Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Apr 15, 2004 14:56
20 yrs ago
Italian term
ostinato
Italian to English
Art/Literary
Music
un ostinato: a repetitive melody as in a musical theme.
Is there a corresponding English word?
Is there a corresponding English word?
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +7 | Ostinato |
writeaway
|
| 4 | leitmotif/leitmotiv |
Lucie Brione
|
| 3 | obstinate - resolute- stubborn |
Vittorio Felaco
|
Proposed translations
+7
4 mins
Selected
Ostinato
Riff, ostinato and loop
These three words mean the same thing. Ostinato is more often used when describing serious music. Riff is more often used when describing pop music and Loop is used in Techno or modern dance music.
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/music/ musicalelements/devicesrev3.shtml - 37k
A Riff or ostinato is a repeated pattern of notes.
Listen to this example of an ostinato from Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. The ostinato is played on the bass instruments:
Real Audio Clip
Here is an example of a riff from a disco track of the 1970s. You can hear the riff played on the guitar.
Real Audio Clip
Finally, here is a loop from modern techno music. It is called a loop because this is the process used on the computer when it is played on a program called a sequencer. Here, you can hear loops on the drums and the synthesised xylophone sound.
Real Audio Clip
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Note added at 7 mins (2004-04-15 15:03:51 GMT)
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note: above is all from same BBC ref; I cleverly stuck the ref in the wrong place.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks"
6 mins
Vittorio Felaco
Native in Italian
19 years of precise technical work
Native in: Italian 
Works in: English to Italian, Italian to English
Related KudoZ points
:
7
obstinate - resolute- stubborn
Given the paucity of real context, I say look up words like obstinate, resolute, stubborn, firm, oppositional, hostile;
5 mins
Lucie Brione
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
French Technical Translations
Native in: French 
Works in: English to French, French, English
leitmotif/leitmotiv
Sounds like that's what you're after.
It is actually a german word, but an accepted term in music.
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Note added at 14 mins (2004-04-15 15:11:23 GMT)
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leitmotif :
In music, a recurring theme or motive used to illustrate a character or idea. The term is strongly associated with Richard Wagner, who frequently employed this technique with great sophistication in his music dramas it is also strongly prevalent in music for film.
ostinato :
In music, a persistently repeating melodic or rhythmic figure conveying an ambiguous message of dynamic action unrelated to any movement.
Ostinati play an important role in Igor Stravinsky\'s\'s The Rite of Spring (1913) and the Symphony of Psalms (1930), also in the Carmina Burana (1937) of Carl Orff. Ostinato-like structures are also characteristic of Balinese gamelan (percussion ensemble). In the 1960s, tape loop recycling of fragments of melody and sound provided a starting point for the minimalism of Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, and John Adams.
It would appear that writeaway\'s suggestion is the best.
It is actually a german word, but an accepted term in music.
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Note added at 14 mins (2004-04-15 15:11:23 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
leitmotif :
In music, a recurring theme or motive used to illustrate a character or idea. The term is strongly associated with Richard Wagner, who frequently employed this technique with great sophistication in his music dramas it is also strongly prevalent in music for film.
ostinato :
In music, a persistently repeating melodic or rhythmic figure conveying an ambiguous message of dynamic action unrelated to any movement.
Ostinati play an important role in Igor Stravinsky\'s\'s The Rite of Spring (1913) and the Symphony of Psalms (1930), also in the Carmina Burana (1937) of Carl Orff. Ostinato-like structures are also characteristic of Balinese gamelan (percussion ensemble). In the 1960s, tape loop recycling of fragments of melody and sound provided a starting point for the minimalism of Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, and John Adams.
It would appear that writeaway\'s suggestion is the best.
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