A Comparison of the Musical Styles of Vivaldi and Corelli Essay Sample

distinguished over the other. Both works masterfully represent the features of the composers’ manners.

A brief background of each composer is necessary into addition penetration into their authorship manners. “Arcangelo Corelli was born in Fusignano. a little town midway between Bologna and Ravenna. on 17 February 1653. ” The first music lessons that Corelli took was from a priest in the town of Faenza.

After go oning his surveies at Lugo. Corelli traveled to Bolonga in 1666. In 1675. Corelli spent four old ages in Rome where he set about low-level places among orchestral fiddlers. He shortly became one of the foremost fiddlers in Rome.

“On 9 July 1687. Cardinal Pamphili engaged Corelli as his music maestro at a monthly wage of 10 Florentine piasters. ” Corelli received the award of being admitted to the Arcadian Academy ( along with distinguished instrumentalists such as Pasquini and Scarlatti ) on April 26. 1706.

He was named Arcomelo Erimanteo. In 1708. Corelli retired from public position ; he used his clip composing. On January 8. 1708. Corelli died and was buried in S Maria della Rotonda.

Antonio Vivaldi was born on March 4. 1678. Although really small is known about his childhood and musical instruction. it has been assumed that he took fiddle lessons from his male parent. “Vivaldi’s consummate playing of the fiddle every bit good as many stylistic reverberations of Corelli. peculiarly in the early sonatas.

hold given rise to speculations that he was really a student of that maestro in Rome. ” No grounds of this was found. nevertheless. it would explicate his three twelvemonth absences between his deaconship and his priesthood. Vivaldi exhausted clip as

a private fiddle teacher after his clip being considered the consummate fiddler of Italy.

Vivaldi died in Vienna in 1741. “Antoni Vivaldi. the uncomparable fiddler. known as the red-haired priest. extremely esteemed for his concertos and other composings. earned at one clip more that 50.

000 ducats. but because of his immoderate extravagance died a pauper in Vienna. ”In order to turn out that both musical illustrations are perfect indicants of each composers’ manner one must analyze each composer’s works separately. Corelli has many typical qualities that differentiate him from other composers and shriek Corelli.

The pieces being analyzed are Corelli’s foremost and 2nd sonatas in Opus Three. The first is in F major and the later in D major. One illustration is that Corelli avoids extremes in the fiddle registry. The illustration below depicts this conservative usage of the registry.Ex. 1: Sonata II Allegro Opus 3.

Corelli. step 34 of markThis D in 3rd place is highest note that appears in both sonatas. Although the note does necessitate a displacement from the instrumentalist. when puting it in mention to the full scope of the fiddle. the D is non a menu stretch. The D is merely used one time throughout both sonatas.

Corelli does. nevertheless. utilize the C in 3rd place rather often. However. one can non satisfactorily argue that this note is an extreme in registry sing a stretch of the 4th finger would enable the instrumentalist to remain in first place and the note.

The 3rd place is seldom exceeded as was shown in the above illustration. Similarly. to the extremes in registry. Corelli besides avoids the usage of the G-string on

the fiddle ; as shown below.Ex.

2: Sonata II Grave Opus 3. Corelli. step 18-19 of markThis is the lone clip in both of the sonata examples that Corelli dares to travel to the G-string. The G-string is exhibited one time in eight motions.

The lowest note other than this lone C is the unfastened D-string. Traveling along. another facet of Corelli’s authorship is the usage of conjunct upward and downward patterned advances of first inversion chords. The undermentioned illustration shows an opening motion of one of the three sonatas that is full of first inversion chords.Ex. 3: Sonata I Vivace Opus 3.

Corelli. step 28-29 of markThese shutting steps are presented with an surplus of first inversion chords. All beats of these steps happen to be first inversion chords. This is merely a short illustration from this motion. nevertheless if one looks antecedently in the same motion the chords used in Numberss are first inversions. Keeping within the thought of forms and patterned advances.

Corelli would frequently compose. “sequential patterned advances that travel alternately a fifth in one way and a 4th in the other. ” An illustration of this manner is shown below.Ex. 4 Sonata II Allegro opus 3.

Corelli. step 29 of markIn this case. Corelli puts two consecutive patterned advances next to each other. The B moves down a fifth to the E and so moves up a 4th to the A.

In this is shown the opposite way and the jumping fifth to a 4th. It repeats once more from the A to a D and the back up to a G. Once once more. the patterned advance is from

a 5th down to a 4th up.

One characteristic frequently used in the bass instrument is a walk-to base line.This is when an unessential note is interposed between to harmony notes. This patterned advance is normally found in a sequence of 8th notes.
Ex.

