Virtuoso

Virtuoso music kicked off in the 18th century, primarily in Europe, when musicians realised that playing their instruments extremely well was a surefire way to impress nobility and win admiration; it’s basically the musical equivalent of flexing for your mates. Characterised by dazzling technical skill and intricate compositions, it can sound like a competition between musicians to see who can play the most notes in the shortest amount of time—like a musical game of ‘who’s got the biggest… er, skills?'. It’s often said that if you can survive a virtuoso recital, you can survive anything, including family gatherings or a lecture on the virtues of kale.