A mordent is one of the most common melodic ornaments: a quick single alternation of the main note with an adjacent one (above or below) and an instant return. The very name (from the Italian mordere — “to bite”) aptly conveys its character: it is like a short, sharp “bite” or “prick” at the start of a note.
A distinction is made between the upper mordent (a flick to the upper adjacent note) and the lower, or inverted, mordent (to the lower one). The mordent is performed quickly and lightly; it gives the note springiness, brilliance, and rhythmic sharpness. It is especially characteristic of the music of the Baroque and Classical eras, as well as of folk playing. Together with the trill, turn, and grace note, the mordent belongs to the basic set of ornaments with which musicians decorate and enliven the melodic line.