5 Sonata I Grave Opus 3. Corelli. measures 9-10 on markThe harmonic notes are shown on beats one through four. They outline the harmonic patterned advance of the two steps.

The unessential notes are put on the off beats.One of Corelli’s most well- known characteristics appears as the Corelli Clash. “This is a declaration onto the prima note at a meter coincides with the expectancy of the tonic note in the comrade upper portion. ” Dr.

Jack Ashworth from the University of Louisville provinces that although this manner is credited to Corelli. the composer does non utilize it really frequently in his pieces. However Corelli’s music does incorporate many other types of clangs.Ex. 6 Sonata II Adagio Opus 3. Corelli.

step 17-18 of markEven though. the quinine water does non look in expectancy with the taking tone. the taking tone does suspend over the saloon line where it meets tonic. This clang is reversed in nature from the traditional “Corelli Clash. ” nevertheless.

it can be considered nil other than a clang.An illustration of these following two stylistic traits can non be shown. nevertheless. they do happen in the three sonatas. First. Corelli followed a form with his three sonatas.

Opus One and Three were church sonatas and Two and Four were chamber. The difference between the two sonatas is that the chamber sonatas have a feeling like a dance. “Church sonatas

deficiency designated dance motions but contain dance features. ” It was stated that Opus three relates more to the chamber sonatas because it contains a greater sum of motions in an cheerful pacing.

All of the sonatas follow four-movement form as good. This is true for Sonata I and II of Opus Three.In Corelli’s plants. there are ever a overplus of suspensions.

unison transitions. and diatonic arppegiated motivations. Below are illustrations of each.Ex.

7 Sonata I Grave Opus 3. Corelli. steps 5-7As you can see in these three steps entirely. Corelli uses the suspension four times. This is non a 1 clip illustration. Suspensions such as these are used at least one time in every step.

Ex. 8 Sonata I Vivace Opus 3. Corelli. steps 1-4In the gap steps of the 3rd motion of Sonata I. the fiddles are in complete unison. The beat are indistinguishable as the fiddles play a 3rd apart from each other.

In this transition. even the bass has unison beat on the 2nd and 4th steps.Ex. 9 Sonata II Allegro Opus 3. Corelli. step 29 of markHere in the 2nd violin portion.

a first inversion five chord is arppegiated followed by a first inversion three chord.Corelli contains a predictable temper in his pieces. This creates most of his entreaty to hearers. However.

even with his predictable motion. Corelli manages to throw in some harmonic surprises. Occasionally. he will even has such bizzarria that it throws off the music’s continuity. One such case is interpreted in the steps below.Ex.

10 Sonata II Allegro Opus 3. Corelli. step 13 of markThis step comes away surprising to the hearer because the voices are non

balanced good. Usually Corelli is really consistent on equal voice leadings.

but in this case. the voice taking fails. One facet of Corelli’s three sonatas is that he replaced the viola with a 2nd fiddle. In both illustration sonatas. a fiddle is favored over the viola.The concluding facet of Corelli’s pieces are the finals are every bit divided between fugal types.

This is true for both Sonatas. The finale motion is in the compound metre of six eight. Besides true of Corelli’s manner is the alternation of slow to fast motions. Merely Sonata II follows this signifier.As one can see Corelli’s three Sonatas I and II follow most if non all of Corelli’s manners. If heard.

the pieces would unmistakably be known as a Corelli manner. This is non to state that Corelli out manner Vivaldi by any agencies. In fact. one could travel as far assaying the two Italian violinist/composers were equal in endowment and manner. Niether strayed from their comfy format. Looking at Vivaldi’s pieces will demo equality between the two.

Like Corelli. Vivaldi had an surplus of stylistic feature that distinguished him from any other composer in this period. Normally. one can notably state a Vivaldi piece from that of another composer without uncertainty. To exemplify Vivaldi’s changeless manner the Sixth Concerto in G child and the Seventh Concerto in C major from La Stravaganza Opus 4 will be analyzed. One of the first of these features is the usage of syncopated beat as shown in this illustration.

Ex. 11 Concerto in Sol minore Allegro La Stravaganza Opus 4. Vivaldi. step 19-30 of markThe solo fiddle and first fiddle are in complete unison in

beat and notes. They create this syncopated beat by altering the note on an far-out alternatively of the round.

They violins go on this form throughout the piece. non merely in the first motion. While utilizing the syncopated beat. Vivaldi coordinated the bow with the beat. Another manner that is alone to Vivaldi is that of “flexible intervention of variable 6th and 7th grades of the minor graduated table.

