Ritornello

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A repeated musical phrase that alternates with contrasting passages in a composition provides coherence and unity within the work
2. This concept encompasses a recurring theme that interjects between different sections, linking them together while maintaining distinct musical ideas
3. A musical element that features a recurring section interspersed with varied segments, giving structure and continuity to the composition is essential to its design

Etymology: Ritornello is Italian for "a little return," a diminutive of "ritorno," which means "return." The Italian verb "ritornare," "to return," is its base, so the word literally names something that comes back again and again. Its French cousin "ritournelle" shows the same root in a slightly different shape. In music, the term describes a passage that repeats between other sections, so the listener keeps meeting the same material in new surroundings. Composers used it for a refrain that returned after contrasting episodes, which is why it works as an anchor for a piece's shape. The idea of coming back to a starting point is built into the word itself.