embellishment
em-BEL-lish-ment
[ English ]
Definition
An ornamentation; notes, usually of short duration, that are added to the main melody of a composition to decorate or ornament the melody, they may be either written in by the composer or improvised by the performer. Generally, if there is a repeat in a composition, especially in a composition of the Renaissance of Baroque periods (2), the first statement would be performed without ornamentation, but embellishments may be tastefully added to the repetition.