spiccato

American  

[spi-kah-toh, speek-kah-taw] / spɪˈkɑ toʊ, spikˈkɑ tɔ /

adjective

1. (of violin music) performed with short, abrupt, rebounding motions of the bow.

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spiccato British  

/ spɪˈkɑːtəʊ /

noun

1. a style of playing a bowed stringed instrument in which the bow bounces lightly off the strings

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adjective

1. to be played in this manner

Etymology

Origin of spiccato

1840–50; < Italian, equivalent to spicc- (stem of spiccare to detach) + -ato < Latin -ātus -ate ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

spiccato

The martellato, a nuance of spiccato, should be played with a firm bowing at the point.

From Violin Mastery Talks with Master Violinists and Teachers by Frederick Herman Martens

He cannot play spiccato or any of the 'bouncing' bowings, including various forms of arpeggios, with a poor stick.

From Violin Mastery Talks with Master Violinists and Teachers by Frederick Herman Martens

In a very broad spiccato, the arm may be brought into play; but otherwise not, since it makes rapid playing impossible.

From Violin Mastery Talks with Master Violinists and Teachers by Frederick Herman Martens

In light spiccato and staccato the detached notes should be played always with a single stroke of the bow.

From Violin Mastery Talks with Master Violinists and Teachers by Frederick Herman Martens

In the second part, with some loss of the lilt of dance, is a subtle design—with a running phrase in spiccato strings against a slower upward glide of bassoons.

From Symphonies and Their Meaning; Third Series, Modern Symphonies by Philip H. Goepp