obbligato

American  

[ob-li-gah-toh, awb-blee-gah-taw] / ˌɒb lɪˈgɑ toʊ, ˌɔb bliˈgɑ tɔ /

adjective

1. (used as a musical direction) obligatory or indispensable; so important that it cannot be omitted.

---

noun

plural

obbligatos, obbligati

1. an obbligato part or accompaniment.

2. a continuing or persistent subordinate or background motif.

3. a subordinate part of a solo.

obbligato British  

/ ˌɒblɪˈɡɑːtəʊ /

adjective

1. not to be omitted in performance

---

noun

1. an essential part in a score

   with oboe obbligato

Etymology

Origin of obbligato

1715–25; < Italian: bound, obliged < Latin obligātus; see obligate

Example Sentences

The instrumentation now comprises a 13-player Western ensemble and, especially for the scenes in exotic Bithynia, five obbligato Asian instruments and a full American gamelan, meaning a Javanese-style mostly metallic percussion orchestra made in America.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2017

Colin St. Martin’s elegant flute obbligato and Bradley Tatum’s beautiful, pure sound on the natural horn adorned this pungently colorful performance.

From Washington Post • Feb. 26, 2017

The obbligato viole d’amore parts in the bass arioso “Betrachte, meine Seel’,” were ravishingly played.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 2, 2014

Thomas, she noted, "always sang the under part of the song like a sort of obbligato, impossible at first hearing to put down".

From The Guardian • Aug. 5, 2011

A late passer-by went slowly up the street, and Leh Shin's heart beat a loud obbligato to the sound of his wooden pattens.

From The Pointing Man A Burmese Mystery by Douie, Marjorie