Alberti bass

[ al-bur-tee beys, ahl-ber- ]

noun

, Music.

1. a reiterated broken-chord figure used as an accompaniment, especially in 18th-century rococo keyboard music.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Alberti bass¹

1875–80; named after Domenico Alberti (circa 1710–40), Italian musician

Example Sentences

The piece is called “Fugitive Thoughts About the Alberti Bass,” drawn from a series that might best be described as a composer’s notebook, kept over a period of decades.

From Washington Post

Mr. Prutsman’s music cleverly combines evocations of five-finger exercises and Alberti bass figures with hazy harmonies, hints of mellow jazz, a two-step stride and a nod to Debussy.

From New York Times

The so-called "Alberti" bass should be played in such a manner as to minimize the motion of the sixteenths, and to intensify the chord feeling.

From Project Gutenberg

The music, which may be described as a study in the Alberti bass, is decidedly more correct in form than the French of the title-page.

From Project Gutenberg

The introduction of the Alberti bass is one clear sign of a post-Scarlatti period.

From Project Gutenberg