” This involves altering the quality of the note whether it be from level to natural to crisp.Ex. 12 Concerto in Sol minore Allegro La stravanganza Opus 4. Vivaldi. measures 112- 117 of markThe 6th grade ( being an Tocopherol ) and the 7th ( a F ) fluctuate between the natural minor graduated table and the melodious minor graduated table.

The Tocopherol switches from E level to E natural multiple times as the F switches to F natural to F crisp about every step. In maintaining with note qualities. another facet of Vivaldi’s authorship is his usage of the augmented melodic interval throughout the piece even in an ascending line.Ex.

13 Concerto in Do maggorie Largo La Stravaganza Opus 4. Vivaldi. step 7 of markThe in-between half of the 4th round in step seven shows this augmented 2nd attack. In a descending line of 30 2nd notes.

a D crisp to a C appears. In this peculiar concerto. the affect of augmented intervals is non a common happening. However.

since Vivaldi does demo some usage of this in the solo line of the 2nd fiddle. it is safe to presume that he does follow common pattern.Frequently used by Vivaldi was the impression of “transporting thoughts

from the major and minor manners with freedom. ” Vivaldi did this multiple times throughout his pieces. Listening to the pieces is rather interesting due to these sudden alterations in motive. Most normally.

there was non any signifier of phrase transition. The alteration in manner happens from motion to motion every bit good as in the motions themselves. The motives changed immediately every bit good every bit suddenly as shown here.Ex. 14 Concerto in Do maggorie Allegro La Stravaganza Opus 4. Vivaldi.

measures 117-126 of mark ( shows merely solo and two fiddle parts )Vivaldi was a maestro of composing which enabled him to organize tunes from cadential fragments. Merely when the piece sounds and seems that an stoping is nearing. it takes on a new melodious phrase. In this illustration of a Vivaldi concerto.

Vivaldi smartly tricks the audience with a five to one meter. However. the meter non merely ends the pervious phrase but besides starts a new motive.Ex.

15 Concerto in Sol minore Allegro La Stravaganza Opus 4. Vivaldi. measures 122-124 of markIn this instance. the meter really brings back the gap ritornello. This subject occurs several times in the motion. This happening is different from the remainder because of the fragmentary meter that forms it.

When speech production of chords used in a Vivaldi piece. one must advert the copiousness of 7th chords in his harmoniousness. Most of the chords in his harmoniousness are 7th chords as shown below.Ex. 16 Concerto in Sol minore Allegro La Stravaganza Opus 4.

Vivaldi. measures 24-26 of markAll three of these steps begin with some sort of 7th chord. Measure 24 begins with an A seven

chord. The undermentioned step begins with a D seven. and the last another D seven.

This is a shorter illustration. nevertheless it clearly illustrates that Vivaldi did non 7th chords meagerly.Quite often in a Vivaldi piece. the cardinal modulates really suddenly. For a really clear illustration of this. we turn to the 4th motion of the 7th concerto in La Stravaganza.

Ex. 17 Concerto in Do maggiore Allefro La Stravaganza Opus 4. Vivaldi. measures 137-141 of markIn Vivaldi’s phrasing. some irregular features may leap out.

In some instances. this could intend an accidental on a outstanding note in the phrase. an bizarre beat. or in this instance exchanging metre forms.Ex. 18 Concerto in Sol minore Allegro La Stravaganza Opus 4.

Vivaldi. measures 291-294 of markAs you can see the statements starts in a three spiel and continues through the first two steps of the illustration. It so switched back to straight 8th notes in the 3rd step. In this form.

the 8th notes remain changeless throughout the switching back and Forth.Besides in the plants of Vivaldi are contrapuntal motives that are passed between the two fiddles. Contrapuntal means “ ( 1 ) of or refering to counterpoint. ( 2 ) With regard to musical texture. exhibiting counterpoint.

i. e. . a grade of independency among approximately synonymous with polyphonic. as distinguishable from homophonic.

” An illustration of this is shown below.Ex. 19 Concerto in Sol minore Allegro La Stravaganza Opus 4. Vivaldi. step 63-68 of markThe two fiddles are merchandising two different motives back and Forth for a short sum of clip. One motive is more melodious with the other is a sort of pulsation that

a little graduated table in it and a shake for ornament.

The first fiddle starts with the melodious line with the 2nd keeps the round. Not to be out done. the 2nd fiddle takes over the tune from the first fiddle. Again.

they switch before traveling on to a new idea.A signifier which is frequently used in Vivaldi’s plants is that of an ostinato. “An ostinato is a figure or musical sentence that repeats continuously. Its length varies in range from a motivation or phrase to a period.

