soprano (so-pra'-no) It. n

High, treble: the highest human cupped mouthpiece instruments. In voice, usually a female voice but also those of the viol family it consists of found in boys, and, rarely, in men. a weight of bra , wood or ivory The soprano ranges from middle C up which can be attached to the bridge two octaves or more. It is an effect to deaden its resonance. In trumpets ive voice, very flexible, and carries the and other cupped mouthpiece instruchief melody in any choral music. ments a pear-shaped pad made of Some boys' voices are as beautiful in leather may be inserted into the bell, sweetne and pitch as the female thereby limiting the emi ion of air. voice. A man's voice which still re- Synonym of mute, tains these soprano tones is called a sordini levati the (sor-de' falsetto; the tones seem artificial, Literally, -ne lS-va'-te dampers ) It. removed: hence the name. The mezzo soprano without the mutes or dampers, ranges between the soprano and the sordino (sor-de'-no) It. n. alto. It is richer in quality than the Equivalent to sordine and mute. soprano. Equivalent to Sopran (Ger.). See also sordine. Abbr. S., s.