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.

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noun

obbligatos, plural obbligati plural

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

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noun

1. an essential part in a score

   with oboe obbligato

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• obbligatos
  plural
• obbligati
  plural

Etymology

Origin of obbligato

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

Example Sentences

The chord progression and measured pace come from vintage soul, along with the gospelly call-and-response ending and the organ obbligato.

From New York Times • Dec. 4, 2020

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

I’m so touched by his vulnerability in reading that song, his choices as a piano player, and what he adds as sort of an obbligato sidebar commentary with his playing.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2016

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

From Seattle Times • Mar. 2, 2014

It was simple wolfish howling increased in fervour to an electric yell, with slight barks running continuously through it like an obbligato accompaniment.

From The Dog Crusoe and his Master by Ballantyne, R. M. (Robert Michael)