In musical terminology,divisi, or as typically printed“div.,” is an instruction to divide a single section of instruments into multiple subsections.[1] This usually applies to theviolins of thestring section in anorchestra, althoughviolas,cellos, anddouble basses can also be divided.[2] Typically, 4-partFrench Horn sections include divided sections if Horns 1/2 and/or 3/4 are not playing the same music ("a2"). Otherbrass instruments can also be divided but it is not as frequent as with the Horn section.Woodwinds - especiallyFlutes andClarinets - 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 instructionstutti,all'unisono.[3] orunison (abbreviatedunis.).
The German equivalents fordivisi andtutti, often used in German language scores, aregeteilt (orgetheilt, abbreviatedget.) andzusammen (abbreviatedzus.).[3]
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 bymetà ("half") orsoli quattro soprani ("four sopranos alone"). Some German late Romantic scores use instructions likedie eine Hälfte/die andere Hälfte ("one half" and "the other half").[3]