Four Centuries of Great Music July 17, 2021 Concerto Grosso

Today on Four Centuries of Great Music we are celebrating the Concerto Grosso.  Strictly defined, the concerto grosso is a form of music in which the musical material is passed between a small group of soloists and full orchestra. This is in contrast to the solo concerto, which features a single solo instrument with the melody line, accompanied by the orchestra.  Although everyone thinks of the concerto grosso as being solely in the baroque era, and if fact that is part of the Wikipedia definition, the term and concept of the concerto grosso has reappeared in the 20^th century.  So today on Four Centuries of Great Music we will be bouncing back and forth between the 18^th and 20^th and 21^st centuries.

Let start with Philip Glass’ Concerto Grosso.  This bends the meaning of concerto grosso in an interesting way. Each movement of the “Concerto Grosso” is written for a distinctive group of instruments.  The first movement emphasized the winds as the solo instruments, the second movement the brass as the solo instruments and the third movement give the strings as the solo instruments. All together these groups make up a most of the symphonic ensemble.  This work was written for the Beethoven Orchestra Bonn lead by Dennis Russell Davies in 1992.  

Concerto grosso in G minor, Op. 6, No. 8 by Arcangelo Corelli, known commonly as the Christmas Concerto, was commissioned by Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni and published posthumously in 1714 as part of Corelli's Twelve concerti grossi, Op. 6. The concerto bears the inscription Fatto per la notte di Natale (made for the night of Christmas). Its composition date is uncertain, but there is a record of Corelli having performed a Christmas concerto in 1690 for the enjoyment of his new patron.

The concerto is scored for an ensemble consisting of two concertino violins and cello with strings and continuo. The work is structured with alternating fast and slow movement, in this case expanded from a typical four movement structure to six: Vivace/Grave; Allegro; Adagio/Allegro/Adagio; Vivace, Allegro; and the finale a Largo-Pastorale.

Next on this celebration of the Concerto Grosso is William Bolcom’s Concerto Grosso for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra in four movements I. Lively II. Song Without Words  III. Valse and IV Badinerie.  The work was             written for and Premiered by The PRISM Quartet, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Jahja Ling, conducting, in 2000.  William Bolcom writes about this work “Although each PRISM member is an excellent soloist, I took their request to mean that I should emphasize their group identity, their "fourness." The first movement, Lively, in simple sonata form, evokes blues harmonies in both its themes. Song without Words, which follows, is a lyrical larghetto. The following Valse, which has a very French cast, begins with a long solo stretch for the saxophone quartet; the development of this theme alternates with a pianissimo Scherzetto section. The final Badinerie, bah-DIN-er-eee a title borrowed from Bach, evokes bebop and rhythm-and-blues.

We are closing today’s celebration of the Concerto Grosso with Kristof Penderecki’s Concerto Grosso No. 1 for 3 Cellos which was composed in 2000-2001. Charles Dutoit, who was Music Director of the NHK Orchestra in Tokyo from 1998 to 2001, commissioned the work on behalf of that orchestra and gave the first premiere performance in Tokyo in 2001. Best known for his choral and symphonic works, Krzysztof Penderecki has also written many fascinating concertante pieces. This Concerto Grosso No. 1 makes full use of the potential for interplay between three solo cellos and orchestra. There is an introduction of the three soloists at the beginning of the work and a spectacular cadenza for the three soloists at the end of the work.  It is written to be played continuously without interruption but you can follow the markings as you listen to the work: Andante Sostenuto,  Allegro Con Brio, Allegretto Giocoso, Meno Mosso. Notturno. Adagio, Allegro Con Brio and ending with an Adagio.