Il mordente
Example: Il mordente sul violino aggiunge espressività al brano eseguito.
Definition
"Il mordente" is a musical ornament consisting of a rapid alternation between a principal note and the note immediately below or above it, used to add expressiveness and embellishment to a piece, especially on instruments like the violin.
Etymology
The term "il mordente" comes from the Italian verb 'mordere', meaning 'to bite.' This reflects the sharp, biting quality of the ornament in music. Did you know? The word captures the idea of 'biting' into the melody to enhance its expressiveness.
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"Il mordente" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 99 commonly used words.
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