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.

---

spiccato British  

/ spɪˈkɑːtəʊ /

noun

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

---

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

This question as to what portion of the bow to use for spiccato each violinist must decide for himself, however, through experiment.

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

This must have been rather a crude form of spiccato.

From The Bow, Its History, Manufacture and Use 'The Strad' Library, No. III. by Saint-George, Henry

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 Martens, Frederick Herman

All phases of technical accomplishment, if rightly acquired, tend to become second nature to the player in the course of time: staccato, a brilliant trick; spiccato, the reiteration of notes played from the wrist, etc.

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

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 Goepp, Philip H.