Primo Is the Upper Part in a Piano Duet
Primo means first in Italian. In music it names the upper part of a duet, and in slang it means first-rate.
Primo is Italian for first. In piano music for four hands the two players are labelled *primo* and *secondo*: the primo plays the upper part on the right of the keyboard, the secondo the lower part on the left. The words are the ordinary Italian numbers, used as job titles at the keyboard. In informal American English *primo* also means excellent or top quality, and in Italian and Spanish *primo* separately means a cousin.
- The upper duet part. *Play the primo.*
- First-rate (slang). *Primo seats.*
- Italian — first. *Primo piatto.*
- Secondo — the lower part. *The secondo.*
- Latin — *primus*, first. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | primo | The primo. |
| Adjective | primo | Primo quality. |
| Counterpart | secondo | The secondo. |
| Italian | primo | First. |
| Latin | primus | First. |
- She played primo, he played secondo.Duet.
- Those are primo tickets.Slang.
- Primo piatto is the first course.Italian.
The primus family
- Prime — first in rank or quality
- Primary — first in order or importance
- Primitive — belonging to the first times
- Prince — from *primus capere*, one who takes first place
- Premier — first, through French
Italian *primo*, from Latin *primus*, first.
What is primo in a piano duet?
The upper part, played by the person on the right of the keyboard. The lower part is the secondo.
Are prince and primo related?
Yes. Prince comes from Latin princeps, from primus, first, plus capere, to take.