obligato
/ˌɑbləˈɡɑtoʊ/
noun
- An instrumental part that is essential to a piece of music and cannot be omitted, often a prominent melody line.
- The violin obligato added a beautiful, soaring line to the choral piece.
- The composer wrote a demanding obligato for the cello in the second movement.
- In the aria, the flute plays an obligato that weaves around the singer's voice.
adjective
- (of a musical part) Essential and not to be omitted.
- This edition includes the obligato violin line that was missing in earlier versions.
- The conductor insisted on the obligato clarinet part being played exactly as written.
- The pianist played the obligato accompaniment with great precision.