register used most frequently in speech and singing.... like a woman would. He is able to do this because his larynxLarynx The larynx , or voicebox, is an organ in the neck of mammals involved in protection of the trachea and sound productio... never fully developed like a man's voice does during puberty. In choral music the term soprano refers to a vocal part or line and not a voice typeVoice type A voice type is a particular kind of human singing voice perceived as having certain identifying qualities or characteristic... . Male singers whose voices have not yet changed and are singing the soprano line are technically known as "trebleBoy soprano Boy soprano is a term applied in music to a young male singer with an unchanged voice in the soprano range.... s". The term "boy sopranoBoy soprano Overview Boy soprano is a term applied in music to a young male singer with an unchanged voice in the soprano range.... " is often used as well, but this is just a colloquialism and not the correct term. Historically women were not allowed to sing in the Church so the soprano roles were given to young boys and later to castratiCastrato A castrato is a male soprano, mezzo-soprano, or alto voice produced either by castration of the singer before puberty or who... - men whose larynxes had been fixed in a pre-adolescent state through the process of castrationCastration Castration is any action, surgical, chemical, or otherwise, by which a biological male loses use of the testes.... . The term soprano may also be used to refer to a member of an instrumental family with the highest range such as the soprano saxophoneSaxophone The saxophone is a conical-bored instrument of the woodwind family, usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mou... . Coloratura soprano Lyric coloratura soprano- A very agile light voice with a high upper extension, capable of fast vocal coloraturaColoratura Coloratura is an ornate, flowery style in classical singing.... . Lyric coloraturas have a range of approximately middle C (C4) to "high F" (F6) with some coloratura sopranos being able to sing somewhat higher or lower. To hear an example of a Lyric coloratura soprano click on this link: Dramatic coloratura soprano- A coloratura soprano with great flexibility in high-lying velocity passages, yet with great sustaining power comparable to that of a full spinto or dramatic soprano. Dramatic coloraturas have a range of approximately middle C (C4) to "high F" (F6) with some coloratura sopranos being able to sing somewhat higher or lower. To hear an example of a Dramatic coloratura soprano\|Lucrezia Borgia]]) click on this link: Soubrette In classical music and operaOpera Opera is a dramatic art form, originating in Italy, in which the emotional content or primary entertainment is conveyed to ... , the term soubrette refers to both a voice type and a particular type of opera role. A soubrette voice is light with a bright, sweet timbreTimbre In music, timbre, also timber,, is the quality of a musical note or sound that distinguishes different types of sound ... , a tessituraTessitura In music, tessitura is a range of pitches compared to the instrument it was intended to be used for.... in the mid-range, and with no extensive coloraturaColoratura Coloratura is an ornate, flowery style in classical singing.... . The soubrette voice is not a weak voice for it must carry over an orchestra without a microphone like all voices in opera. The voice however has a lighter vocal weightVocal weight Vocal weight refers to a voice's ability to handle changes in vocal dynamic.... than other soprano voices with a brighter timbre. Many young singers start out as soubrettes but as they grow older and the voice matures more physically they may be reclassified as another voice type, usually either a light lyric soprano, a lyric coloratura soprano, or a coloratura mezzo-sopranoMezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano is a female singer with a range usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above.... . Rarely does a singer remain a soubrette throughout their entire career. A soubrette's range extends approximately from middle C (C4) to "high D" (D6). The tessitura of the soubrette tends to lie a bit lower than the lyric soprano and spinto soprano. To hear an example of a SoubretteSoubrette Overview Soubrette is a term to describe a leggiero soprano in classical music.... click on this link: Lyric soprano A warm voice with a bright, full timbreTimbre In music, timbre, also timber,, is the quality of a musical note or sound that distinguishes different types of sound ... which can be heard over an orchestra. It generally has a higher tessituraTessitura In music, tessitura is a range of pitches compared to the instrument it was intended to be used for.... than a soubretteSoubrette Soubrette is a term to describe a leggiero soprano in classical music.... and usually plays ingenueIngenue (stock character) The Ingenue is a stock character in literature and film and a role type in the theatre, generally a girl or a young woman wh... s and other sympathetic characters in opera. Lyric sopranos have a range from approximately middle C (C4) to "high D" (D6). There is a tendency to divide lyric sopranos into two groups: Light lyric soprano- A light-lyric soprano has a bigger voice than a soubretteSoubrette Soubrette is a term to describe a leggiero soprano in classical music.... but still possesses a youthful quality. To hear an example of a Light lyric soprano click on this link: Full lyric soprano- A full-lyric soprano has a more mature sound than a light-lyric soprano and can be heard over a bigger orchestra. To hear an example of a Full lyric soprano\|Faust]]) click on this link: Spinto soprano Also lirico-spinto, Italian for "pushed lyric". This voice has the brightness and height of a lyric soprano, but can be "pushed" to dramatic climaxes without strain, and may have a somewhat darker timbreTimbre In music, timbre, also timber,, is the quality of a musical note or sound that distinguishes different types of sound ... . Spinto sopranos have a range from approximately middle C (C4) to "high D" (D6). To hear an example of a Spinto soprano click on this link: Dramatic soprano A dramatic soprano has a powerful, rich, emotive voice that can sing over a full orchestra. Usually (but not always) this voice has a lower tessituraTessitura In music, tessitura is a range of pitches compared to the instrument it was intended to be used for.... than other sopranos, and a darker timbreTimbre In music, timbre, also timber,, is the quality of a musical note or sound that distinguishes different types of sound ... . Dramatic sopranos have a range from approximately middle C (C4) to "high D" (D6). Some dramatic sopranos, known as Wagnerian sopranos, have a very big voice that can assert itself over an exceptionally large orchestra (over eighty pieces). These voices are substantial and very powerful and ideally even throughout the registers. To hear an example of a Dramatic soprano click on this link: To hear an example of a Wagnerian soprano click on this link: Intermediate voice types Two types of soprano especially dear to the French are the DugazonLouise-Rosalie Lefebvre Louise-Rosalie Lefebvre, also known as Madame Dugazon, was a French actress, dancer and singer.... and the FalconMarie-Cornélie Falcon Marie Corn?lie Falcon was a French operatic singer.... , which are intermediate voice types between the soprano and the mezzo soprano: a Dugazon is a darker-colored soubrette, a Falcon a darker-colored soprano drammatico. See also Bel cantoBel Canto Overview The term *Bel Canto* may refer to:... Boy sopranoBoy soprano Boy soprano is a term applied in music to a young male singer with an unchanged voice in the soprano range.... Coloratura sopranoColoratura soprano A coloratura soprano is a type of operatic soprano who specializes in music that is distinguished by agile runs and leaps.... Dramatic sopranoDramatic soprano A dramatic soprano is an operatic soprano with a powerful, rich, emotive voice that can sing over a full orchestra.... FachFach The German Fach system is a method of classifying singers, primarily opera singers, by the range, weight, and color of their... , the German system for classifying voices Lyric sopranoLyric Soprano Lyric SopranoA soprano who uses a light quality in her voice, high tessitura, and great agility.... SoubretteSoubrette Soubrette* is a term to describe a leggiero soprano in classical music.... Voice classification in non-classical musicVoice classification in non-classical music OverviewThere is currently no authoritative voice classification system within non-classical music.... Voice typeVoice type A voice type is a particular kind of human singing voice perceived as having certain identifying qualities or characteristic... Further reading External links