Chapter 23: Sounding Spring: Vivaldi and the Baroque Concerto
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The instrumental form based on the contrast of two dissimilar bodies of sound is called a:
a. symphony. c. suite.
b. sonata. d. concerto.
2. The typical solo concerto has _____ movements.
a. two c. four
b. three d. six
3. Who was the most famous and most prolific Baroque composer of concertos?
a. Vivaldi c. Handel
b. Purcell d. Bach
4. Antonio Vivaldi was known as “the red priest” for:
a. his political affiliations. c. the color of his hair.
b. his violent temper. d. none of the answers shown here
5. Vivaldi lived and worked in:
a. Florence. c. Rome.
b. Venice. d. Bologna.
6. Which of the following is a well-known set of concertos by Vivaldi?
a. The Four Seasons c. Water Music
b. the Brandenburg Concertos d. Music for the Royal Fireworks
7. The solo instrument in Spring, from The Four Seasons, is the:
a. violin. c. cello.
b. viola. d. harpsichord.
8. Which of the following characterizes Vivaldi’s Four Seasons?
a. The concertos feature a large ensemble.
b. The concertos avoid ritornello form.
c. The concertos project pictorial images.
d. The concertos are structured in two-movement forms.
9. The opening movement of Spring, from The Four Seasons, is in:
a. sonata-allegro form. c. minuet and trio form.
b. ritornello form. d. binary form.
10. In the slow movement of Spring, from The Four Seasons, Vivaldi evokes a dog barking through:
a. trills and running scales. c. a folk dance.
b. fast staccato notes d. an ostinato rhythm.
11. The alternation between orchestral refrains and virtuosic outbursts by the soloist(s) is known as:
a. ritornello form. c. oratorio form.
b. da capo form. d. sonata form.
12. Instrumental music endowed with literary or pictorial associations is known as:
a. program music. c. opera.
b. absolute music. d. cantata.
TRUE/FALSE
1. The Baroque concerto is written for a solo instrument with a continuo accompaniment.
2. Antonio Vivaldi composed over 200 concertos for solo violin.
3. Vivaldi lived in Venice, where he taught music at a girls’ school.
4. Vivaldi’s music contributed decisively to the development of violin style and technique.
5. The Four Seasons is considered program music.
6. The concerto is an instrumental form based on the opposition between two dissimilar bodies of
sound.
7. A concerto usually consists of five movements.
8. The concerto first developed in France in the late 1600s.
9. Ritornello form is the alternation between orchestral refrains and virtuosic solo passages.
10. Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons is an example of program music.
11. The harpsichord is the featured solo instrument in Spring, from The Four Seasons.
ESSAY
1. How did Baroque composers provide unity and contrast in concerto movements?
ANS:
Answers will vary.
PTS: 1 DIF: 3 REF: Essentials: pp. 120–123
TOP: Baroque Concerto MSC: Conceptual
2. Why is Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons considered program music?
ANS:
Answers will vary.
PTS: 1 DIF: 2 REF: Essentials: pp. 120–122
TOP: Baroque Concerto MSC: Applied