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Home / Short Rhythmic Figure That Is Repeated Over and Over Again

Short Rhythmic Figure That Is Repeated Over and Over Again

In music, an ostinato (derived from Italian: "stubborn", compare English language: obstinate) is a motif or phrase which is persistently repeated in the same musical voice. An ostinato is ever a succession of equal sounds, wherein each note always has the aforementioned weight or stress. The repeating thought may exist a rhythmic pattern, function of a tune, or a consummate melody in itself. [1] Both "ostinatos" and "ostinati" are accustomed English plural forms, although the latter better reflects the give-and-take's Italian etymology. Strictly speaking, ostinati should take exact repetition, simply in common usage, the term covers repetition with variation and development, such as the alteration of an ostinato line to fit changing harmonies or keys.

If the cadence may exist regarded equally the cradle of tonality, the ostinato patterns can exist considered the playground in which information technology grew strong and cocky-confident.

—Edward East. Lewinsky, [ii]

Contents

  • ane Footing bass
  • two Notable examples
    • 2.1 Classical music
    • 2.2 Popular music
  • three Riff
    • 3.1 Use in jazz and R & B
    • 3.2 Riff driven
  • 4 Vamp
    • 4.1 Jazz, fusion, and latin jazz
      • 4.i.1 Well-known examples
    • 4.2 Gospel, soul, and funk
    • 4.3 Musical theater
    • iv.4 Electronic music
  • five Indian Classical Music
  • 6 Some historical uses
  • 7 Encounter also
  • 8 References
  • 9 Farther reading
  • ten See also
  • 11 External links

Basis bass

Ground bass or basso ostinato (obstinate bass) is a type of variation form in which a bassline, or harmonic pattern (come across Chaconne) is repeated every bit the ground of a piece underneath variations. Aaron Copland [3] describes basso ostinato every bit "the easiest to recognize" of the variation forms wherein, "a long phrase—either an accompanimental effigy or an actual melody—is repeated over and over once more in the bass function, while the upper parts proceed normally [with variation]." Notwithstanding, he cautions that, "information technology might more properly be termed a musical device than a musical form."

Ostinati are to classical music what riffs are to popular music. Although the term "riff" can refer to whatsoever short series of notes that create a melody inside the tune of the song, it doesn't necessarily have to echo to get a riff, unlike ostinato. They have a large function in improvised music such as in jazz and Baroque music. A "favorite technique of contemporary jazz writers", ostinati are oftentimes used in modal and Latin jazz, traditional African music including Gnawa music [iv] and Boogie-Woogie.

Applicative in homophonic and contrapuntal textures they are distinguished equally "repetitive rhythmic-harmonic schemes", the more familiar accompanimental melodies, or as purely rhythmic. [5] The technique'south appeal to composers from Debussy to avant-garde composers until at least the 1970s "lies in part in the demand for unity created by the virtual abandonment of functional chord progressions to shape phrases and ascertain tonality". [five] Similarly in modal music "relentless, repetitive grapheme help to establish and confirm the modal center". [four] Their popularity may also be justified past their ease as well as range of use, though "ostinato must exist employed judiciously, as its overuse can quickly lead to monotony". [iv]

Run across also: lament bass.

Notable examples

Classical music

Basso continuo part from Pachelbel'due south Canon in D

Military 5/four rhythm in Gustav Holst's "Mars" from The Planets

Ostinato in the Confutatis movement of Mozart's Requiem

Rossini'southward overtures make frequent use of ostinato during the crescendos.

Holst'due south St. Paul's Suite Mvt. Two (in which the divisi second violins play a repeating pattern of eighth notes)

Rhythmic blueprint in Ravel'south Boléro

The second department of Shostakovich's 7th Symphony, Mvt. I (called the "inexorable march", or "an unstoppable machine," and darkly symbolizing the German language Army's advance on Russia)

Harmonic pattern in Chopin's Berceuse

In Anton Arensky's Orchestral Suite No.1 in M minor (Op. 7), the Basso Ostinato theme introduced with low brass and contrabasses convey the Theme Russe very elegantly.

Wagner's Das Rheingold features prominent ostinatos on the "anvil" leitmotif in its 3rd and 4th scenes, which build to inexorable climaxes.

