Cadenza
A virtuosic solo passage, often improvised, near the end of a movement.
Category
form
Pronunciation
kah-DEHN-tsah
Origin
Italian
Length
103 words · 1 min read
About Cadenza
A cadenza is an extended, technically demanding passage for the soloist, typically occurring near the end of a concerto movement. Historically, cadenzas were improvised on the spot; today, most performers play written-out versions by the composer or by later editors.
More form terms
Fine
View all formterms →The end; the point at which the piece concludes.
CodaA concluding passage that brings a piece or movement to an end.
Through-ComposedA song structure where the music changes continuously without repeating sections for each verse
RecitativoA vocal style imitating natural speech rhythms.
Theme and VariationsA form in which a theme is stated and then altered through a series of variations
Compare with similar terms
v1 · 09/04/2026Browse all terms →