IT solo bowing core term Support my free tools
How is solo played?
Single out one performer, whether the featured soloist of a concerto or the principal of an orchestral section, while any written accompaniment may continue. In a part, the one-player allocation normally remains until tutti, soli or another explicit player instruction. Solo is the counterpart of tutti in both orchestral and concerto writing, and it must not be confused with soli, the plural instruction for a small designated group.
How does solo sound?
The texture narrows to a single exposed voice, intimate and clearly foregrounded, with every nuance of one player's tone and phrasing laid bare against the silence or quiet backing around it.
In context
Standard references define a solo as music featuring one performer, who may play alone or with accompaniment, and concerto practice sets that soloist with or against the orchestra. Stone distinguishes one-player solo writing from 'Two Soli' and requires Tutti for the full section's return. A-R prints solo as a complete word, while Treccani likewise confirms that a soloist may retain accompaniment.