Pedal Point

A pedal point is sustained over several chords.  Typically found in the bass voice, although not always, the pedal point remains the same pitch while the other voices of the chords shift around it.  This instance is found in the sinfonia for the opera La Villana Riconosciuta by Domenico Cimarosa (1749-1801), in the first movement, Allegro Con Spirito.  This particular example exists in several octaves in the bass, cello, and viola parts, as well as both bassoon parts.  The pedal point occurs between the seven and ten second marks in this recording.