{{Short description|Term in musical notation}} In musical terminology, '''''divisi''''', or as typically printed ''“'''div.''',”'' is an instruction to divide a single section of instruments into multiple subsections.<ref>{{Cite web|title = divisi - OnMusic Dictionary|url = http://dictionary.onmusic.org/terms/1115-divisi|website = OnMusic Dictionary|access-date = 2015-06-27}}</ref> This usually applies to the violins of the string section in an orchestra, although violas, cellos, and double basses can also be divided.<ref>{{Cite web|title = What the heck is String Divisi and is it contagious?|url = https://www.alexanderpublishing.com/AudioFiles/whats_divisi.pdf|website = www.alexanderpublishing.com|access-date = 2015-06-27|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140403021552/https://www.alexanderpublishing.com/AudioFiles/whats_divisi.pdf|archive-date = 2014-04-03}}</ref> Typically, 4-part French horn sections include divided sections if horns 1/2 and/or 3/4 are not playing the same music ("a2"). Other brass instruments can also be divided but it is not as frequent as with the horn section. Woodwinds - especially flutes and clarinets - also utilize "divisi" to divide music between parts and even between players of the same part.
After a divisi section, it may be cancelled by the instructions ''tutti'', ''all'unisono''.<ref name="Grove">{{Cite Grove |first=David |last=Fallows |date=2001 |title=Divisi (It.: 'divided') |doi=10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.07869}}</ref> or ''unison'' (abbreviated ''unis.'').
The German equivalents for ''divisi'' and ''tutti'', often used in German language scores, are '''''geteilt''''' (or '''''getheilt''''', abbreviated '''''get.''''') and ''zusammen'' (abbreviated ''zus.'').<ref name="Grove" />
Some pieces use notation that refers to half of a section or referring to a specific number of performers. For instance, Giuseppe Verdi's scores include directions for small sections of the chorus by ''metà'' ("half") or ''soli quattro soprani'' ("four sopranos alone"). Some German late Romantic scores use instructions like ''die eine Hälfte''/''die andere Hälfte'' ("one half" and "the other half").<ref name="Grove" />
==References== <references />
Category:Musical terminology