Mezzo-Sopranos are technically able to hit the higher notes, but tend to have a fuller sound in the lower range. Vocal sopranos typically have an easier sound in the upper register because their tessituras are higher. (A tessitura is basically the range where one's voice works best). There are of course different types of sopranos based on their vocal color, technical flexibility, and range.
@@reetut ambitus refers to a range. Tessitura refers to where a voice comfortably/naturally sits. If you refer to my original post, mezzo-sopranos could have a similar ambitus to a soprano, but their tessituras (or vocal comfort-areas) are different.
+kai geddes It doesn't. But Mezzos are also known for having a darker timbre. Kind of like how a baritenor is known for having a fuller voice than a tenor on higher notes.
Not quite kai - there's quite a difference in the timbre. Many mezzos sing in the soprano rep and vice versa, but there is a distinguishable difference in sound.
are people comparing mezzo to baritenor? I thought mezzo is like the baritone of men. I think the whole classification of the female voice type is fucked up and needs a serious revamp
Nope, it was written for a contralto. Since a contralto voice is rare, they're letting mezzo-sopranos sing the aria for the voice type is closest to the aforementioned voice.
My grandma is a first soprano and she was an opera singer for a while. She's the most humble person I know, and now that she's in a chore and won't show off it kills me.
A mezzo obviously has a lower voice, however, when they sing it the notes sound so full and beautiful. Coloratura voices sound like piano keys or instruments and leave something to be desired.
Listen to coloratura soprano Teodora Gheorghiu sing Mozart's aria Parto m'affretto from his opera Lucio Silla and Aria di Mirteo: In braccio mille furie by Nicola Pupore from Teodora's CD dedicated to Anna de Amicis-Buonsolazzi, Mozart's favorite soprano.
my unkeen ears are having a hard time finding the subtle differences. If those differences were pointed out I might be able to see them. If I'm not mistaken (third time through), the mezzos seem to hit their high notes with a bit more bass (like a clink of a small wine glass with a bit of liquid)- deeper note but still held at the high position, straight sopranos hit the high notes with more flit and delicacy, a sort of shrill chirp (like a keening wail or the tinkling of small empty wine glass).
Mezzo-Sporano has a darker timbre than the soprano, but not as dark as alto. Also, the vocal range is a bit lower: They don't sing the very high pitched notes.
You have a great grasp of it. I think its also that the mezzos on this example had stronger voices so not the best examples when trying to show the full difference.
The descriptions aren't wholly accurate: Maria Callas was more of a dramatic coloratura, not a lyric soprano, Sumi Jo is a LIGHT lyric coloratura and Cecilia is lyric coloratura mezzo.
Jessica Prasetyo Yes, that's true! I kinda considered her more dramatic because of her timbre and power, but then she can also sing coloratura parts with great ease AND mezzo and contralto roles...
A soprano sfogato is not really someone who can sing "lyric and dramatic parts." A soprano sfogato is a CONTRALTO or MEZZO that can sing with the coloratura soprano tessitura. IMO, it's not even a real voice type. It is related to how contraltos were generally not well appreciated and were forced to sing higher and brighter. In other words, it's a non-soprano who is comfortable with high notes.
Although I admire the capacity of sopranos to reach the highest vocal ranges, I prefer the sound of mezzo-sopranos. I feel the same about baritones v. tenors.
well, first of all these ladies are fantabulous... i like the Mezzo Soprano, specially when hitting the higher notes because it still sound big... but again, they are all just so extremely amazing.
Erna Sack is a Ultraleggro soprano which she has more of a lighter voice than the average soprano, but she has a range of a Bb3-C7. C7 is her highest whistle note ever sung. (Erna sack is one of my favorite opera singers).
There are different types of mezzo-sopranos as well. Indeed, they can hit the higher notes. Voice type is really not about range but tessitura, though, there can be typical designated ranges that mezzos and sopranos typically sing in because of the material written for their voice types.
She was in her prime an excellent pop singer true, and I've never used the word "fake". But the sound that comes to you through the speakers in a miked concert is not the same sound as you'd hear without amplification. This is a video of opera singers, and when you hear them in opera theaters, you hear their real voices as they are.
Sofia Jacobucci there is nothing wrong with being a mezzo.. i actually prefer mezzo cuz they have warmer and stronger voice. and if you train hard you will be able to sing soprano and contra alto notes... its like.. the hybrid voice. u can do both...
Sofia Jacobucci mezzo is very good voice. Whitney Houston, Ella Fitzgerald, Beyonce, Tony Braxton are mezzos. For example russian pop mezzos: Pelageya, Larisa Dolina, Valentina Tolkunova, Alla Pugachyova.
This is one of my favorite songs, and I hope to sing it well once I'm more practised. I discovered it whilst seeking mezzo arias, because I thought I was a mezzo. Then my teacher told me I was developing more into a soprano. Didn't expect that, but I'm glad this can still work out.
