Vivaldi Flashcards
What are the three main features of Vivaldis chord vocabulary?
Triads in root position
Triads in first inversion
seventh chords
Which harmonic devise is used frequently?
circle of 5ths
how is the harmony embellished?
passing notes
what adds harmonic strength?
suspensions
what type of devise is a canon?
contrapuntal
what other textures appear in movement one
canon/contrapuntal
homophonic
what is the texture of movement 2?
3 bar Adagio = homophonic
rest is contrapuntal
what does the improvised accompaniment do?
It ‘fills out’ the two part outline
what is the texture of movement 3?
Mel-dom-hom
what is the texture of movement 4?
mel-dom-hom with some variety
where is the contrapuntal interest in movement 4?
at the start during the imitation
what is the point in the ripieno?
to double the violins/cello
what is the main distinction of the waltz?
between the concertino and the ripieno
did vivaldi include dynamics?
Yes, but few as was the convention of the time
how does vivaldi create echo effects?
The piano and flute at the end of movement 2
Why is there pp in movement 3?
the solo part isn’t over shadowed
How does vivaldi achieve a robust ending?
the closing f
what is a concerto?
generally a 3 movement work for a single instrument soloist and orchestra
what did a concerto grosso involve?
alteration between soloists and orchestra
what do ‘concertino’ and ‘tutti’ mean?
‘concertino’ are the soloists
‘tutti’ means everyone
what are the concertino instruments?
violin 1 and 2 and the cello
what are the four movements of the piece?
Allegro, Adagio, Largo, Allegro
What key are the movements in?
Dm
Briefly describe movement 1
opening - canon for concertino violins and cello solo
briefly describe movement 2
three bar adagio in ‘fugal’ exposition
briefly describe movement 3
ternary form with violin solo
what is the emphasis on in movement 4?
soloists
what is motivic writing?
short melodic patterns frequently repeated to provide musical unity
does vivaldi repeat notes often?
Yes - frequently repeated note patterns
Is the melody stepwise or leap-filled?
Both - stepwise movement, notably in scalic writing and leaps
where are there a lot of arpeggiated patterns?
Beginning of movement 1
describe the use of leaps
many small leaps - up to a 5th
occasional larger leaps such as an octave
what creates interest in movement 4?
leaps vs repeated note pattern
what i the tempo of the first and large movement?
allegro - convention of the time
what are the two slower tempos in between?
Adagio and Largo
what is the metre of movements 2 and 4?
4/4
what is the metre of the opening?
3/4
what is the metre of movement 3?
12/8
give an example of rhythmic continuity
constant semiquaver movement
what is movement 2 based on?
small rhythmic patterns
what style is movement 3 in?
siciliana
name the important rhythmic features of movement 3
siciliana pattern - dotted quaver, quaver, quaver
how is there rhythmic differentiation in movement 4?
The cellos semiquavers vs the sparse accmpaniment
What chord sequence outlines Adagio e Spiccato?
Circle of fifths
E7, A7, D7, G7, Eb, Cm, A7
String quartet in Eb - ‘the joke’
Haydn 1782 arco four part texture rondo form periodic phrasing arpeggios auxiliary notes chromaticism Functional dim.7ths pedals diminished chords demisemiquavers scotch snaps
Brandenburg Concerto No.4 context Movement 1
Bach
Concerto Grosso
1717
Brandenburg concertos sonority
solo violin and 2 solo flutes
ripieno and concertino
recorders in place of flutes
violone
Brandenburg concertos texture
STRETTO Homophinic monophonic contrapuntal antiphonal
Brandenburg concertos structure
Ritornello form
returning theme
Brandenburg concertos tonality
G major
frequent modulations to related keys e.g dominant (D)
Brandenburg concertos Harmony
Functional Circle of fifths sequence dissonances e.g 7ths chord per bar
Brandenburg concertos Melody
groups of motifs repetition sequence inversion arpeggios 3 note scalic figures
Brandenburg concertos rhythm
one dotted crotchet beat per bar
continuous semiquavers
syncopation
hemiola
Comparisons
the joke - Haydn Sonata 2 - Corelli Four Seasons (Spring) - Vivaldi Concerto for four violins in Bm- Vivaldi Brandenburg Concertos - J,S, Bach
context
1711 L'estro Armonico - 12 concertos first published in Amsterdam Baroque Strings only concerto = usually 3 movements (vivaldi does 4) concerto grosso = concertino and ripieno over 400 concertos and 40 operas real priest
where did Vivaldi work?
1703 appointed violinist at an orphanage of illegitimate daughters of nobility - worked there for 30 years
what does L’Estro Armonico mean?
Harmonic fancy
Where was Vivaldi born?
Venice 1678
Adagio e spiccato harmonic sequence
E7, A7, D7, G7, Eb, Cm, A7
