What's the difference between ...

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

... an overture and a prelude?

Feel free to answer and to add any other questions along the same lines.

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

... an overture and a prelude?

Feel free to answer and to add any other questions along the same lines.

Cool. I'll continue.

Overtures are generally longer, more complex, recovering themes from other parts of the opera, and are played before the opera starts, while preludes are shorter, don't necessarily recover musical themes from the opera, and while some operas start with a prelude, they can also be played before acts, not just at the beginning of the opera. Some famous overtures are played as stand-alone concert pieces while preludes generally are only played with the opera.

Next question - what is the difference between mezza voce and sotto voce?

[Amfortas]

Overtures are generally longer, more complex, recovering themes from other parts of the opera, and are played before the opera starts, while preludes are shorter, don't necessarily recover musical themes from the opera, and while some operas start with a prelude, they can also be played before acts, not just at the beginning of the opera. Some famous overtures are played as stand-alone concert pieces while preludes generally are only played with the opera.

Speaking from a Wagnerian bias: an overture tends to be a crowd-pleasing potpourri of hummable tunes from the opera, while a prelude is more of a distinct, unified symphonic work unto itself.

For that reason, Wagner's preludes (Tristan, anyway) do turn up as concert pieces.

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

Speaking from a Wagnerian bias: an overture tends to be a crowd-pleasing potpourri of hummable tunes from the opera, while a prelude is more of a distinct, unified symphonic work unto itself.

For that reason, Wagner's preludes (Tristan, anyway) do turn up as concert pieces.

That's why I said "generally." Exceptions do exist.

[Clayton]

Speaking from a Wagnerian bias: an overture tends to be a crowd-pleasing potpourri of hummable tunes from the opera, while a prelude is more of a distinct, unified symphonic work unto itself.

For that reason, Wagner's preludes (Tristan, anyway) do turn up as concert pieces.

Or not quite an evening

Next question - what is the difference between mezza voce and sotto voce?

I think mezza voce is the voce that comes on lot's of little plates that you have with friends and wine while on the continent. I'm not sure about sotto voce so let me look it up in Grove.

[MAuer]

I think mezza voce is the voce that comes on lot's of little plates that you have with friends and wine while on the continent. I'm not sure about sotto voce so let me look it up in Grove.

Sotto voce is probably some type of cheese . . .

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Next question - what is the difference between mezza voce and sotto voce?

Sotto voce is probably some type of cheese . . .

Now now children, this is supposed to be serious!!

Mezza - half

Sotto - soft

But I wouldn't know the difference when I heard it.

[Florestan]

Next question - what is the difference between mezza voce and sotto voce?

I have a different question that this prompted. What is Mezzovoce? (one word or two words, I am not sure)

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

I have a different question that this prompted. What is Mezzovoce? (one word or two words, I am not sure)

Mezzovoce isn't anything because this word doesn't exist. Voce is feminine; la voce, so, it's mezza, because in Italian this word behaves like an adjective that changes according to the word it describes. Mezza for feminine singular (like in mezzaluna), mezzo for masculine singular, mezze for feminine plural, and mezzi for masculine plural.

You must be thinking, then, why it's sotto voce and not sotta voce? Because sotto is Italian for "under," so it is a preposition, not an adjective. It doesn't change gender. Sotto voce is "under the voice" while mezza voce is "at half voice."

Now, there is a series of TV concerts in Ajaccio, Corsiga, called Mezzo Voce, but I guess it has more to do with the Mezzo TV, likely a sponsor or co-producer. It's not classical music, though.

But the question about the difference between mezza voce and sotto voce in terms of singing, hasn't been entirely answered yet. I guess I shouldn't be the one answering it, though, if I understand well Annie's game. So, someone else should answer, then ask a new question.

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Mezzovoce isn't anything because this word doesn't exist. Voce is feminine; la voce, so, it's mezza, because in Italian this word behaves like an adjective that changes according to the word it describes. Mezza for feminine singular (like in mezzaluna), mezzo for masculine singular, mezze for feminine plural, and mezzi for masculine plural.

You must be thinking, then, why it's sotto voce and not sotta voce? Because sotto is Italian for "under," so it is a preposition, not an adjective. It doesn't change gender. Sotto voce is "under the voice" while mezza voce is "at half voice."

Now, there is a series of TV concerts in Ajaccio, Corsiga, called Mezzo Voce, but I guess it has more to do with the Mezzo TV, likely a sponsor or co-producer. It's not classical music, though.

But the question about the difference between mezza voce and sotto voce in terms of singing, hasn't been entirely answered yet. I guess I shouldn't be the one answering it, though, if I understand well Annie's game. So, someone else should answer, then ask a new question.

There are no rules. You can ask/answer as many questions as you want.

[MAuer]

Seriously now -- is sotto voce nearly a whisper? Perhaps akin to what in English would be a remark uttered "under one's breath?"

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Seriously now -- is sotto voce nearly a whisper? Perhaps akin to what in English would be a remark uttered "under one's breath?"

I think you're right.

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

Seriously now -- is sotto voce nearly a whisper? Perhaps akin to what in English would be a remark uttered "under one's breath?"

Exactly; mezza voce is at half volume (with subdued and moderated volume but still quite audible), while sotto voce is just a whisper, a very low voice that is intended not to be overheard, as in hushed, and it is validly idiomatically translated into "under one's breath."

Your turn to ask a question.