An ostinato provides consolidative repeat. An short ostinato figure can work as an ornamented or drawn-out pedal tone. ” In the ostinato. Vivaldi uses the phrases to contrast the harmoniousnesss in other parts.

An illustration of this signifier is shown below.Ex. 20 Concerto in Sol minore Allegro La Stravaganza Opus 4. Vivaldi.

measures 268- 273 of markThe above transition occurs multiple times in this motion of Vivaldi’s violin concerto. The first fiddle takes on this 8th note beat and tune that is in entire contrast to what the other voices are making. While the 8th note form continues. the fiddle.

viola. and cello have a really smooth one-fourth note followed by a flecked one-fourth that is slurred to an 8th. This exemplifies absolutely Vivaldi’s ostinato signifier.Many of Vivaldi’s plants have a typical quality about them that are notated in the direction than in the notes themselves. In most of Vivaldi’s pieces. he creates a three-movement piece in which the first motion it fast.

the 2nd is slow. and the 3rd is fast. In some of these concertos. Vivaldi adds a slow debut before the first motion. This

is clear in both concerto illustrations.

The Concerto is Sol minore follows this procedure by utilizing Allegro. Largo. Allegro. The Concerto in Do maggiore follows the same form but does add on a Largo debut.

He besides uses descriptive shreds for his aggregations of plants which in this instance is entitled La Stravaganza.When kineticss were concerned. Vivaldi pulled out all Michigans. Vivaldi would frequently hold huge dynamic graduations from piano to fortissimo as shown below.Ex.

21 Cocnerto in Sol minore Allegro La Stravaganza Opus 4. Vivaldi. measures 75-79 of markThe solo fiddle quickly alterations from piano to forte and endorse to piano in the class of merely five steps. In illustration 21. the composer creates an echo consequence by utilizing such drastic dynamic differences.

Vivaldi besides uses different dynamic markers at the same time as shown below.Ex. 22 Cocnerto in Sol minore Allegro La Stravaganza Opus 4. Vivaldi. step 111 of markHere the first fiddle has a loud dynamic under the soloist while the violist is at a piano. Vivaldi was a maestro at his plant for this ground.

He knows which lines he wanted brought out and was one of the first to utilize this type of taging to allow the instrumentalist know precisely what he wanted.The most of import manner feature of Vivaldi was the usage of the ritornello. A ritornello is a tune of phrase that acts as a chorus normally used in an instrumental ensemble. Vivaldi used many ritornellos as the chief motive in the first motions of all concertos. However.

his attack to the ritornello varied from concerto to concerto. Normally. each clip the ritornello returned. it would sound similar.

“The ritornello is normally presented in two ways. “By a dual statement of the ritornello in quinine water at the terminal of the motion. or by a individual statement of the ritornello that is interrupted bye one or more solo jaunts. Simplified version of ritornello signifier is frequently used in slow movements” Sometimes. the solo will take up the ritornello as heard before and expands its motives in improvisation.

To demo a ritornello in its entireness. one would necessitate to demo the piece it its entireness. However. an illustration of one of Vivaldi’s concertos is shown below.

Ex. 23 Concerto in Sol minore Allegro La Stravaganza Opus 4. Vivaldi. measures 1-8 of markThis gap begins with the fiddles in unison while the cello and viola back up the tune with a counter motive. This peculiar ritornello is ever presented with the whole ensemble in unison. The ritornello ever comes back in the same cardinal each clip it returns.

Vivaldi. like Corelli. was a maestro of his clip. He had “great spontaneousness. ebullient sensualness. broad and free virtuosity.

and tonic imaginativeness. He used one- sided predictable look. ” Vivaldi is known for his consistence with wide notes and broad intervals. Vivaldi seems non to prefer diatonism over chromaticism. His absorbing creative activities jump alive with such energy and force that no 1 could doubt the quality of his work.In summing up.

the two composers are wondrous gifted Masterss of music who truly can non be compared to each other. The pieces analyzed clearly show that neither musician strays far from his ain manner. While subsequently in each of their callings. both Corelli and Vivaldi start experimenting with new

manners. these two pieces can be easy identified in respects to the several composer.

In decision. neither piece was a better illustration of the composer’s manner. Both pieces were first-class illustrations of the stylistic features of Vivaldi and Corelli.Bibliography:Allsop. Peter. Arcangelo Corelli: New Orphus of Our Times.

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Antonio Vivaldi: The Red Priest of Venice. Portland: Amedeus Press. 1991.Kolneder. Walter.

Antonio Vivaldi: His Life and Work. Trans. Bill Hopkins. Los Angelos: University of California Press. 1970.

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