ritornello

formree-tor-NEL-lohfrom Italian

A recurring passage for the full ensemble in a Baroque concerto.

In Depth

In Baroque concertos, the ritornello is a recurring passage played by the full ensemble (tutti) that alternates with episodes for the soloist or small group. The word means little return in Italian, reflecting the theme's regular reappearance throughout the movement. Vivaldi perfected the ritornello form in his hundreds of concertos. The ritornello typically appears in different keys and sometimes in shortened or varied forms as the movement progresses. This structure created a satisfying balance between the familiar (the recurring theme) and the novel (the soloist's episodes). The ritornello principle influenced the development of sonata form in the Classical era.
Did you know?

Vivaldi wrote over 500 concertos using ritornello form, leading Stravinsky to quip that Vivaldi wrote the same concerto 500 times — an exaggeration, but one with a grain of truth.

Related Terms

concerto

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