Word
concerto
Phoneticscon·cer·to
US/kənˈtʃɛɹtoʊ/
UK/kəntʃˈeətəʊ/
Definition
n. a long piece of music written for one main instrument and a large group of musicians. It usually has three parts and lets the main player show their skill.
n. a musical composition for a solo instrument or instruments accompanied by an orchestra. Typically structured in three movements following a fast-slow-fast pattern.
Examples
“She is practicing a famous violin concerto for the concert.”
“The pianist received a standing ovation after performing a difficult Rachmaninoff concerto with the national symphony.”
“While the Baroque concerto grosso featured a small group of soloists, the Romantic era shifted focus toward the individual virtuoso battling or leading the full orchestral force.”
Examples
simple
“She is practicing a famous violin concerto for the concert.”
contextual
“The pianist received a standing ovation after performing a difficult Rachmaninoff concerto with the national symphony.”
complex
“While the Baroque concerto grosso featured a small group of soloists, the Romantic era shifted focus toward the individual virtuoso battling or leading the full orchestral force.”
Usage
The plural can be formed as 'concertos' or the Italian 'concerti', though the former is more common in general English.
Real-World Examples
“It’s not the greatest concerto and needs a lighter touch to give it some lift (compare Michael Rabin and Adrian Boult).” “Pianist Jeremy Denk performs six Mozart concertos at the festival.” Etymology
Borrowed from Italian concerto, deverbal from concertare. Doublet of concert.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/concerto