cantata
/kənˈtɑːtə/ noun
Forms cantatas cantate
- noun (music) A vocal composition accompanied by instruments and generally containing more than one movement, typical of 17th and 18th century Italian music.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Italian cantata. Doublet of chanty.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A poem set to music; a musical composition comprising choruses, solos, interludes, etc., arranged in a somewhat dramatic manner; originally, a composition for a single noise, consisting of both recitative and melody.
Etymology [It., fr. cantare to sing, fr. L. cantare intens of canere to sing.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “cantata”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details