To my amateur beginner's ears, sopranos sound like a rapier and mezzos sound more like a saber... Not sure why that image pops up... Maybe because of the way each voice "cuts" the air???
I'm a soprano but I don't sing high F's as I'm not a coloratura soprano. I don't sing Queen of the Night either for that reason but it doesn't either make me inadequate or a mezzo! Very different voices require very different sounds and ranges.
I'm a soprano and I kinda agree with you on the F. I mean it's just showboating which is all good and fun but it does tend to get inevitably shrieky, no matter how well the soprano does it. I thoroughly enjoy Anna Moffos version, she's just 100% showing off throughout the whole aria and I love it, it's so much fun. But for an actual stage performance I prefer it more like it's written, it fits the context a lot better. It's the curse of a coloratura, if optional coloraturas are included in the score... it's like a challenge.
To hear and see a perfect example of the sound difference, look up Marilyn Horne and Lakme. There is a great concert recording of Marilyn and Joan Sutherland singing the bell song. Joan Sutherland (the tall one) is singing soprano, and Marilyn Horne (the less tall one on the left) is singing Mezzo. Listen for the brighter, higher sound and that is a great example of Soprano, and the lower, rich, darker tone is the Mezzo.
Mezzo-sopranos hit high notes with ease and great spin. Furthermore, the color of your voice does not determine whether you are soprano or mezzo-soprano. Your range usually determines that. Also, Maria Callas was a mezzo-soprano. She even said so. She changed to soprano so she could get more roles. People assumed that being a mezzo meant you didnt have high notes...incorrect. I've been around plenty of bright voices that could not create spin on the notes I could. I've met sopranos with far darker voices than mine that would dance circles around anyone in their upper register. This is just a poor explanation. Inaccurate. But whatever...
for anyone not able to find the difference between the voices mezzo soprano has a warmer or lower timbre and can sing lower notes and a soprano has a thinner and higher timbre and hits high notes .There's a thin line that divides mezzo soprano from a soprano sometimes it's not noticeable in the singer , mezzo can train themselves to sing like a soprano or alto because of their mixed range
dude you just cleared so much up for me, back when i did singing lessons (considering restarting), I was told I was mezzo-soprano with the ability to sing alto, which really confused me, but you completely cleared it up for me
I think the idea was to compare them singing the same aria. They could've used habanera too as there are two versions of it one for the mezzo and one for soprano, but it's more often sung by mezzo sopranos whereas Una voce poco fa is sung by both sopranos and mezzos. Actually, I think it'd be more interesting to compare them in an aria where they sing in the same range e.g. Voi che sapete.
Normally pitting sopranos against mezzos would be comparing apples and oranges. But this aria is an exception, because it is sung by both sopranos and mezzos. Rossini originally composed the aria in E major for mezzos. But is is sometimes transposed up to F major for coloratura sopranos. This gives them a chance to show off by singing extra cadenzas. Personally I've never assumed that higher is automatically better. It all depends on whether an aria/song sounds better in a higher key.
I'm a Soprano but since I can sing both Soprano 1 and Soprano 2 (I've got phases where I'm more of a Soprano 1 than a 2 and vise versa) and my music teacher tells me I'm a Mezzo-Soprano
Nhe ry What do you mean? There are many sopranos in the world today. Opera theaters are still open, operas are still performed and there are singers who sing roles in opera - for all voices.
Jessica Prasetyo i totally understand. They overrate artists like jessie j, ariana grande and demi lovato because they could belt high notes but what they didn't know is that they sing in high larynx which is not so good xD
La divina Callas è un soprano drammatico d'agilita,lo sanno anche i muri,È anche definita soprano assoluto,grazie alle 3/8 di estensione vocale poteva interpretare ruoli con tutti i registri vocali. Sovracuti a voce piena e di eterna durata,coloratura perfetta e di affondo nelle note gravi con assoluta semplicità di esecuzione,tecnica al limite del sovrumano.E`e resterà x sempre la più grande cantante e interprete dellla lirica. La divina Callas, Maria,una vera dea Greca.
There seems to be an awful lot of squeaking to me, might be the older recordings, I found myself cringing more than once. But who am I to say anything critical, just someone who knows very little but listens to a lot. Elina Garanca has helped me to love opera and the mezzo-soprano sound, I never tire of listening to her. Love Kiri and Anna too.
How about you try comparing modern sopranos with modern mezzo-sopranos. This video compares fairly more modern mezzos with sopranos of an earlier time when the smaller sounding voice was preferred and widely taught. Personally, I like how Mezzos sound better on Una Voce Poco Fa because that is the voice is was written for anyways. I just wonder how modern equivalents sound rather then comparing two different vocal eras.
I'm a lyric soprano but I don't often sing in head voice. I often belt high notes and sing low notes My range is A2-G#7. My belt register is from B4-Bb5, I sang a B5 before but for only 2 seconds. K
the difference is Sopranos are a little more high than mezzos im singer and i am mezzo soprano and i sing opera :) but i cant reach fue most highest note as Sopranos :)
Everyone has a different tessitura (where your voice sits, the easiest notes for one to sing) and sopranos hit higher notes while mezzo sopranos tessitura is lower then sopranos so while they dont have the brightest high pitch notes, they can sing lower notes that most sopranos can't.
