Instrumental Music - Vivaldi Concerto in D Minor Flashcards
When was Vivaldi’s concerto in D minor written?
1711
Who was Vivaldi?
Vivaldi was a Late Venetian Baroque composer and a virtuoso violinist.
Why did Vivaldi write the concerto in D minor?
Vivaldi was very interested in exploring the capabilities of the violin and wanted to move towards creating a solo concerto work.
His harmonic inspiration was L’Estro Armonico
What was L’Estro Arminoco?
A set of 12 concertos published in 1711 with more unusual harmonic inspiration. Inspired Vivaldi to take more harmonic risks.
How would you describe the overall melody of Vivaldi’s concerto?
- The melody is predominantly scalic and triadic with a mixture of conjunct and disjunct.
- There is a large use of sequences
- some solo melodic lines
- some limited chromaticism however mainly diatonic
- use of ornamentation
- lines are largely imitative and fugal
- some chromatic notes
Examples of scalic passages in Vivaldi’s melody:
Opening of concerto based on broken chords/triadic patterns and descending scales. Also rising scales in Bassline of second movement
Examples of sequencing in Vivaldi’s melody
Sequences used constantly in Vivaldi. Seen in first entry of cello solo in first mvt.
Examples of ornamentation in Vivaldi’s melody
Many melodic lines are decorations of scalic ideas. Descending scales in first violin solo mvt 1 decorated with changing notes.
Examples of leaps in Vivaldi’s melody
Melody made up of combination of conjunct and disjunct. Conjunct seen at start of fugue mvt 2. Disjunct follows this with leaps outlining circle of fifths.
Solo violin in third mvt mainly conjunct but includes some large leaps of 7ths and diminished 5ths
Describe the overall use of texture in Vivaldi’s concerto for two violins?
Large variety of textures:
- 2 part canonic writing
- contrapuntal
- fugal moments
- melody dominated homophony
- homophony/homorhythm
How does Vivaldi overall use harmony in his concerto for two violins?
Harmony is totally functional and shaped by cadences (like V I). A figured bass is used. Also use of some interesting progressions
Describe Vivaldi’s overall use of tonality in the concerto?
- Tonality is functional
- Written in D minor + most of music remains in tonic key.
- Some modulations to closely related keys like G minor (subdominant) and A minor (dominant). Reinforced through pedals
- Occasional passages in remote keys = F minor in third mvt
- Tierce de Picardie
What is the overall Rhythm, tempo and metre of Vivaldi’s concerto in D minor?
- Mixture of metres that does not change within movements.
- Tempo changes are rare.
- Moto perpetuo
- Syncopation
- Siciliano rhythms
How is metre used in each specific movement of Vivaldi’s concerto?
Why was this important?
Mvt 1 - 3/4
Mvt 2 - C or 4/4
Mvt 3 - 12/8
Mvt 4 - C or 4/4 with upbeat
This was characteristic of Baroque music. The juxtaposition of different metres allowed for contrast.
Examples of tonal harmony in Vivaldi’s concerto
- root pos. seventh chords are common
- occasional first inversion seventh chords
- some diminished seventh chords
- lots of suspensions/chains of suspensions
- chromaticism in Bassline
- dominant and tonic pedals
- music shaped by perfect cadences
How is tempo used specifically in the violin concerto?
Why was this important?
3 of the 4 movements do not change tempo in them.
Mvt 2 - begins Adagio e spiccato and changes to Allegro
Characteristic of Vivaldi - showed his flair!!
What is the overall structure of Vivaldi’s Concerto in D minor?
Mixture of structures:
- made you of many smaller sections
- Fugal structures that alternate between tutti and episode
- Ternary siciliano
- loose ritornello form
Why was Vivaldi’s use of structure unconventional for the time?
It didn’t always fit the conventional structure. Vivaldi wrote 4 movements, not the usual 3.
How many movements did Vivaldi write?
Vivaldi wrote 4 movements to the concerto.
Structure of the First Movement of Vivaldi’s concerto
Introductory section for two unaccompanied violins in canon with tonic pedals. Leads to an ending with solo cello and continuo.
Structure of Second Movement of Vivaldi’s concerto
Written in 2 sections:
Section 1 = tutti and only 3 bars. Consists entirely of chords.
Section 2 = fugal section with ideas passed around solo section
Structure of the Third Movement of Vivaldi’s concerto
Slow movement in siciliano rhythm.
Begins with tutti passage with theme in first violins and the rest of the instruments playing a simple accompaniment. The first solo violin continues the theme. Ends with a short tutti repeat of beginning.
Structure of Fourth Movement of Vivaldi’s concerto
Begins with solo violins in imitation. Buried tutti links this to an episode for the three solo instruments. Plays between solo and tutti until strong tutti closes the concerto.
Describe how Fugal textures are seen in Vivaldi’s concerto?
Mvt 2 - written in fugue with melody being equally passed around orchestra. Melody perfectly retains its original intervals. Makes the most of short melodic fragments.
