Profile No. VII: Concept of the Orchestral Tutti

Each profile will highlight a specific problem of composition for orchestra. Orchestral tuttis can be thought of as a single chord as cadence with a series of chords, played by everyone in the orchestra. It is possible that most members could play, creating more than one contrasting tutti; or, tuttis could occur in a single choir or combination of choirs, like winds and brass. The general effect is a simplification of texture, even if there is an activated accompaniment, and tuttis usually occur at cadential or other nodal points in an extended composition. Some kinds of pieces begin with a tutti (like the French Overture), as in the opening of Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks.

Tuttis may be defined on a sliding scale of two types of textural organizational principles: 1) horizontal organization or block chords to completely activated textures with dynamic pitch densities and, 2) vertical organization which determines the orchestral weight of the tonal event. This second type of organization involves the doublings and spacings of pitches to produce high, middle, low, or balanced focus to the tutti. The selection of a specific pitch which permeates the chord could also control the tutti (e.g. the e minor chord with many G's at the beginning of Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms.

  • Ending tuttis: the chord or event which tops the energy and completes a piece or single movement.
    Berlioz, Symphonie Fantastique Movement IV, "The March to the Scaffold." where the graphic representation of the execution is projected in the series of chords, weighted toward the middle register with an extension to the upper register through the multiple stops in the upper strings. Berlioz anticipates the heavy drum and timpani tremolos with a low G pizz. in the double basses at meas. 169. This tutti is stepped in that the strings drop out for five measures, highlighting the percussion entrance, taking on the same texture in meas. 175-177. The dynamic contour, from Fortissimo to Forte and back, helps to shape this tutti.
    Brahms, Symphony No. 1, Finale, meas. 413 to the end. Widely spaced sustained chords give way to upper register weight (closely spaced thirds in winds vs. octaves in horns, trumpets, and lower strings, later in repeated eighths in violins (from meas. 422). It is instructive to follow the voice leading of all parts in the chords from meas. 431 to the end of P. 85. From meas. 446 the main motif of the movement is used to animate the texture of the final plagal cadence. Note the spacing of the final chord of the piece.
    Mahler, Symphony No. 5, Movement III/5 from meas 785 to the end, which has two different textures with the inclusion of the main theme in horns and trumpets in the last three measures. The contrast between the activated texture tutti of the previous measures (presto) and the eighth-note chords against the theme, multiplies the concluding effect. Some consistent timbres (like the triangle) connect the two textures.
    Debussy, La Mer, end of Movement I: operates in a manner similar to that of the Mahler example, with two types of textures. The final chord is further focussed by the extensions of trumpets, trombones, tuba, timpani, and cymbal for three beats to the eighth-note downbeat, which is re-attacked by the Db in the timpani.
  • Opening tuttis: the opening gesture defines the total musical space.
    Handel, Music for the Royal Fireworks, Ouverture (P. 59). The downbeat half-note D in the bassoons with downward octave leap kicks off this mostly homophonic assault. This tutti begins as a mid-range concentration, whihc then expands outward in meas. 3. Notice the use of leaps to re-attack and renew the energy in the horns and bassoons. There is a rhythmic diminution to dotted eighth/sixteenths, which appears in more instruments, meas. 6-8.
    Brahms, Symphony No. 1, Opening of Movement I: a complex of energy on many rhythmic and harmonic levels. The insistent low C pedal in contrabassoon, timpani, and double basses sets the floor for the outward expansion of winds and strings in marked contrast.The two-part texture over the ostinato is infused with some of the most intricate harmony in the whole symphony, chromatically filling in the entire musical space.
  • Dramatic nodal point in tutti chords: real punctuations to demarcate sections.
    Berlioz, Symphonie Fantastique, Movement V, meas. 477-478 (P. 144), meas. 494 (P. 146), meas. 524 (P. 148). Check carefully the weighting of these tuttis, based on doubling and spacing.
    Mahler, Symphony No. 5, III/5 again, from Reh. 34 (PP. 239-243), which contains the full treatment. the Allegro Molto builds from the activated texture of bassoons, horns, and lower strings with the foreground, against the undulating upper strings. That figure features an intervallic expansion above the open "A" strings on P. 240. The upper pitches are reinforced by repetition in the flutes (from meas. 754). The repeated D-A activation is simultaneously passed between oboes and clarinets (also anticipates D-A in timpani from meas. 771 with rhythm passed between it and triangle). Mahler reserves the ultimate artillery for the heavy brass from meas. 759. Simultaneously (starting a measure later) the six horns have closed position chords, adding weight to the middle register. Thru PP. 241-243, notice the careful development of the wind parts, using trills, downward leaps, and runs (like Reh. 35) to build and activate.
    • Updated, May 24, 2004.