Callas was unclassifiable! She sang in almost any fach, although she started as a natural mezzo soprano, and she made her voice limber and flexible to reach the highest and lowest parts of any female voice. Callas sang dramatic soprano parts, but it doesn't seem right to classify a voice by just one part of what it is capable of achieving, when the voice is as adaptable as Callas' was.
*'Callas'* vocal fach also known CVF lol. I know she's an assoluta and theres are also a lot of contemporaries singers these days who share her vocal similarity. Rachelle ferell e.g, but we only have callas as one and the only, so rachelle ferrell vocal fach is 'Callas' lol.
For what ive heard sopranos have a more explosive change of note which makes it sounds more drastic. Mezzo sopranos have a slightly softer change of note on a bit smaller range but they are more melodic.
Thank you DuskSun Dawn for commenting as I would, respectfully and yes, it is very educational. Thank you Canal de nohandesire for posting this. The inappropriate and arrogant comments should be ignored. Their rude and caustic remarks evidence of only one thing: their ignorance.
Thank you so much for this video. I can definitely hear the difference. I am not sure if I can do it outside of this clip but I will certainly watch for it. Thanks again. Ignore all the silly comments. Your sharing is much appreciated. :)
Mezzo-sopranos main feature is they have a richer lower range than standard sopranos and a wider range they can sing comfortably (the key here is comfortably, as any singer can hit notes not within their comfort zone). Their strong presence at that middle C range is where you'll notice they're at their best (sounds richer and robust). Karen Carpenter was an excellent example of a mezzo-soprano ("This Masquerade"). Warm, not husky, natural lower sustaining presence.
Karen Carpenter's vocal range was clearly Mezzo Soprano. She could hit some low notes (most singers can), but she sung mainly around Middle C. That's exactly the comfort range of Mezzo Sopranos. She is not an Alto (although she can hit some low notes at times as needed). But classifying a singer's range is about their comfort range, and Karen's comfort range was around middle "C".
Jessica Prasetyo depends on the mezzo coloratura mezzo-sopranos get mistaken for sopranos all the time, but dramatic mezzo-sopranos or lower lyric mezzo-sopranos there's an obvious difference
Elina Garanca leaves me cold. Always technically perfect but completely unmoving. Bizet, Rossini, you name it, it feels cold when she sings them and these are composers full of joy and emotion. She just doesn't bring life to the music for me at all. I really wish I liked her more.
her voice is amazingly rich, pure and beautiful and she is one of the best mezzos of our time. in my opinion in this little clip we just saw of her i don’t think her voice sounded that great as it usually does. but normally garanca’s voice gives me shivers every time. i love her. this singer is amazing
@golpari021 The mezzo-Soprano sings the same song, different style, starting at a few lower notes. Listen to the tone of the voice. The Sopranos are lighter,softer, more fragile voices. While the mezzo-sopranos have a more rich, darker, and powerful tone.
Read the description. It says "Una voce poco fa de Opera O Barbeiro de Sevilha de Rossini." I assume that basically means in English A Little Voice from the opera The Barber of Seville by Rossini.
You can squeeze the hell out of the throat to get your high note or drop the shot out of the throat to get the low sound. But is it singing though ?! George Wu, A.I.A. Age 76 (not 67,k sorry.) 2013-9-1
well that's maybe your class and elegance after your dedication to that genre. good for you. thank you for correcting my bad maners with such sheer nobility. you are welcome to ease your outbursts here whenever you like. i hope you recover soon. have a really nice day.
I really wish I had been raised listening to this kind of music. I had no clue what any of this stuff means. I heard the term Mezzo-soprano for the first time only about a month or so ago. And I don't know which opera or classical singers are any good. So please keep in mind I know my limits. I started listening to Andre Rieu on Public Broadcasting and found it interesting and that started me searching youtube. I am glad they have videos like this so I can get some understanding.
thank you so much for making this video and making it easier for me to understand AND appreciate the differences. I do believe my ears and soul prefer the mezzo soprano :) again, thank you.
I think it means she could do both registers but that sounds like she could be in the whistle register like Minnie Riperton was. Nice to know the difference, either way I will never achieve anything close. My Recently passed Fata Bata Cat used to bite me just singing along to everyday tunes!
I'm not an expert. I just did a little bit of research as I was listening to the different vocalists and reading their classifications. I enjoy the subtle differences. Spinto Soprano - 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 timbre.
It's the exact same aria, Una voce poca fa, from the Barber of Seville, but alternately sung by sopranos and mezzos. The sopranos have higher voices than the mezzos. The point being made by the uploader is that while sopranos may sing higher than mezzos, they do not necessarily sound better. Sopranos can sometimes sound shrill and thin. Mezzos can sometimes sound mellower and fuller. An equivalent case could also be made for tenors and baritones.
