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ritornelli

 - 2 dictionary results

ri⋅tor⋅nel⋅lo

  [rit-er-nel-oh; It. ree-tawr-nel-law]
–noun, plural -los, -li  [-lee] . Music.
1. an orchestral interlude between arias, scenes, or acts in 17th-century opera.
2. a tutti section in a concerto grosso, aria, etc.
Use ritornelli in a Sentence
Origin:
1665–75; < It, dim. of ritorno return
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
Cite This Source Link To ritornelli
ri·tor·nel·lo   (rē'tôr-něl'lō)   
n.   pl. ri·tor·nel·li (-lē) or ri·tor·nel·los

  1. An instrumental interlude recurring after each stanza in a vocal work.

  2. A passage or section for full orchestra in a concerto or aria.

  3. An instrumental interlude in early 17th-century opera.

  4. The refrain of a rondo.


[Italian, diminutive of ritorno, return, from ritornare, to return, from Vulgar Latin *retornāre; see return.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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