Area of Study 2: The Concerto Through Time
What's covered
Key facts
A cadenza is a virtuosic, often unaccompanied solo passage near a movement's end.
A concerto contrasts a soloist (or solo group) with an orchestra.
The Baroque concerto grosso contrasts a concertino (soloists) with the ripieno (full ensemble).
A solo concerto is typically in three movements (fast–slow–fast).
In a concerto grosso the full ensemble is called the ripieno.
The Romantic concerto is more virtuosic and expressive, with a larger orchestra.
Sample questions
A taste of the 8 questions in this topic, answers marked. Sign up to practise the full set with spaced repetition.
What is a concerto?
- •A large choir with no instruments
- •A piece for solo piano only
- ✓A soloist contrasted with an orchestra
- •A song for a solo voice
In a Baroque concerto grosso, what is the small group of soloists called?
- •The cadenza
- ✓The concertino
- •The full tutti
- •The ripieno
Compared with the Baroque, the Romantic concerto is generally?
- •Always fully unaccompanied
- ✓More virtuosic and expressive
- •Shorter and much simpler
- •Written for voice only
What is a cadenza?
- •A choral refrain
- •A repeated bass line
- •A slow chord sequence
- ✓A virtuosic solo passage
How many movements does a typical solo concerto have?
- •Five
- •One
- ✓Three
- •Two
A cadenza is a virtuosic solo passage within a concerto.
Answer: True
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