| 释义 |
soprano, n. (and a.) Mus.|səʊˈprɑːnəʊ|
Pl. sopranos, also soprani.
[a. It. soprano, f. sopra above.]
1. a. The highest singing voice in women and boys, having a compass from about middle C to two octaves above it; the quality or range of this voice.
1730[see 3]. 1774‘J. Collier’ Mus. Trav. (1776) 32 He could not sing only bass and treble,..and soprano to admiration; but also squeak like a pig. 1854Orr's Circ. Sci., Org. Nat. I. 132 It is not yet clearly understood what is the cause of the different qualities of voice, as exhibited in the tenor and bass, and the contralto and soprano. 1899E. E. Hale Lowell & His Friends vi. 76 Then a clear soprano or tenor would be heard.
b. A part for or sung by such a voice. Also fig.
1801Busby Dict. Mus., Soprano, the treble or higher voice part, or parts. 1848Geo. Eliot Let. 8 Mar. (1954) I. 253, I should have written a soprano to your Jubilate.
2. A singer having a soprano voice; one who sings the soprano part.
1738Chesterfield in Misc. Wks. (1777) I. 81 Sopranos being the objects of the attention, and raptures of the ladies. 1817Byron Beppo xxxii, Soprano, basso, even the contra-alto, Wish'd him five fathom under the Rialto. 1834Beckford Italy II. 31 Little madam whisks about the Botanic Garden with..a troop of sopranos. 1883Grove's Dict. Mus. III. 635 Many mezzo-soprani can sing higher notes than many soprani. 1892E. Reeves Homeward Bound 187 He..is a dark-haired, stout, youthful-looking male soprano.
3. attrib. or as adj.
a. Of persons: Having a soprano voice; singing a soprano part.
1730Owen Swiny in Colmon Posth. Lett. (1820) 25 We must provide a Soprano Man and a Contrealt Woman. 1854Orr's Circ. Sci., Org. Nat. I. 132 The contralto not unfrequently sings the high notes like soprano singers. 1873H. C. Banister Music 217 Solo Tenor and Soprano singers will exceed the altitude here specified.
b. transf. Of certain musical instruments, as soprano cornet, soprano trombone; soprano saxophone, the second highest member of the saxophone family, usually pitched in B flat; abbrev. soprano sax.
1856Berlioz Instrum. 151 The Soprano Trombone..exists still in some parts of Germany. 1859C. Mandel Treat. on Instrumentation Military Bands 18 The Saxophone. This instrument is made in various keys, viz.:– 1. The B flat soprano-saxophone. 1961J. A. Macgillivray in A. Baines Mus. Instruments x. 261 The Tarogato is a Hungarian instrument resembling a soprano saxophone of wood. 1971Guardian 28 Sept. 10/6 The music is for..flute, trumpet, soprano sax, two basses, and percussion.
4. Of or belonging to the soprano.
soprano clef, the C-clef upon the first line of the treble stave.
1801Busby Dict. Mus. Introd. p. xxiii, The Soprano-cliff is used for the second class of the higher species of voice. 1833Wiseman in W. Ward Life I. v, Possessing a strong soprano voice up to A, and sometimes C. 1845E. Holmes Mozart 166 The soprano solo was doubtless intended for the Weber. 1883Grove's Dict. Mus. III. 635 That part of the scale upon which even a limited soprano part is written. 1883Harper's Mag. Mar. 551/1 The far-off soprano strains..become triumphant.
5. ellipt. = soprano saxophone, sense 3 b above.
1876[see baritone]. 1934S. R. Nelson All about Jazz ii. 57 The other saxophones in common use in the band are the tenor, baritone, soprano and bass. 1967Sat. Rev. (U.S.) 15 Apr. 55/2 Bechet, adjusting the reed of his soprano, looked at him. |