RitornelloBaroque 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

Ritornellocomplete Solo Rit. Solo Rit. Ritornello

complete

Any # ofSolos and Rits.

Original Key Original KeyVarious keys

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 VivaldiViolin 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.

a b c c

b c

Solo 1 Solo 2

Solo 3 Solo 4

Vivaldi: Violin Concerto in G, I

Antonio VivaldiViolin Concerto in G, Third Movement

The Brandenburg Concertos

• 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.

R11 2 3

I

R21

V

R32

V

R42

vi

R52

I

R61

V

R71 2

I

R82

I

R91 2 3

I

Central Solo

iii

Cadenza

V - I

1 9 19 20 29 31 40 42 59 61

71

101 102 121 125 137 138 154

219