Ritornels

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A short recurring instrumental passage or refrain in music that follows the main theme
2. A repeated section that enhances the thematic material in a musical composition
3. A musical phrase that reappears at intervals to create cohesion within a piece

Etymology: "Ritornels" is the plural of "ritornel," a term that came into English from Italian, where "ritornello" means a little return or refrain. The Italian word is a diminutive of "ritorno" (return), built from "ri-" (back, again) and "tornare" (to turn), so the underlying idea is a passage that turns back to where it started. In music, the sense is a recurring instrumental passage that returns between sung sections of a larger work, such as the orchestral refrains that punctuate Baroque arias and concertos. The plural form simply means several such passages within a piece. The English noun keeps the Italian spelling and stress pattern, marking it as a borrowed musical term rather than a native word.

Synonyms: ritornellos, refrains, choruses