Passage work
A fast run of notes developed from the working-out of a motif, usually in scale or chord form.
What it means
A passage is a fast run of notes developed from the working-out of a motif, usually in the form of a scale or broken chord. It links sections or displays the player's agility. In a wider sense the word is also used for any section of a piece, for instance a difficult or a beautiful place.
Musical use
Passages are frequent in virtuoso music, for instance in piano concertos, violin concertos and operatic arias. In baroque and Classical music they fill transitions between themes and embellish cadences. Their effect rests on speed and evenness. For singers they are related to coloratura, which connects several notes on one syllable.
A passage should be distinguished from the figure, a short recurring turn of phrase, and from the scale as a mere series: the passage is a shaped, musically motivated continuation of a motif.
Performance practice
Practise passages slowly and with even articulation before you increase the tempo. Pay attention to the target note at the end and to grouping into small units; if you learn them in groups, fast playing comes more easily.