Tessitura
/ˌtɛsɪˈtʊərə/noun
The prevailing range of a musical part or voice.
Did you know?The word 'tessitura' comes from the Italian for 'texture,' connecting music to the art of weaving, symbolizing how sound is interlaced into harmony.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
textura
“Weaving, the act of making fabric or interlacing threads.”
Late Middle Ages
Italian
tessitura
“The texture or fabric of a musical composition.”
17th Century
English
tessitura
“Adopted into English to describe the range of a voice or instrument.”
Modern English
English
tessitura
“Used primarily in music to denote the range within which a part is most comfortable.”