THE CONCERTO GROSSO AND RITORNELLO FORM

• Important form in the late Baroque period• Concerto Grosso – a small group of soloists is set

against a larger group of players• Anywhere from 2-4 soloists• Best and highest paid musicians of the

orchestra• Tutti – when all musicians play together• Anywhere from 8-20 musicians• Mainly stringed instruments

• Usually performed by private orchestra for the aristocrats

THE CONCERTO GROSSO AND RITORNELLO FORM

Several movements Contrasting in tempo and character Usually 3 movements

1- fast Determined – showing differentiation between soloist

and tutti sections 2- slow

Quieter than the 1st movement Often lyrical and intimate

3- fast Lively, carefree Can be dance like

THE CONCERTO GROSSO AND RITORNELLO FORM

1st and last movement of concerti grossi are often in ritornello form.

Ritornello Form – based on alternation between tutti and solo sections Tutti section – ritornello (refrain)

Returns in different keys throughout the movement Fragment Whole again at the end Number of returns varies from piece to piece

Concerto grosso outlineA. tutti, ritornello in home keyB. SoloA. tutti, ritornello fragmentB. SoloA. tutti, ritornello fragmentB. SoloA. tutti, ritornello in home key

BRANDENBURG CONCERTO NO. 5 IN D MAJOR(ABOUT 1721), BY JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH

Concerto Grosso Ritornello Form

Set of 6 concertos Written for a German aristocrat Performed for Bach’s employer – prince

of Cothen Each concerto is written for a different

unusual combination of instruments Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 – written for

a string orchestra and soloists – flute, violin and harpsichord

BRANDENBURG CONCERTO NO. 5 IN D MAJOR(ABOUT 1721), BY JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH

First Movement: Allegro Opens with ritornello – continuous flow of rapid notes Ritornello has a definite ending Soloists present dropping dynamic level and changing

the tone color Fragment of ritornello

Alternation elongates throughout the movement Soloists parts are vibrant and fancy Tutti sections are straightforward

Harpsichord is the only instrument to play during final solo section

Prince had just bought one and Bach most likely wanted to showcase

THE FUGUE Fugue – a polyphonic composition based on a

main theme Written for a group of instruments or voices or for a

single instrument Can be written independently or introduced by another

short piece – prelude Bach and Handle wrote hundreds

Subject – main theme Voices – different melodic lines

Imitate the subject Texture of the fugue ranges from 3 -5 voices Subject is constant

Takes new meanings with shifting of keys or combined with different melodic/rhythmic ideas

THE FUGUE Fugue form is very flexible

Only constant feature is how they begin Subject is presented in a single unaccompanied voice

Subject is presented in two different scales First in the tonic - call Second in the dominant - answer

Later is imitated by all the remaining voices May seem like a round, but does not continue indefinitely

After the subject is presented the melody line may continue its own way in each voice

The composer has freedom to choose when the subject will be presented in voice and key

Between presentations are transitions - episodes

Countersubject – the subject in one voice is constantly accompanied in another voice by a different melodic idea

Constant companion Above or below the subject

THE FUGUE Musical procedures

Stretto – subject is imitated before it is completed – one voice tries to catch another

Pedal point – single tone is held while the other voices produce a series of changing harmonies

Variations of Fugue Inversion – turned upside down

Steps and leaps of intervals are reversed Retrograde – beginning with the last note of

the subject and going backward to the first. Augmentation – original values are lengthened Diminution – shortened values

ORGAN FUGUE IN G MINOR (LITTLE FUGUE)(ABOUT 1709) BY JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH

Bach’s best known organ Piece 4 voices taking turns presenting the subject

Top voice and then progressively through the lower voices

Subject gains speed as it progresses Subject appears 5 times following initial

presentation New material, countersubject, downward

sequences, melodic patterns… Subject presented in major keys

Final statement in minor Ends in a major chord – thought be more conclusive

during the time period