Callas, not only resounding the notes but conveying all the feeling. I'd love to have seen a live opera version. It's amazing the human voice can make those long whistling seemingly impossible high notes, but rather painful on the ear. I find they detract from the meaning.
Dawn Adrienne Taylor You can go to opera and see live opera, where do you live? I am sure there is a theater near you... It's actually sounds better in the theater since opera singers sing without amplification so there is no electronic distortion, which is probably why some high notes sound painful to you - some speakers (I have this issue in my car) distort the high notes so much they sound shrill.
jewelmarkess Thank you, sorry my too brief comment wasn't clear. I meant I wish I could have heard Callas live in a theatre (though I'm glad we have YT for the next best option). I refer to the rounded sound of Callas' voice which I prefer to the higher whistling notes of some sopranos - a great skill indeed, but less desirable to my ears. I love the other singers, too - Bartoli just 22 I think in this clip, trained from childhood. I was born 60 years ago hearing my Father's 78s, I live in London so rather spoilt for choice as far as opera theatres go and I sing opera myself.
Dawn Adrienne Taylor I see, yes, I wish the same thing, I misunderstood your comment. I am only a few years younger than you are, my father is 84 and I live in the Southern NY State, in driving distance from NYC.
Mezzo-Sopranos are technically able to hit the higher notes, but tend to have a fuller sound in the lower range. Vocal sopranos typically have an easier sound in the upper register because their tessituras are higher. (A tessitura is basically the range where one's voice works best). There are of course different types of sopranos based on their vocal color, technical flexibility, and range.
Can you use ambitus instead of tessitura or there is a difference between these terms?
@@reetut ambitus refers to a range. Tessitura refers to where a voice comfortably/naturally sits. If you refer to my original post, mezzo-sopranos could have a similar ambitus to a soprano, but their tessituras (or vocal comfort-areas) are different.
Many mezzos have a much warmer tone - it's my preference.
I agree
+kai geddes It doesn't. But Mezzos are also known for having a darker timbre. Kind of like how a baritenor is known for having a fuller voice than a tenor on higher notes.
Not quite kai - there's quite a difference in the timbre. Many mezzos sing in the soprano rep and vice versa, but there is a distinguishable difference in sound.
are people comparing mezzo to baritenor? I thought mezzo is like the baritone of men. I think the whole classification of the female voice type is fucked up and needs a serious revamp
queenslanddiva cuz their register scale is lower
This song was DEFINITELY written for the mezzo color and it shows.
Nope, it was written for a contralto. Since a contralto voice is rare, they're letting mezzo-sopranos sing the aria for the voice type is closest to the aforementioned voice.
My grandma is a first soprano and she was an opera singer for a while. She's the most humble person I know, and now that she's in a chore and won't show off it kills me.
the last woman sounded like a kettle, my grandma stood up and looked at our kitchen.
Mark Magpantay lol, you hit it spot on.
Hahaahahahaha
Hahahahahahaha
Hahaha, you made my morning!😂😅😜
AJAJAJAJJAJAJAJAJ
A mezzo obviously has a lower voice, however, when they sing it the notes sound so full and beautiful. Coloratura voices sound like piano keys or instruments and leave something to be desired.
Listen to coloratura soprano Teodora Gheorghiu sing Mozart's aria Parto m'affretto from his opera Lucio Silla and Aria di Mirteo: In braccio mille furie by Nicola Pupore from Teodora's CD dedicated to Anna de Amicis-Buonsolazzi, Mozart's favorite soprano.
Coming from a Mad Mezzo, 'AMEN!"
LeDerius Martin Coming from a coloratura soprano, fuck you, all voice types are beautiful. :)
Nicolette James LOL ❤️
Only bad ones sounds like you described them.
Sopranos were really appreciated in the classical period (1750 - 1820).
Chairs are attached to the floor in the theaters.
What do you mean by chair where attached??
@@maximillian6222So the audiences wouldn't throw the chairs at them.
I think he's joking.
that last one went full dolphin!!! D:
Jesus Parangaricutirimicuaro I'm dying🤣🤣
Full dolphin, omg lolllllll
Lmao 🤣
Jesus Parangaricutirimicuaro yes i bet she can find fish in her bath tub with that sonar.
@@vascobento5398 HAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA
my unkeen ears are having a hard time finding the subtle differences. If those differences were pointed out I might be able to see them.
If I'm not mistaken (third time through), the mezzos seem to hit their high notes with a bit more bass (like a clink of a small wine glass with a bit of liquid)- deeper note but still held at the high position, straight sopranos hit the high notes with more flit and delicacy, a sort of shrill chirp (like a keening wail or the tinkling of small empty wine glass).
Yes, your descriptions are great. I believe mezzo have a bit more weight to their voices whereas the sopranos sound light.
Mezzo-Sporano has a darker timbre than the soprano, but not as dark as alto. Also, the vocal range is a bit lower: They don't sing the very high pitched notes.
