Soprano (Voice)?

Orianna2000 · Feb 3, 2012

I may just be having a brain fog here, but I'm having trouble with these sentences. I'm trying to convey that one sister sings soprano like her mother once did, while the other is a mezzo-soprano. No matter how I phrase it, it sounds awkward and I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

She'd inherited my clear soprano and did a creditable rendition, despite the fact that she hadn't sung professionally for several years.

Would this be: "my clear soprano voice" or "my clear soprano"? The former seems redundant, since soprano is a classification of voice, but it sounds odd either way.

The others urged her to perform as well, for she possessed a lovely mezzo-soprano.

Again, would this be "a lovely mezzo-soprano" or "a lovely mezzo-soprano voice"? If you remove mezzo-soprano, "voice" becomes necessary, but it seems redundant when left in, so I'm confused.

Thanks for any help!

Chase · Feb 3, 2012

Orianna2000 said:
She'd inherited my clear soprano and did a creditable rendition, despite the fact that she hadn't sung professionally for several years.

The others urged her to perform as well, for she possessed a lovely mezzo-soprano.

I'm no music expert (duh!) and for that matter no expert on sounds at all, but both sentences above are clear reads to me without "voice."

IceCreamEmpress · Feb 3, 2012

I agree with Chase that those are fine as is, and I did study music seriously for many years (and have done some classical music journalism).

randi.lee · Feb 3, 2012

Voice is redundant. Stick with soprano.

"My clear soprano..."

Orianna2000 · Feb 3, 2012

Thanks for clarifying that for me, I appreciate it.

Mark G · Feb 3, 2012

I used to date a soprano, which reminded me of a joke she used to tell. It didn't include "voice":

How many sopranos does it take to change a lightbulb?

One: She holds the bulb and the world revolves around her.

Rufus Coppertop · Feb 4, 2012

Orianna2000 said:
Would this be: "my clear soprano voice" or "my clear soprano"?

Those who have said that you don't need the word "voice" have a point but I would keep it myself.

The former seems redundant, since soprano is a classification of voice, but it sounds odd either way.

Soprano is a noun when it refers to a singer with that particular range. It is definitely not just a classification of the human voice but a classification of a pitch range which can refer to particular instruments or to particular lines of melody within a composition.

A consort of crumhorns normally has a "soprano crumhorn", as well as tenor, alto, bass and great bass. The standard recorder is classified as a soprano instrument as are the violin, the flute and others.

If reading the analysis of a fugue's exposition section; you might come across a reference to the theme (or subject) "entering in the soprano".

In other technical descriptions of compositions, not just in fugues, the term "soprano line" is often used.

The others urged her to perform as well, for she possessed a lovely mezzo-soprano.

What about this?

The others also urged her to perform because she was an excellent mezzo-soprano.

Personally, I've never heard a choral conductor, music lecturer or chorister speak of someone possessing a "lovely tenor", "lovely mezzo-soprano" or anything like that without using the word "voice" although having said that, my own experience is limited to one university and a couple of choirs in Australia. Maybe in the US, UK or Canadian music scenes, people actually do say it in that way.

Orianna2000 · Feb 4, 2012

Rufus Coppertop said:
What about this?

The others also urged her to perform because she was an excellent mezzo-soprano.

I liked the drama of her "possessing" the voice, but it is probably grammatically weak. I changed it to "was", as you suggested.

Personally, I've never heard a choral conductor, music lecturer or chorister speak of someone possessing a "lovely tenor", "lovely mezzo-soprano" or anything like that without using the word "voice" although having said that, my own experience is limited to one university and a couple of choirs in Australia. Maybe in the US, UK or Canadian music scenes, people actually do say it in that way.

I have no idea. Like I said, it just sounded odd to me to say she had inherited her mother's "clear soprano voice" because in this case, what else could the soprano have been? But I'm far from an expert in grammar and sentence structure, and likewise, I'm not an expert in music, so I haven't the vaguest idea. And sometimes, things just sound weird to me, even if they're absolutely correct.

Soprano (Voice)?

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Chase

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IceCreamEmpress

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randi.lee

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Mark G

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Rufus Coppertop

Orianna2000

Freelance Writer