concertante: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical/Musical
Quick answer
What does “concertante” mean?
A musical term describing a piece with prominent parts for solo instruments (often two or more), typically written in a concerto-like style.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A musical term describing a piece with prominent parts for solo instruments (often two or more), typically written in a concerto-like style.
Used as an adjective or noun to designate a work or a style featuring interplay between soloists and orchestra, or between multiple solo instruments, where the solo parts are virtuosic and distinct, yet integrated into the orchestral texture.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage between British and American English. The term is equally technical in both varieties.
Connotations
Connotes sophistication, high artistry, and the Baroque/Classical/Romantic music traditions.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general language; used exclusively within specialist musical discourse. No regional frequency variation.
Grammar
How to Use “concertante” in a Sentence
[Noun] in concertante style[Adjective] concertante [noun] (e.g., 'a concertante violin part')the [noun] is concertanteVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “concertante” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- The cello has a wonderfully concertante line in the second movement.
- Mozart's writing for the woodwinds is distinctly concertante here.
American English
- The composer added several concertante violin passages to the overture.
- His style evolved to include more concertante elements for the brass section.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in musicology, historical performance practice, and analysis of concertos.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Core usage domain: score directions, programme notes, music criticism, instrumental pedagogy.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “concertante”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “concertante”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “concertante”
- Using it as a general synonym for 'concerted' or 'harmonious'.
- Mispronouncing it with stress on the first syllable (/ˈkɒnsətænt/).
- Using it to describe pop or jazz music (highly atypical).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be used as both. As a noun, it often appears in fixed titles like 'Sinfonia Concertante'. As an adjective, it describes the style or role of instruments (e.g., 'concertante parts').
It is possible but less typical. The term strongly implies multiple soloists or a group of instruments treated in a soloistic manner, contrasting with the full orchestra.
A concerto is a formal composition for one (or more) soloists and orchestra, usually in three movements. 'Concertante' describes the style—music written in a concerto-like, soloistic manner—which can occur within a symphony, overture, or other forms, not necessarily a full concerto.
Yes, it comes directly from Italian, from 'concertare' meaning 'to harmonize' or 'to arrange', which itself derives from Latin 'concertare' ('to contend, dispute, or work together'). The musical meaning developed in Italian.
A musical term describing a piece with prominent parts for solo instruments (often two or more), typically written in a concerto-like style.
Concertante is usually technical/musical in register.
Concertante: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkɒntʃəˈtanteɪ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkɑːntʃərˈtɑːnteɪ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to this term.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CONCERT where the ANTagonist (the soloist) has a starring role. CONCERT + ANT (soloist) + E = concertante.
Conceptual Metaphor
A CONVERSATION AMONGST STARS (The solo instruments are like eloquent speakers in a debate, supported by the orchestral 'audience' or 'setting').
Practice
Quiz
In which context would you most likely encounter the word 'concertante'?