alto
alto — 名詞
1. a female singer, or her voice, that produces the deepest range of notes among wo
女低音歌手
音域最低的女歌手或其嗓音
a female singer, or her voice, that produces the deepest range of notes among women — sitting between the brighter soprano and the male tenor, and often called a contralto.
Uri trained as an alto and now sings the solo in the choir's Christmas concert.
Uri 接受過女低音的訓練，現在會在合唱團的耶誕音樂會中擔任獨唱。
countable: trained as an alto
The conductor needed two more altos to balance the sound of the choir.
指揮還需要兩位女低音，才能讓合唱團的聲音聽起來平衡。
plural: two more altos
As a teenager, Bram discovered her voice was a rich alto rather than a soprano.
Bram 青少年時期才發現自己其實是渾厚的女低音，而不是女高音。
The opera house cast a famous Italian alto in the role of the witch.
歌劇院找了一位義大利知名女低音來扮演巫婆這個角色。
The altos blended warmly under the sopranos during the slow middle section of the Mozart Requiem.
在莫札特《安魂曲》的慢板中段，女低音溫暖地襯在女高音之下。
- contralto
more technical; refers to the very lowest female range
- mezzo-soprano
near-synonym in casual use, but strictly the range just above alto
- soprano
the highest female voice, in contrast to the lowest
用法筆記
Often used interchangeably with 'contralto', though strictly contralto is the rarest and lowest type. Distinguish from sense 2 (boy alto) and sense 3 (male alto/countertenor).
常見錯誤
2. a boy whose unbroken voice can reach the lowest notes within a boys' choir, or t
男童低音
未變聲男童中音域最低者
a boy whose unbroken voice can reach the lowest notes within a boys' choir, or the voice itself — typical of cathedral and chapel choirs before puberty changes the voice.
Eight-year-old Tomás joined the cathedral choir as an alto last September.
八歲的 Tomás 去年九月以男童低音的身分加入了大教堂的詩班。
joined as an alto
The boy altos rehearsed in a small room next to the chapel every Wednesday afternoon.
男童低音們每週三下午都會在禮拜堂旁的小房間裡練唱。
compound: boy altos
When his voice broke at thirteen, Daniel had to stop singing alto in the school choir.
Daniel 十三歲變聲後，就無法再在學校合唱團唱低聲部了。
The director chose a young alto from the village school to sing the carol.
指揮從村裡的小學選了一位年輕的男童低音來唱這首聖誕頌歌。
- treble
more often used for the higher boys' voice; alto is lower
用法筆記
Restricted to choral contexts, especially Anglican and Catholic church music. Distinguish from sense 1 (female alto) — context (boys' choir, cathedral, school) usually disambiguates.
3. an adult man who sings in a high, often falsetto-like range that reaches above t
假聲男高音
以高音域演唱的成年男歌手
an adult man who sings in a high, often falsetto-like range that reaches above the tenor and overlaps with the female alto — a voice type prized in early music and church repertoire, also known as a countertenor.
Diego sings alto in a small group that performs Renaissance church music every spring.
Diego 參加了一個小型團體，每年春天演唱文藝復興時期的教會音樂，他擔任假聲男高音。
sing alto
The festival booked a celebrated British alto to sing Handel arias on the opening night.
音樂節邀請了一位英國知名的假聲男高音，在開幕之夜演唱韓德爾的詠嘆調。
At Friday's rehearsal, James warmed up as the only alto among twelve tenors and basses.
週五排練時，James 是十二位男高音與男低音中唯一的假聲男高音，獨自暖嗓。
The alto held a clear, bell-like high note for what felt like an entire minute.
那位假聲男高音持著一個清亮如鈴的高音，感覺整整唱了一分鐘。
- countertenor
preferred term in opera and concert programmes
- bass
the lowest male voice, opposite end of the male range
用法筆記
In British church-music tradition this sense is dominant, especially in male-only choirs; in opera and concert programmes the term 'countertenor' is more usual. Distinguish from sense 1 by context — male performer, high range, often early-music repertoire.
4. an instrument — most often a saxophone, but also a recorder, flute or clarinet —
中音樂器
音域介於高音與次中音之間
an instrument — most often a saxophone, but also a recorder, flute or clarinet — whose range falls between the higher soprano and the lower tenor models within the same family.
Imani plays the alto in his school jazz band and has just bought a second-hand saxophone.
Imani 在學校的爵士樂團吹中音樂器，最近剛買了一支二手薩克斯風。
play the alto
Rosa switched from the soprano to the alto after her teacher praised her warmer lower register.
Rosa 從高音樂器換成中音樂器，因為老師稱讚她較低音域的溫暖音色。
switch from X to the alto
The shop had three altos on the wall, each made by a different Japanese maker.
店裡牆上掛著三支中音樂器，分別是不同日本廠牌做的。
Mr. Park taught his students that the alto sits between the soprano and the tenor in pitch.
