concerto

[ kuhn-cher-toh; Italian kawn-cher-taw ]

noun

, Music.

, plural con·cer·tos, con·cer·ti [k, uh, n-, cher, -tee].

1. a composition for one or more principal instruments, with orchestral accompaniment, now usually in symphonic form.

concerto

/ kənˈtʃɛətəʊ /

noun

1. a composition for an orchestra and one or more soloists. The classical concerto usually consisted of several movements, and often a cadenza See also sonata symphony
2. another word for ripieno

concerto

1. A piece of instrumental music written for one or more soloists and an orchestra .

Word History and Origins

Origin of concerto¹

1720–30; < Italian, derivative of concertare; concert (v.)

Word History and Origins

Origin of concerto¹

C18: from Italian: concert

Example Sentences

Still, despite all she does and all we’ve heard, despite how wholly she inhabits the music — be it a Bach partita or a searing contemporary concerto like Peter Eötvös’s “DoReMi” — there remains what can only be described as a Midori mystique.

From Washington Post

Instead, he lives a cozy life, listening to piano concertos and drinking alone.

From MIT Technology Review

He toggled between electric and acoustic bands and delved into the classical world, composing his own concerto for classical orchestra.

From Time

He even performed piano concertos by Mozart and other classical composers.

From Washington Post

Recognizing a scent is a precise and intricate process in which chemistry, biology, and physics must play together in a synchronized concerto—whether you’re relishing the aroma of a rose or pinching your nose at a pile of dog poop.

From Nautilus

Back to the concerto, or a little light Plato, or some such.

From The Daily Beast

His first great piano concerto is widely considered to be the No. 9, Jeunehomme, written at age 21.

From The Daily Beast

His speeches have the elegance and control of a Haydn concerto.

From The Daily Beast

Going back, Liszt indulged in a little graceful badinage apropos of the concerto.

From Project Gutenberg

Frulein Fichtner was the young lady who was going to play his concerto in A major at the concert that evening.

From Project Gutenberg

The concerto made a generally dazzling and difficult impression upon me, but did not "take hold" of me particularly.

From Project Gutenberg

Frulein Fichtner had already departed, but the first violinist played Mendelssohn's famous concerto for violin.

From Project Gutenberg

Then, child, you've fallen on your head, if you don't know that at least you must have a second copy of the concerto!

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• arrangement
• drama
• melody
• music
• piece
• poetry
• setup
• symphony
• theme
• tune
• writing