concerto
Americannoun
-
concertos,
plural
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concerti
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of concerto
1720–30; < Italian, derivative of concertare; see concert (v.)
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How does concerto compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A concerto is a classical music composition that highlights a solo instrument against the background of a full orchestra. Bach is one composer known for writing concertos. In a concerto, a piano, violin, flute, or other instrument plays solo parts that are backed up or highlighted by an orchestra. Most concertos have three sections or movements, and in the 19th century they were especially popular as a way to showcase virtuoso playing by the soloist. In Italian, concerto means "concert or harmony," from concertare, "to bring into agreement."
Vocabulary lists containing concerto
Music - Middle School
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Music - High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
As Beethoven does in his violin concerto, Bruch uses virtuosic passagework only insofar as it enables us to better know the melody.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
The name reflects the offensive's four stages, or seasons - like the Italian composer's violin concerto.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
His account on Friday night of Mr. Salonen’s five-movement clarinet concerto “Kinēma” was an alchemic blend of technical acumen and tonal splendor in one of the composer’s most immediately enjoyable works.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
The opening night concert will see Korean piano sensation Yunchan Lim playing Ravel's piano concerto in G Major, and star tenor Thomas Atkins transporting the audience to France, via George Gershwin's An American In Paris.
From BBC ● Apr. 20, 2026
Before I sent in my application, I had to practice every spare moment with Professor Christie to fme-tune the Shostakovich concerto and the two Bach suites.
From "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman
Their vacation schedule brings them together in spring, summer, fall and winter — in that order, in the story — a plan that conveniently allows for Vivaldi’s well-known violin concerti to fill up the soundtrack.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2025
The mighty assortment of recordings of the symphonies, concerti, chamber music operas and sacred works justify the cost.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 6, 2016
They would play something like a dozen pieces each: preludes and fugues, chorales, chorale preludes, sonatas, concerti, variations, and “free” works drawn from Bach’s five decades as a working organist.
From The New Yorker ● Dec. 3, 2014
He will perform three Beethoven concerti, as well as piano recitals featuring a variety of repertoire.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 6, 2012
It is not that fugues and concerti in the olden style cannot be written to-day, that modern music and the antique forms are incompatible.
From Musical Portraits Interpretations of Twenty Modern Composers by Paul Rosenfeld
All concertos require rapport between orchestra and soloist, but this one, in D minor, seems to depend on it to an extraordinary degree.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
A festival that celebrates one of the country's most popular composers Sir Malcolm Arnold will mark its 20th year by playing 20 of his concertos.
From BBC ● Oct. 18, 2025
Phil, Chin’s 2014 Clarinet Concerto and a pair of Brahms concertos.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2025
The experience made him reflect on the role of violins in Jewish culture, from the shtetls of Eastern Europe to klezmer bands to Itzhak Perlman’s soaring concertos.
From New York Times ● Mar. 21, 2024
Maybe if I was one of those wonder-kids who plays piano concertos at age four, or a super child athlete, it would be easier.
From "Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun" by Hena Khan
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