You have a great grasp of it. I think its also that the mezzos on this example had stronger voices so not the best examples when trying to show the full difference.
Hexus Ziggurat
Yeah that's how I think except the messo is a bit more brusque and masculine.
Watch Ryder you are describing a contralto. Mezzos still sound feminine, just not as light as sopranos.
So.... A mezzo soprano's voice is slightly lower?
BaileyG Yes, and mezzo soprano's has other tone of their voice and they're more comfortable with lower sounds
I still hear brocolli
Blah Bloh 😁
The descriptions aren't wholly accurate: Maria Callas was more of a dramatic coloratura, not a lyric soprano, Sumi Jo is a LIGHT lyric coloratura and Cecilia is lyric coloratura mezzo.
Jessica Prasetyo Yes, that's true! I kinda considered her more dramatic because of her timbre and power, but then she can also sing coloratura parts with great ease AND mezzo and contralto roles...
A soprano sfogato is not really someone who can sing "lyric and dramatic parts." A soprano sfogato is a CONTRALTO or MEZZO that can sing with the coloratura soprano tessitura. IMO, it's not even a real voice type. It is related to how contraltos were generally not well appreciated and were forced to sing higher and brighter. In other words, it's a non-soprano who is comfortable with high notes.
Although I admire the capacity of sopranos to reach the highest vocal ranges, I prefer the sound of mezzo-sopranos. I feel the same about baritones v. tenors.
well, first of all these ladies are fantabulous... i like the Mezzo Soprano, specially when hitting the higher notes because it still sound big... but again, they are all just so extremely amazing.
I really do prefer the Mezzo sound most of the time... although there is the rare dramatic soprano who makes those high notes soar.
THE STORM by Hannah Drury.
mezzos just have such beautiful color in their voice
why do they keep saying broccoli
OMG now I can’t unhear it 😂😂😂
Erna Sack is a Ultraleggro soprano which she has more of a lighter voice than the average soprano, but she has a range of a Bb3-C7. C7 is her highest whistle note ever sung. (Erna sack is one of my favorite opera singers).
Mezzo Sopranos >>>
There are different types of mezzo-sopranos as well. Indeed, they can hit the higher notes. Voice type is really not about range but tessitura, though, there can be typical designated ranges that mezzos and sopranos typically sing in because of the material written for their voice types.
this scares the shit outta me
FOOK wat
Mezzo so more powerful
This is why they call us Mad Mezzos :D
Yeah. I think it's the best of both worlds. Sounds beautiful how a mezzo soprano can go high and low without sounding like they're trying too hard.
She was in her prime an excellent pop singer true, and I've never used the word "fake". But the sound that comes to you through the speakers in a miked concert is not the same sound as you'd hear without amplification. This is a video of opera singers, and when you hear them in opera theaters, you hear their real voices as they are.
Wish I could be soprano...But god gave me the mezzo
Sofia Jacobucci nothing wrong with that
Sofia Jacobucci there is nothing wrong with being a mezzo.. i actually prefer mezzo cuz they have warmer and stronger voice. and if you train hard you will be able to sing soprano and contra alto notes... its like.. the hybrid voice. u can do both...
Sofia Jacobucci mezzo is very good voice. Whitney Houston, Ella Fitzgerald, Beyonce, Tony Braxton are mezzos. For example russian pop mezzos: Pelageya, Larisa Dolina, Valentina Tolkunova, Alla Pugachyova.
Grigory Kurdyukov toni brixton is a contralto!
Naomi P Tony Braxton is Dramatic mezzo. Don't trust Wikipedia!
Maria Callas is one category by herself , she could not be compared to anyone :)
This is one of my favorite songs, and I hope to sing it well once I'm more practised. I discovered it whilst seeking mezzo arias, because I thought I was a mezzo. Then my teacher told me I was developing more into a soprano. Didn't expect that, but I'm glad this can still work out.
They all sound beautiful
I'm obsessed with this video
THE STORM by HANNAH DRURY...worth a google.
To my amateur beginner's ears, sopranos sound like a rapier and mezzos sound more like a saber... Not sure why that image pops up... Maybe because of the way each voice "cuts" the air???
Very helpful to hear so many singers together in order to notice the differences in tone, Thank you.
Always prefer mezzos. Hate that high F some sopranos put at the end.
I'm a soprano but I don't sing high F's as I'm not a coloratura soprano. I don't sing Queen of the Night either for that reason but it doesn't either make me inadequate or a mezzo! Very different voices require very different sounds and ranges.
I'm a mezzo :)
I'm a soprano and I kinda agree with you on the F. I mean it's just showboating which is all good and fun but it does tend to get inevitably shrieky, no matter how well the soprano does it. I thoroughly enjoy Anna Moffos version, she's just 100% showing off throughout the whole aria and I love it, it's so much fun. But for an actual stage performance I prefer it more like it's written, it fits the context a lot better. It's the curse of a coloratura, if optional coloraturas are included in the score... it's like a challenge.
