Chapter 9Baroque Instrumental Music

Concerto and Concerto Grosso:

Vivaldi

Key Terms

Concerto

Concerto grosso

Concertare

Movement

Ritornello form

Ritornello

Archlute

Variation form

Basso continuo

Chaconne

Passacaglia

Ground

Ground bass

Double listening

Baroque Instrumental Music (1)

For the first time, listeners & musicians took instrumental music seriouslyRise 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

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

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

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

Ritornello Form (1)

Commonly used in 1st & 3rd movements of Baroque concertoItalian ritorno = return (home)Ritornello form is based on systematic use of contrast & returnConsistent alternation between two contrasting sections—•Ritornellos & solo episodes

Return of theme more satisfying after contrasting solos (sense of resolution)

Ritornello Form (2)

Standard ritornello formRIT = complete ritornello statement

[RIT] = partial ritornello statement

Solo 1, 2, 3, etc. = solo episodes

Ritornello vs. Episode

RitornelloPrincipal theme

Solid & forceful

Often very tuneful

For full orchestra

Stable–stays in one key, ends with strong cadence

Familiarity grows with each return

Solo EpisodeContrasting section

Faster, more brilliant

Free & virtuosic

For soloist(s)

Unstable–modulates to another key, flows into next ritornello

Always something new, surprising

Antonio Vivaldi(1678-1741)

Famous as violinist & composerMost popular Baroque concerto composer•Four Seasons his most popular work

Wrote over 500 concertosThe “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

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 & orchestraUses standard three-movement format• I & III fast, brilliant, ritornello form• II slower, gentler, ground bass form

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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)

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