cadenza

[ kuh-den-zuh ]

noun

, Music.

1. an elaborate flourish or showy solo passage, sometimes improvised, introduced near the end of an aria or a movement of a concerto.

cadenza

/ kəˈdɛnzə /

noun

1. a virtuoso solo passage occurring near the end of a piece of music, formerly improvised by the soloist but now usually specially composed
2. informal.
   a fit or convulsion

Word History and Origins

Origin of cadenza¹

1745–55; < Italian < Vulgar Latin *cadentia a falling, equivalent to Latin cad ( ere ) to fall + -entia -ency; chance

Word History and Origins

Origin of cadenza¹

C19: from Italian; see cadence

Example Sentences

This brooding, 25-minute piece begins with a passionate violin cadenza, played like the rest of the concerto with heated commitment from Stewart, and then evolves frequently, without defined section breaks.

From New York Times

Tao will even improvise his own cadenzas in the concerto — a practice emulating Mozart’s own.

From Seattle Times

Outside a playful, nuanced cadenza, his sharp and quick technique didn’t provide much variety.

From New York Times

There is a spot in the “All’Italiana,” right after the cadenza, where the piano has these huge chords in left and right and they run toward each other.

From New York Times

But it wasn’t a one-to-one transfer; many sections were heavily changed, and she also added a cadenza.

From New York Times