Ritornello Baroque Concertos and Beyond The Form
• A main body of material, called (confusingly) the ritornello. • The ritornello alternates with transitional passages, usually for solo instruments or a small group of instruments. • The movement ends with a repeat of the ritornello, whole or in part. Ritornelli
• The returns of the ritornello are typically modified. • They may be fragmented. • They may be in a different key, or mode. Ritornello in Concertos
• In a concerto (i.e., for soloists with orchestra), the “ritornello” is played by the tutti or the ripieno—which means the full orchestra. • Sometimes terms like tutti are used as near- synonyms with ritornello. Solo Passages
• Solo passages occur between statements of the ritornello. • Typically they’re lighter, not particularly thematic. • Also typically they feature display passages for soloists. The Form as a Whole
Any # of Solos and Rits. Ritornello Ritornello Solo Rit. Solo Rit. complete complete
Original Key Various keys Original Key Where to Find It
• Concertos • First and last movements • Solo concerti • Concerti grossi (Concertos for groups of instruments) • Overtures • Solo instrumental works • Even arias sometimes Antonio Vivaldi Violin Concerto in G Major Op. 4, No. 12 “La Stravaganza”
First Movement: Ritornello Form The Ritornello
• The ritornello consists of three phrases
a b c The Ritornello
• The ritornello may be highly varied. Vivaldi: Violin Concerto in G, I a b c Solo 1 c Solo 2
Solo 3 Solo 4 b c
Antonio Vivaldi Violin Concerto in G, Third Movement
• Written during Bach’s years at Cöthen (1717-1723). • Dedicated to the Margrave of Brandenburg, who apparently never heard them. The Brandenburg Concertos
• Six concertos • Each is a unique approach to the writing of a concerto grosso, or concerto for small group of instruments and orchestra. • Each has a different instrumentation. Brandenburg Concerto No. 5
• Bach apparently wrote this for himself as one of the soloists: • Flute • Violin • Harpsichord Brandenburg Concerto No. 5
• Just prior to the final ritornello, there is a gigantic written-out (not improvised) cadenza (solo passage) for the harpsichord. • It remains one of the great virtuoso keyboard passages in all music. Brandenburg Concerto No. 5
• Although technically it is a ritornello like the Vivaldi Concerto in G, it is gigantic and heroic in scale. Brandenburg Concerto No. 5
• 10 minutes in this (rather fast) recording: • Nine ritornelli • Nine solos, including a long “Central Solo” which acts as an interlude of sorts • One super spiffy cadenza Wow. 1 9 19 20 29 31 40 42 59 61 R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 1 2 3 1 2 2 2 I V V vi I
71
Central Solo iii
101 102 121 125 137 138 154
R6 R7 R8 Cadenza 1 1 2 2 V I I V - I
219
R9 1 2 3 I