Ricercari

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of instrumental composition that presents imitative counterpoint and fugal techniques, often exploring variations and complex themes
2. An elaborate form of musical composition characterized by intricate polyphony and explorative melodic lines, typically performed by instruments
3. A specific style of composition that showcases the art of contrapuntal writing through intricacy and thematic development, commonly found in the Renaissance period

Etymology: "Ricercari" is the plural of "ricercare," an Italian term for a type of instrumental composition, and its meaning comes from the verb "ricercare," meaning "to seek out" or "to search again." Italian composers of the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries used the term for pieces that探 explored a theme by testing and developing it in many ways, which is why the sense of searching carries over into the music. Because "ricercare" is the singular form, the plural is what English writers usually borrow when discussing several such works together. The Italian verb itself is built from "re-" (again) and "cercare" (to search), a combination that gives the sense of going back over something to look at it more closely.