What is a Concerto?
A concerto is a multi-movement musical composition for one or more solo instruments and an orchestra It is considered one of the most important and venerated of the solo instrumental works. A concerto typically features three movements: an opening fast movement, followed by a slow movement and a final fast or lively movement, although some concertos can have more than three movements.
The term concerto originates from the Latin word concertare, meaning to struggle, which describes the tension between the soloist and the orchestra, as well as the opposing characters of the soloist and orchestra. Concertos often utilize a ritornello, a recurring refrain which serves as a bridge between solo passages. In a concerto, the solo instrument is given melodies, riffs, and countermelodies that may be greatly embellished compared to those of the orchestra. Unlike a symphony, a concerto is meant to feature the soloist as the star of the show.
Concerto Interesting Essay Topic Ideas
1. Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons”: One of the most recognizable and influential concertos of all time, Antonio Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” is a collection of four violin concertos depicting the four seasons of the year. This concerto has become a staple of the classical music repertoire, and is a lauded example of influence of nature on music.
2. Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto: This concerto is the only one from Mozart’s vast output which he himself wrote for a clarinet. Written for a relative of Mozart’s, the piece puts forth a rather untraditional approach for concerto writing that foreshadowed the Romantic concertos of the nineteenth century.
3. Paganini’s Violin Concerto Number 1: Composed by violinist Nicolo Paganini, this concerto is widely regarded as one of the most difficult pieces written for any instrument. Its complexity and technical challenges make it a classic example of the tension between soloist and orchestra that defines the concerto style.
4. Beethoven’s Piano Concerto Number 5: This is the only concerto among Beethoven’s five piano concertos that he considered to be successful, and it is the most widely performed and studied of his works. It features a unique combination of tension and lyricism that demonstrate Beethoven’s peculiar combination of classical and romantic aesthetics.
5. Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto: Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto is one of the most popular concertos of all time due to its melodic beauty and emotional depth. It is an example of the sweeping, dramatic style for which Tchaikovsky is famous, with solo passages that are both tumultuous and lyrical.