basso continuo

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian basso continuo (literally “continuous bass”).

Noun

basso continuo (usually uncountable, plural basso continuos)

1. (music) The continuous realization of harmony throughout a musical piece, usually by a harpsichord and/or cello, typical of the Baroque period. Abbreviation: bc.

   Synonyms: bc, continuo

Derived terms

• continuo

Translations

continuous realization of harmony

• Catalan: baix continu m
• French: basse continue (fr) f
• German: Generalbass (de) m, Basso continuo m
• Italian: basso continuo m
• Portuguese: baixo contínuo m
• Spanish: bajo continuo m

See also

• figured bass
• walking bass

Further reading

• figured bass on Wikipedia.Wikipedia