The Italian term ostinato (from the Latin obstinatus, “stubborn”) first occurs in writings on music theory in the late 17th century (Angelo Berardi, Documenti armonici, 1687), and at first it denoted recurrent, melodically identical sequences of notes (sometimes varying in rhythm) that appeared within individual counterpoint voices. The word accordingly appeared mostly as part of the synonymous Italian expressions contrapunto ostinato and contrapunto obligato. In Spain, the equivalent term was passo força…