Ostinato
A persistently repeated musical pattern or phrase.
Category
form
Pronunciation
oh-stih-NAH-toh
Origin
Italian
Length
91 words · 1 min read
About Ostinato
An ostinato is a motif or phrase that repeats continuously throughout a section or entire piece. It can occur in any voice or instrument and serves as a foundation over which other musical ideas unfold.
More form terms
Sonata Form
View all formterms →A large-scale musical structure based on exposition, development, and recapitulation
SuiteA collection of short movements grouped together, often based on dance forms or sharing a common theme
Theme and VariationsA form in which a theme is stated and then altered through a series of variations
CadenzaA virtuosic solo passage, often improvised, near the end of a movement.
VoltaTurn; used in repeat structures (prima volta, seconda volta).
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