ornamentation

In music, notes that are additional to the main notes of a melody. They are used to ‘ornament’ or decorate a melody, or to accent a structural feature such as the end of a phrase. They are indicated by special signs, or by small notes printed among the melody notes. Examples of ornaments are the turn, the trill, the appoggiatura, the arpeggio, and the mordent.

Throughout musical history until at least the early 19th century there were many pieces in which the performer was expected to add ornamental details. Shorthand signs for the simpler ornaments are found at least from the early 16th century (though there are traces of them much earlier in the chant repertory). They were catalogued in elaborate systems described in detailed tables from the 17th century and had their heyday in the first half of the 18th century. Since the early 19th century, performers have tended not to add their own improvised ornaments, but (with the exception of the trill) rely instead on the embellishments written out by the composer.

See also acciaccatura, cadenza, plica, shake, turn, tremolo, vibrato.