In music, soave means gentle, soft, sweet, or smooth. It signifies that a passage should be played in a tender, tranquil manner, often with legato articulation. Some examples:
- In Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème, Rodolfo sings the aria "O soave fanciulla" ("O lovely maiden") to Mimi, describing her as "soave" and asking her to "cant. Here soave refers to Mimi's soft, gentle voice and sweet singing.
- The Italian term "suono soave" means a sweet, pleasant sound produced on an instrument.
- The term "armonia soave" refers to harmony that is soft, sweet and pleasing to the ear.
So in summary, when used to describe music, soave conveys a sense of gentleness, tenderness and sweetness in terms of sound, melody, harmony and performance.
A directive to perform the indicated passage of a composition in a gentle, soft, and engaging manner.
Leave a Reply