altissimo

American  

[al-tis-uh-moh, ahl-tees-see-maw] / ælˈtɪs əˌmoʊ, ɑlˈtis siˌmɔ /

adjective

1. very high.

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noun

1. in altissimo, in the second octave above the treble staff.

altissimo British  

/ ælˈtɪsɪˌməʊ /

adjective

1. (of music) very high in pitch

2. of or relating to the octave commencing on the G lying an octave above the treble clef

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noun

1. in the octave commencing an octave above the treble clef

Etymology

Origin of altissimo

1810–20; < Italian: literally, highest, equivalent to alt ( o ) high + -issimo superlative suffix

Example Sentences

Ms. Aldana has a dry but limpid sound on tenor and an expressive command that stretches into an altissimo register.

From New York Times • Mar. 9, 2016

There were free-improvised solos, altissimo saxophone squeals and loud, surging sections, but nothing became chaotic; a sense of space and order subsumed everything else.

From New York Times • May 22, 2013

Later in his Magic Flute, Mozart wrote for the Queen of Night�one of the most difficult coloratura soprano roles sung today�nothing higher than F in alt, or three and one-half tones below C in altissimo.

From Time Magazine Archive

After her accidental discovery of C in altissimo, Soprano Sack perfected her coloratura.

From Time Magazine Archive

Ad te sole, altissimo, se konfano et nullu homo ene dignu te mentovare.

From Life of St. Francis of Assisi by Houghton, Louise Seymour