cantilena

[ kan-tl-ee-nuh ]

/ ˌkæn tlˈi nə /

a simple, lyric, melodic passage for voice or instrument.

Origin of cantilena

1730–40; < Italian < Latin cantilēna refrain, perhaps by dissimilation from *cantilēla, derivative of cantus song; see cant¹

A similar freely riming poem in lines of seven syllables is Villegas' Cantilena (p. 17).

Modern Spanish Lyrics |Various
The question therefore comes to this: Does the sustained, the cantilena, predominate, or the rhythmical movement?

Essentials in Conducting |Karl Wilson Gehrkens
Almost any really good melodic line, especially a cantilena, will sound with a fitting harmonic development.

Violin Mastery |Frederick H. Martens
Unfortunately, the cantilena in the second number still points backward.

Musical Portraits |Paul Rosenfeld

At the first cantilena on the strings I nearly jumped out of my seat.

Contemporary American Composers |Rupert Hughes

cantilena

/ (ˌkæntɪˈleɪnə) /

a smooth flowing style in the writing of vocal music

C18: Italian, from Latin cantilēna a song