ritornante

Ritornante is a term used in music theory to denote a recurring musical material—a theme, motif, or short figure—that returns several times within a movement or across a work. The word comes from the Italian ritornare, meaning “to return,” and it is closely related to the concept of ritornello.

In Baroque practice, especially in the concerto grosso, the ritornante is typically stated by the full ensemble (tutti) and alternates with solo episodes. The returning material provides a unifying thread, often returning in different keys (modulating away from the home key) and sometimes with changes in texture or instrumentation. Although the ritornante is usually concise, its repetition and contrast with the episodes help structure the movement and create a sense of momentum and coherence.

Beyond strict ritornello form, the term ritornante can be used more broadly to describe any recurring material that reappears within a work or across movements. In this wider sense, it denotes unity through repetition rather than a formal procedure. The concept is commonly encountered in music analysis to identify how a composer reintroduces familiar material to shape musical architecture, even when the exact form differs from the classic Baroque ritornello model.

See also: Ritornello, motif, musical form.