ostinato explained
A short musical pattern that repeats persistently throughout a passage or entire composition
In Depth
An ostinato (from the Italian ostinato, obstinate) can be rhythmic, melodic, or harmonic. It provides a stable foundation over which other voices change freely. Famous examples include Ravel's Boléro (a 17-bar snare drum ostinato repeated throughout), Holst's Mars (a relentless 5/4 rhythmic ostinato), and Pachelbel's Canon (an 8-bar bass ostinato). In popular music, ostinato patterns are called riffs, grooves, or loops. The technique is found in virtually every musical tradition worldwide.
Ravel's Boléro consists of a single melody repeated over the same two-chord ostinato for 17 minutes, with only the orchestration changing — it may be the most extreme ostinato in orchestral music.