Elisa McKinley AkeriaRivers My Voice Is Soprano I find that offensive
Queen of the Night's F6 is more showy but your inability to hit it doesn't make you a lesser Soprano.
Why does the first one creep me out so much
+Civas0072 it's not her voice it's just the way she stares at the camera reminds me of a muppet
+Henry Carey it's my opinion if I find it creepy or not
because the notes r getting progressively lower !
+thesilverstar the notes and her singing is fine
+Monique Black beautiful isnt it
To hear and see a perfect example of the sound difference, look up Marilyn Horne and Lakme. There is a great concert recording of Marilyn and Joan Sutherland singing the bell song. Joan Sutherland (the tall one) is singing soprano, and Marilyn Horne (the less tall one on the left) is singing Mezzo. Listen for the brighter, higher sound and that is a great example of Soprano, and the lower, rich, darker tone is the Mezzo.
Mezzo-sopranos hit high notes with ease and great spin. Furthermore, the color of your voice does not determine whether you are soprano or mezzo-soprano. Your range usually determines that. Also, Maria Callas was a mezzo-soprano. She even said so. She changed to soprano so she could get more roles. People assumed that being a mezzo meant you didnt have high notes...incorrect. I've been around plenty of bright voices that could not create spin on the notes I could. I've met sopranos with far darker voices than mine that would dance circles around anyone in their upper register. This is just a poor explanation. Inaccurate. But whatever...
There's no "more beautiful type of voice" Basses, baritones tenors, altos, mezzos and sopranos are equally beuatiful on its way.
Best video i've seen in a long time. I almost died happily by that high pitch at the end.
for anyone not able to find the difference between the voices
mezzo soprano has a warmer or lower timbre and can sing lower notes and a soprano has a thinner and higher timbre and hits high notes .There's a thin line that divides mezzo soprano from a soprano sometimes it's not noticeable in the singer , mezzo can train themselves to sing like a soprano or alto because of their mixed range
That describes Frida from ABBA perfectly.
dude you just cleared so much up for me, back when i did singing lessons (considering restarting), I was told I was mezzo-soprano with the ability to sing alto, which really confused me, but you completely cleared it up for me
What the Beatles had, that no every band or singer has, was a good manager.
I prefer Mezzo. It seldom sends chill down my spine.
Does this??....THE STORM by HANNAH DRURY.
Yeah most people say that haha
Sopranos can make your ears bleed, Mezzo-Sopranos can make your liver bleed. That's my understanding!
The role is for mezzo. The one playing maid is the role for soprano. I like it, different from most operas.
Beautiful voices. I think the big difference is that the voice of mezzo soprano is graver and dramatic and more powerful than soprano.
This aria was originally written in the key of E major for a mezzo-soprano.
I think the idea was to compare them singing the same aria. They could've used habanera too as there are two versions of it one for the mezzo and one for soprano, but it's more often sung by mezzo sopranos whereas Una voce poco fa is sung by both sopranos and mezzos. Actually, I think it'd be more interesting to compare them in an aria where they sing in the same range e.g. Voi che sapete.
Normally pitting sopranos against mezzos would be comparing apples and oranges. But this aria is an exception, because it is sung by both sopranos and mezzos.
Rossini originally composed the aria in E major for mezzos. But is is sometimes transposed up to F major for coloratura sopranos. This gives them a chance to show off by singing extra cadenzas.
Personally I've never assumed that higher is automatically better. It all depends on whether an aria/song sounds better in a higher key.
these ladies are amaaaazing!!
I think Mezzo are more powerful
Sean Lann no... just lower
I'm a Soprano but since I can sing both Soprano 1 and Soprano 2 (I've got phases where I'm more of a Soprano 1 than a 2 and vise versa) and my music teacher tells me I'm a Mezzo-Soprano
yes i do know that. It's just that they sound very identical and i read somewhere the mezzo-soprano often fills the roles of the soprano in choir
now i can see the difference thanks
This is amazing! I never heard of Erna Sack or a couple of the other singers here but they are astonishing
where have the soprano singers gone?
Nhe ry What do you mean? There are many sopranos in the world today. Opera theaters are still open, operas are still performed and there are singers who sing roles in opera - for all voices.
Jessica Prasetyo very true xD
Not to mention when a singer is a soprano they have the tendency to be extremely overrated by people.
Jessica Prasetyo i totally understand. They overrate artists like jessie j, ariana grande and demi lovato because they could belt high notes but what they didn't know is that they sing in high larynx which is not so good xD
Jessica Prasetyo Or maybe a lot of mezzos just love to sing in the soprano range i think???
