Chapter 9 Baroque Instrumental Music

1. Chapter 9Baroque Instrumental Music Concerto and Concerto Grosso: Vivaldi

2. Concerto Concerto grosso Concertare Movement Ritornello form Ritornello Archlute Variation form Basso continuo Chaconne Passacaglia Ground Ground bass Double listening Key Terms

3. Baroque Instrumental Music (1) • For the first time, listeners & musicians took instrumental music seriously • Rise of instrumental music paralleled improvements in instrument-building • Stradivarius, Silbermann, etc. • How long should a piece be? • With vocal music, when the words are done • With instrumental music, no equivalent guide • Instrumental forms & genres had to provide guidelines

4. Baroque Instrumental Music (2) • How to extend purely instrumental music in time in a logical manner? • Repetition, return, sequence, & imitation • Begin & end in the same key • How to create interest and drama? • Contrast & variation • Modulate to other keys in the middle • String contrasting movements together • Baroque forms and genres combine these techniques in various ways

5. Concerto and Concerto Grosso • The most important orchestral genres of the Baroque era • Latin concertare = to contend • Concerto signifies a contest between— • Soloist & orchestra (concerto) • Group of soloists & orchestra (concerto grosso) • Virtuoso brilliance of solos & orchestra’s power, stability

6. Movements • Movement = self-contained section of a larger work • Many Baroque works create drama & length by stringing together several short, contrasting pieces (movements) • A typical concerto has three movements • I – bright, extroverted, in a fast tempo • II – slower, quieter, more emotional • III – similar to 1st movement, often faster

7. Ritornello Form (1) • Commonly used in 1st & 3rd movements of Baroque concerto • Italian ritorno = return (home) • Ritornello form is based on systematic use of contrast & return • Consistent alternation between two contrasting sections— • Ritornellos & solo episodes • Return of theme more satisfying after contrasting solos (sense of resolution)

8. Ritornello Form (2) • Standard ritornello form • RIT = complete ritornello statement • [RIT] = partial ritornello statement • Solo 1, 2, 3, etc. = solo episodes

9. Ritornello Principal theme Solid & forceful Often very tuneful For full orchestra Stable–stays in one key, ends with strong cadence Familiarity grows with each return Solo Episode Contrasting section Faster, more brilliant Free & virtuosic For soloist(s) Unstable–modulates to another key, flows into next ritornello Always something new, surprising Ritornello vs. Episode

10. Antonio Vivaldi(1678-1741) • Famous as violinist & composer • Most popular Baroque concerto composer • Four Seasons his most popular work • Wrote over 500 concertos • The “Red Priest” was also music teacher at a Venetian orphanage • Renowned for quality of musical training • Famous for student concerts • Frequent travel to perform his concertos & operas in musical centers of Europe

11. Vivaldi, Violin Concerto in G • Vivaldi concertos often published in sets of 6 or 12 • Sets often given descriptive titles— • La stravaganza (Extravagance), Four Seasons, or L’estro armonico (Harmonic Whims) • Op. 4, No. 12 is the last concerto in his fourth published set (Latin opus = work) • Concerto for solo violin & orchestra • Uses standard three-movement format • I & III fast, brilliant, ritornello form • II slower, gentler, ground bass form

12. Vivaldi, Violin Concerto in G, I (1) • Tempo “Spirited, not too fast” • Creative use of ritornello form • Ritornello theme (for orchestra) • Subdivides into three short sections–a, b, c • Alternates between 1st & 2nd violin sections

13. Vivaldi, Violin Concerto in G, I (2) • Ritornello theme (cont.) • Only Ritornello 1 uses entire theme • Ritornellos 1, 2, & 5 in G major • Ritornello 3 begins in D major; 4 in B minor • Surprisingly free use of theme in Ritornellos 3 and 4

14. Vivaldi, Violin Concerto in G, I (3) • Solo episodes • Feature solo violin, usually with continuo accompaniment • Solos become progressively freer & more virtuosic • Ritornellos & solos swap roles at times! • Ritornello 4 modulates frequently–unstable • Solo 3 affirms B minor throughout • Orchestral strings accompany Solos 2 & 4 • Ends with literal return of ritornello (b, c)

15. Baroque Variation Form • Variation forms rely on repetition & contrast—simultaneously! • Grew up spontaneously all over Europe; first improvised, then written out • Preference for short themes: 4 to 8 bars • Uninterrupted repetition of an ostinato: short melody or chord progression • Names include passacaglia, chaconne, ground

16. The Ground Bass • Features of ground bass form— • Systematic, uninterrupted repetition of a short, clearly defined melody (basso ostinato) • Dynamics, tone color, & some harmonies often change with each repetition (variation) • Tempo, key, & mode are sometimes varied • Even the ground bass can be varied, but its identity is rarely obscured • “Double listening”–try to hear repeating theme & changing material at same time

17. Vivaldi, Violin Concerto in G, II (1) • Slow tempo–Largo • Based on 6-bar ground bass • Continuous feel enhanced by— • Uninterrupted repetition of ground bass • Steady eighth-note rhythms • Dominant harmony at end of ground bass pulls to tonic at beginning of next repetition

18. Vivaldi, Violin Concerto in G, II (2) • Variety created by— • Gradually faster solo figuration in first four variations • Sudden, dramatic changes in Variations 5-6 • Switch to minor mode • Ostinato moves to violins • Continuo drops out

19. Vivaldi, Violin Concerto in G, II (3) • To increase coherence, composers often group variations to make larger sections • Vivaldi creates three sections here • Theme & Variations 1-4–Entirely in G major, basso ostinato • Variations 5-6–Shifts to G minor, ostinato moves to violins • Final statement of Theme–As at the beginning • Overall ternary feel (A B A)

20. Vivaldi, Violin Concerto in G, III • Fast tempo, ritornello form • Form even freer than in 1st movement • Begins with solo introduction • 1st ritornello statement interrupted by solo • 2nd ritornello presents new theme • Solo violin constantly changes from one idea to another • 3rd & 5th ritornellos provide stability