a. and sb. Mus. [It.:—late L. bassus: see BASE a.] = BASS a. 3, sb.5 1, 2.
1817. Byron, Beppo, xxxii. Soprano, basso, even the contra-alto, Wish’d him five fathom under the Rialto.
1883. Harper’s Mag., March, 554/1. The minor basso part … was given to Kindermann.
Hence, basso continuo, thorough-bass (see BASS sb.5 5); basso-ripieno (cf. alto-ripieno), a bass part used only occasionally in a grand chorus.
