Vivaldi 1711 Flashcards
Context
Late Venetian Baroque composer
Op 3, L’Estro Armonico (Harmonic Inspiration)
String trio sonata group consisting of a concertino and ripen, v Italian
Helped move towards solo concerto, evident in this concerto grosso
Melody
Some solo melody lines Predominantly scalic, triadic, mixture of conjunct and disjunct Sequences Mainly diatonic with chromaticism Imitation, fugal Decorative features, ornamentation
Some solo melodic lines
1st mv, solo cello breaks away from BC
4th mv, solo violin, sim to cadenza
One of the 1st composers to break away from CG structure, move towards SC
(After, 4 Seasons, Spring, 1st mv)
Predominantly scalic, triadic. Mixture of conjunct and disjunct
1st mv opening, based on D min arpeggio
Characteristic of Baroque music, reinforces tonality and focuses on consonance
(Before, La Follia, Corelli, 6th var, v triadic)
Sequences prevalent
4th mv, ascending sequence, characteristic of Vivaldi,
Melodic economy by developing short motifs
(After, 4 Seasons, Spring, 1st mv)
Mainly diatonic with chromaticism
3rd mv, 7th leaps, dim 5th, with chain of suspensions, create dissonance and tension that needs to resolve, characteristic of Vivaldi, melodic economy
(After, 4 Seasons, Summer, 2nd mv)
Imitation and fugal
2nd mv, B, vla, vln, vln with real answer, outlines C of 5th
Developing small melodic fragments, sense of unity throughout concerto
(After, Bach, Great Fugue,)
Decorative features, ornamentation
3rd mv, trills. 4th mv, virtuosic solo,
Characteristic of Baroque music, musicians were expected to improvise with the given notes
Texture
Variety of textures explored, many juxtaposed against each other, textural contrast 2 part canonic writing Contrapuntal Mel dom hom Homophony, homorhythm
2 part canonic writing
1st mv, 1 beat, 1 bar displacement.
Ensures that the D is always heard
(Before, Pachelbel’s canon, 2 bar displacement)
Use in 4th mv, unifies concerto
Unusual texture at beginning of concerto
Moving towards the solo concerto
(After, Bach Double Concerto starts with continuo)
Contrapuntal textures
2nd mv, Allegro, B, vla, vln, vin with perfect answer
Fugal texture at beginning of 2nd mv,
Characteristic of Baroque music
(After, Bach, Great Fugue, has perfect answer)
Mel dom hom
3rd mv, vln solo with vla on bass
Same texture, puts EP on fragile melody, moves towards solo concerto
(After, Sicilienne, Christmas Concerto, Corelli)
Homophony, homorhythmic
2nd mv Adagio
Sense of unity
Harmony
Functional harmony shaped by cadences
Figured bass
Interesting progressions
Functional harmony shaped by cadences
Move to related chords, V I (After, Brandenburg No 2)
1st mv, predominantly based on D minor chords
Harmonic economy, characteristic of Vivaldi
Figured bass
Harmony had to be realized by bassist, improvised upon, characteristic
(After, Bach E major concerto has one)
3rd mv lacks basso continuo, tasto solo, bass in viola
Basso continuo gives structure, makes it sound more fragile
Interesting progressions
2nd mv, N6 precedes false relation, 3rd mv, N6 precedes dim 7,
Normally precedes cadence point
Shows his flair, adds interest to otherwise repetitive progressions
(After, Vivaldi, Summer 1st mv)
2nd mv, secondary dominant start, all 7ths with false relation
More juxtaposition of very contrasting harmonic features
4th mv, 4, 3 chain of suspensions,
(Before, Sonata da chiesa No 2, Corelli)
Creates expressive dissonance, harmonic economy, extends melodic material
Tonality
Functional tonality, structured by V I
All start in D min
Dominant pedals
Tierce de Picardie
Functional tonality, structured by V I
Moves to related keys such as dominant Fmin, structured by V I
Establishes key
