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Vivaldi - Concerto in D minor (CONTEXT (Baroque (1600-1750)…
Vivaldi - Concerto in D minor
CONTEXT
Baroque (1600-1750)
originated from 'barocco', meaning irregularly-shaped pearl
First associated with highly ornamented architecture & art in 17th century
important characteristic is 'CONTRAST'
One mood for entire piece
Tonality:
mode system crumbled, leaving two main modes - Ionian and Aeolian. This developed to the major-minor scale system
harmonic system for next 2 centuries
Structure/Form:
Several new forms invented
Opera
Oratorio
Fugue
Suite
Sonata
Concerto
Word originating in Italian, meaning 'get together'
Based upon Renaissance polychoral works by composers such as Giovanni Gabrieli.
Concerto Grosso
- developed from ideas of opposition and strong
contrast
Based upon contrast/alternation between two groups:
Ripieno:
the orchestra (typically consisting of strings).
Never plays on its own
doubles soloists in tutti passages
Concertino:
small group of soloists (often two violins and cello)
Continuo:
Harpsichord or organ
Solo concerto
- developed from concerto grosso
Solo instrument w/ string orchestra
idea of contrast became even more important
often difficult, exciting solo passages
Quick, slow, quick structure used more often
Quick mmts often built upon ritornello form played by tutti e.g.
Vivaldi's 'The Hunt' from Autumn
Classical developments:
three movement work for single soloist and orchestra
cadenza for soloist to show off
WL: Haydn - Concerto in G no. 4
Romantic developments:
soloist with large orchestra
much longer than previous concertos
highly virtuosic
WL: Rachmaninov - Concerto no.3 in D minor considered one of the most technically difficult pieces in the 'classical' repertoire
Instrumentation:
violin family replaced viols. Orchestra started to take shape, w/ strings as foundation
other sections less standardised
Continuo: organ or harpsichord used consistently for 'holding the orchestra together' (harmonic support as texture was often polyphonic)
Dynamics:
Contrast between dynamics & timbre
Often play in blocks of sound/different timbres: e.g. a passage for strings, then for wind, then both
Terraced dynamics: sudden changes in volume level (often used as echoes of previous phrases)
Rhythm:
energetic rhythms drive music forward – fortspinnung
Melody:
long, flowing lines w/ many ornaments
Do?
exhibit soloists' virtuosity
write in a Baroque style
showcase individual 'flair' (textbook p.115 & zigzag notes)
inventive harmony?
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Typical?
#
tonal/harmonic quirks
#
#
more virtuosic than earlier concerto grossos, e.g. b Corelli or Torelli, as attention focused on soloist? i'll try to be more specific.
Vivaldi
(1678-1741)
late Baroque composer
played violin (unable to learn wind instruments due to health problems) - this also caused him to leave priesthood
Age 25, named master of violin at Ospedale Della Pieta in Venice - musical institution for orphans. They played his works
best known for his choral works, concerti & later his operas
later left Venice, eclipsed by younger composers. Was unsuccessful in finding another job and died in poverty
L'estro Armonico
(published 1711)
title = "harmonic inspiration"
12 concertos
INSTRUMENTATION/SONORITY
Instruments used (conventional setup)
Concertino:
trio sonata group (two violins & cello)
Ripieno:
string orchestra
Continuo:
up to two harpsichords (one for each group, although may be played by same person) & double bass
WL: Corelli - Christmas concerto - trio sonata group w/ string orchestra and cello, bass & harpsichord continuo
WL : Vivaldi - Bassoon Concerto in F = bassoon soloist w/ string quartet & basso continuo
Virtuosity (as expected in any concerto)
Mmt 1 - solo cello in first Allegro
Mmt 3 - final violin solo before tutti at end
WL: Bach - Double Violin Concerto, Mmt 3 = fast virtuous semiquavers from opening
Timbre/ sonority
spiccato (bouncing of bow) used in adagio
less commonly used within Baroque works
Experimentation with tone colour developed mostly within Romantic period
WL: Schumann - Piano Concerto in Am = flute doubles piano melody from bar 15
STRUCTURE
Typical three movement structure: quick, slow, quick
characteristic of CONTRAST within Baroque mmt