朴老師告訴學生，中音樂器的音高介於高音與次中音之間。
- alto sax
informal short form for the saxophone specifically
用法筆記
Usually short for 'alto saxophone' in jazz and pop contexts; in classical and recorder ensembles it can refer to alto recorder, alto flute, or alto clarinet. Subject is normally a player or a shop/owner.
常見錯誤
5. the second-highest line in a piece of choral or vocal music — the part written b
中音聲部
合唱中第二高的聲部
the second-highest line in a piece of choral or vocal music — the part written below the soprano and above the tenor, sung by alto voices or played on alto instruments.
Nina decided to sing the alto in this term's Easter cantata instead of the soprano.
Nina 決定這學期復活節清唱劇要唱中音聲部，而不是女高音。
sing the alto
The choirmaster asked the basses and tenors to listen carefully to the alto during the chorus.
合唱指揮要求男低音和男高音在副歌時仔細聆聽中音聲部。
In the second verse, the alto carries the main tune while the soprano holds a long note.
在第二段中，中音聲部負責主旋律，女高音則拉著一個長音。
Bach often gave the alto a beautiful, winding line that weaves around the other voices.
巴赫常給中音聲部寫一條優美迂迴的旋律，繞著其他聲部打轉。
- alto line
near-equivalent; 'line' makes the music-on-the-page meaning explicit
用法筆記
Almost always with the definite article: 'the alto'. Distinguish from senses 1-3, which name a person; this sense names the line of music itself. Frequent in score-reading and rehearsal language.
常見錯誤
alto — 形容詞
1. describing an instrument whose size and pitch sit between the soprano and tenor
中音的
形容音域中等的同族樂器
describing an instrument whose size and pitch sit between the soprano and tenor versions of the same family — for example an alto saxophone, alto recorder or alto flute.
Imani was saving up to buy a new alto saxophone for the school jazz festival.
Imani 正在存錢，準備為了校內爵士音樂節買一支新的中音薩克斯風。
alto + saxophone
The music teacher kept three alto recorders in a wooden case behind her desk.
音樂老師在書桌後的木盒裡放了三支中音直笛。
alto + recorder (plural)
An alto flute has a deeper, breathier sound than the standard concert flute.
中音長笛的聲音比一般長笛更低沉、更帶氣音。
The orchestra borrowed an alto clarinet from the conservatoire for the concert.
管弦樂團為了這場音樂會，從音樂院借來了一支中音單簧管。
文法句型
alto + [instrument noun]
用法筆記
Used only before a noun (attributive). Never used predicatively — you cannot say 'this saxophone is alto.' Combines productively with most wind-instrument nouns.
常見錯誤
2. describing a voice or singer that performs in the alto range — the deeper end of
中低音的
形容嗓音或歌手位於中低音域
describing a voice or singer that performs in the alto range — the deeper end of a woman's or boy's range, or the very top of a man's range.
Uri has a warm alto voice that carries beautifully across the small church hall.
Uri 有一副溫暖的中低音嗓子，在那間小教堂裡聽起來格外動人。
alto + voice
The choirmaster auditioned six alto singers on Saturday morning before the festival.
合唱指揮週六上午為音樂節甄選了六位中低音歌手。
alto + singers (plural)
Bach wrote a long, expressive alto solo for the second movement of the cantata.
巴赫為這部清唱劇的第二樂章寫了一段悠長富感情的中低音獨唱。
Diego has an unusual alto range for a tall, broad-shouldered man.
以一位高大寬肩的男性來說，Diego 擁有罕見的中低音音域。
- contralto
more specific; refers strictly to the lowest female range
- soprano
the higher female voice
文法句型
alto + voice/singer/part
用法筆記
Used only before a noun. Common collocates: voice, singer, line, solo, range, part. Distinguish from adj/1 (instrument): the noun that follows tells you which sense applies.
alto — 副詞
1. in the alto range — that is, at the deep end of a female or unbroken-boy voice,
以中音音域
以中音音域演唱或演奏
in the alto range — that is, at the deep end of a female or unbroken-boy voice, or near the top of an adult male voice. Typically used with verbs of singing or playing.
Bram has sung alto in the church choir since she was sixteen.
Bram 從十六歲起就在教會合唱團以中音音域演唱。
sing + alto
Diego prefers to sing alto in early-music groups rather than tenor in opera.
Diego 比較喜歡在古樂團體中以中音音域演唱，而不是在歌劇裡唱男高音。
sing alto vs. tenor (contrast)
Tomás sings alto for now, but his teacher expects his voice to drop within a year.
Tomás 目前以中音音域演唱，但老師預計他一年內就會變聲。
At Saturday's concert, Hannah sang alto beside her older sister in the front row.
週六的音樂會上，Hannah 在前排與姐姐並肩以中音音域演唱。
文法句型
sing + alto
用法筆記
Functions as an adverb of manner with verbs like 'sing' and occasionally 'play'. No article and no preposition: 'sing alto', not 'sing in alto' or 'sing the alto' (which would be the noun, sense 5).