tessitura

[ tes-i-too r-uh; Italian tes-see-too-rah ]
/ ˌtɛs ɪˈtʊər ə; Italian ˌtɛs siˈtu rɑ /

noun, plural tes·si·tu·ras, tes·si·tu·re [tes-i-too r-ey; Italian tes-see-too-re] /ˌtɛs ɪˈtʊər eɪ; Italian ˌtɛs siˈtu rɛ/.

the general pitch level or average range of a vocal or instrumental part in a musical composition: an uncomfortably high tessitura.

Origin of tessitura

1890–95; < Italian: literally, texture < Latin textūra; see texture

Words nearby tessitura

tessellation, tessera, tesseract, tessie, tessin, tessitura, test, test act, test ban, test blank, test card

Example sentences from the Web for tessitura

  • One should never try to change the tessitura, or natural character of the voice.

    Caruso and Tetrazzini on the Art of Singing |Enrico Caruso and Luisa Tetrazzini

  • This octave, however, represents merely the compass (ambitus or tessitura) of the melody: it has nothing to do with its tonality.

    The Modes of Ancient Greek Music |David Binning Monro

  • The tessitura of Butterfly is very high, and the rle is a strain for her.

    Interpreters |Carl Van Vechten

British Dictionary definitions for tessitura

tessitura
/ (ˌtɛsɪˈtʊərə) /

noun music

the general pitch level of a piece of vocal music an uncomfortably high tessitura
the compass or range of a voice

Word Origin for tessitura

Italian: texture, from Latin textura; see texture