Solo violino

As Printed on a Score

Printed as a staff label (Violino solo, Solo violino, Violino principale) for a concerto soloist, or as a direction over a passage for the concertmaster alone; Tutti returns the section. As a label it holds for the work, as a direction until Tutti.

Also spelled: violino solo

How Composers Use It

An orchestral violin solo is played by the concertmaster: it stands out without the projection of a concerto soloist, so keep the accompaniment light. Distinguish a solo for the leader from a passage for the whole first-violin section, and mark Tutti where the section rejoins. In a concerto, keep the soloist’s label consistent and print cues in the solo part.

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