A musical passage performed by all instruments or voices together, as opposed to a solo section. In orchestral music, indicates that the full ensemble should play.
From Italian tutti meaning 'all,' from Latin totus 'whole' or 'entire.' The term entered musical terminology in the 17th century during the development of the concerto form, where it distinguished full orchestra sections from solo passages.
The word 'tutti' captures one of music's most thrilling moments - when individual instruments merge into a unified sonic force that's greater than the sum of its parts. In the classical concerto tradition, the dramatic contrast between intimate solo passages and powerful tutti sections creates emotional peaks and valleys that mirror the human experience of individual contemplation versus collective action.
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