Fugato

Part of speech: noun, adjective, adverb

Definitions

1. A compositional method involves presenting a main theme that is successively imitated by various musical voices, creating a layered texture
2. This technique showcases a melody introduced and then echoed in a distinct voice, contributing to a complex musical dialogue
3. A musical technique in which a principal theme is successively imitated by different voices, resulting in a rich texture of sound

Etymology: Fugato comes from Italian, where "fuga" means "flight" and was borrowed in music for the way voices seem to chase one another. The "-ato" ending means "in the manner of," so a fugato is a passage that imitates a fugue's technique without being a full fugue. Composers use it inside larger works, such as a symphony or an opera, when they want a brief burst of contrapuntal entries before the music moves on. The noun names that passage, while the adjective and adverb describe music written or played in that style. The Latin "fuga" sits behind the Italian term, and the English word keeps the Italian form, so a reader can see the fugue hiding inside it.