cadenza

A cadenza is a typically virtuosic solo passage in a concerto or similar work, played by the principal instrument without orchestral accompaniment. The term comes from the Italian word for cadence and originally referred to a moment of cadence or a free solo flourish that showcased the soloist’s technical and musical abilities.

Historically, cadenzas arose from a practice in which performers improvised highly elaborate sections to demonstrate skill and spontaneity. In Baroque and early Classical performance, performers often improvised cadenzas. By the Classical and Romantic periods, composers began supplying written-out cadenzas either in the score or as separate appendices, while others still allowed improvisation. As a result, cadenzas can be either improvised on the spot or pre-composed by the composer or editor.

In standard concert repertoire, cadenzas most commonly appear in concertos, typically near the end of a movement and before the final orchestral cadence. They serve as a high point of the soloist’s expression, sometimes revisiting themes from the movement and concluding with a dramatic return to the orchestra. Different performers may choose different cadenzas for the same work, and many composers throughout the 18th and 19th centuries wrote famous cadenzas for their own concertos or for others’ works.

Notation practices vary: some cadenzas are fully written in the score, others are left open for improvisation, and modern editions often provide multiple options, including historically informed cadenzas. In performance, a cadenza offers a moment of personal interpretation within a shared musical framework.