Bizet's Carillon from L'Arlesienne is a good example equally he mimicks the playing of village church building bells being played he repeats the notes G#, E and F# 98 times with a nice tune playing over them.

Ostinato - a limerick for six violoncelli written in 1987 by Lorenzo Ferrero.

Ostinati are used in 20th-century music to stabilize groups of pitches, as in Stravinsky'due south The Rite of Spring "Introduction" and "Augurs of Jump". [1]

Alexander Mosolov's Iron Foundry is entirely built on ostinato.

Basso ostinato past Rodion Shchedrin, independent in his Polyphonic Notebook, 20-five preludes (1972).

Popular music

A good example of ostinato in pop music tin be heard on "Day Tripper" by The Beatles. The opening 11-notation motif is heard consistently throughout the majority of the track in a number of different keys to fit the song.

Danny Elfman's theme for Men in Black, based on Patrice Rushen'due south song "Forget Me Nots", is an ostinato on bass guitar.

The Temptations' recording of "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" is essentially 11 minutes and 45 seconds of ostinato, built on a 4-bar pattern. The 3-notation bass line is essentially unchanged throughout.

Another example for understanding the procedure is the famous tune from ABBA, "Take chances on Me". In its video, nosotros can see each of the four members in a different corner of the screen; during the verses, Benny and Björn sing repeatedly "take a chance, have a chance, take a, have a chan-chance", while Agnetha and Frida sing the lyrics.

American drummer Terry Bozzio has made extensive utilise of the ostinato every bit a drumset technique. Many examples can be heard on his instructional videos Melodic Drumming and the Ostinato Vol. I, II, and Iii, as well as his CDs Solo Drum Music Vol. I and Two.

"Stupidly Happy" from XTC's Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume two) offers a diverseness of melodic excursions over an ostinato guitar riff which elaborates only a tiny bit over the course of the vocal.

"The Immigrant Song" by Led Zeppelin features a bass and guitar ostinato on an F# octave throughout the vocal.

Many third-wave ska songs utilize an ostinato as a brass tune.

Riff

The riff from Blackness Sabbath's "Iron Man" is characteristic of Rooksby's description: only iv measures repeated, played depression on a guitar every bit role of a heavy metal (rock) organisation

In music, a riff is an ostinato figure: a repeated chord progression, blueprint, refrain or melodic effigy, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo musical instrument, that forms the ground or accompaniment of a musical limerick. Though they are most often constitute in rock music, Latin, funk and jazz, classical music is also sometimes based on a uncomplicated riff, such as Ravel's Boléro. Riffs can be as simple as a tenor saxophone honking a simple, catchy rhythmic figure, or equally complex as the riff-based variations in the caput arrangements played by the Count Basie Orchestra.

David Brackett (1999) defines riffs every bit "brusk melodic phrases," while Richard Middleton (1999) [half dozen] defines them as, "short rhythmic, melodic, or harmonic figures repeated to course a structural framework." Rikky Rooksby [7] states that "A riff is a short, repeated, memorable musical phrase, often pitched depression on the guitar, which focuses much of the energy and excitement of a rock vocal."

The term riff entered musical slang in the 1920s [8] , and is used primarily in discussion of forms of rock music or jazz. "Virtually rock musicians employ riff as a near-synonym for musical idea." [9] .

Charlie Parker's 1945 recording "Thriving on a Riff" brought the term to more than popular awareness.[citation needed]

The etymology of the term is non clearly known. Some sources explain riff as an abbreviation for "rhythmic figure" or "refrain" [10] . Utilise of the term has also misleadingly been extended to comedy where riffing is used to hateful the verbal exploration of a item subject area, thus moving the meaning away from the original jazz sense of a repeated figure over which the soloist improvises, to instead indicate the improvisation itself: that is, improvising on a tune or progression as ane would improvise on a field of study by extending a singular idea, idea or inspiration into a scrap, or routine.

More recently the term rift has entered usage as a mistaken pronunciation of riff [xi] . (See also misuse of tact for tack) [12] .

Utilize in jazz and R & B

In jazz and 'R & B', riffs are often used as the starting betoken for longer compositions. The "Night Train" riff was starting time used in Duke Ellington'southward "Happy-Go-Lucky Local", which Ellington had recycled from Johnny Hodges' earlier "That's the Dejection, Old Homo"[citation needed].

