Basso Continuo (Noun)
Meaning
A bass part written out in full and accompanied by numbers to indicate the chords to be played.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The Baroque-era composer relied heavily on the basso continuo to provide harmonic structure in his sonatas.
- The cellist played the basso continuo line while the harpsichordist filled in the chords above.
- In the Renaissance and Baroque periods, the basso continuo was a fundamental element of ensemble music.
- The editor of the early music score had to painstakingly recreate the basso continuo line from fragmentary cues in the original manuscript.
- The harpsichordist improvised a beautiful accompaniment to the singer, using the basso continuo as a guide.