Divisi Strings - when best to use ?

[Adrian Allan]

I'd like to hear from some string specialists on when it is generally best to use divisi strings.

I would have thought they sound best in cadential passages, when a really spread-out chord is needed, or do people sometimes use divisi strings to add another layer to their contrapuntal writing ?

Two more questions:

Can all the strings benefit from divisi passages, or mainly the upper strings ?

Which composers make the best use of divisi passages for me to study and learn from their example ?

[Adrian Allan]

Thanks for all your advice - great to hear from a string specialist.

[Danny De Can]

In my opinion, divisi can best be used when you want to weaken the strings (since there will be less players playing the same note) and put them in the background to make another instrument come to the foreground, such as a solo player. Another use is, of course, to complete a chord with a limited number of strings, e.g. only V1+V2+Va.

[H. A.]

Persnoally, I don't think there is a time that is "best to use" divisi strings. I think you have to first think about the texture you want to create before making that decision. As you mentioned a really spread-out chord is a time where one might choose to use divisi in the strings. As was already said, the strings will be thinned out or "weaker" with the divisi.

I think the key issue to think about is what you are trying to accomplish and whether or not divis parts will help accomplish the task or not.

It you are using a virtual orchestra then you need not worry about the issues of divisi. But if you are thinking in terms of a traditional orchestra you will have to take into consideration that the viola, cello and bass sections is usually smaller than the violin section. Unless you have a huge Bass section, I wouldn't suggest using divisi in the Bass. Divisi in the Viola, Cello and Violin to happen enough though. Again, I think one just needs to consider timbre, texture, what needs to be accomplished and maybe even necessity.

[Fredrick zinos]

Or just tell the section that only 1/2 the players are to execute a certain passage, but thats not really divisi, thats just a reduction in force. The other thing to keep in mind is that (in real life) 1/2 the players playing P is not the same sound as all the players playing PP.

[Ann Williams]

Hold on a minute--a divisi does not necessarily make the strings any "weaker": with divisi you are expected to compensate for any "weaknesses" by either playing out more or making it less according to what the conductor tells you the composer wanted.

The first composer who comes to mind is Debussy...will have to think of a better list and get back to you.

I think of divisi strings as a way to get more parts/voices, rather than a way to divide and conquer the string section. :) But, that just comes from years of playing in orchestras; not studying it on the page, so perhaps best not to take my opinion for it..

[Roland]

As a professional violist/ violinist whose performed many years in the symphony orchestra setting, I know a bit about strings. To the contrary, divisi actually makes the sound more sonorous and richer, because you are adding extra harmonies. For instance, take the opening celli divisi section in Rossini's Wilhelm Tell Overture. If my memory is correct, it's at least 4-5 parts divided. Can anyone say that is a "weak" sound? The richness of the sonorities compensates acoustically for less players per part. Then, the conductor may also ask for players to either bring out or soften parts, as well.
This concept, in my opinoin even holds true for 20th century works, such as Penderecki's Polymorphia (hope I spelled it right) where each person is playing a different note (micro-tonal cluster divisi). The sound is full, although not necessarily sonorous (due to the harmonic instability of going against the harmonic overtone series).

[Eric Fretheim]

To me, this is an issue of color. To build a complete chord in the strings without divisi or double stops, you have to employ multiple sections. You can't have simply violins playing Amaj7, you have to pull in at least viola and cello. The tonal character is changed with the bigger instruments, even if you have them playing in the same octave as the violins. And if you want the chord at lower octaves, it isn't even an option to add the violins.

Double stops can be cumbersome. Not only must you pay very close attention to whether it is truly possible for a human hand to perform them, they limit what you can do. The rapid double stops you might hear in virtuoso pieces are likely within the ability of a professional player, but they take too much practice time to perfect, and they effect the volume and the articulation (you have twice as many strings sounding, which is like adding instruments, but your bow is putting less energy into each string.) Thus they are best left to solo pieces and left out of something you hand the player Monday to play in concert by Thursday. Long or repeating notes are fine, but since tonal quality is effected, treat this as a special effect.

Unlike double stops, divisi gives you the identical flexibility and dynamic range as unison.

On the other comment (about calling for only half the section being 'divisi'.) I guess you could mark rests for one half and notes for the other, but it is more common to instruct only half the desks to play, or only the outside players, or only x number of desks.