Meaning & use
rhapsody music
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable or uncountablemusic
A free-form piece of music with a loose structure and often an emotional or national character.
Grammar: Countable when referring to a piece ('a rhapsody'); uncountable when referring to the style ('rhapsody music').
Patterns
- a rhapsody for piano
- write a rhapsody
- the rhapsody music of a composer
The concert ended with a rhapsody for piano and orchestra.
He wrote a rhapsody inspired by folk songs from his region.
Rhapsody music often shifts mood and tempo without a strict form.
Word forms
| plural | rhapsodies |
|---|
Common combinations
- a rhapsody in blue
- Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue' blends jazz and classical styles.
- Hungarian Rhapsody
- Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies are famous piano works.
- write a rhapsody
- The composer wrote a rhapsody based on local melodies.
- rhapsody for orchestra
- The rhapsody for orchestra was performed at the festival.
Synonyms and how they differ
- fantasia
- A fantasia is also free in form, but often more improvisatory; a rhapsody may suggest strong emotion or folk influence.
- improvisation
- An improvisation is created on the spot; a rhapsody is usually a written composition.
Word family
- rhapsodic adjective
- Relating to a rhapsody, or expressing great enthusiasm.
- rhapsodize verb
- To speak or write with great enthusiasm.
Commonly confused: rhapsody music or rap music?
rhapsody music vs rap music
A genre of popular music with spoken rhymes; not related to 'rhapsody'.
Practice
Gershwin's most famous work for piano and orchestra is called 'Rhapsody ______ Blue'.
Choose one answer.
The fixed title uses 'in': 'Rhapsody in Blue'. Other prepositions do not fit this established title.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “rhapsody music”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.