obbligato

[ ob-li-gah-toh; Italian awb-blee-gah-taw ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

(used as a musical direction) obligatory or indispensable; so important that it cannot be omitted.

, plural ob·bli·ga·tos, ob·bli·ga·ti [ob-li-, gah, -tee, awb-blee-, gah, -tee].

obbligato

/ ˌɒblɪˈɡɑːtəʊ /

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1715–25; < Italian: bound, obliged < Latin obligātus; obligate

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C18: from Italian, from obbligare to oblige

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The earlier obbligato accompaniment gave way to an obbligato style of writing which rested to a greater extent on counterpoint.

There ought to be a hint as to the identity of the two players with two eyeglasses obbligato.

"Oh yes, oh yes," she agreed, in a voice like a quick flute obbligato.

This bravura air with its trumpet obbligato still remains a favourite with competent vocalists and discriminating audiences.

The violin obbligato in Rimsky-Korsakov's Schéhérazade, though, is real violin music.

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