The riff from Charlie Parker'south bebop number "Now's the Time" (1945) re-emerged four years afterwards equally the R&B dance hit, "The Hucklebuck". The verse of "The Hucklebuck", which was another riff, was "borrowed" from the Artie Matthews limerick, "Weary Blues". Glenn Miller'due south "In the Mood" had an earlier life as Wingy Manone's "Tar Newspaper Stomp". All these songs use twelve bar blues riffs, and nigh of these riffs probably precede the examples given [xiii] .

Neither of the terms riff or lick are used in Classical music; instead, individual musical phrases used as the basis of classical music pieces are called ostinatos or only phrases. Contemporary jazz writers also use riff- or lick-like ostinatos in modal music and Latin jazz.

Riff driven

The term riff driven is used to describe a slice of music that relies on a repeated instrumental riff as the basis of its most prominent melody, cadence , or (in some cases) leitmotif. Riff-driven songs are largely a product of jazz, dejection, and post-blues era music (stone and popular) [14] . The musical goal of riff-driven songs is akin to the classical continuo effect, only raised to much higher importance (in fact, the repeated riff is used to anchor the song in the ears of the listener). The riff/continuo is brought to the forefront of the musical piece and frequently is the primary melody that remains in the listener'south ears. A call and response often holds the song together, creating a "circular" rather than linear feel. [15]

A few well-known examples of riff-driven songs are "Twenty-four hours Tripper" by The Beatles, "(I Can't Become No) Satisfaction" past The Rolling Stones [16] and "Black Dog" past Led Zeppelin. [17] [eighteen]

Vamp

In music, a vamp is a repeating musical figure, section [19] , or accompaniment used in jazz, gospel, soul, and musical theater. [20] Vamps are also plant in rock, funk, reggae, R&B, popular, country, and post-sixties jazz. [19] Vamps are usually harmonically spare [19] : A vamp may consist of a single chord or a sequence of chords played in a repeated rhythm. Vamps are by and large symmetrical, self-contained, and open to variation. [nineteen] The equivalent in classical music is an ostinato. The equivalent in hip hop is the loop. [nineteen]

The slang term vamp [xix] comes from the Middle English word "vampe" (sock), from Quondam French "avanpie", equivalent to Modern French avant-pied, literally "before-foot". [21]

The term vamp has another pregnant in music, which is "to improvise elementary accessory or variation of a tune." Exterior of music, the noun vamp means "something patched up or refurbished" or "something rehashed, as a volume based on onetime material." Similarly, outside of music, the verb "vamp" ways "to put together, fabricate or improvise": "With no hard news available near the acme meeting, the reporters vamped upward questions based only on rumor." [21] These other meanings are related to the musical pregnant, in that a musical vamp is a "fabricated" or "improvised" "rehash" of standard, stock musical phrases.

Classic examples in jazz, include "A Night in Tunisia", "Take V", "A Love Supreme", "Maiden Voyage", "Cantaloupe Island", [4] and Chameleon. Two rock examples include the long jams at the ends of "Loose Change" past Neil Young and Crazy Equus caballus and "Sooner or Afterwards" by King's 10.

Jazz, fusion, and latin jazz

In jazz, fusion, and related genres, such as latin jazz, a groundwork vamp provides a performer with a harmonic framework upon which to improvise. A vamp at the beginning of a jazz tune may act as a springboard to the master tune; a vamp at the cease of a song is often chosen a "tag".

Well-known examples

Vamping is used to establish the Afro-Cuban experience of the Bebop standard "A Night in Tunisia". "Have Five" begins with a repeated, syncopated figure in five/iv time which pianist Dave Brubeck plays throughout the song. Vamps are as well used in 1970s-era jazz-funk and jazz-rock songs such equally "Maiden Voyage" and "Cantaloupe Island".

The music from Miles Davis'southward modal period (c.1958-63) was based on improvising songs with a small number of chords. The jazz standard "So What" uses a vamp in the two-note "Sooooo what?" figure, regularly played by the pianoforte and the trumpet throughout. Jazz scholar Barry Kernfeld calls this music "Vamp Music." This flow of Davis' music has also been called "Impressionist jazz," because it uses some of the same musical features and devices as the and so-called "Impressionist" style of classical music of Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy.

