(historical) A member of the personal guard of the medieval and early modern Spanish or Portuguese kings.
Used in a Sentence
continuo
Definitions, parts of speech, synonyms, and sentence examples for continuo.
Editorial note
Exploring the parallels between AI, internet search, and the evolution of music notation from Basso Continuo to Classical notation.
Examples15
Definitions2
Parts of speech1
Quick take
(historical) A member of the personal guard of the medieval and early modern Spanish or Portuguese kings.
Meaning at a glance
The clearest senses and uses of continuo gathered in one view.
(music) Ellipsis of basso continuo. [(music) The continuous realization of harmony throughout a musical piece, usually by a harpsichord and/or cello, typical of the Baroque period. Abbreviation: bc.]
Definitions
Core meanings and parts of speech for continuo.
noun
(historical) A member of the personal guard of the medieval and early modern Spanish or Portuguese kings.
noun
(music) Ellipsis of basso continuo. [(music) The continuous realization of harmony throughout a musical piece, usually by a harpsichord and/or cello, typical of the Baroque period. Abbreviation: bc.]
Example sentences
Exploring the parallels between AI, internet search, and the evolution of music notation from Basso Continuo to Classical notation.
Handel wrote a manual on continuo playing in which he touches on how to improvise a fugue!
Es un recordatorio de que la seguridad de la red es un proceso continuo y que requiere una vigilancia constante.
That and the connection to jazz improvisation that sort of existed with basso continuo accompaniment in baroque music blew me away.
For example: figured bass, basso continuo, or even just chords that accompany lyrics.
I'm a professional organist, and recently made my continuo debut with a pretty high level orchestra.
There's a strong element of continuo in both but for different reasons.
Theory was also needed for various forms of performance -- look at any manual on continuo playing (this is where the figures on roman numeral notation come from).
Indian classical music can be understood (admittedly in very broad terms) as being based on melodic elaboration of what in Western music would be the bass line (aka basso continuo or thoroughbass ).
Speaking of Baroque composers-- in the Coda of the 4th Ballade, Chopin has an exquisite passage of basso continuo plus accompaniment that would be right at home in a minor key aria by Handel.
Cum enim in his continuo bina curuae puncta inter se conferantur, et coordinatae ad ea pertinentes in computum ingrediantur; per principium continuitatis effici debet, ut bina haec puncta ad eandem lineam curuam referantur, sicque aequatio inter coordinatas unicum punctum spectantes eliciatur.
On the other hand, learning a continuo instrument like the harpsichord invariably involves some sort of training in improvised thoroughbass, which is an extremely valuable skill that is not found among pianists, so I think it's a pretty good choice in the end after all.
Quote examples
Maybe continuous refers to "continuo" in Baroque music, where the bassline and chords are separate but work together harmonically - in some tunings, perhaps this is harder.
And of course, Schenker's "imaginary continuo" is readily understood as a popularization of historical partimento (and closely comparable approaches such as the so-called Partitura known from German sources).
"You ask me, why do I continuo in this career then, I will tell you because of money"...
Frequently asked questions
Short answers drawn from the clearest meanings and examples for this word.
How do you use continuo in a sentence?
Exploring the parallels between AI, internet search, and the evolution of music notation from Basso Continuo to Classical notation.
What does continuo mean?
(historical) A member of the personal guard of the medieval and early modern Spanish or Portuguese kings.
What part of speech is continuo?
continuo is commonly used as noun.