Rosalia
Repeated stepwise sequence of a short phrase, criticised by older theory as a compositional flaw.
What it means
A rosalia denotes the repeated statement of a short melodic-harmonic pattern, each time shifted by one diatonic step up or down. The name is thought to derive from a popular tune, "Rosalie, mon cœur", which contained such a stepwise repetition.
Musical use
Older compositional theory of the 18th and 19th centuries frequently criticised the rosalia as a sign of poor invention, since it merely shifts a motif mechanically instead of developing it further. Even so, major composers have deliberately used such sequences as a means of intensification, for instance to build up a phrase. A rosalia is distinguished from a sequence in general in that it specifically refers to a repetition felt to be schematic or overused, whereas a skilfully varied sequence is not devalued in this way.
Performance practice
If you recognise a rosalia in a work, consider whether the composer uses it deliberately for intensification, for example through dynamics or tempo, and shape it with corresponding tension rather than playing it in a mechanically uniform way.