Examples include the outros to George Benson'southward "Torso Talk" and "Plum", and the solo changes to "Breezin'". [19] The following songs are dominated past vamps: John Coltrane, Kenny Burrell, and Grant Green's versions of "My Favorite Things", Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man", Wes Montgomery's "Bumpin' on Dusk", and Larry Carlton's "Room 335". [19] An example of vamp use in rock music is the ballad section of Queen'south "Bohemian Rhapsody", this is besides known for its hand-crossing melody in piano, created by Freddie Mercury.

Gospel, soul, and funk

In gospel and soul music, the ring will often vamp on a simple ostinato groove at the end of a song, usually over a single chord. In soul music, the end of recorded songs often contains a display of vocal "pyrotechnics", such as rapid scales, arpeggios, and improvised passages. For recordings, the sound engineers will gradually fade out the vamp section at the cease of a song, to make the transition to the adjacent runway on the album. Salsoul singers such equally Loleatta Holloway have get notable for their song improvisations at the end of songs, and they are sampled and used in other songs. Andrae Crouch extended the utilize of vamps in gospel, introducing concatenation vamps (1 vamp after the other, each successive vamp drawn from the first). [22]

1970s-era funk music oftentimes takes a brusque 1 or two bar musical effigy based on a unmarried chord that would be considered an introduction vamp in jazz or soul music, and then uses this vamp as the basis of the unabridged song (Funky Drummer past James Chocolate-brown, for instance). Jazz, dejection, and rock are near always based on chord progressions (a sequence of changing chords), and they use the irresolute harmony to build tension and sustain listener interest. Unlike these music genres, funk is based on the rhythmic groove of the percussion, rhythm section instruments, and a deep electric bass line, usually all over a single chord. "In funk, harmony is often second to the 'lock,' the linking of contrapuntal parts that are played on guitar, bass, and drums in the repeating vamp." [xix]

Examples include Stevie Wonder's vamp-based "Superstition" [19] and Little Johnny Taylor's "Part Time Love", which features an extended improvisation over a 2-chord vamp. [22]

Musical theater

In musical theater, a vamp, or intro, is the few bars, one to 8, of music without lyrics which begin a printed copy of a vocal [23] and which the orchestra or other accessory repeats during dialogue or stage concern, to provide musical accompaniment for onstage transitions which are of indeterminate length. The score will provide a one or ii bar vamp figure, and indicate "vamp till cue" by the conductor. The vamp gives the onstage singers time to prepare for the vocal or the adjacent poesy, without requiring the music to pause. Once the vamp section is completed, the music volition continue on to the side by side section.

The vamp may exist written past the composer of the song, a copyist employed by the publisher, or the arranger for the vocalizer. [23] The vamp serves 3 main purposes: providing the key in which the vocal will exist sung, establishing the tempo, and scene design, or providing emotional context for the song about to exist sung. [24] The vamp may be every bit curt as a bong tone, sting (a harmonized bell tone with stress on the starting annotation), or measures long. [24]

The rideout is the transitional music that begins on the downbeat of the last word of the song and is usually ii to 4 confined long, though it may exist every bit curt as a sting or as long as a Roxy Rideout. [25]

Electronic music

The get-go ostinatos in Electronic music were created on Moog ModularSynthesizers systems that used sequencers equally well as Buchla instruments. In the Berlin School of electronic music, Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze employed both ground bass ostinanti likewise as other sequences repeated through their pieces. Initially analog, sequences that make up these ostinati were entered past setting knobs on the Moog 960 sequencer or sliders on the ARP Sequencer. In the mid-seventies, Oberheim introduced the DS-ii Digital Sequencer [which allowed for up to 72 events to be stored. As the electronic music world developed, sequencers began to be added to synthesizers as Arpeggiators. For examples of the above, meet Tangerine Dream'southward Phaedra, Klaus Schultz's Moondawn, and Larry Fast's Electronic Realizations for Rock Orchestra. Many Synth Popular bands such every bit Tubeway Army used ground bass ostinati created on arppegiators.

