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** HISTORY, FORM, AND SIGNIFICANCE ** Dylan Yoo Instrumental Music 111 Mr. Boss é December 15, 2014 The classical period was a marvellous time in terms of western classical music. Generally accepted to have lasted from approximately 1750 to around 1810, classical music was named so because of the conscious desire of the society to adopt the classical heritage of Greece and Rome. Classical period introduced and popularized various musical styles and forms such as the sonata and the symphony. However, one of the most interesting musical forms that were popularized in this era was the concerto. A concerto, in its simplest sense, is a musical composition in which a solo instrument is featured against an orchestral ensemble [1]. Although it had its roots in the Baroque era, it was only by the classical period that the current style was in practice. However, its competitive style is in contrast to other popular forms of classical music, and it has also been a subject of debate and criticism amongst scholars. Nevertheless, the concerto has been enduringly popular, due to its unique and colourful style. In order to understand the concerto form, attention must be given to its history first. The word concerto comes from the Latin term “//concertaire//”, meaning ‘to contend, dispute, or to debate.” [2] Interestingly, the word also has a second definition that seemingly contradicts the first: ‘to work together with someone.’ When the word concerto took after its definition, the composers of the era first utilised the latter meaning in their works. For instance, its first known musical application, “//Un concerto di voci in musica”// (Rome, 1519) [3], likely referred to a vocal ensemble, using the latter definition. This meaning of concerto as an ensemble lasted until the 17th century, after which the former meaning of competition was ‘rediscovered’. The concerto was originally written for a vocal ensemble and it was only adapted for an instrumental group in the last two decades of the 17th century. However, the modern foundation and structure of the style was not in place until the time of the Italian composer, Antonio Vivaldi, during the aptly named “Vivaldian Revolution” [4]. Vivaldi can be credited with the creation of all the main types of concertos, with the exception of the slightly older Roman concerto. He was the first to regularly use the ritornello form, a re-inviting passage, as well as placing solo parts inside the fast movements, setting a new standard in virtuosity [5]. His changes were so influential that they became part of the universal language of the concerto, and his style was mimicked by later composers such as J.S. Bach, Georg Philipp Telemann, and Johann Georg Pisendel [6]. Since then, the concerto was standardized and utilised by many other composers in its modern form. A concerto, much like other forms in classical music, can be very variable. Therefore, it is difficult to put an exact definition of its style. However, the usual definition for a concerto is a musical work with a solo instrument(s) against a larger orchestra. The solo instruments are varied, ranging from violins to horns. Throughout the piece, the soloists are expected to work in alternation, competition, and combination with the larger orchestra [7]. Concertos are usually written in three movements. The first movement is frequently in sonata form, being composed of exposition, development and recapitulation [8]. This is similar in style to sonatas and symphonies, which use the same form. The exposition is often repeated, with the soloist entering after the first. The theme then grows in a short development, after which the main theme is recapitulated. It is common to have a cadenza after the recapitulation, in which the soloist showcases their virtuosity. The second movement is slow and usually simple, using forms such as ternary form [9]. The final movement is fast again and usually in rondo form, following the shape of ABAC(DA) [10]. Although Vivaldi can be credited with the creation of the basic style of the concerto, the movement system was introduced by classical composers such as Mozart and Haydn. Interestingly, the concerto is often confused with its older relative, //concerto grosso//, which was popular in the Baroque period. However, it was stylistically different from it, in that a small group of soloists, the concertino, competed against the larger group, called the ripieno [11]. //Concerto grosso// was eventually dropped by composers in favour of the solo concerto. The concerto, from its beginnings, has been in place for more than 250 years. During its history, its significance to the musical world has been unbelievable. The concerto created stimuli for the development of instrumental technique and design, such as lengthening the fingerboard on the violin [12]. It has also helped shape the nature of orchestral sound since its popularization [13]. Moreover, the concerto remains the first purely instrumental genre to exert a strong influence in Western music [14]. Since then, innumerable concertos have been written by various composers, including Mozart, who wrote 43 works [15], and Vivaldi, who wrote more than 400 works [16]. This number goes to show the staggering amount of popularity for the style. The concerto is naturally exciting and emotional for many audiences, and the technical skill and virtuosity shown by the soloist causes many to stare in amazement. However, despite its popularity, or perhaps on account of it, the concerto has also been criticised heavily precisely because of its virtuosity. Critics argue that the soloists concern themselves too much with the technicality of the music, at the cost of its balance or musicality. Some have even stated that “excessive virtuosity in concertos detract unequivocally from a listener’s aesthetic experience. [17] ” However, the concerto still remains one of the most popular genres of classical music. Perhaps it is its ability to elicit such diverse opinions in its audiences that allowed the concerto to have remained in popularity for so long. The concerto is an instrumental work that is created by the contrast between the solo instrument and the supporting orchestra. From its humble beginnings as a vocal composition, it has grown to be one of the quintessential classical music of the modern world. Using a simple form of alternation, competition, and combination between the soloist and the orchestra, it has produced thousands of works by numerous composers, spanning a period of nearly 400 years [18]. In addition, the concerto was significant in shaping the classical music of the era, from orchestral sounds to the design of the instruments. The concerto is a truly versatile form, capable of withstanding the test of time for more than 250 years. In the 21st century, new concertos are still being produced and the audience remains as enthusiastic as ever. Simon Keefe of The University of Sheffield wonderfully summarizes our continued enthusiasm of the genre in his book //The Cambridge Companion to the Concerto//: “By engaging in our own considerations of the [concerto] – as composers, performers, scholars, critics, music-lovers and concert-goers – we contribute actively to the concerto’s colourful history and help to shape its future.” [19]
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Bibliography Sadie, Stanley. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. 2.nd ed. Vol. 6. London [u.a.: Macmillan, 2001. Keefe, Simon P. The Cambridge Companion to the Concerto. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011. Lloyd, Norman, and Emanuel Winternitz. The Golden Encyclopedia of Music. New York: Golden Press, 1968. "The Classical Period (1775-1825)." The Classical Period (1775-1825). Accessed December 2, 2014. [|Http://Cmed.Faculty.Ku.Edu/Private/Classical.Html]. "Classical Period." Classical. Accessed December 1, 2014. []. "Summary of Western Classical Music History." Summary of Western Classical Music History. Accessed December 2, 2014. [|Http://Www.Columbia.Edu/Itc/Music/Ito/History/]. "Concerto (music)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Accessed December 1, 2014. [|Http://Www.Britannica.Com/Ebchecked/Topic/131077/Concerto]. "Concerto." - Classical. Accessed December 1, 2014. [].

[1] "Concerto (music)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. [|Http://Www.Britannica.Com/Ebchecked/Topic/131077/Concerto]. [2] Sadie, Stanley. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. 2.nd ed. Vol. 6. London [u.a.: Macmillan, 2001. [3] Ibid., [4] Ibid., [5] Stanley. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians., [6] Ibid., [7] "Concerto (music)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. []. [8] "Concerto." []. [9] Concerto.educationscotland.gov.uk [10] Concerto.educationscotland.gov.uk  [11] Lloyd, Norman, and Emanuel Winternitz. The Golden Encyclopedia of Music. New York: Golden Press, 1968., 119 [12] Stanley. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians., [13] Ibid., [14] Ibid., [15] “ Concerto." [] . [16] Norman, & Winternitz. The Golden Encyclopedia of Music., 118  [17] Keefe, Simon P. The Cambridge Companion to the Concerto. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011., 8  [18] Keefe. The Cambridge Companion to the Concerto, 2  [19] Keefe. The Cambridge Companion to the Concerto, 3