Sotto voce (music)

In music, sotto voce (/ˈsɒtoʊ ˈvoʊtʃi, -tʃeɪ/,[1][2] Italian: [ˈsotto ˈvoːtʃe]; Italian for '"under the voice"') is a dramatic lowering of the vocal or instrumental volume — not necessarily pianissimo, but a definitely hushed tonal quality. Examples of sotto voce include:

• In the Lacrimosa from Mozart's Requiem, in which the singers lower their volume for emphasis.
• At the beginning of the third movement of Beethoven's String Quartet No. 15, Op. 132, in which the strings play with a hushed quality before later playing with renewed strength.
• The second part of Chopin's Nocturne in C minor, Op 48 No 1, which is marked sotto voce e sostenuto; this is used to 'hold back the drama and keep us in suspense'.[3]