ostinato
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun A musical phrase, pattern, or motif that is persistently repeated in the same musical voice, usually at the same pitch, throughout a section or the entirety of a composition. It serves as a foundational element, providing rhythmic, harmonic, or melodic consistency.
Usage
The term "ostinato" is used to describe a specific compositional technique in music. It is a singular noun, and its plural form is "ostinatos" or the Italian plural "ostinati." It is typically used in discussions of classical, film, jazz, and popular music to identify a repeating musical figure.
Examples
- The bass line in that piece is a driving ostinato.
- The composer built the entire movement around a simple four-note ostinato.
- A rhythmic ostinato in the percussion creates a sense of urgency.
Advanced Usage
- Ground Bass: A specific type of ostinato, particularly in Baroque music, where a bass line (the "ground") is repeated while the melodies and harmonies above it change.
- Ostinato as a Structural Device: In minimalist music, complex structures are often built from the gradual transformation of a simple ostinato.
- Vamp: In jazz and popular music, a repeating chord progression or rhythmic figure (a vamp) that serves as an ostinato for improvisation.
Variants and Related Words
- Ostinati (n): The plural form, often used in more formal or academic musical contexts.
- Riff (n): In jazz, rock, and popular music, a short, repeated melodic or rhythmic phrase, similar in function to an ostinato.
- Loop (n): In modern music production, a digitally repeated segment of sound, which is the technological equivalent of an ostinato.
Synonyms
- Motif
- Figure
- Pattern
- Repeated phrase
Antonyms
- Development
- Variation (in the sense of changing material)
- Through-composed (music without substantial repetition of sections)
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Ostinato rhythm: A rhythm that repeats persistently.
- Built on an ostinato: Describes a piece of music whose structure is derived from a repeating pattern.
Noun
- a musical phrase repeated over and over during a composition