cadenza

 
Pronunciation: /kəˈdɛnzə/

noun

  • a virtuoso solo passage inserted into a movement in a concerto or other musical work, typically near the end.

Phrases

have a cadenza

South African informal be extremely agitated: the party is having a cadenza about subliminal messages on the news
[said to be from Danny Kaye's The Little Fiddle, a humorous recording made in the 1940s]

Origin:

mid 18th century: from Italian (see cadence)