Area of Study 2: The Concerto Through Time
What's covered
Key facts
Concerto features (soloist, cadenza, movements)
A cadenza is a virtuosic, often unaccompanied solo passage near a movement's end.
The Classical and Romantic concerto
The Classical solo concerto features a single soloist, usually in three movements.
The Baroque concerto grosso
The Baroque concerto grosso contrasts a concertino (soloists) with the ripieno (full ensemble).
Concerto features (soloist, cadenza, movements)
A concerto contrasts a soloist (or solo group) with an orchestra.
The Classical and Romantic concerto
The Classical concerto (e.g. Mozart) usually opens with a double exposition; the Romantic concerto (e.g. Tchaikovsky, Grieg) is longer, more virtuosic and more emotionally expressive.
The Baroque concerto grosso
In a concerto grosso the full ensemble is called the ripieno.
Concerto features (soloist, cadenza, movements)
A solo concerto is typically in three movements (fast–slow–fast).
The Classical and Romantic concerto
The Romantic concerto is more virtuosic and expressive, with a larger orchestra.
The Baroque concerto grosso
The Baroque concerto grosso often uses ritornello form: a recurring theme (ritornello) played by the ripieno alternates with episodes for the concertino.
Concerto features (soloist, cadenza, movements)
In the Romantic concerto the soloist could be almost any orchestral instrument, but many are piano or violin concertos; the orchestra was large and often contrasted dramatically with the soloist.
Sample questions
A taste of the 18 questions in this topic, answers marked. Sign up to practise the full set with spaced repetition.
How many movements does a solo concerto typically have?
- •Four (slow–fast–slow–fast)
- •One (continuous fast)
- ✓Three (fast–slow–fast)
- •Two (slow–fast)
In Baroque ritornello form, what alternates with the recurring ritornello theme?
- •A cadenza for the ripieno
- •A slow chorale movement
- ✓Episodes for the concertino
- •Repeated tutti codas
How many soloists does a Classical solo concerto feature?
- •A group of four soloists
- •A pair of soloists
- ✓A single soloist
- •No fixed soloist
In the Romantic period, which instruments were most often the soloists in concertos?
- •The harpsichord or lute
- •The organ or harp
- ✓The piano or the violin
- •The recorder or viol
In a Baroque concerto grosso, what is the small group of soloists called?
- •The cadenza
- ✓The concertino
- •The full tutti
- •The ripieno
How does a Classical concerto (e.g. Mozart) usually open?
- ✓With a double exposition
- •With a fugal finale
- •With a slow chorale
- •With a solo cadenza
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