Where can I watch Roberta Peters singing this? from 1:55 - 2:08, do you have a full video of Roberta Peters singing this aria?? Thanks
La divina Callas è un soprano drammatico d'agilita,lo sanno anche i muri,È anche definita soprano assoluto,grazie alle 3/8 di estensione vocale poteva interpretare ruoli con tutti i registri vocali. Sovracuti a voce piena e di eterna durata,coloratura perfetta e di affondo nelle note gravi con assoluta semplicità di esecuzione,tecnica al limite del sovrumano.E`e resterà x sempre la più grande cantante e interprete dellla lirica. La divina Callas, Maria,una vera dea Greca.
GOOSEBUMPS! im so inspired!!
THE STORM by HANNAH DRURY...English rose waiting to bloom.
The mezzos sound so much better.
There seems to be an awful lot of squeaking to me, might be the older recordings, I found myself cringing more than once. But who am I to say anything critical, just someone who knows very little but listens to a lot. Elina Garanca has helped me to love opera and the mezzo-soprano sound, I never tire of listening to her. Love Kiri and Anna too.
How about you try comparing modern sopranos with modern mezzo-sopranos.
This video compares fairly more modern mezzos with sopranos of an earlier time when the smaller sounding voice was preferred and widely taught. Personally, I like how Mezzos sound better on Una Voce Poco Fa because that is the voice is was written for anyways.
I just wonder how modern equivalents sound rather then comparing two different vocal eras.
I'm a lyric soprano but I don't often sing in head voice. I often belt high notes and sing low notes My range is A2-G#7. My belt register is from B4-Bb5, I sang a B5 before but for only 2 seconds. K
I can`t hear the difference
same
The mezzo is significantly deeper. Listen to the high notes of the soprano. The mezzo never goes there.
Exactly what I noticed but wasn't that sure. Amazing Voices
the difference is Sopranos are a little more high than mezzos im singer and i am mezzo soprano and i sing opera :) but i cant reach fue most highest note as Sopranos :)
THE STORM by Hannah Drury...worth a google.
Everyone has a different tessitura (where your voice sits, the easiest notes for one to sing) and sopranos hit higher notes while mezzo sopranos tessitura is lower then sopranos so while they dont have the brightest high pitch notes, they can sing lower notes that most sopranos can't.
This didn't really do anything at all to show me the differences.
My point. agreed!
Thanks for that. I had hard of both Soprano and Mezzo-Soprano, but wasn't certain what the difference was.
Sou mezzo-soprano :3 I'm mezzo-soprano
that's great! Thanks friend! Now I underestand everyting about the mezzo and soprano voices! you rock!
:)
The last one was so bad, good lord
Avery Simmons she sang that whistle note in full though haha
that was beautiful 😍💓 You know, my baby sister is a mezzo soprano too.
Callas was unclassifiable! She sang in almost any fach, although she started as a natural mezzo soprano, and she made her voice limber and flexible to reach the highest and lowest parts of any female voice. Callas sang dramatic soprano parts, but it doesn't seem right to classify a voice by just one part of what it is capable of achieving, when the voice is as adaptable as Callas' was.
*'Callas'* vocal fach also known CVF lol. I know she's an assoluta and theres are also a lot of contemporaries singers these days who share her vocal similarity. Rachelle ferell e.g, but we only have callas as one and the only, so rachelle ferrell vocal fach is 'Callas' lol.
For what ive heard sopranos have a more explosive change of note which makes it sounds more drastic. Mezzo sopranos have a slightly softer change of note on a bit smaller range but they are more melodic.
mezzo over here
make that 3 of us
Mezzo here
Great video. I hope there is a video comparing mezzo-sopranos and contraltos someday.
Thank you DuskSun Dawn for commenting as I would, respectfully and yes, it is very educational. Thank you Canal de nohandesire for posting this. The inappropriate and arrogant comments should be ignored. Their rude and caustic remarks evidence of only one thing: their ignorance.
prefiero a las mezzo, se oyen mas natural y los agudos de las sopranos se oyen como pitido
Thank you so much for this video. I can definitely hear the difference. I am not sure if I can do it outside of this clip but I will certainly watch for it. Thanks again. Ignore all the silly comments. Your sharing is much appreciated. :)
"Song"! LEL!
Superb to incredible. Thanks for the upload.
Soprano Lírico Coloratura, the best.
Lejos...increible...se me erizaron los pelos..
Varelator exacto.
Mezzo-sopranos main feature is they have a richer lower range than standard sopranos and a wider range they can sing comfortably (the key here is comfortably, as any singer can hit notes not within their comfort zone). Their strong presence at that middle C range is where you'll notice they're at their best (sounds richer and robust). Karen Carpenter was an excellent example of a mezzo-soprano ("This Masquerade"). Warm, not husky, natural lower sustaining presence.
Karen Carpenter's vocal range was clearly Mezzo Soprano. She could hit some low notes (most singers can), but she sung mainly around Middle C. That's exactly the comfort range of Mezzo Sopranos.
She is not an Alto (although she can hit some low notes at times as needed). But classifying a singer's range is about their comfort range, and Karen's comfort range was around middle "C".
