concertante

[ kon-ser-tahn-tee; Italian kawn-cher-tahn-te ]

adjective

1. brilliantly virtuosic:

   a concertante part for solo violin.

2. solo rather than accompanying:

   a sonata for recorder and harpsichord concertante.

noun

, plural con·cer·tan·ti [kon-ser-, tahn, -tee, kawn-che, r, -, tahn, -tee].

1. an 18th-century symphonic work with sections for solo instruments.

concertante

/ ˌkɒntʃəˈtæntɪ /

adjective

1. characterized by contrasting alternating tutti and solo passages

noun

1. a composition characterized by such contrasts

Word History and Origins

Origin of concertante¹

1720–30; < Italian, present participle of concertare to give a concert; -ant

Word History and Origins

Origin of concertante¹

C18: from Italian, from concertare to perform a concert, from concerto concert

Example Sentences

The Solo performances of the two artistes, as also together, in my Concertante, were received with enthusiastic applause.

From Project Gutenberg

Herr Wassermann, one of the cleverest of my former pupils, played my Concertante with me.

From Project Gutenberg

The Andantino which follows offers a strong contrast to both movements of the concertante.

From Project Gutenberg

This detracts from the elevated character of the composition, and transforms it into a concertante display.

From Project Gutenberg

We each played a concerto of our own composition, after which we played together a duo concertante by Kreutzer.

From Project Gutenberg