concertante

American  

[kon-ser-tahn-tee, kawn-cher-tahn-te] / ˌkɒn sərˈtɑn ti, ˌkɔn tʃɛrˈtɑn tɛ /

adjective

1. brilliantly virtuosic.

   a concertante part for solo violin.

2. solo rather than accompanying.

   a sonata for recorder and harpsichord concertante.

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noun

plural

concertanti

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

concertante British  

/ ˌkɒntʃəˈtæntɪ /

adjective

1. characterized by contrasting alternating tutti and solo passages

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noun

1. a composition characterized by such contrasts

Etymology

Origin of concertante

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

Example Sentences

It being a concertante, the Sinfonia was also an opportunity for the NSO to showcase a quartet of principal players — violinist Marissa Regni, cellist David Hardy, oboist Nicholas Stovall and bassoonist Sue Heineman.

From Washington Post • Feb. 18, 2022

The program here was almost an insult to the players: a transcription of four popular Granados piano pieces, and three concertante works.

From Washington Post • Feb. 1, 2015

There were concertos for various instruments and concertante pieces including his Actaeon for orchestra and solo horn, and his Sonnets to Orpheus for orchestra and solo cello.

From The Guardian • Dec. 25, 2012

The last piece on the CD, “The Cry of Anubis,” is one of Mr. Birtwistle’s few concertante works.

From New York Times • May 25, 2011

Two Concertos for three Claviers with an accompaniment of Strings.283 These Concertos present a remarkable characteristic: besides the concertante combination of three Claviers, the stringed instruments also have concertante parts distinct from the accompaniment.

From Johann Sebastian Bach by Forkel, Johann Nikolaus