attacca

American  

[uh-tah-kuh, uh-tak-uh, aht-tahk-kah] / əˈtɑ kə, əˈtæk ə, ɑtˈtɑk kɑ /

verb

(used as an imperative)

1. begin immediately (directing a performer to go without pause to the next section).

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Etymology

Origin of attacca

< Italian: imperative of attaccare to attack

Example Sentences

He followed the “Don Giovanni” Overture, attacca, with Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 — treating them as one, and emphasizing their shared dark-to-light journeys from D minor to major.

From New York Times • Apr. 16, 2023

And he goes on to point out that this late quartet has seven movements instead of the customary five, and that Beethoven demanded that it be played attacca, that is without any pause between movements.

From The Guardian • Apr. 6, 2013

Mirandos was putting on the pedal, and we paused at this moment, as he paused before the attacca.

From Charles Auchester, Volume 1 of 2 by Sheppard, Elizabeth