Pizzicato

pizzicato

noun pit-si-KAH-to Rare

Origin: from Italian pizzicare, to pluck

Also means

plucking a string instrument's strings instead of bowing

Usage Note

Pizzicato is notated as pizz. in parts; return to bowing is marked arco. In Baroque music it was rare; the Romantic orchestra used it extensively for percussive and playful textures.

Examples

"Die Cellisten spielten das Thema im Pizzicato, während die Violinen es arco aufnahmen."

Natural Translation

The cellists played the theme pizzicato while the violins took it up arco.

Literal Translation

The cellists played the theme in-the pizzicato, while the violins it arco took-up.

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