Weighty
Heavy, with weight.
What it means
Wuchtig is a German performance marking and calls for a heavy, massive performance: every note is attacked with weight, the sound seems broad and powerful. The Italian equivalent is pesante.
The marking concerns articulation and sound character. It does not necessarily mean great loudness but mass and heaviness — a weighty sound can also work at a moderate volume, if it has substance.
Wuchtig differs from kraftvoll (forceful) through its heaviness: force can be springy, weight rests on the ground. It differs from marcato, which accents every note, through its weight — an accent can be light, weight cannot.
In the notation
The word stands above the staff at the beginning of the relevant section, in German-language editions in place of an Italian marking, and holds until a new marking. It is often found together with accents or tenuto strokes on every note, a low register, unison passages, and full-handed chords.
Musical use
The designation is used in themes of massive character, in heavy dance movements, in marches, and in intensifications that demand weight. In orchestral music it often stands over low strings and brass, in piano music over sections with orchestral aspirations.
The instruction calls for a heavy, forceful performance with great weight and broad accents. It stands in German scores of the late Romantic era, for instance in Mahler and Bruckner, often in brass passages and tutti sections. Every note should have mass and emphasis. The tempo is mostly measured, the articulation marked. String players play with much bow at the frog, pianists with arm weight. Wuchtig is related to pesante, but emphasizes force and weight more strongly. The sound should be large and massive, but must not become hard or uncontrolled. Precisely in large ensembles, precision is important, so that the weight does not turn into disorder.
Performance practice
Give every note its full duration and weight, without pressing it. Use arm weight, or plenty of bow and breath. Avoid short, springy articulation. And keep the tempo steady — weight arises from an even, heavy gait, not from delay.