Comfortable pitch range for a singer or musical instrument
This article is about the musical term. For other uses, see Tessitura (disambiguation).
In music, tessitura (Italian:[tessiˈtuːra], pl. tessiture, "texture"; English: /tɛsɪˈtjuːrə/) is the most acceptable and comfortable vocal range for a given singer (or, less frequently, musical instrument). It is the range in which a given type of voice presents its best-sounding (or characteristic) timbre. This broad definition is often interpreted to refer specifically to the pitch range that most frequently occurs within a given part of a musical piece. Hence, in musical notation, tessitura is the ambitus, or a narrower part of it, in which that particular vocal (or less often instrumental) part lies—whether high or low, etc.
However, the tessitura of a part or voice is not decided by the extremes of its range, but rather by the share of this total range which is most used. Hence, it is referred to as the "heart" of a range.[1] For example, throughout the entirety of Wagner's Ring, the music written for the tenor role of Siegfried ranges from C♯3 to C5, but the tessitura is described as high because the phrases are most often in the range of C4 to A4.
Furthermore, the tessitura concept addresses not merely a range of pitches but also the arrangement of those pitches. The particular melodic contour of a singer's part may also be considered to be an important aspect of his vocal tessitura. Tessitura considerations include these factors: proportion of sudden or gradual rises and falls in pitch—speed of pitch changes; the relative number of very high or low notes; whether lines and phrases of music in the piece tend to rise or fall—the muscular abilities of a singer may be more suited to one or the other direction. A singer's ideal tessitura is centered on the single pitch in which their dynamic range is greatest.[2]
The extension to the more particular "weaving" of a voice has led to a commixture of tessitura and voice type. For example, the volume (loudness) that a singer is able to maintain for dramatic effect will often influence which Fach (voice type) or tessitura they specialize in. For example, a lyric tenor may have the vocal range to sing Wagner or other dramatic roles, but to maintain the loudness required for dramatic intensity over the span of an opera performance could either inflict vocal damage or be beyond his ability.
^Benjamin, Thomas (2003). The Craft of Tonal Counterpoint. New York: Taylor & Francis. p. 6. ISBN 9780203494110.
^Titze, Ingo (September 2008). "Voice Research and Technology: Quantifying Tessitura in a Song". Journal of Singing. 65: 59–61.
In music, tessitura (Italian: [tessiˈtuːra], pl. tessiture, "texture"; English: /tɛsɪˈtjuːrə/) is the most acceptable and comfortable vocal range for a...
of voices with similar vocal ranges, capable of singing in a similar tessitura, and with similar vocal transition points (passaggi). Voice classification...
all voice types, with the highest tessitura. A soprano and a mezzo-soprano have a similar range, but their tessituras will lie in different parts of that...
majority stake in Tessitura Ubertino, a high-end fabric maker based in Piedmont. A few weeks later, Zegna also bought a 40% share in Tessitura Biagioli Modesto...
specific vocal range in choral singing without regard to factors like tessitura, vocal timbre, vocal facility, and vocal weight. However, there exists...
contralto) and "bass". The contralto voice is a matter of vocal timbre and tessitura as well as range, and a classically trained solo contralto would usually...
of extending her upper range and encompassing the coloratura soprano tessitura. An upwardly extended "natural" soprano is sometimes called soprano assoluto...
more heavily on timbre and tessitura. Accordingly, roles that fall into this category tend to have a slightly lower tessitura than typical Verdi baritone...
which it is placed. This also effectively defines the pitch range or tessitura of the music on that staff. A clef is usually the leftmost symbol on a...
only one of those characteristics. Other factors are vocal weight, vocal tessitura, vocal timbre, vocal transition points, physical characteristics, speech...
C in performance. Their lower range tends to extend into the baritone tessitura or, a few notes below the C3, even down to A♭2. Some dramatic tenors have...
qualities include but are not limited to vocal range, vocal weight, vocal tessitura, vocal timbre, and vocal transition points such as breaks and lifts within...
written; the tessitura is G1–G3. The C double contrabass flute, notated in treble clef, sounds three octaves below written; the tessitura is C1–C3. Related...
bass F (F2), and its peak high at the tenor G♯ (G♯5), with a natural tessitura within the upper fourth octave. Tesfaye often makes use of his head voice...
were, quite literally, something else. Connie and Martha’s ultra-low tessitura and the sisters’ informal and natural diction contrast sharply with those...
classification 421.121.12-71 (Flute-like aerophone with keys) Playing range Tessitura of the piccolo is D5–C8. Some have a key for low C5. Related instruments...
andantino ingenuo ( = 120). The vocal range extends from E♭4 to A♭5, with a tessitura of F4 to A♭5. The five-bar orchestral prelude, in E-flat major and 3 4...
opera role. A soubrette voice is light with a bright, sweet timbre, a tessitura in the mid-range, but lacking extensive coloratura. A soubrette's vocal...
423.232 (Valved aerophone sounded by lip vibration) Playing range The tessitura for tenor horn in E♭ is A2 to E♭5. Notated in treble clef, sounds a major...
classification 421.121.12 (open side-blown flute with fingerholes) Playing range Tessitura of the standard C concert flute is C4–C7. Some have a key for low B3....
who created those roles and their other repertoire, and on the role's tessitura in the score. Angermüller, Rudolph (1 November 1988). Mozart's Operas...
transmitted in a Cambrai manuscript, uses the form ABA CDC EFE', with shifts in tessitura between sections. The E' section, on the final "Kyrie eleison", itself...
placed on lines (two are equivalent) have different names based on the tessitura for which they are best suited. In modern music, only four clefs are used...
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