ritornelle

Kapralova’s “Ritornelle” was so powerful and vivid one suspected the composer might have eclipsed Martinu, with whom she seems to have had an intense affair, had she lived longer than 25.

Accompanied by an orchestral ritornelle of Arcadian simplicity, they strew their garlands and then retire.

Clear like a clarion a familiar whistle ripped through the din of the street and came up to her sharp and undiverted—two clean calls and a long, quavering ritornelle.

The orchestra was languorously beginning a ritornelle; and all through the main motif independent musical phrases were strung like beads.

The old man continued to blow into his horn, concluding his ritornelle in three notes with a mute laugh that wrinkled the corners of his eyes and shook the green glands of his head-gear.