Concerto Terms

Question 1

Ritornello Form

Answer 1

• Used in the first and third movements of the concerto.
• The opening passage is restated through the movement like a refrain.

Question 2

Ripieno

Answer 2

• Italian for “full” or “complete”
• a term used to denote the use of full orchestra in the baroque concerto

Question 3

Ostinato

Answer 3

• Italian for “obstinate” or “persistent”
• Rhythmic or melodic pattern repeated for an extended period.

Question 4

Pedal Point

Answer 4

• A note or a series of notes sustained through harmony changes in other parts.

Question 5

Idiomatic Writing

Answer 5

• highlights the unique technical capabilities of an instrument in the style of writing
• opposite of “generic”
• developed in the Baroque era

Question 6

Programmatic Writing

Answer 6

• music with a descriptive element, inspired by extramusical associations, like a story or a painting
• evolved into a significant feature of the 19th-century instrumental writing (program music)