spiccato

American  

[spi-kah-toh, speek-kah-taw] / spɪˈkɑ toʊ, spikˈkɑ tɔ /

adjective

1. (of violin music) performed with short, abrupt, rebounding motions of the bow.

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spiccato British  

/ spɪˈkɑːtəʊ /

noun

1. a style of playing a bowed stringed instrument in which the bow bounces lightly off the strings

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adjective

1. to be played in this manner

Etymology

Origin of spiccato

1840–50; < Italian, equivalent to spicc- (stem of spiccare to detach) + -ato < Latin -ātus -ate ¹

Example Sentences

This question as to what portion of the bow to use for spiccato each violinist must decide for himself, however, through experiment.

From Violin Mastery Talks with Master Violinists and Teachers by Martens, Frederick Herman

In the second part, with some loss of the lilt of dance, is a subtle design—with a running phrase in spiccato strings against a slower upward glide of bassoons.

From Symphonies and Their Meaning; Third Series, Modern Symphonies by Goepp, Philip H.

He readied himself and then poured his heart into playing that tune—he worked it around, swished it a few times, tried some variations, caught the fever, and finished off with a fast spiccato variation.

From Violists by McGowan, Richard

The martellato, a nuance of spiccato, should be played with a firm bowing at the point.

From Violin Mastery Talks with Master Violinists and Teachers by Martens, Frederick Herman

Too many amateurs try to play spiccato from the arm.

From Violin Mastery Talks with Master Violinists and Teachers by Martens, Frederick Herman