Ground Bass (Noun)
Meaning
A short melody in the bass that is constantly repeated.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The ground bass in the Bach suite was a repeating eight-bar phrase that provided harmonic foundation for the entire piece.
- A characteristic feature of 17th-century Italian opera was the use of ground bass to accompany a solo singer.
- The composer created a sense of unity by using a repeated ground bass throughout the various movements of the suite.
- The orchestra's rendition of the famous chaconne was notable for its prominent use of a descending ground bass.
- The minimalist composer used a simple ground bass pattern as the basis for an entire hour-long work.