Jessica Prasetyo depends on the mezzo coloratura mezzo-sopranos get mistaken for sopranos all the time, but dramatic mezzo-sopranos or lower lyric mezzo-sopranos there's an obvious difference
3:04 ...phenomenon! it's G6 ...!!!!
But it's not too good tbh :/
Thank you for posting this. Wonderful.
Elina Garanca leaves me cold. Always technically perfect but completely unmoving. Bizet, Rossini, you name it, it feels cold when she sings them and these are composers full of joy and emotion. She just doesn't bring life to the music for me at all. I really wish I liked her more.
her voice is amazingly rich, pure and beautiful and she is one of the best mezzos of our time. in my opinion in this little clip we just saw of her i don’t think her voice sounded that great as it usually does. but normally garanca’s voice gives me shivers every time. i love her. this singer is amazing
Mezzo sopranos sound so smooth ❤
The first lady scares me. Especially her nose..
+Katurian Katurian Katurian But her singing is the best cause she is great Callas.
***** She should just wear glasses lol.
***** contact lenses also work lol
@golpari021 The mezzo-Soprano sings the same song, different style, starting at a few lower notes. Listen to the tone of the voice. The Sopranos are lighter,softer, more fragile voices. While the mezzo-sopranos have a more rich, darker, and powerful tone.
Read the description. It says "Una voce poco fa de Opera O Barbeiro de Sevilha de Rossini." I assume that basically means in English A Little Voice from the opera The Barber of Seville by Rossini.
You can squeeze the hell out of the throat to get your high note or drop the shot out of the throat to get the low sound. But is it singing though ?! George Wu, A.I.A. Age 76 (not 67,k sorry.) 2013-9-1
well that's maybe your class and elegance after your dedication to that genre. good for you. thank you for correcting my bad maners with such sheer nobility. you are welcome to ease your outbursts here whenever you like. i hope you recover soon. have a really nice day.
I really wish I had been raised listening to this kind of music. I had no clue what any of this stuff means. I heard the term Mezzo-soprano for the first time only about a month or so ago. And I don't know which opera or classical singers are any good. So please keep in mind I know my limits. I started listening to Andre Rieu on Public Broadcasting and found it interesting and that started me searching youtube. I am glad they have videos like this so I can get some understanding.
thank you so much for making this video and making it easier for me to understand AND appreciate the differences. I do believe my ears and soul prefer the mezzo soprano :) again, thank you.
I think it means she could do both registers but that sounds like she could be in the whistle register like Minnie Riperton was. Nice to know the difference, either way I will never achieve anything close. My Recently passed Fata Bata Cat used to bite me just singing along to everyday tunes!
Actually it is not only the high notes in the part of colororatura, it's more about the color of the voice, how deep or heavy is one or another.
Fui obrigado a enviar para o faceboock. Uma força que vem de dentro.
I'm not an expert. I just did a little bit of research as I was listening to the different vocalists and reading their classifications. I enjoy the subtle differences.
Spinto Soprano - 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 timbre.
It's the exact same aria, Una voce poca fa, from the Barber of Seville, but alternately sung by sopranos and mezzos. The sopranos have higher voices than the mezzos.
The point being made by the uploader is that while sopranos may sing higher than mezzos, they do not necessarily sound better.
Sopranos can sometimes sound shrill and thin. Mezzos can sometimes sound mellower and fuller.
An equivalent case could also be made for tenors and baritones.
Soprano singers has light fludity voices for them to reach higher notes and Mezzo's has weight in depth?
Cecilia Bartoli has such a beautiful and pleasant voice its enchanting to listen to
this sounds more like a comparison between Mezzo Sopranos and Coloratura Sopranos. Not often those crazy phrasings are heard among lyric sopranos.
very very nice video!!! thank you, my favorite voice is mezzo
I used to think I was a first soprano but I like my voice more now as I am now in my late 50's.
Callas, not only resounding the notes but conveying all the feeling. I'd love to have seen a live opera version. It's amazing the human voice can make those long whistling seemingly impossible high notes, but rather painful on the ear. I find they detract from the meaning.
Dawn Adrienne Taylor You can go to opera and see live opera, where do you live? I am sure there is a theater near you... It's actually sounds better in the theater since opera singers sing without amplification so there is no electronic distortion, which is probably why some high notes sound painful to you - some speakers (I have this issue in my car) distort the high notes so much they sound shrill.
jewelmarkess Thank you, sorry my too brief comment wasn't clear. I meant I wish I could have heard Callas live in a theatre (though I'm glad we have YT for the next best option). I refer to the rounded sound of Callas' voice which I prefer to the higher whistling notes of some sopranos - a great skill indeed, but less desirable to my ears. I love the other singers, too - Bartoli just 22 I think in this clip, trained from childhood. I was born 60 years ago hearing my Father's 78s, I live in London so rather spoilt for choice as far as opera theatres go and I sing opera myself.
Dawn Adrienne Taylor I see, yes, I wish the same thing, I misunderstood your comment. I am only a few years younger than you are, my father is 84 and I live in the Southern NY State, in driving distance from NYC.