(After, Bach E major concerto, dominant, relative minor)
More foreign keys like the mediant minor approached through related keys
Characteristic Baroque feature
All start in Dmin
Use of D was very Baroque, all D minor mv, characteristic of Vivaldi
Italian music, v string dominated, D suits the violin well, open strings resonate with D, produce a bright and brilliant sound
(Before, Corelli, Italian composer, Violin Sonata in D minor)
Dominant pedals
2nd mv, EP by BC tasto solo
Creates unresolved tension that demands to be resolved
Also EP by rare p dynamic
Tierce de Picardie
Normally ends minor piece major, here stays minor
(After, Jesu bleibit meine freude)
4th mv, one uses TDP, last one is deliberately minor
Displays Vivaldi’s playful nature
Rhythm, tempo, metre
Mixture of metres, does not change within movements Tempo changes are rare Moto perpetuo Syncopation Siciliano rhythms
Mixture of metres, does not change within movements
1st mv, 3/4 2nd mv, C 3rd mv, 12/8 4th mv, C with upbeat Characteristic of Baroque music, juxtaposition of different meters for contrast
Tempo
3 out of 4 do not have a change in tempo within mv
Characteristic of Baroque music (After, Vivaldi, Spring, 4 Seasons)
2nd mv, creates a stark contrast between Adagio e spiccato to Allegro
Characteristic of Vivaldi, shows his flair
Moto perpetuo
1st mv, cello solo
Drive and energy towards cadence point, characteristic of Baroque music
(After, Bach E major concerto, predominantly made up of semiquavers)
Syncopation
Drive towards cadence points
Siciliano rhythms
3rd mv, prevalent, pastoral association
(After, Sicilienne in Christmas Concerto, Corelli)
Typical of 3rd mv, characteristic of Italian Baroque music
Structure
Mixture of structures Made up of many smaller sections Fugal, alternate between tutti and episode Ternary siciliano Loose ritornello form
Made up of many smaller sections
Characteristic of Italian Baroque music (After, Christmas concerto, Corelli)
(After, Bach, Brandenburg concertos, were more lyrical and the sections tend to be longer)
Fugal, alternate between tutti and episode
2nd mv, fugue, perfect answer retains intervals
(After, No 1 Well Tempered Clavier)
Melodic economy, makes the most of short melodic fragments
Ternary siciliano
3rd mv, pastoral and italian associations (After, Bach Siciliano)
Loose ritornello form
4th mv, developed by Vivaldi
Sections include sections from other movements, S1, sim to 1st mv with 2 solo violin imitation
Creates unity between movements, brings the concerto together
Sonority
Standard trio sonata Continuo improvises on figured bass Tasto solo Spiccato Resonance of strings
Standard trio sonata
With string orchestra and basso continuo
(Before, Corelli, trio sonata)
V string focused, characteristic of Italian Baroque music, German Baroque music, more vocal and wind based
Vivaldi’s harpsichord part was more ornamented, Bach’s was more chordal (After, Branadenburg No1)
Made up of more virtuosic concertino and ripieno
Characteristic of Baroque concerto grossi
Continuo improvises on figured bass
1st mv, cello normally plays with the basso continuo
(After, Bach A major concerto)
Breaks away, virtuosic cello line
Moves towards the form of the solo concerto
No basso continuo in 3rd mv, vla plays bass, fragility, puts more EP on the melody
Tasto solo
2nd mv, vc V pedal
(After, 4 Seasons, Autumn, 3rd mv))
Demands to be resolved, drive towards end of phrase
Spiccato
2nd mv, bounce the bow
Creates contrast by juxtaposing staccato against the end of the 1st mv, more legato
String resonance
1st mv, canon revolves around D
Creates resonance, would be easy for the girls to learn the piece, tonic is always resonating (After, Allemande, Partita No 2)
