Word of the Day

[Catmando]

Today, the Word is:

Passacaglia:(Italian, from the Spanish pasar, to walk, and calle, street) also passacaglio, an instrumental dance form, often in 3/4 time, similar to the chaconne in which there is continuing repetition of a theme usually played in the bass (i.e. a basso ostinato). It originated in Spain and became popular in France and Italy during the Baroque period. **

**Reference: Dolmetsch

[jamiebk]

Cat....what a totally cool idea! As someone who really enjoys classical music, but know little about the technical aspects of it (nomenclature for instance) this is wonderful. I hope you will continue this. Maybe B.com should pick this up as a feature.

[Catmando]

Cat....what a totally cool idea! As someone who really enjoys classical music, but know little about the technical aspects of it (nomenclature for instance) this is wonderful. I hope you will continue this. Maybe B.com should pick this up as a feature.

Thanks Jamie. I just learned about this term yesterday, while attending the WSO "Musically Speaking" concert series, which featured Webern's Passacglia Op. 10, and Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, Orchestral Suite # 3 and Toccata & Fugue. The conductor talks to the audience before and after each piece to discuss some of the history behind it, terminology, etc. It's very interesting, because our conductor has a great sense of humour and passion, and I always learn a thing or two. He gets the audience involved too by asking "us" questions, it's very interactive.

I wonder if other North American orchestras have similar "Musically Speaking" type concert series?

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

Perhaps we could cajole one of the music-major types into posting a glossary. We have several here - TrumpetMaster, Nicole Marie, OT, bignaf, probably some others I can't think of at the moment.

You have to be careful looking terms up for yourself on the Internet, though. I've come across some wonderful "musical definition" joke files that I'd hate to have anyone take seriously.

[Catmando]

Impromptu: (English, Spanish m. from the Latin in promptu, 'in readiness') an improvisation, an extempore performance

common in the 19th-century, an instrumental piece that is designed to give the impression of having been improvised on the spur of the moment, for example, a fantasia

a term used by some composers, notably Frédéric Chopin (1810-49), to express a piece of music of a lyrical nature

Source: Dometsch

[navneeth]

Impromptu: (English, Spanish m. from the Latin in promptu, 'in readiness') an improvisation, an extempore performance

common in the 19th-century, an instrumental piece that is designed to give the impression of having been improvised on the spur of the moment, for example, a fantasia

a term used by some composers, notably Frédéric Chopin (1810-49), to express a piece of music of a lyrical nature

Source: Dometsch

Also the name of a film based on episodes from the life of Fryderyk Chopin, starring Hugh Grant.

Incidentally, the resemblance between the actor who plays the young Liszt and the real one is as good as that between the actor who portrays the Emperor in Amadeus and Joseph II.