The Concerto Through Time Flashcards
What were the two types of concerto from the Baroque period?
the concerto grosso
the solo concerto
Give some examples of Baroque composers.
Vivaldi Handel Bach Corelli Telemann
Suggest a suitable venue for a Baroque concerto.
Small venues such as a room or chamber at a royal court or possibly in a church.
This is because concertos in the Baroque period had small orchestras.
Name some musical features of Baroque music.
Harpsichord as part of the continuo
Small orchestra
Varied textures - melody and accompaniment, homophonic, polyphonic/contrapuntal
Melodic lines with lots of ornamentation
Balanced phrases
Terraced dynamics - sudden changes between loud and soft
Diatonic harmony - major and minor keys
What is a concerto grosso?
a Baroque concerto written for more than one soloist accompanied by orchestra
What are the most common solo instruments in the Baroque period?
violin, cello, flute, oboe, harpsichord*
What are the two distinctive sections that alternate in a concerto grosso?
ripieno - everyone plays
concertino - just the solo instruments and continuo play
these two sections alternate
What is a solo concerto?
a concerto written for one soloist accompanied by an orchestra
Name a feature of the solo concerto in the Baroque period.
There are always passages for the orchestra (tutti) and passages for the soloist accompanied by just the continuo.
What is the only type of concerto from the Classical period?
the solo concerto
Name some changes seen in the concerto of the Classical period.
the invention of the piano and clarinet
wider range of dynamics
larger orchestra
more use of woodwind and brass
significant use of primary harmony (I, IV, V)
clear cadences at the ends of phrases and sections
no use of the continuo
development of the cadenza (unaccompanied virtuosic passage for the solo instrument) - usually improvised
considerable variety within a single movement
What features from the Baroque period were still used in the Classical period?
balanced phrases (but more question and answer)
diatonic harmony
melody and accompaniment is now the predominant texture
use of ornamentation
What is the only type of concerto from the Romantic period?
the solo concerto
Name some developments of the concerto in the Romantic period.
far more dramatic and emotional concertos
more complex & interesting interaction between the solo instrument and the orchestra
much larger orchestra - more use of the percussion section
greater demand on the solo instrument (improvements in the making of instruments)
longer and more complex melodies
more complex rhythms
variety and contrast in dynamics, texture, pitch range and tempo
more complex harmonies - chromatic harmony & dissonant chords
