Soprano

The highest range

Soprano is the name of the highest human voice type. It is usually sung by women, but also by boys before their voices break (boy soprano) and by men in falsetto. The word comes from Italian: “soprano” is derived from “sopra”, “above”. In the Renaissance and the Baroque this range was also called Cantus or Discantus. The word means the voice type, the high voices of a choir, the vocal part in a piece, and the singer who sings it.

How high?

For the range, “normally” C4 to A5 is given for the choir (in the German Helmholtz notation c′ to a″, which is the same range). Where a singer actually sings depends on the voice, and professional sopranos reach far beyond it.

When two voices share a staff, you can recognise the soprano by the stems pointing up, as in the second example.

Soprano in the sheet music archive

In the archive the top line of a choral setting usually carries the name of the voice. In all four pieces it is in the treble clef:

Three pieces call the voice “Sopran” or “Soprano”, one “Cantus”. That “Cantus” is the soprano here is not stated on the sheet (the header says “SATB”) but in the literature: “Cantus” is an old name for the soprano range.

Top voice in a choral setting

• Der Mond ist aufgegangen Johann Abraham Peter Schulz (1747–1800) · four-part setting · 1 page

  At the first system, on the left, “SOPRANO.” is printed above “ALTO.”; both share the upper staff in the treble clef. One ♭ in the key signature, time signature C, an upbeat. The soprano is the line with the stems pointing up.

• Nachtwache Johannes Brahms, op. 104 according to the sheet · choir arrangement SATB · 3 pages

  The top one of the six staves is labelled “Sopran”. Treble clef, two ♯, time signature C, tempo marking “Langsam” (slow); the voice begins in the first bar with pp. Chord symbols for guitar are printed above the staff.

• Caligaverunt Juozas Naujalis (1869–1934), op. 7 No. 1 · choir arrangement SATB · 2 pages

  The top line here is labelled not “Sopran” but with the old name “Cantus”. Treble clef, one ♯, time signature C, tempo marking “Largo”, p in the first bar. Below it follow Altus, Tenor and Bassus.

• O How Amiable Are Thy Dwellings Thomas Weelkes · choir arrangement SATB, five parts · 4 pages

  The top one of five staves is labelled “Soprano”. Treble clef, three ♭, time signature C. In bars 1 and 2 the voice rests and enters in the third bar on the third beat.

How it differs from related terms

The mezzo-soprano, an intermediate voice type between soprano and alto, is found in choral music more as soprano II or alto I. The word “soprano” also refers to the vocal part in a piece (“to take the soprano”); for the part in the texture see voice / part.

Common mistakes

• Learning the range as a fixed limit: The figures hold for a choir only approximately; single voices and professional singers differ.
• Taking “Cantus” for another voice: In the settings in the archive the Cantus takes the place of the soprano, in the top staff.
• Equating soprano and treble clef: In Caligaverunt Altus and Tenor are also in the treble clef, the tenor with the small 8 beneath it.