ritornello

[ rit-er-nel-oh; Italian ree-tawr-nel-law ]

noun

, Music.

, plural ri·tor·nel·los, ri·tor·nel·li [rit-er-, nel, -ee, r, ee-taw, r, -, nel, -lee].

1. an orchestral interlude between arias, scenes, or acts in 17th-century opera.
2. a tutti section in a concerto grosso, aria, etc.

ritornello

/ ˌrɪtəˈnɛləʊ /

noun

1. an orchestral passage between verses of an aria or song
2. a ripieno passage in a concerto grosso

Word History and Origins

Origin of ritornello¹

1665–75; < Italian, diminutive of ritorno return

Word History and Origins

Origin of ritornello¹

C17: from Italian, literally: a little return, from ritorno a return

Example Sentences

An orchestral ritornello serves as a bridge between each variation.

From New York Times

Other strengths of the piece include: an ebullient ritornello led by the strings, following a Truman Capote quote; a swelling meditation full of closely intertwined instrumental lines that elaborates on words from an Aboriginal invocation; and a passage from Verlaine, offering a lovely setting for the luxuriously toned mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke.

From Washington Post

The tenor starts out in synch with the ritornello; attempts to assume an independent melodic shape; and then, failing that, tries to join up with the accompaniment again.

From The New Yorker

Like her “Partita,” which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2013, “Ritornello” is a study in seductive textures, with soothing harmonies coexisting with restless, brittle rhythmic passages.

From New York Times

The program closed with a new work, “Ritornello,” by the composer Caroline Shaw, who is also a member of the ensemble and who produced a mildly evocative stop-animation video of everyday objects to accompany her piece.

From New York Times