Solo (music)  

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-#REDIRECT [[Solo]]+{{Template}}
 +In [[music]], a '''solo''' (from the {{lang-it|solo}}, meaning ''alone'', even though ''assolo'' is now used in [[Italian language|Italy]] when referring to the musical solo) is a [[musical composition|piece]] or a [[section (music)|section]] of a piece played or sung by a single performer. In practice this means a number of different things, depending on the type of music and the context.
 + 
 +The word is also used for the act of performing a solo, and sometimes for the performer (more often a ''soloist'').
 + 
 +The plural is ''soli'' or the [[anglicisation|anglicised]] form ''solos''. In some context these are interchangeable, but ''soli'' tends to be restricted to classical music, and tends to refer to either the solo performers or the solo [[passage (music)|passage]]s in a single piece: it would not often be used to refer to several pieces that happen to be for single performers. Furthermore, the word ''soli'' can be used to refer to a small number of simultaneous parts assigned to single players in an orchestral composition. In the Baroque [[concerto grosso]], the term for such a group of soloists was ''[[Concertino (group)|concertino]]''.
 + 
 +==18th century==
 +In the [[Baroque music|Baroque]] and [[Classical period (music)|Classical]] periods, the word ''solo'' was virtually equivalent to ''[[sonata]]'', and could refer either to a piece for one melody instrument with (continuo) accompaniment, or to a sonata for an unaccompanied melody instrument, such as [[Johann Sebastian Bach]]’s [[Sonatas and partitas for solo violin (Bach)|sonatas for violin alone]].
 + 
 +==Jazz==
 + 
 +In many jazz performances, each number will alternate ensemble sections with solo sections where one performer is playing either completely alone, or with unobtrusive accompaniment from the others. Common examples are the rhythm section of jazz bands, and quiet background music by other wind instruments. Such solos are most often [[Musical improvisation|improvised.]]
 + 
 +==Popular music==
 + 
 +In [[popular music]] a ''solo'' refers to a "crowd-pleasing" improvised melody played by a single or featured performer and may also refer to a drum solo. Use of the term ''solo'' appears to follow from [[jazz]] and, though they are often pre-composed or originally improvised, the expectation that solos be improvised continues, especially in certain genres. In the [[country music]] genre a solo is known as a ''ride''.
 + 
 +==See also==
 +*[[Cadenza]]
 +*[[Concerto]]
 +*[[Tutti]]
 +*[[Virtuoso]]
 + 
 +{{GFDL}}

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In music, a solo (from the Template:Lang-it, meaning alone, even though assolo is now used in Italy when referring to the musical solo) is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer. In practice this means a number of different things, depending on the type of music and the context.

The word is also used for the act of performing a solo, and sometimes for the performer (more often a soloist).

The plural is soli or the anglicised form solos. In some context these are interchangeable, but soli tends to be restricted to classical music, and tends to refer to either the solo performers or the solo passages in a single piece: it would not often be used to refer to several pieces that happen to be for single performers. Furthermore, the word soli can be used to refer to a small number of simultaneous parts assigned to single players in an orchestral composition. In the Baroque concerto grosso, the term for such a group of soloists was concertino.

Contents

18th century

In the Baroque and Classical periods, the word solo was virtually equivalent to sonata, and could refer either to a piece for one melody instrument with (continuo) accompaniment, or to a sonata for an unaccompanied melody instrument, such as Johann Sebastian Bach’s sonatas for violin alone.

Jazz

In many jazz performances, each number will alternate ensemble sections with solo sections where one performer is playing either completely alone, or with unobtrusive accompaniment from the others. Common examples are the rhythm section of jazz bands, and quiet background music by other wind instruments. Such solos are most often improvised.

Popular music

In popular music a solo refers to a "crowd-pleasing" improvised melody played by a single or featured performer and may also refer to a drum solo. Use of the term solo appears to follow from jazz and, though they are often pre-composed or originally improvised, the expectation that solos be improvised continues, especially in certain genres. In the country music genre a solo is known as a ride.

See also




Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Solo (music)" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.

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