sonata da chiesa

noun

sonata da chie·​sa -dä-kē-ˈā-zə 

plural sonatas da chiesa

: a musical composition of the 17th and 18th centuries for one or more instruments with continuo in several movements of contrasting character probably intended especially for performance in church

called also church sonata

Word History

Etymology

Italian, literally, church sonata

First Known Use

circa 1731, in the meaning defined above

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