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obbligato definition

ob·bli·gato (äb′li gät′ō)

adjective

not to be left out; indispensable: said earlier, generally prior to the 19th cent., of an accompaniment essential to the proper performance of a piece, but now usually of one that can be omitted if necessary: often used as a musical direction

Etymology: It, lit., obliged < L obligatus, pp. of obligare: see oblige

noun pl. obbligatos -·tos or obbligati -·ti (-ē)

  1. an obbligato accompaniment
  2. an added melody, usually played by a solo instrument as accompaniment to a vocal performance

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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