WL: Bach's Double Concerto for Two Violins, Vivaldi's Bassoon Concerto & Corelli's Christmas Concerto follow this structure
Each individual mmt has its own mood (characteristic of Baroque)
Allegro - Adagio e spiccato - Allegro:
Allegro: canonic opening between 2 solo violins
solo cello
adagio: homophonic circle of fifths
Allegro: four-part fugal exposition, episode between 3 soloists builds up to polyphonic texture based on fugal material
final tasto solo above dominant pedal
Largo e spiccato:
slow siciliano dance
tutti opening w/ theme in first violins, harmonised by violas
solo violin continues
tutti returns at end
Allegro:
starts same as first mmt - imitation between solo violins then solo cello passage
interplay between 3 soloists
Alternations between tutti and soloists (typical concerto grosso)
final virtuosic violin solo
tutti ending
TONALITY
functional tonality built using related keys
D minor & remains mostly in this key
start & end of each mmt in this key
WL: Vivaldi - Bassoon Concerto = Each mmt starts & returns to F major
WL: Corelli - Christmas Concerto, mmt. 2 = stays in Gm throughout, only modulating briefly to Cm in second half
some modulations to closely related keys
#
Mmt 1: start of fugue modulates to dominant for 'answer'
Mmt 2: opening bars, transient modulation from Am to Dm
Occasional passages in more remote keys
mmt 2: bars 8-9 tertiary modulation from Dm to Fm
More common within Romantic pieces
WL: Schumann - Piano Concerto in A, mmt 1 = development begins in distant key (subtonic major), reached by tertiary mod
TEXTURE
homophony (mostly solo passages, allows soloist to be heard)
mmt 1: cello solo
mmt 2: tutti homophony, then mel-dom-hom w/ violin solo
Polyphony (typical Baroque)
mmt 1 fugue & later polyphonic interplay based upon subjects
mmt 3, after introduction of soloists, polyphonic interplay
Imitation (feature of concerto grossi)
mmt 1 & 3: canonic opening between two violins
mmt 3: question and answer alternations between tutti and soloists
WL: Corelli, Christmas Concerto, mmt 2 = towards final cadence, 3 crotchet idea imitated between first and second violin
TEMPO, RHYTHM & METRE
Metre
Mmt 1: Allegro 3/4, Adagio e spiccato 4/4, Allegro 4/4
Mmt 2: 12/8 - as expected of siciliano dance
Mmt 3 4/4
Continuous quavers (feature of Vivaldi)
mmt 1: opening violins
mmt 2: continuous quaver acc. under violin solo
Occasional syncopation (rhythmic variety)
Mmt 1 - end of subject
mmt 3: offbeat octaves in cello under final violin solo
Siciliano rhythm in mmt 2
HARMONY
diatonic functional system --
standard Baroque style
largely root position triads and chords i and V
some 1st inversion triads and 7th chords
mmt.1 opens with economical chord choices to emphasise home key: Dm chord arpeggiated for 5 bars
cadences?
complexity within the system --
Vivaldi's individual voice
chromaticism
Neapolitan 6th
bVII (Cm) in mmt.1 Adagio. Just weird.
double false relation: mmt.1 Adagio 3rd bar
circle of 5ths for harmonic motion
common technique for Vivaldi
+WL
with 7th chords (opening of mmt.1 tutti Allegro)
chromatic (mmt.1 Adagio)
decoration
suspensions for harmonic strength and tension (mmt.3 b.11-13); sometimes decorate cadences (mmt.2 b.15)
WL: Corelli, mmt 2: End of first half move towards cadence through chain of 9-8, 4-3 suspensions
harmony embellished with passing notes
DYNAMICS
terraced: alternates
forte
and
piano
.
BTW crescendo only invented in Classical era.
echo effect end of mmt.1
occassional
pianissimo
to allow solo melody to come through (mmt.2/mmt.3 from b.35)
rarely marked
relatively new in Baroque era
MELODY
motivic writing
melody built from short motifs, providing unity (mmt.1 main Allegro theme: 2 semiquavers + quaver)
frequent repeated notes (mmt.1 intro/Adagio)
stepwise/scalic movement (mmt.1 main Allegro 2nd countersubject)
leaps -- excitement? what do you think?
in arpeggio patterns (mmt.1 intro)
many small leaps up to a 5th, e.g. mmt.1 main Allegro theme
some larger leaps, e.g. in bass at perfect cadence (mmt.2 b.47-50)
combination of leaps and repeated notes in mmt.3 b.35-42 suggests melody note on every crotchet, mixed into accompanying notes.
Variety
WL: Opening of Vivaldi's Concerto in A minor, mmt 1 = initial melody developed through descending sequence (melody = repeated notes then a descending scale)