No Clear definition of the form concerto in the 16th and 17th centurydefinition: Latin Concertare - to dispute or debate Italian Concertare - to arrange, agreeinstrumenta accompaniment to vocal pieces, there were orchestral pieces, solo pieceseven in Bach's time:In some Bach Cantatas, marked concerto: accompaniment on organ, with voices1675-Italian composers Corelli, Torelli Vivaldiwrote Concerto Grossos, Soloconcerti, and Ripieno Concerti.Torelli wrote 12 pure solo concertos for the violin first concertos for solo instrumentVivaldi, the most influencial composer in Baroque times for concerti, wrote 50 ripeno concertos, 350 solo concertos and some concerto grossi.Bach used one of these, concerto in b Minor for 4 violins, as a baseConcerto grosso Doubling of partsTwo parts of the orchestra, group of soloists and strings (Ripieno or Tutti)Ripeno Concerto or Sinfonia No soloistsSolo concerto a clear one instrument melodic solo line, sometimes with the grosso ideaFrom these concertos written by the Italians, came Italian model of a concerto:Italian concerto model: Fast-Slow-Fast, virtuosic, Ritornello/Rondo formImportant to know: Concerto not merely solo instrument... it's a balance.Outer movements were in ritornello/Rondeau (French) form, with clear divisions betweensoloist and orchestra. Since the concertos were for melodic instruments, the soloistic parts were melodic and often could be played by any instrument, hence Vivaldi's many concertos. The middle movements, the slow ones, were often Arias/Arioso (Arias ABA, repeated material, Arioso more free, but not yet recitative)... or Silicianos, a slow 6/8 or 12/8 mv with dotted rhythms, usually in minor key, often used as a backup for arias in operasItalian composers, especially Vivaldi, had huge influence on Bach.Bach studied all these: Early forms are the Italian Concerto, a concerto with all the qualities of previous works, and the many concertos arranged for solo piano. Some Cantatas had concerto marked in them. Bach Brandenburg concertos, first big instrumental concertos1,3,5 were ripieno concertos2,4,5 were more in concerto grosso styleBrandenburg 5 has a huge harpsichord solo, but not really the first concerto per say,because it's not a full complete concerto (accompanies violin and flute in 3rd mv)Beginnings of Bach inventing the genre harpshichord concerto. But not really inventing... he took the previous concerto ideas and made it more contrapuntal. Bach Concertos:In 1729, bach was director of the collegium Musicum in Leipzig, a student musical society, and transcribed/wrote many of the concertos for these occasionals. IMPORTANT POINT: DIFFICULT TO ESTABLISH DATES FOR THESE PIECES. Pieces not written in original key... transposed down or up.All concertos here are fast-slow-fast, with specific kinds of movements... or very similar to these movement types. 2nd Mvs: Arioso: Singing, almost recitative, not as rhythm, like an Aria Siliciano: 6/8 or 12/8 with dotted rhythm in minor key 1st and 3rd Mvs: Ritornello: A B A C A D A Tutti opens with the theme, and the theme comes back in different keys. In between the Tutti A sections, the solo gets light harmonic support from the strings. Rondo: Typical rondo baroque pattern ABACADAMost have roots back in other pieces, Cantatas written way before or ViolinAll based on melodic concertos with single lines, has effect on all these concertos, except for a few (namely the double concertos)Bibliography:Wikipedia.orgStevens, Jane. The Bach Family and the Keyboard Concerto. Warren, Michigan. Harmonie Park Press. 2001.