Tutti (Italian for “all”) is an instruction by which all the performers of an ensemble, orchestra, or choir sound at once. It is the moment of maximum fullness, power, and richness of sound.
Tutti takes on a special meaning in the concerto, where it is contrasted with the soloist's playing: the orchestral tuttis frame and set off the solo episodes, creating a dialogue of the one and the many. In the symphony, powerful climactic tuttis are the summits of the dramaturgy, when the whole mass of the orchestra merges in a single surge. The contrast between the quiet solo of a single flute and the thunderous tutti of the whole orchestra is one of the strongest expressive effects in music. Tutti is the embodiment of collective power and the fullness of musical sound.
