Cadenza
A virtuosic solo passage, often improvised, near the end of a movement.
Category
form
Pronunciation
kah-DEHN-tsah
Origin
Italian
Length
103 words · 1 min read
About Cadenza
A cadenza is an extended, technically demanding passage for the soloist, typically occurring near the end of a concerto movement. Historically, cadenzas were improvised on the spot; today, most performers play written-out versions by the composer or by later editors.
More form terms
Theme and Variations
View all formterms →A form in which a theme is stated and then altered through a series of variations
Ternary FormA three-part musical structure (ABA)
SuiteA collection of short movements grouped together, often based on dance forms or sharing a common theme
Binary FormA two-part musical structure (AB)
Sonata FormA large-scale musical structure based on exposition, development, and recapitulation
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