Complete Encyclopaedia of Music/A/A mezza aria

by John Weeks Moore

A mezza aria. (I.) An expression applied to the compass of an air, the notes of which have no great extension, either in height or depth ; that is, which lie towards the middle of the compass of that species of voice for which it was composed ; as a bass, tenor, or soprano. This phrase is also used to signify a style of composition between air and recitative ; a kind of aria parlante.