ostinato

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Musical pattern that is continuously repeated during a section or throughout a complete piece of music. The repeating idea may be a rhythmic pattern, part of a tune, or a complete melody.

Ostinati play an important role in Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring (1913), Maurice Ravel's Boléro (1928), and Carl Orff's Carmina Burana (1937). Ostinato-like structures are also important in Balinese gamelan (percussion ensemble). In the 1960s, tape-loop recycling of fragments of melody and sound was a starting point for the minimalism of Terry Riley, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, and John Adams.

Known as ‘white sun in blue sky’, the flag of Chinese revolutionary leader Sun Zhong Shan appears in the canton. The rays of the sun represent 12 traditional Chinese hours (each equalling two hours) symbolizing progress. Red is a traditional Chinese colour. Effective date: 8 October 1928. >>