Electronic music, peculiarly that of the dance diverseness, has relied on ostinato-like basslines, especially that of tunes from the genre relying on the Roland TB-303 synthesizer (which was originally adult in 1982 past Roland as a "bass-player substitute" for guitarists, merely gained more favor in later years as a bassline synthesizer in its ain right). Since the 303 too has a pattern sequencer likewise and can be controlled to play back at various speeds, information technology is very easy to create ostinato basslines with it, and genres of electronic dance music such as acrid business firm consist of such, created by the 303 and like synthesizers.

Indian Classical Music

In Indian Classical Music, during Tabla or Pakhawaj solo performances and Kathak dance accompaniments, a conceptually similar melodic blueprint known equally the Lehara (sometimes spelled Lehra) or Nagma is played repeatedly throughout the functioning. This melodic pattern is set to the number of beats in a rhythmic cycle (Tala or Taal) being performed and may be based on one or a blend of multiple Ragas.

The basic idea of the lehara is to provide a steady melodious framework for rhythmic improvisations. It serves as an auditory workbench not only for the soloist but also for the audience to appreciate the ingenuity of the improvisations and thus the merits of the overall functioning. In Indian Classical Music, which is drawn from the ancient vedic traditions, the concept of 'Suum' (pronounced equally 'sum') carries paramount importance. The Suum is the target unison beat out of whatever rhythmic cycle. The second most important beat is the Khali, which is a complement of the Suum. Besides these ii prominent beats, at that place are other beats of accent in any given taal, which signify 'khand'southward (divisions) of the taal. E.g. Roopak which is a 7 beat rhythmic cycle is divided iii-2-2, farther implying that the 1st, 4th, and 6th beats are the prominent beats in that taal. Therefore information technology is customary, but non absolutely essential, to align the lehara according to the divisions of the Taal. It is washed with a view to emphasize those beats that mark the divisions of the Taal.

The lehara is usually played on the Harmonium, Sarangi or fifty-fifty the Violin. The playing of the lehara is relatively free from the numerous rules and constraints of 'Raga Sangeet' which are upheld and honoured in Indian Classical Music. The lehara may be interspersed with short and occasional improvisations built effectually the basic melody. Information technology is also permissible to switch between two or more disparate melodies during the course of the operation. It is essential that the lehara be played with the highest precision in Laya(Tempo) and Swara control; which requires years of specialist training (Taalim) and exercise (Riyaaz). It is considered a hallmark of excellence to play lehara alongside a recognised Tabla or Pakhawaj virtuoso. While at that place may exist scores of individually talented instrumentalists, there are very few who are capable of playing the lehra for a Tabla / Pakhawaj solo performance.

Other instruments similar Sitar and Sarod have likewise been used to play the lehara, but very sparingly. E.thousand. Pandit Ravi Shankar has played a 12 beat lehara on the Sitar for Ustad Allah Rakha during his solo performance in 1967 at the Monterey Music Festival. Similarly Ustad Ali Akbar Khan has played numerous leharas on the Sarod with Pandit Mahapurush Mishra. There maybe other notable artists who may have also played the lehara on other unconventional instruments like Santoor, Shehnai, Bamboo Flute, Mohan Veena, etc.

Some historical uses

As a very accessible frame that allows improvisation, the ostinato was heavily used in the Baroque epoch. For about a century and a half (starting around 1770), the technique was near abandoned. It suddenly revived in the dawn of the 20th century with the evolution of jazz music [26] and besides became "peradventure the most typically twentieth-century accompanimental device" used in classical music, in part because of its neoclassical appeal. [5] By the end of the 1910s, the first records featuring jazz music were released. While most of the performers were not able to notate music, mainly the surviving records prove that early jazz music used a technique like to ostinato.

