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 Baroque concerto grosso
The Baroque concerto grosso contrasts a concertino (soloists) with the ripieno (full ensemble).
The Classical and Romantic concerto
The Classical solo concerto features a single soloist, usually in three movements.
Concerto features (soloist, cadenza, movements)
A concerto contrasts a soloist (or solo group) with an orchestra.
The Baroque concerto grosso
In a concerto grosso the full ensemble is called the ripieno.
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.
Concerto features (soloist, cadenza, movements)
A solo concerto is typically in three movements (fast–slow–fast).
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.
The Classical and Romantic concerto
The Romantic concerto is more virtuosic and expressive, with a larger orchestra.
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.
Practice questions with answers
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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Practise all 18 Area of Study 2: The Concerto Through Time questions with spaced repetition, so what you revise today is still there in the exam. Free to use, no card needed.