Enjoyment of Music, Ess. Listening Ed. 4th Ed. Chapter 23

1. CHAPTER 23
Sounding Spring: Vivaldi and
the Baroque Concerto
Copyright © 2020 W. W. Norton & Co., Inc.

2. The Baroque Orchestra
• Chamber orchestra-small, 10 to 30-40 players, for
use in smaller venues
• All had basso continuo, upper strings,
woodwinds/brass/percussion variable
• Instrumentation varied from piece to piece
• Baroque trumpet-no valves, difficult to play,
aristocratic role in orchestra
• Composers used great deal of doubling and
rearranging

3. Baroque Instrumental Music: General
Characteristics
• Several major genres developed:
• The Baroque Concerto--a soloist plus an accompaniment
consisting of harpsichord and small chamber orchestra
(mostly strings)
• The Concerto Grosso--several soloists plus an orchestra
(called “tutti” or “ripieno”)

4. Concerto
• Sharp contrast between the timbre of the solo
instrument (or the small group of soloists) and the
larger ensemble/orchestra
• An example of the Baroque love of extremes
• Nearly every modern symphony concert includes at
least one concerto--they were written in all periods
after the Baroque era.
• Solo concerto

5. Copyright © 2020, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
The Baroque Concerto, Part 1
I. The Baroque Concerto
A. One or more featured instruments with larger orchestral ensemble
1. three movements: Allegro–Adagio–Allegro
2. experiments in sonority and virtuosic playing
3. ritornello form
a. first and third movements
b. refrain-based structure
c. orchestral refrains, virtuosic outbursts (episodes) by soloist(s)

6. • Movements- piece that sounds complete & independent
on its own but part of larger composition
• Three movements--typical arrangement: fast
movement, slow movement, fast movement
• Middle movement often in contrasting key
3rd Movement
Fast (allegro)
2nd Movement
Slow (Adagio,
Andante)
1st Movement
Fast (allegro)
The Concerto Plan

7. Copyright © 2020, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
The Ritornello Principle
Typically a recurring theme (called the “ritornello”)
is played by the whole orchestra (the “tutti”).
Soloists play more virtuostic transition passages in
which the key of piece changes (called
“modulation”).
Tutti returns to play the ritornello theme in the new
key; this pattern of soloists and tutti repeats several
times.
Last statement of ritornello theme is in the original
key.

8. Tonic key at end
New keys---------->
Tonic key
Ritornello Form
Ritornello 1 Solo 1 Ritornello 2 Solo 2 Ritornello 3 repeat pattern
Ritornello Form

9. Copyright © 2020, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
The Baroque Concerto, Part 2

10. Copyright © 2020, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Program Music
An instrumental work that is in some way associated with a
story, event, or idea
Can be indicated by
Suggestive title
A prose narrative
A poem
Listener can listen with program in mind or without it--
listener’s choice.

11. Copyright © 2020, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
The Baroque Concerto, Part 3
B. Concerto developed in Italy, late 1600s
1. embraced by performers and patrons
2. genre spread north, six Brandenburg Concertos by J. S. Bach
3. Antonio Vivaldi: most famous, prolific

12. Copyright © 2020, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Program Music: Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Part 1
II. Program Music: Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons
A. Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741)
1. Venetian composer, violin virtuoso
2. ordained priest (“red priest” due to color of his hair)
3. music master at Conservatorio dell’Ospedale della Pietà, Venice
a. school attached to girls’ orphanage
b. concerts attracted visitors from all over Europe

13. Copyright © 2020, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Program Music: Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Part 2

14. Copyright © 2020, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Program Music: Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Part 3
4. renowned during his lifetime as a performer
5. “father of the concerto”
a. exploited contrast in sonority, large and small groups of players
b. established ritornello form
6. developed violin style and technique
a. rapid scale passages, extended arpeggios, contrasting registers
7. output: over 500 concertos (230 for solo violin), sinfonias, operas, other
vocal music

15. Copyright © 2020, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Program Music: Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Part 4
B. The Four Seasons
1. four solo violin concertos, one for each season
2. program music: literary link
a. each concerto accompanied by a poem
b. poetry printed above passages of music
c. music portrays action and emotion of text

16. Copyright © 2020, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Program Music: Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Part 5

17. Copyright © 2020, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Program Music: Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Part 6
C. Listening Guide 12: Vivaldi: Spring, from The Four Seasons (La primavera
from Le quattro stagioni), Op. 8, No. 1, First Movement (published 1725)
1. Allegro, in E Major
2. orchestral ritornello (general mood of spring) alternates with solo violin
episodes
3. violin episodes: depict sounds of spring
a. birds: staccato notes, trills, and high running scales
b. storm: agitated repeated notes in low strings, ascending minor
scales
c. florid violin passage leads to final ritornello

18. Copyright © 2020, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
La Primavera, Movement 1
Movement I

19. Copyright © 2020, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Program Music: Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Part 7

20. Copyright © 2020, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Program Music: Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Part 8

21. Copyright © 2020, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Antonio Vivaldi - Other Compositions
Almost 350 solo concertos (most for violin)
and 45 double concertos (about half for 2
violins)
Concerto for Mandolin in C Major
Movement I

22. Copyright © 2020, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Nuremburg, Germany
Taught Bach’s teacher
Canon in D
Composed 1689, rediscovered
Used quite often today
Ground bass of 8 notes, all
equal length
Melodic variation played over
bass 27 times
3 instrumental parts,
following each other after 8
beats in imitation
Originally for 3 violins &
continuo
Johann Pachelbel

23. Copyright © 2020, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Kanon in D
Kanon in D

24. Copyright © 2020, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Credits
This concludes the Lecture PowerPoint presentation for “The Enjoyment of Music, 4th Edition, Chapter 23: Sounding Spring:
Vivaldi and the Baroque Concerto”
For more resources, please visit https://digital.wwnorton.com/enjmusic4ess