Come across as well

  • Lick (music)
  • Hook (music)
  • Folia, La
  • Chaconne
  • Passacaglia
  • Pedal point
  • Groove (music)
  • Sequencer

References

  1. ^ a b Kamien, Roger (1258). Music: An Appreciation, p.611. ISBN 0-07-284484-1.
  2. ^ Bella Brover-Lubovsky (2008). Tonal space in the music of Antonio Vivaldi, p.151. ISBN 0-253-35129-4.
  3. ^ Copland, Aaron and Rich, Alan (2002). What to Listen for in Music, p.117. ISBN 0-451-52867-0.
  4. ^ a b c d Rawlins, Robert (2005). Jazzology: The Encyclopedia ow of Jazz Theory for All Musicians, p.132-133. ISBN 0-634-08678-two.
  5. ^ a b c DeLone, Richard (1975). "Timbre and Texture in Twentieth-Century Music", Aspects of 20th Century Music, p.123. Wittlich, Gary (ed.). Englewood Cliffs, New Bailiwick of jersey: Prentice-Hall. ISBN 0-thirteen-049346-5.
  6. ^ Middleton, Richard (1990/2002). Studying Popular Music. Philadelphia: Open up University Press. ISBN 0-335-15275-nine.
  7. ^ Rooksby, Rikky. Riffs: How to create and play groovy guitar riffs. San Francisco: Backbeat Books. pp. six–seven. ISBN 0-87930-710-2.
  8. ^ Rooksby, ibid, p. 6
  9. ^ Middleton 1990, p. 125
  10. ^ "Riff", Dictionary.com.
  11. ^ "Guitar riffs", Urban Dictionary.
  12. ^ "Grammar Trap: Tact vs. Tack ", Agricultural Communications, Purdue Academy.
  13. ^ Covach, John. "Form in Rock Music: A Primer", p. 71, in Stein, Deborah (2005). Engaging Music: Essays in Music Analysis. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-xix-517010-5.
  14. ^ Rolling Stone (1992). The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock and Whorl (3 Sub edition ed.). Random House. pp. 61. ISBN 978-0-679-73728-v.
  15. ^ Horner, Bruce (Editor), Swiss, Thomas (Editor) (1999). Key Terms in Popular Music and Civilization (Paperback ed.). Blackwell Publishing Express. pp. 143. ISBN 978-0-631-21264-5.
  16. ^ Bogdanov, Vladimir; et al (2003). All Music Guide to the Blues. Backbeat Books. pp. 477. ISBN 0-87930-736-6.
  17. ^ Fast, Susan; et al (2001). In the house of the Holy: Led Zeppelin and the power of Rock Music (1 ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 33. The vocal (Black Dog) represents a defining moment in the genre of hard stone, combining the elements of speed, power, an artful and metrically clever riff. ISBN 0-19-511756-5.
  18. ^ "The Greatest Songs Ever! Blackness Dog". Blender Magazine . http://www.blender.com/guide/67808/greatest-songs-always-blackness-dog.html . Retrieved March 2, 2010.
  19. ^ a b c d due east f yard h i j k Marshall, Wolf (2008). Stuff! Expert Guitar Players Should Know, p.138. ISBN one-4234-3008-5.
  20. ^ Corozine, Vince (2002). Arranging Music for the Existent World: Classical and Commercial Aspects. Pacific, MO: Mel Bay. p. 124. ISBN 0-7866-4961-5. OCLC 50470629.
  21. ^ a b "Vamp: Definition, Synonyms and Much More". Answers.com. Answers Corporation.
  22. ^ a b Jacqueline Cogdell DjeDje, Eddie Due south. Meadows (1998). California Soul, p.224. ISBN 0-520-20628-two.
  23. ^ a b Craig, David (1990). On Singing Onstage, p.22. ISBN one-55783-043-half-dozen.
  24. ^ a b Craig (1990), p.23.
  25. ^ Craig (1990), p.26.
  26. ^ Popp, Marius (1998). Applicatory Harmony in Jazz, Pop & Rock Improvisation, Introduction. ISBN 973-569-228-7.

Farther reading

  • Homo, Bruce; Swiss, Thomas (1999). Form and Music: Central Terms in Pop Music and Culture. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell. ISBN 0-631-21263-nine.

Come across also

  • Lick
  • Hook
  • Fill

External links

  • Jazz Guitar Riffs
  • 'Ostinato' - Falconiero, Marini, Merula, Ortiz, Pachelbel, Purcell, Valente & Anonimi, Jordi Savall, Hesperion XX - Alia Vox 9820
  • Guitar Riffs Guitar riffs use scale patterns.
  • Bass Riffs

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Source: https://www.classiccat.net/dictionary/ostinato.php