978-0393602517 Chapter 23

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CHAPTER 23

Sounding Spring: Vivaldi and the Baroque Concerto

OVERVIEW

The study of instrumental music of the Baroque era continues, with the concerto taking the

spotlight. This chapter singles out Vivaldi’s Four Seasons concertos, both for their archetypal

ritornello form and for an early venture into the world of program music.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. To understand the Baroque era as an age that saw the development of the concerto, an

instrumental genre featuring one or more instrumental soloists and a larger orchestra

2. To understand Vivaldi’s concertos as pinnacles of the genre, helping to establish ritornello

form, the standard design of Baroque concerto first and last movements

3. To understand Vivaldi’s Four Seasons as early examples of program music

LECTURE SUGGESTIONS

1. After reviewing the structural components of ritornello form, play the first movement of

Vivaldi’s Spring from The Four Seasons. Have pairs of students map out the ritornellos and

episodes and explain how the ritornellos are at once similar to and yet different from each

other. After playing the example, ask the students how many ritornellos and episodes they

detected. If groups disagree, play the example again and mark on the board the ritornellos

and episodes as they occur. Then ask the class how the ritornellos are similarly constructed

yet different from one another.

2. Display the text of the poem that accompanies Vivaldi’s Spring from The Four Seasons.

Have students form small groups to identify how the music reflects the words and

meaning of the text as the example plays. Invite groups to share their ideas after the

concerto is over.

ASSIGNMENT SUGGESTIONS

1. Think back to the da capo aria from Chapter 20 (Handel’s “Rejoice greatly” from Messiah).

What structural similarities do you notice between the Baroque da capo aria and Vivaldi’s

form in Spring.

2. Practice listening to the ritornello design of other Baroque concertos. See for example the

first movement of Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Trumpets in C Major (RV 537) and the

opening movement of Bach’s Violin Concerto in E Major (BWV 1042). Where do the

opening ritornellos end and the first episodes begin? Continue with the remaining of the

movements. Remember that the title of a concerto tells you which instrument or group of

instruments are the soloists pitted against the larger orchestra.

TEACHING CHALLENGES

If you decide to employ some the examples in the Assignment Suggestions to illustrate ritornello

form, make sure students are aware of which specific instruments or voices make up the ripieno

group before playing the example. This will help them avoid confusing the ripieni (episodes)

with the tutti (ritornellos) as they listen.

SUPPLEMENTAL REPERTORY

Corelli: Concerti grossi Op. 6

Vivaldi: L’estro armonico, Op. 3

Bach: Violin Concerto in E Major, BWV 1042

SUPPLEMENTAL BIBLIOGRAPHY

Everett, Paul. Vivaldi: The Four Seasons and Other Concertos, Op. 8. Cambridge: Cambridge

University Press, 1998. This book provides more information on the ritornello design and the

program of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. See especially Chapter 3 fiRitornello Forms”) and

Chapter 6 fiThe Four Seasons”).

CHAPTER OUTLINE

Sounding Spring: Vivaldi and the Baroque Concerto (Chapter 23)

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 virtuoso playing

3. ritornello form

a. first and third movements

b. refrain-based structure

c. orchestral refrains, virtuosic outbursts (episodes) by soloist(s)

B. Concerto developed in Italy

1. embraced by performers and patrons

2. genre spread north, six Brandenburg Concertos by J. S. Bach

3. Antonio Vivaldi: most famous, prolific

a. “father of the concerto”

i. exploited contrast in sonorities

ii. established ritornello form

b. developed violin style and technique

i. rapid scale passages, extended arpeggios, contrasting registers

II. Antonio Vivaldi and the Solo Concerto

A. Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741)

1. Venetian composer, violin virtuoso

2. ordained priest fired priest”)

3. music master at Conservatorio dell’Ospedale della Pietà, Venice

a. school attached to girls’ orphanage

b. concerts attracted visitors from all over Europe

4. renowned during his lifetime as a performer

5. output: over 500 concertos (230 for solo violin), sinfonias, operas, other vocal music

B. Program Music: Vivaldi’s 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

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 alternates with solo violin episodes

3. violin episodes: depict sounds of spring

a. birds: trills and high running scales

b. storm: agitated repeated notes in low strings

c. florid violin passage leads to final ritornello