Cavatina

Cavatina (Italian diminutive of cavata, the producing of tone from an instrument, plural cavatine) is a musical term, originally a short song of simple character, without a second strain or any repetition of the air. It is now frequently applied to a simple melodious air, as distinguished from a brilliant aria, recitative, etcetera, and often forms part of a large movement or scena in oratorio or opera.

One famous cavatina is Beethoven's 5th movement of his String Quartet No. 13. Another cavatina that became famous recently is Cavatina composed by Stanley Myers, used as the theme music in Michael Cimino's 1978 movie, The Deer Hunter.

References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

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