Coda

Coda (Ital., 'a tail'), a passage at the end of a musical composition, intended to round it off and give a sense of completeness in form. In early music it consisted often of a few simple chords; but it was enlarged, by Beethoven more especially, into a feature of the greatest importance and dimensions, it being one of the most characteristic features in the form of his symphonies; and other composers have with rare exceptions followed his lead. See SYMPHONY.