Vivaldi - Texture Flashcards
What is a “2-part” texture?
When 2 instruments/melodic layers are playing.
What is the texture of the opening of the concerto?
2-part: there are 2 solo violins.
What is a canon?
When one part imitates (copies) another part exactly. The second (imitating) part maybe be a beat, 2 beats, or a whole bar behind, depending on what fits harmonically.
Give an example of where does “canonic imitation” occur in the concerto?
At the very beginning of the concerto.
What is a pedal note?
A continuous lower pitched note that accompanies melody.
Give an example of a pedal note used in the Concerto?
A good example is during the 2-part violin canon at the very start of the concerto where a tonic (home note) D pedal is played.
What is “homophony” or a “homophonic” texture?
This is melody and accompaniment texture.
What is “homo-rhythmic” texture, sometimes known as “strict homophony”?
When all the instruments play the same rhythm, thus they all move/change notes at the same time. Hymns typically are “homo-rhythmic” as it allows the words to be clearly heard and sung in all four parts of the choir.
Give an example of homophonic writing in the concerto.
The central solo section of the middle movement shows standard melody and accompaniment texture. The adagio section of the second movement, where all instruments play (tutti), is a good example of “homo-rhythmic” texture.
What is a fugue?
One voice or melodic layer begins by stating a melodic theme/idea. This is called the “subject”. The subject is then passed around different instruments/layers of the texture. Other parts may play “counter melodies” at the same time as the subject, making it difficult to determine what the most important layer of the music is.
What is “polyphonic” or “contrapuntal” texture?
There are multiple layers to the music, and it can be difficult to determine which is the most important/main melodic layer. Polyphonic or contrapuntal texture will involve lots of imitation and melodies being passed around the different instruments of the orchestra.
Give an example of a fugue in the concerto?
There is a fugue section at the end of the first movement. It starts with a subject in the basses. Then the violas have the imitation, called the answer, while the cellos continue with the first of two countersubjects. When subject and answer have entered twice each, we have a four-part texture.
What does “playing in thirds” mean?
This is when one instrument plays a melody and a second one plays the same melody, but 3 notes higher. E.g. the main melody goes CDEC. The second instrument plays EFGE above the main melody.
Give an example of “playing in thirds’ used in the concerto.
The solo violins sometimes play in thirds in the fourth movement (bars 14–19).
